STR reported China hotel RevPAR for the week ended March 30th. Hotel RevPAR in China was up 0.3% year over year. It was up against a very tough +153.9% year over year comparable result. Occupancy was up 0.4% for the week while ADR was flat.
Accor announced plans to introduce 30 new hotels in India within the next three to five years, adding around 5,500 rooms to its existing portfolio of 62 hotels with 11,000 rooms. Accor signed 11 hotels and inaugurated six last year, adding nearly 1,000 rooms to its local portfolio. For 2024 they expect to open six hotels in the premium, mid-range and economy segments as well as three luxury and lifestyle hotels. Accor announced an agreement with EBU Estate Developers Private Limited for the development of the Sofitel Jaipur Jawahar Circle in the city of Jaipur. The new build luxury hotel is scheduled to open in 2028 with 275 rooms, four restaurants and bars and over 5,000 square meters of meeting and banquet space. Swimming pools, a spa, fitness center, kids club will round out the amenities. Accor is also poised to unveil its Raffles Jaipur hotel this year in this current quarter as well as the Grand Mercure Goa Candolim in the next three months. Accor is also considering introducing luxury brands like Orient Express in the country.
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is looking at introducing economy and budget brands in its next phase of growth in India. They are aiming to have 150 properties in the country by the end of 2025. In its next phase of growth Wyndham will look to introduce three budget and economy brands that will be in line with the development of the country. Right now they have more than 60 hotels with 5,500 rooms under six brands spread across India with another 35 under development and 40 in the pipeline. Tier II and III cities is where Wyndham is seeing their fastest growth as the government is building new infrastructure across the country with railways, airports and highways.
Wyndham also announced the opening of The Earth Amritsar, Trademark Collection by Wyndham marking the entry of the brand in the country. The 57 room heritage hotel operates in collaboration with Earth Suites & Resorts Private Limited, a hotel operator with properties in Amritsar, Goa and Raipur. The hotel is located on five acres and offers a selection of rooms in two buildings. Accommodations are spread across the hotel’s 130-year-old heritage building, once home to the Victoria Jubilee Hospital, and more accommodations are in the new build addition, currently under construction. Amenities include a fitness center, outdoor pool as well as two restaurants, a whiskey lounge, banquet hall and other meeting space.
Radisson Hotel Group announced the grand debut of its luxury lifestyle brand, Radisson Collection in India with the opening of Radisson Collection Hotel & Spa, Riverfront Srinagar. Located on the banks of River Jhelum, the property is Radisson’s eighth operational hotel in the region. The hotel has 212 rooms, the largest in the Jammu and Kashmir region, across categories such as premium, executive, suite, executive suite and presidential suite. There are two F&B outlets, one of the largest pillar-less banquet halls in the Kashmir valley, an in-house L’Occitane Spa and the Artisan Shop. Radisson Hotel Group has over 165 hotels in operation and development in India. They are considered the largest hotel operator in Tier I markets while more than 50% of its portfolio are in Tier II and III.
Oravel Stays Ltd, parent company of OYO, announced the opening of a luxury hotel in Chandigarh, the third under the SUNDAY brand launched in May of last year. SUNDAY Hotels is a luxury hotel chain under LuxAbode Hotels and is a joint venture between Oravel Stays and SoftBank Group. It also has a presence in Jaipur and Vadodara with one property each. The SUNDAY Hotel in Chandigarh, Zirakpur has 166 rooms and suites.
The W Sydney opened its doors late in 2023. They recently unveiled its top-level suites include the 202 square meter Extreme WOW Suite, located on Level 27 of the luxury hotel. A big feature of that suite is the seven meter catwalk bar crafted from Nero Marquina marble and crescent-shaped bedroom. Also unveiled were the five upper-level Wow Suites that are one bedroom suites ranging in size from 112 square meters to 125 square meters, featuring a generous bar, dining and lounge spaces, walk-in robe, and a second soaking tub overlooking Darling Harbour.
South Korea‘s Kangwon Land, the only casino in South Korea that allows locals to gamble, is set to embark on a US$1.9 billion renovation and expansion project that will include a new luxury casino, hotel and additional leisure facilities. Korea Economic Daily said US$1.34 billion will be spent on developing a new casino and cultural complex and US$201 million on a new hotel. Kangwon Land will also expand its non-gaming facilities by revamping walking trails around the casino complex, building a wellness center and developing a luxury pool villa. Kangwon’s gaming space will increase from 15,486 square meters presently to 49,500 square meters. Helicopters will be utilized to fly in Korean and international visitors while a sky bridge will link the casino to the nearby High1 Ski and Golf Resort.
Radisson Hotels, Sri Lanka, along with the hotel management company, La Vie Hotels & Resorts, announced the appointment of Kristofer Quadros as the Cluster General Manager for three Radisson properties in Sri Lanka – Radisson Hotel Colombo, Radisson Hotel Kandy and Radisson Blu Resort Galle. Quadros previously served as the GM at Park Hyatt Maldives, Hadahaa and before that was Cluster GM at JA Resorts & Hotels in the UAE.
Personnel Moves
BWH Hotels announced the appointment of Shellia Chang as Australasia Development Manager. Shaishav Mehta was appointed as Development Executive of BWH Hotels Australasia.
Preferred Hotels & Resorts announced two new sales appointments within its South Asian team. Mayank Tuteja will be Director of Sales – South Asia while Shakun Khandelwal has been appointed as Senior Sales Manager – South Asia, both based out of the company’s New Delhi office.
