Les Hôtels d’en Haut acquires three in France: French luxury operator Les Hôtels d’en Haut, owned by private equity firm KSL, has acquired three hotels in Luberon, France from French chef Édouard Loubet, according to hospitality consulting firm HVS. The hotels – Domaine de Capelongue, Le Moulin de Lourmarin and Le Galinier de Lourmarin – comprise 64 rooms, bringing the company’s portfolio to eight hotels, with 309 rooms and 11 restaurants, three of which have Michelin stars. Les Hôtels d’en Haut intends to expand further into the high-end European leisure market in the future.
Asia Pacific sustainability trends: A new report from Horwath HTL highlights key trends in usage and cost for both energy and water categories, as well as top trending best practices for hotel operations in Asia Pacific. The data set includes 2,453 hotels across 13 countries (2,088 full-service, 273 limited service and 92 unidentified). The data indicates that a vast number of hotels are paying attention to sustainability, with hotels tracking energy usage, providing environmental training to staff, and running programs such as towel and linen reuse.
Banyan Tree’s extended stay venture: Singapore-based Banyan Tree Group is launching “Habitat,” an effort that encourages guests to take long-term stays at all properties under Banyan Tree Group’s house of brands: Banyan Tree, Angsana and Cassia. With a Habitat pass, guests can book their stays in “units” of seven nights, with the choice to switch from one property to another within the same brands in different locations. In addition, savings increase up to 60% with each additional unit purchased, where each unit can be redeemed at a different property during the period of their stay. Each pass is valid for 12 months and guests may book up to four units per brand.
U.S. man avoids Thai jail over bad review: A U.S. man in Thailand who was arrested for writing a negative hotel review will avoid legal action and jail time. Wesley Barnes had posted several reviews allegedly accusing the Sea View Resort of “modern day slavery.” He was subsequently detained and charged under Thailand’s strict anti-defamation laws. Police said Barnes and the resort had managed to reach an agreement, which included an apology to the hotel and to Thailand’s tourism authority.