Latest news: Aman, Hyatt add Maldives; second Catbird; Four Seasons SF to auction?

Aman adding Maldives. Aman has announced plans for a property in the Maldives. No opening date has been given for Aman Maldives, which will feature a 52-key resort and 16 branded residences (five to 10 bedrooms), designed by longtime Aman collaborator Kerry Hill Architects. With standalone pavilions ranging from one to three bedrooms, some located on the main resort island and others on its extensions, each resort room will include a private pool. In addition, the property will include a variety of restaurant venues, a beach club, several private dining locations and an 8,655 square foot spa situated on its own island. Each residence will be set on its own islet complete with a private beach.

Four Seasons SF to auction?: The Four Seasons Hotel in San Francisco’s Financial District is scheduled for auction on October 10, according to a report in the San Francisco Chronicle. The news surfaces six months after owner Westbrook Partners was served with a delinquency notice by its lender Waterfall Asset Management for falling behind on payments for its $72.5 million loan. Westbrook is reportedly in negotiation with its lender to settle its debt with a new partner. Westbrook bought the hotel in 2019, at the time the Mandarin Oriental San Francisco, for $117.7 million, or roughly $760,000 per room, public records show.

Second Catbird from Sage. Sage Hospitality Group, Denver, along with Norwood Development Group, have submitted a preliminary proposal to build a new Catbird Hotel in downtown Colorado Springs, Colorado, at the corner of East Moreno Avenue and South Cascade Avenue.  Groundbreaking is expected in Spring 2025 and completion is scheduled for Fall 2027. Sage will manage and operate the hotel and dining outlets. Sage Studio, the in-house strategy and creative team at Sage Hospitality Group, will oversee the concept, brand and design of the hotel. The proposal envisions a new full-service, independent, extended-stay hotel that will include 180-rooms, dining and meeting spaces. The hotel is the second in the Catbird brand, joining Catbird Hotel, Denver, which opened in 2021.

Hyatt expands in Maldives. Hyatt Hotels Corp. has entered into a management agreement with SingHaiyi for Hyatt Regency Samarafushi Maldives located in the North Male Atoll. The hotel will mark Hyatt Regency’s brand entry into the Maldive Islands. Slated to open in late 2027, the new all-villa resort will join Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa and Alila Kothaifaru Maldives as the third Hyatt property in the Republic of Maldives.

Downtown Anchorage project. The Wildbirch Hotel in downtown Anchorage, Alaska’s Mushing District, being developed by former Mark Begich, mayor of Anchorage from 2003-2009 and U.S. senator from 2009-2015, and former State Revenue Commissioner Sheldon Fisher, will open early next year and join Hyatt Hotel Corp.’s the JdV by Hyatt brand. The businessmen and partners formed MASH, LLC to further spark the revitalization of downtown Anchorage with this project and several others in the works. Springboard Hospitality will manage the 252-room hotel.

Coury adds another Hall Group property. Hall Group has selected Coury Hospitality to take over management of 183-room Hall Arts Hotel in the Dallas Arts District. The partnership, effective October 22, 2024. Coury Hospitality also oversees the 224-room Hall Park Hotel, an Autograph Collection property also owned by Hall Group and set to open in Frisco, Texas, this October.

AAHOA welcomes Oyo deal. AAHOA put out a statement “welcoming Oyo’s recent acquisition of G6 Hospitality.” The deal includes Motel 6 and Studio 6 brands. “This acquisition signals a new chapter in the U.S. hospitality landscape. With an estimated 98% of G6 Hospitality properties owned by AAHOA members, this landmark deal marks a promising opportunity for continued growth, collaboration, and innovation in the budget hotel sector.” Oyo's acquisition of the Motel 6 and Studio 6 brands from Blackstone for $525 million positions the India-based hotel company for significant expansion in the U.S. market.

Moxy milestone in Europe. Now in its 10th year, Marriott International’s Moxy Hotels brand revealed plans to reach the 100-hotel mark in Europe by the end of 2025, with the anticipated addition of 17 hotels, including market entries into Spain, Türkiye and Luxembourg. Today, the brand has 89 hotels in operation across 18 destinations.

Lanserhof adding Marbella. Wellness-fcoused brand Lanserhof, Hamburg, Germany, is breaking ground on the Lanserhof Marbella, its newest health resort in southern Europe. In its 40th year, Lanserhof has its flagship property in Lans, Austria. In 2014, Lanserhof launched Lanserhof Tegernsee in Germany. In 2022, Lanserhof Sylt, opened on Germany's northernmost island. The upcoming Lanserhof Marbella is in Casares, Spain, with a soft opening anticipated for late 2026.

First Gran Meliá in SE Asia. Meliá Hotels International announced the renaming of the Gran Meliá Nha Trang as the Villa Le Corail, A Gran Meliá Hotel in Vietnam. It marks the first resort in Southeast Asia under Gran Meliá Hotels & Resorts.

China’s first urban Alila. Hyatt Hotels Corp. has announced that the 186-room Alila Shanghai has opened in the Jing’an area, marking Greater China’s first urban Alila resort-style hotel.