Ascott adds hotels in Asia: The Ascott Limited secured seven new properties across seven cities in Asia: Somerset Ginza East Tokyo (opening in July 2016), Citadines Festive Walk Karawang in Indonesia (opening in 2018), Citadines Blue Cove Danang in Vietnam (opening in 2018), Citadines Xingsha Changsha in China(opening in 2018), Citadines Keqiao Shaoxing in China (opening in 2018), Somerset West Hongqiao Shanghai (opening in 2019) and Somerset Putrajaya in Malaysia (opening in 2020).
Hilton expands in Latin America: Hilton Worldwide’s Hampton by Hilton brand is expanding in Latin America with its first hotel in Argentina. Hampton by Hilton Bariloche is scheduled to open in early Q2 2018 and will include 105 rooms.
Oxford Capital buys in Chicago: An affiliate of Oxford Capital Group bought the 133-room Days Inn in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago. Oxford Hotels & Resorts has taken over operation and management of the hotel and by next year, the Oxford venture plans to begin converting the property to a boutique lifestyle hotel.
Read more at Crain’s Chicago Business
Australia to welcome first Westin Resort: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide signed an agreement with Sekisui House Australia to plan and operate The Westin Coolum Resort & Spa in Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. Slated to open in 2021, it will be Australia’s first resort property under the Westin Hotels & Resorts banner.
Read more at Starwood’s website
First Courtyard in Phnom Penh: Khou Investment Co., Ltd. signed a hotel management agreement with Marriott International to operate the first Courtyard by Marriott in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The Courtyard by Marriott Phnom Penh will include 189 rooms and is scheduled to open in 2017.
Staywell signs Bali: Staywell Hospitality Group signed a long-term management agreement to open and operate the company’s second Park Regis property in Indonesia. The development will include 110 guestrooms and suites and is expected to open in July 2017.
LA city attorney files charges over ‘illegal hotels’: Los Angeles City Attorney Feuer filed charges against the owners of four apartment properties that allegedly operated as short-term rentals or full-service hotels. Feuer’s office filed civil cases against the owners and operators of three apartment buildings, alleging that the property owners are illegally operated and advertised as hotels. Feuer also filed criminal charges against the owner of another building, alleging that the property owner illegally evicted tenants to accommodate Airbnb customers.
Read more at the Los Angeles Business Journal
Holiday Inn Club Vacations grows in Texas: The Holiday Inn Club Vacations brand added the 230-villa Galveston Seaside Resort. The resort joins the brand as part of the 2015 purchase of Silverlead Resorts by Orange Lake Holdings, which included a portfolio of 13 properties.
Indecisive U.S. pipeline: A recent U.S. Construction Pipeline Trend Report from Lodging Econometrics reveals that there are 715 pipeline projects with 111,465 rooms, 21% of the total pipeline, that have not selected a brand. The projects include 139 full-service hotels, 555 select-service hotels and 121 limited-service hotels.