Banyan Group's 100th Property Will Be in Singapore

STR reported China hotel data for the week ended December 14. China hotel RevPAR was down -3.2% year over year, up against a modest +38.1% comp in the year ago week. The RevPAR decline was mostly on rate as ADR was down -3.1% while occupancy was flat for the week.

Hilton announced the signing of Motto by Hilton Qingdao Zhanqiao, in partnership with Qingdao Urban Construction Group, marking the entry of Motto by Hilton into mainland China. The 100-room hotel is scheduled to open in June 2026. The Motto by Hilton will feature activated common spaces, including a lobby designed to be a communal hub designed for guests to unwind, connect or relax in. The hotel will have a signature restaurant and café offering locally inspired brews crafted in collaboration with Qingdao’s coffee roasters. There are currently eight Motto properties open worldwide with 20 in the pipeline.

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts announced the opening of the Howard Johnson by Wyndham Pattaya JC, the debut of the brand in Thailand. The 193-room resort is located just 20 minutes from U-Tapao Rayong-Pattaya International Airport and 90 minutes from Suvarnabhumi Airport. The hotel includes the Moby Mart for convenient snacks and treats, a fitness center, infinity pool overlooking the city, and more than 100 square meters of event space. The hotel is owned and operated by JunCheng Group.

Dusit Hotels and Resorts, under Dusit International, announced the opening of two properties – Dusit Princess Chiang Mai in Thailand and dusitD2 Fagu, Shimla, the first Dusit-branded hotel in India. The Dusit Chiang Mai reopened after a comprehensive three-year transformation. Key enhancements include redesigned guestrooms and upgraded facilities including state-of-the-art meeting spaces, a serene pool area, gym, and a revitalized lobby. The hotel’s dining options have also been elevated, including the newly introduced Casa Verde serving a mix of international and Asian favorites alongside Mexican-inspired food. In India, the first Dusit branded property, dusitD2 Fagu, Shimla, welcomed its first guests on December 15th. The hotel is located just 20 minutes from Shimla and features 80 guestrooms, ranging from 38 to 86 square meters. The hotel includes the region’s largest temperature-controlled swimming pool and the signature Namm Spa. Versatile function spaces including the region’s largest banquet hall, an expansive terrace lawn, and the only outdoor amphitheater in the area round out the meeting and event options. Dining options include Dusit Gourmet and SOI, offering all-day dining international dishes and authentic Thai and Pan-Asian cuisine, respectively.

Accor announced a partnership with Dangayach Group to develop two new luxury hotels in Goa, India. The Raffles Goa Shiroda will be a luxury resort featuring 120 luxury villas set across 27+ acres. The hotel will share a beachfront club with the 56+ acre, 400-room Fairmont Goa Shiroda with both destinations planned to open by 2030. Both hotels will include a diverse and lively mix of restaurants, bars, and lounges along with the best in wellness, fitness, spa, pool, and retail diversions. The properties will also include a mix of ballrooms with elegant meeting rooms and bridal suites. The Raffles Goa Shiroda will feature the brand’s staple, a Long Bar.

Banyan Group is set to welcome its one hundredth resort with its homecoming debut in Singapore. Also next year they will see openings in new destinations beyond Asia, including Tanzania and the Dominican Republic, with 15 new hotel and resort openings, and five new branded residence developments on tap for 2025. Banyan’s inaugural resort in Singapore will be the 338-room Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree, nestled within the Mandai Wildlife Reserve. Ubuyu, a Banyan Tree Escape, will be their first safari resort and opening in Tanzania. Banyan Group’s first standalone integrated development, a boutique urban offering located in the city of Bangkok, will combine accommodations, spa, dining, a membership club, and a nightclub. Banyan Group said 2024 included a record 18 new hotel and resort openings with six in Japan and South Korea, eight in China as part of the Group’s multi-brand expansion strategy across Asia. One highlight was their debut in Japan with Banyan Tree Higashiyama Kyoto.

IHG Hotels & Resorts announced the continued growth of the Crowne Plaza brand in Australia with two openings to top out 2024. Crowne Plaza Adelaide Mawson Lakes and Crowne Plaza Sydney Airport both opened in December, marking the first of five Crowne Plaza hotels to open in the next 12 months. IHG said they have more than 90 Crowne Plaza hotels in the Asia Pacific region pipeline, including Crowne Plaza Bangkok Grand Sukhumvit and Crowne Plaza Bangkok Rama 9 in South East Asia. Crowne Plaza Adelaide Mawson Lakes opened as the first and largest premium hotel in northern Adelaide, expanding the IHG portfolio to five hotels in the region. The 155-room hotel is part of a new build seven-story precinct in the heart of Mawson Lakes. Crowne Plaza Sydney Airport is the first Crowne Plaza branded hotel in an airport location in Australia. The hotel was rebranded to Crowne Plaza with the first phase of the property’s transformation unveiled with a new ground floor reception and welcome area, offering a fresh take on the traditional hotel lobby format. The 252 guestrooms received an A$15 million refurbishment in 2022.

The Holiday Inn Kyoto Gojo will open on January 29, 2025, more than 50 years after the first Holiday Inn opened in Kyoto. The Holiday Inn Kyoto Gojo lies near the center of Kyoto and offers 183 guest rooms, restaurants and cafes, five banquet rooms, a gym, and a large bath on the top floor with a view of the Kyoto Tower.

Blackstone is acquiring two hotels on Japan’s island of Okinawa. The Japan Times reported Blackstone is buying the 97-room Ritz-Carlton, Okinawa and the 169-room Kanehide Kise Beach Place from Okinawa-based owner Kanehide Holdings Company for 20 billion Japanese yen (US$130 million).

ITC has acquired a 2.44% stake in EIH and a 0.53% stake in Hotel Leelaventure’s Mumbai property. ITC said this is their continued investment in high-end hospitality assets to bolster its diversified portfolio. With the added stake, ITC now has a 16.25% interest in EIH.