Investors are making a confident bid on the recovery of business travel, buying hotels in UK cities - Henderson Park being the latest to wade in. Elsewhere, student accommodation is also seeing private equity investment too. And we have more new brands - good for customer choice, or missing the mark?
Oct 22, 2021•24 min
Up close and personal this week with Nick Edwards, chief operating officer at Audley Group. Their Audley and Mayfield Villages are designed with active elder living in mind - much like a hotel, just one where the guests stay much longer. Nick explains Audley’s build for sale model, allied to a vertically integrated hospitality operation covering food and beverage, wellness facilities, and maintenance. It’s a growing sector, delivering a resource that benefits both residents and broader society i...
Oct 18, 2021•28 min
Accor completes the deal with Ennismore, to create a new focused lifestyle hotel division - why are lifestyle properties performing so well? Indian disruptor Oyo prepares to list, but faces headwinds in its efforts to establish an international presence. And the big brands renew their push into China, but where's the return?
Oct 13, 2021•23 min
Jo Biden calls it "normalcy" - we're seeing more signs of a return to previous levels of travel. Plus, digital innovation accelerates in the accommodation space; and how Premier Inn is making an impact in an improving German market.
Oct 08, 2021•24 min
Early signs of distress, as The Collective sees administration in the UK and Safestay starts a strategic review: branded residences grow in scale and spread; and finding a way towards carbon neutrality
Sep 29, 2021•25 min
DEI - diversity, equity and inclusion is the latest acronym that company bosses need to focus on - how is the sector faring? Differing views on how the short stay sector is likely to fare, as it enjoys some post-pandemic traction. And why luxury hotel brands are fighting for city space, seemingly unhindered by the pandemic
Sep 21, 2021•29 min
Aparthotel operators gear up for growth after a better pandemic than hotels; the challenges valuers face, in a topsy turvy market; and thoughts as hotel investment transactions are picking up.
Sep 16, 2021•21 min
Differing views from the Berlin conference, as Chris Nassetta and Sebastien Bazin disagree on how travel will come back; how hotels need to act to handle cancellations; and what Europe's booming hotel pipeline will deliver.
Sep 10, 2021•27 min
Resort operators and tour operators Fosun, TUI and Jet2 welcome - finally - the return of punters seeking sand, sun - and, in the case of Fosun's Club Med, snow too. Co-living recovers, and investors are looking to extract a yield arbitrage; and India's major hotel companies eye opportunities and corporate splits, as the pandemic panic in the country wanes.
Sep 01, 2021•23 min
Airbnb results show a strong snap back in accommodation demand - but not at the expense of hotels, it seems. Hyatt’s takeover of resort group Apple shows the strength of leisure and resorts, and adds further momentum to Hyatt’s rising stock. And student accommodation providers bounce back as students book to return to campus. Investors are flocking around.
Aug 27, 2021•22 min
InterContinental teases its new collection brand, while culling its Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza portfolio; the pain in Spain eases, as holidaymakers from northern Europe are finally allowed to travel; and how investor KSL is tilting towards extended stay.
Aug 20, 2021•23 min
Second quarter results reveal how the recovery is going; how and when business travel will come back; pandemic winners Choice and Hyatt; and where European hotel groups are right now.
Aug 14, 2021•27 min
Challenger banks ensure debt finance is ready to support hotel projects; how alternatives such as serviced apartments and villa rentals are picking up new consumers; and why investors are still moving into student accommodation.
Jul 13, 2021•25 min
Deal momentum builds in the UK hotels market; after a tough pandemic, hostels are ready to bounce back - and are the big hotel groups poised to take an interest? Plus, finally, face to face meetings are on their way back into corporate diaries.
Jul 08, 2021•27 min
Roompot takes over Landal to create a European holiday park giant, as private equity investors buy into growth. Job cuts, and staff shortages? How hospitality is recalibrating its staffing resource. And as Spain's hotel market bookings rise towards 2019 levels, investors miss out on bargains.
Jun 30, 2021•28 min
News from Premier Inn and Scandic that show hotel occupancy graphs are pointing in a positive direction, across European markets; OTAs try to get respectable - but bad news is never far away; and Middle Eastern mergers as the emirates look to build their tourism offer
Jun 23, 2021•26 min
Frustration in England, as the UK government stalls on its roadmap out of covid restrictions; third party operators look for new business; how will a tempered return to work affect hotels? And differing views of the way ahead in the hotel sector.
Jun 16, 2021•21 min
Private equity gets creative in hotel investment; China's substantial market recovery gives the rest of the world hope; and TUI chases digital growth, as it sells out of hotel ownership.
Jun 09, 2021•22 min
Private equity moves into a consolidating holiday park market; Oyo regroups; and investment activity starts to build. Plus, Anders Nissen remembered
Jun 04, 2021•22 min
Accor's decided to sponsor a SPAC - into which to put all its non-accommodation initiatives; Airbnb is still losing money - and short of hosts; and with fitness front of mind after the pandemic, is there an opportunity for hotels to join in the exercise?
May 26, 2021•29 min
Buoyant hotel brands thrive, while their landlords struggle - a fair relationship? While in Spain the pain continues, as NH and Melia hoist for sale signs at their hotels. And how ground leases make sense as a source of cash for hotel owners.
May 20, 2021•24 min
The rise of holiday rentals - and how hotels will fight back; why the big hotel brands are convinced there's a return to normalcy coming; and sorting out that massive rent arrears bill.
May 13, 2021•24 min
First quarter results from Scandic, Whitbread and Pandox are out - what do the CEOs think will happen next? The weight of money coming to real estate means operational investments are to the fore. And are we ready to return to travel with purpose?
May 07, 2021•25 min
Sonder, Soho House and Inspirato list in the US, with subscriptions a key part of business for two of them; consumer behaviour is changing after the pandemic - what are the impacts? And rental platforms chase after new hosts and new inventory
Apr 28, 2021•26 min
Jabbing and testing - our route to international travel? How budget brands Motel One and Travelodge have fared; and how hotels are harnessing technology for efficiency, and a better guest experience
Apr 21, 2021•24 min
Hotel values slip, but not by much, as sellers hold out for better times; why later living is attracting big investment; and the vaccine rollout promises a return to international travel
Apr 14, 2021•21 min
Chinese hoteliers Huazhu and Jin Jiang see domestic business largely coming back to 2019 levels; WeWork comes to market, looking to exploit a shift in office working styles; and travel's massive covid losses
Apr 08, 2021•26 min
Serviced apartments remain in vogue, with the big hotel brands adding extended stay brand extensions; funds gather ££££ - but are struggling to find cheap hotels to buy; plus Dubai and Saudi Arabia look to do battle for tourism visitors. And a rant about the return of business travel - of course it will come back, and stronger than before!
Mar 31, 2021•27 min
Google's offering free hotel website links, as it looks to reclaim online ad revenues. More than £1bn of UK hotels are up for grabs - but there's precious little cheap debt to buy them with. And student accommodation providers shake off a bad year, confident of demand returning.
Mar 24, 2021•29 min
Carbon reduction, green bonds and energy saving: distress in Germany forces Invesco to reorganise; why Rosewood is listing in the US - and why don't more hotel businesses go public?
Mar 18, 2021•28 min