Latest HITs: Marriott to NEOM; Mondrian to KSA; Nobu in Spain

IHG grows in KSA. IHG Hotels & Resorts has signed a management deal Mohammed Bin Salman Nonprofit City for a new Hotel Indigo to open in 2025 within the city near the Irqah area along Wadi Hanifa in Riyadh. The hotel will feature 234 guestrooms and suites, as well as 138 serviced apartments. IHG currently operates 37 hotels across five brands in Saudi Arabia with 31 hotels in the development pipeline set to open within the next three to five years.

Fairmont to Cape Town. The Cape Grace Hotel in Cape Town, South Africa, will transition into a Fairmont-branded property by end of 2023 (“Cape Grace by Fairmont”). The 120-room property has recently been purchased by Kasada Hospitality Fund LP, an independent real estate private equity platform dedicated to hospitality in Sub-Saharan Africa.

UK tightens security. To strengthen border security, the U.K. said on Thursday that it will require all passengers who do not need visa approval to apply for digital travel authorization before entering the country. People holding passports that currently arrive in the country without pre-vetting — including European Union, U.S., Canadian, Japanese, Australian, New Zealand and other nationals — will all need to apply and pay for Electronic Travel Authorization by the end of 2024. British and Irish nationals and people with U.K. settled status will be exempt from the scheme. Applications will be made online or via an app. Those with biometric passports will scan them using their phone and may also need to take a “dynamic selfie,” involving movement, to submit an image of their face. They will be automatically processed, with a decision made within three days. Some applications will be processed more quickly. If approved, the ETA will be valid for multiple visits over two years. Travelers with an ETA will continue to be able to use e-passport gates on arrival. The government has previously said it expects to handle 30 million ETA applications a year.

US lifting COVID test for Chinese. Reports suggest the U.S. plans to lift a COVID testing requirement for travelers from China, a source familiar with the matter said Tuesday. The plan would end the China-specific requirements that were implemented in early January.

Soho House turns first profit. For the first time in its 28-year history, Soho House reported its first quarter of profit on Wednesday -- $13.5 million for 4Q22.  The company still reported a nearly $221 million loss for the year. It also plans to change its name from Membership Collective Group to Soho House & Co. by the end of this month. Leadership said it plans to grow by five to seven Houses a year. Membership at Houses jumped by 32% last year, reaching162,000 members. Including brands like The Ned and Scorpios Beach Club, total membership sits at close to 227,000 people.

Marriott to NEOM. Marriott International has signed an agreement with NEOM in Saudi Arabia to open the first three properties on its island destination Sindalah (rendering above), situated in the Red Sea off the northwest coast. The multi-deal agreement includes Saudi Arabia’s first Autograph Collection Hotels property, as well as two Luxury Collection properties. Slated to open in 2024, a Luxury Collection beach resort will offer a mix of 70 luxury rooms and suites, including one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom villas all featuring private pools. The second Luxury Collection project, projected to open in 2024, is expected to be an all-suite property offering 115 one-, two- and three-bedroom luxury suites, and will be situated in the heart of the retail and marina district of Sindalah. Also expected to open in 2024, the Autograph Collection property in Sindalah will include 66 rooms and suites, including one- and two-bedroom villas. Sindalah is the first of a group of islands that will be developed in NEOM, extending over approximately 840,000 square meters and featuring an 86-berth marina for yachts up to 75 meters and serviced offshore buoys for superyachts up to 180m. Additionally, the island will include over 400 ultra-premium hotel rooms and 300 top-end suites, a beach club, a yacht club, and 38 culinary offerings.

Hilton JFK closing. Avalon Hospitality Group, which manages the 356-room Hilton New York JFK Airport for owner Soundview Real Estate Partners, plans to close the hotel this spring around June 1, according to multiple reports. As JFK goes through a revitalization due to be completed in 2026, Soundview and Chartwell Hospitality are preparing to open very nearby a Marriott and Residence Inn with some 542 keys.

Mandarin Singapore renovation. The 527-room Mandarin Oriental Singapore is temporarily closing to undergo a six-month renovation before reopening in September 2023. The hotel’s interiors, from the grand lobby and the rooms to the food and beverage venues will get a fresh look from interior design firm Design Wilkes.

Mondrian to KSA. In development with owner Olayan Financing Company, Ennismore will open the Mondrian Riyadh Al Malga in 2026, marking the brand’s debut in the city and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The hotel will boast 200 keys, including 130 standard rooms and suites, with 25 one-bedroom, 35 two-bedroom, and 10 three-bedroom serviced apartments as part of the mixed-use Al Malga Urban Village. Ennismore and OFC are jointly planning future projects to bring more Ennismore lifestyle brands to the Kingdom. Mondrian has a pipeline of 17 hotels and branded residences, including upcoming openings in Singapore, Hong Kong, Bordeaux, Ibiza, Cannes, Dubai, Gold Coast Australia, and Abu Dhabi, adding to its existing portfolio of seven open hotels, including Mexico City, London, Los Angeles, and Doha.

Nobu to Sevilla. Nobu Hospitality, in collaboration with Millenium Hospitality Real Estate SOCIMI (MHRE), develop the Nobu Hotel and Restaurant Sevilla in Spain. Set to open spring 2023, the property marks the brand's sixth Spanish hotel and third project between Nobu Hotels and MHRE, following the announcements of Nobu Hotel Madrid and Nobu Hotel San Sebastián.