Six Senses Opens Its First Property in Japan

CoStar said a number of large-scale events boosted hotel performance in Adelaide, Australia. They expect further jumps for upcoming events. During the Santos Tour Down Under January 12-21, hotel occupancy reached 78.1% while RevPAR rose 11.4%. The three week period of the Adelaide Festival March 1-17, alongside Adelaide Fringe on February 16 to March 17, drove hotel occupancy to 82.5% and RevPAR to a 6.6% rise. In its second year, the AFL Gather Round on April 4-7 had a lower occupancy, down by -1.2% but ADR jumped 15%. Looking ahead is LIV Golf returning April 26-28 with hotel bookings tracking at a similar pace as last year at 78% during the Friday and Saturday nights and 62% on Sunday. The Asia Pacific Hotel Industry Conference and Exhibition will be May 1-2 with occupancy on the books at 58% for both nights.

With just over a week left for the Reunification Day on April 30th and May Day on May 1 holidays, hotel occupancy rates in Vietnam's tourist destinations that are mainly connected by air have reached only 40%-50%. The rate in Phu Quoc during the five-day holiday period is 45% for four-star establishments and 25% for the five-star segment. This is according to Mustgo, which partners with 2,000 hotels across the country. They blamed the low occupancy on expensive airfares, prompting tourists to choose nearby destinations to save on costs. In the beach city of Quy Nhon, occupancy rates are 40%-50% for the three star hotel segment and 20% for the five-star segment. In Da Lat, the occupancy rate is 50% for the three to four star hotel segment. Hotels in DaNang are reporting occupancy rates of 40% and it just continues at 30% to 50% across the country. The bright spot is the north, where destinations are easily accessible by car. The rate for the three star hotel segment in Northern Vietnam is over 70% and 60% for the four to five star segment. Ha Longhas a 70% rate for the three star segment.

Hilton signed an agreement with Shanghai Jinshan Urban Construction Investment Group Co Ltd to jointly build Hilton's first lifestyle brand hotel in Shanghai to further elevate the tourism experiences for the upcoming Legoland resort in Jinshan district. The hotel is the Canopy by Hilton Shanghai Binfenli and is scheduled to open in 2025 with 251 guestrooms. The hotel will be located in Fengjing Town, Jinshan District, near the upcoming Legoland Shanghai which is scheduled to open next year.

Six Senses Kyoto has opened its doors in Kyoto, Japan, marking the brand's entry into the country . The Six Senses Kyoto is situated among the heritage shrines and palaces within the ancient capital in the heart of the Higashiyama district. The property has 81 guest rooms and suites, offering a sanctuary for contemplation. Specialty suites, from the Premier Suite Garden with a private Japanese courtyard to the 238 square meter Three Bedroom Penthouse Suites, offers extended space for reconnection. Six Senses Spa integrates traditional healing techniques with modern science with highlights including the Kyoto-exclusive Ah-un treatment. The adjacent Biohack Recovery Lounge is available for those to aid recovery from their travels. The hotel's food and beverage offerings include Sekki, an all-day dining restaurant and adjacent Café Sekki. This is Six Senses' first urban hotel in Japan.

Rhythm Hospitality unveiled its newest venture, Rhythm Gurugram at Sohna Road in Sector-68. The property, located just 24 kilometers from the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, comprises 121 keys in its first phase. They aim to have a total of over 250 keys at this location within 12 to 15 m0onths. All the rooms are suites with additional living area. The hotel features seven event spaces, including state of the art wedding venues and rooftop open spaces ideal for sundowner events.

IRA by The Orchid Hotel announced the IRA by Orchid Ayodhya. The Kamat Hotels Group unveiled the 51-room property, including Temple View Luxury Suites to the cozy Deluxe Rooms. The hotel is located near the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple and includes a rooftop open-air banquet and multi-cuisine restaurant called Boulevard.

Welcomhotel by ITC Hotels, Hamsa, Manali in India welcomes guests with 46 rooms and suites, including seven expansive all-weather villas. The premier mountain resort makes it a total of three Welcomhotel properties in Himachal Pradesh, located in the north of Manali town. The resort rests at an elevation of 2,255 meters, offering panoramic views of the Dhauladar ranges, Pir Panjal ranges and the Manali Valley.

Absolute Hotel Services, in collaboration with UAE-based Dex Squared Hotel Management, has launched a joint venture to operate hotels in the Middle East and Africa. Named AHS Middle East & Africa, the JV will sign and operate Absolute Hotel Services-branded properties, including Eastin Grand Hotels & Resorts, Eastin Estates, Eastin Hotels, Resorts & Residences, U Hotels & Resorts and Absolute Collection brands across the region. The JV will operate from Dubai, UAE and plans to sign 20 branded hotels and five golf/country clubs within the next three to five years. AHS MEA will focus on promoting, signing and operating hotel management and golf course contracts under successfully platforms created by AHS in many regions. Last September, AHS created a strategic alliance with Indonesia-based ARTOTEL Group to bring its U Hotels & Resorts, Eastin Hotels and Eastin Grand Hotels brands to various locations in Indonesia.

Personnel Moves

Shangri-La Group announced the appointment of Kieran Twomey as their new Regional Head of Operations for the Middle East, India, Indian Ocean, Europe and the Americas. Twomey has held various leadership roles across the globe in his over 25 years with Shangri-La.

Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts of Sri Lanka has appointed Palah Shah as Vice President of Sales. Shah's previous role was Regional Sales Director for Southwest Asia at IHG.

Oriental Hotels Ltd. announced the appointment of Paras Puri as their new Chief Financial Officer. Puri takes over for Nitin Bengani who has stepped down as CFO