Hilton Expands Its Curio Collection in Asia Pacific

STR reported China hotel data for the week ended November 25. China hotel RevPAR was up 46.5% for the week. It was up against a +2.2% year-over-year comp. When compared with 2019, China hotel RevPAR was down -2.8% for the week.

Curio Collection by Hilton is recognizing a robust year of openings that have paved the way for the brand to reach its 150th opening milestone by the end of 2023. The addition of 19 properties to the portfolio by year’s end, including the debut of 10 first-in-market hotels, reaffirms the brand’s commitment to providing travelers with distinct experiences worldwide. The following properties will debut before the year’s end, solidifying the achievement of 150 Curio Collection by Hilton Hotels: Making its grand entrance as East Africa’s inaugural Curio Collection by Hilton hotel in late November, Kwetu Nairobi, Curio Collection by Hilton in Kenya is a 102-room hotel overlooking the landscape of Karura Forest. On the Southern coastline of Phu Quoc Island, the first Curio Collection by Hilton in Vietnam will open in December. La Festa Phu Quoc, Curio Collection by Hilton accommodates 197 distinctive rooms. Monaco will roll out the red carpet for its first Hilton with the opening of the 181-room Columbus Hotel Monte-Carlo, Curio Collection by Hilton hotel. Next Hotel Melbourne, Curio Collection by Hilton becomes the first Curio Collection hotel in Melbourne, Australia, and features 255 guestrooms. In Mendoza, Argentina, Hualta Hotel Mendoza, Curio Collection by Hiltonhotel is the city’s first winery hotel. The seven-story property features 67 guestrooms. The Rif at Mangrove Beach Corendon Curacao All-Inclusive, Curio by Hilton hotel debuts in Curacao in December. Globally, the brand is anticipated to open more than 20 new properties in 2024, including debuts in Croatia, the Dominican Republic, and China, as well as six new properties in the Middle East and Africa.

Courtyard by Marriott Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport is celebrating its opening on December 1. The hotel is located less than 10 minutes from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport. The 468-room hotel will be the largest Courtyard by Marriott hotel in Thailand. Culinary options include Chon Som Dining, Big Bite Burger, Bar & Grill, Lobby Deli, and the Pool Bar. There is a 40-meter outdoor resort-style swimming pool, 24-hour gym, and the Let’s Relax Spa. For meeting planners, the Courtyard includes an 800 square meter Grand Ballroom and seven smaller meeting rooms.

Novotel Sydney City Centre has undergone a $20 million revamp to cater to the uptick in room demand as the Australian tourism sector growth continues. Included in the transformation of the 283-room hotel is a focus on sustainability and to create a hotel with less waste. Salter Brothers owns the hotel and Accor manages it. Salter also unveiled its latest plans for a new Sebel Sydney Martin Place. The 86-room premium hotel is undergoing a multi-million dollar refurbishment. This is the first Sebel property within Sydney’s financial district, with the Accor brand replacing another as the hotel was formerly Mercure Sydney Martin Place when Salter Brothers acquired it.

Accor announced they signed a deal for the Grand Mercure Goa Candolim, an 87-room property expected to open its doors in April 2024. The Goa, India hotel is being developed under an exclusive franchise agreement with Accor by Antarim Resort LLP. This will be the seventh Grand Mercure in India. The 6,500 square meter hotel includes two dining options, a 500+ square meter banquet hall, and fitness and spa facilities. This is Antarim Resort’s first venture with Accor.

Peerless Hotels, the hospitality arm of Peerless General Finance & Investment, plans to double their room count in India over the next five years. The company has five properties with 450 rooms. They will look at management contracts or acquisition routes to reach their target. Last year they began renovating existing properties, including the 168 key Calcutta hotel, their flagship. The name of that 32-room hotel was changed from Peerless Inn to Peerless Hotel. The company also has properties in Durgapur and Hyderabad and two resorts, Mukutmanipur and Port Blair.

Las Vegas Sands’ Marina Bay Sands property in Singapore is subject to a rumor that they are in discussions with banks about a loan for as much as $10 billion. While Bloomberg and others say Las Vegas Sands may start marketing the deal as early as next quarter, the company issued a statement denying the rumor. Bloomberg said the loan would include the rollover of a delayed drawdown facility, refinancing of existing loans and new debt. The new debt would total $2 billion, according to the report. The company recently said inflation and supply chain issues would make it so their expansion plan at the resort would materially exceed the initially estimated amount of $4.5 billion.

Gamuda Bhd’s Gamuda Land division has allocated an investment of up to RM150 million to develop a mid-scale lifestyle hotel at Gamuda Cove in Selangor, Malaysia. The hotel is expected to open in the first quarter of 2026. The hotel will be managed by Dusit Hotels and Resorts under their ASAI Hotels brand. ASAI Gamuda Cove will have 280 rooms. Gamuda Cove spans 619.17 hectares. Gamuda Land’s master plan includes residential and commercial elements, including schools, universities, medical centers, retail spaces, and offices.

The Manila Bulletin reported AREIT Inc., the REIT of Ayala Lands, is expanding to the hospitality business as part of its largest acquisition next year of P23 billion worth of prime commercial properties. ARET said next year’s infusion of assets includes the Holiday Inn and Suites Makati at Ayala Center as well as a premium office tower, mall, and the Seda Ayala Center Cebu.

Personnel Moves

Vikramjit Singh has resigned from the position as President of Lemon Tree Hotels to pursue an entrepreneurial role. Cumulatively he has spent 18 years with the company, but his second stint with Lemon Tree started in 2014. He will leave the company on January 31, 2024.

Centara Hotels & Resorts announced the appointment of Michael Henssler as its new Chief Operating Officer, to oversee the expansion of Thailand’s leading hotel operator’s diverse global portfolio. Henssler was previously with Kempinski in various roles, including President – China and Managing Director of Key International Hotel Management. Most recently, he as Kempinski’s Chief Operating Officer – Asia.