Latest HITs: IHG grows in India; Hilton targets Puerto Rico; Sircle's new concepts

IHG grows Holiday Inn in India. IHG Hotels & Resorts has signed a management agreement with Amritsar Golden Hospitality to develop the new 215-room Holiday Inn Amritsar Golden Temple in Punjab, India. IHG’s third Holiday Inn-branded hotel in the city is expected to open in Q2 2027. IHG currently has 47 hotels operating across five brands in South West Asia and a pipeline of 55 hotels due to open in the next three to five years.

Hilton emphasizes Puerto Rico. Hilton has announced plans to more than double its portfolio of seven existing hotels (2,350 rooms) in Puerto Rico. Hilton’s pipeline of hotels under development in Puerto Rico also represents the largest of Hilton’s Caribbean growth markets by number of hotels. The company’s development pipeline of nearly 10 hotels in Puerto Rico features five new-to-market brands, with plans to introduce the first Curio Collection by Hilton, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, Hilton Garden Inn, Tru by Hilton and Homewood Suites by Hilton. In total, by the end of 2025, Hilton would have 16 hotels and resorts encompassing nearly 4,400 rooms across eight brands in Puerto Rico. More broadly in the Caribbean, currently has more 25 hotels with a pipeline of more than 25 hotels in various stages of development.

Sircle’s new concepts. Amsterdam-based Sircle Collection, led by Liran Wizman, is launching to concepts: Sircle luxury lifestyle hotels and Àterre, “a space to live while traveling.” The first Sircle property will open in London at the end of 2023 with 81 rooms in Devonshire Square. Next, the 72-penthouse, luxury Sircle Milan will in spring 2024 in the Torre Velasca building. Both properties will be home to the group’s member club, The Cover. Àterre will open in Rotterdam in Spring 2024, offering “the ease of a guesthouse, the warmth of a second home, and the comfort of a hotel all under one roof – creating a sense of home for guests even when they’re away.” Àterre offers various types of accommodations for guests who want to stay two days or two months, including rooms, studios, and apartments. The space also provides common areas to relax, socialize, and work, along with culinary offerings and local club memberships and programming. In addition, the group’s Max Brown concept will expand into Italy and Greece this year with openings in Milan and Athens with 64 rooms and 103 rooms, respectively. It is also adding another 117-room Max Brown to Vienna, this time to the artsy 5th District. Lastly, a new 76-room Sir hotel is coming to Prague in 2024 in a heritage building in the heart of the city center.

Rockbridge-Aparium deal. Rockbridge and Aparium Hotel Group have acquired the iconic Heathman Hotel in Portland, Oregon. Aparium will assume management, marking its first hotel in the Pacific Northwest and complementing its project under construction in Seattle. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Currently with 10 hotels, Aparium is also working on projects in Denver, Seattle, Alexandria, Louisville, Atlanta, and more.

China ramping up. STR reported that for the week ending March 25, hotel RevPAR in China in local currency was +159.2% vs. +134% y/y in the prior week and higher than the +104.9% for the trailing 28 days. Last week’s RevPAR was up against a -51.0% y/y comparable result in 2022 and vs. -46.0% in the prior week. Versus 2019, RevPAR was -6.2%, better than the -14.0% in the prior week’s result. ADR was +37.6% y/y for the week ending March 25, higher than the +28.8% for the trailing 28 days. Occupancy was +88.4% y/y for the week ending March 25, higher than the +59.1% for the trailing 28 days.

TUI-Rixos deal. TUI has signed an exclusive three-year agreement with Antalya, Turkey-based Rixos Hotel Group to extend its marketing agreement from four to 10 hotels in Turkey and Croatia expected to be marketed for the summer 2024 season and onwards. Exclusivities across all 10 Rixos resorts will be made available to TUI’s 13 source markets. The all-inclusive Rixos Dubrovnik resort, and the Land of Legends hotel with access to one of  Turkey’s largest theme parks, are among the properties that will be included in TUI’s offerings from 2024.

Music-based concept expands. UMusic Hotels has announced a new project in Madrid's Plaza de Canalejas, signing an agreement with the Pescaderías Coruñesas to manage the complex that will occupy about 10,000 square meters and will include the restoration of three historic buildings, the Reina Victoria Theater, the Meneses Building and the Casa Allende. The new luxury hotel, with an opening date to be announced soon, will have 70 rooms and suites, and the historic, 600-seat Reina Victoria Theater, which will become the soul of this project.

Crescent to Williamsburg. Crescent Hotels & Resorts has added Colonial Williamsburg Resort to its Latitude: Lifestyles by Cresent portfolio. Crescent, with a portfolio of more than 120 hotels, will also oversee the collective 19 food and beverage outlets at Colonial Williamsburg’s hotels and historic taverns located along Duke of Gloucester Street in the living history museum’s Historic Area.