Latest news: Hyatt completes Standard deal; IHG's Vignette to Egypt; Auberge adds Puerto Rico

Hyatt completes Standard acquisition. Hyatt Hotels Corp. has completed the acquisition of the brands and most of the affiliates of New York City-based lifestyle hospitality company Standard International, parent company of The Standard and Bunkhouse Hotels brands. The 100% asset-light portfolio includes management, franchise and license contracts for 22 open hotels with approximately 2,000 rooms. New properties slated to open later this year include The Standard, Singapore, Bunkhouse’s Hotel Saint Augustine in Houston, and The StandardX and Bangkok Phra Arthit. The acquisition includes a robust residential business with Standard Residences under development in Miami, Lisbon, Phuket, Hua Hin, Mexico City and Tulum as well as completed Bunkhouse Residences at Hotel Saint Cecilia in Austin, Texas. It also includes more than 30 future projects with a signed agreement or letter of intent, along with new projects sparked by the August announcement of the planned acquisition.  

IHG adds first Vignette in Egypt. IHG Hotels & Resorts has signed a management agreement with Maxim Hotels and Resorts Management to bring the Vignette Collection brand to Egypt with a signing in Port Said. The new-build, 140-key Vignette Collection Hotel Royal Maxim Port Said is scheduled to open in December 2027. IHG currently has seven hotels operating across four brands in Egypt, with a pipeline of 21 hotels due to open in the next 3-5 years.

Auberge adds in PR. The Auberge Resorts Collection plans to open a property in Puerto Rico as part of Moncayo, a 1,100-acre private residential community in Fajardo. The luxury oceanfront resort will comprise 68 hotel rooms, open in three phases, be completed in 2027, and include 400 private residences. Juniper Capital is developing the multiphase community.

Tivoli expands in Portugal. Lisbon, Portugal-based Tivoli Hotels & Resorts, which is owned by Bangkok-based Minor Hotels, is expanding in Portugal with the upcoming launch of the 150-key Tivoli Kopke Porto Gaia Hotel in Gaia. The hotel is currently under development and is scheduled to open in early 2025. Tivoli currently operates 17 properties in Portugal, Brazil, Qatar, China and The Netherlands.

Sofitel’s first branded residence in Dubai. Accor’s Sofitel is launching its first branded residences in Dubai in partnership with Azha Development and Dubai Sotheby’s International Realty. The 70-key Sofitel Residences Downtown Dubai is scheduled to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2026 and is part of Sofitel’s broader strategy to expand its luxury footprint in the region.

New CEO for Seibu international portfolio. Tokyo-based Seibu Prince Hotels and Resorts has named Lee Richards as the new CEO of its hospitality arm outside Japan, taking over for Simon Wan, who is retiring after 17 years. Richards brings over 30 years of experience from previous roles at Swiss-Belhotel International and Millennium Hotels and Resorts.

EasyHotel expanding in Europe. London-based Budget hotel brand EasyHotel is opening new property close to the Geneva airport as the company continues its European expansion. The 141-key, new-build hotel will be located just across the border in the French town of Ferney-Voltaire and is scheduled to open in early 2027. It will be the brand’s fourth location in France. EasyHotel is planning a major European expansion, with six new hotels already in development and more potential deals being explored. The company said it had secured a loan of €8.6 million from BRED Banque Populaire to finance the latest new property in France.

Inverotel adding in Mexico. The Association of International Hotel Investors (Inverotel), which includes 17 Spanish chains, announced the construction of three more hotels in Quintana Roo in Mexico, which are scheduled to be ready by the end of 2025.

Expansion for Rotana. Abu Dhabi-based Rotana has announced expansion plans for the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe, and Turkey (MENAT) and has announced a series of ambitious expansion plans for the region. Rotana said it will develop 43 new properties in 26 Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Türkiye cities by 2026.

Admiral co-founder invests in Seren. U.K.-based Admiral co-founder Henry Engelhardt and his wife Diane have taken a minority stake in restaurant and hotels group Seren. Seren is run by the husband-and-wife team Neil and Zoe Kedward and has hotels in the Grove of Narberth in Pembrokeshire and in Penmaenuchaf near Dolgellau. The investment will allow Seren to accelerate the full refurbishment of the Penmaenuchaf Hotel and pursue opportunities in new locations.