Latest news: Hyatt grows in APAC; Jalaram buys in Memphis; Nightcap adds in Colorado

Hyatt expanding in India, Southwest Asia. Hyatt Hotels Corp. has announced a strategic growth plan in India and Southwest Asia, with 21 deals signed in 2024 and seven new hotel openings expected in 2025. Seven new Hyatt properties will debut in Ghaziabad, Kasauli, Kochi, Bhopal, Vithalapur, Jaipur and Butwal in Nepal. Signed deals reflect the expansion of the Andaz and JdV by Hyatt portfolios and the first Destination by Hyatt deal in India. Hyatt aims to have 100 hotels in India within the next five years. It has 52 hotels across Southwest Asia, including 50 in India and two in Nepal, spanning nine brands. The company recently hit 10,000 keys in the region.

Flash survey shows travel optimism dimming. The Trump Administration’s move to impose tariffs on imports has sent a wave of uncertainty through the corporate travel sector, according to respondents to a Business Travel News flash survey fielded April 3-4. According to 145 travel buyers, 41% said negative economic indicators, including the stock market drop, the threat of a trade war caused by tariffs and erosion of consumer confidence, had a significant or very significant impact on their companies’ travel activities. Thirty-eight percent said such indicators were having little to no effect on their companies’ travel. Twenty-two percent said it was having some impact. While companies that planned to have the strongest travel budgets in 2025 remained confident in their original trajectory of spending over 10% more on travel than in 2024, other companies had begun to pull back.

Jalaram acquires in Memphis. Saint Augustine, Florida-based Jalaram Hotel Group, through Jalaram Sleepy Hollow LLC, has acquired the 91-key Fairfield Inn & Suites Memphis Southaven in Tennessee from Itasca, Illinois-based Helix Hospitality for an undisclosed amount. Hunter Hotel Advisors brokered the transaction. The hotel was renovated in 2023.

Nightcap acquires a pair in Colorado. Lincoln, Nebraska-based Nightcap Management has acquired the 70-key Hampton Inn Glenwood Springs and the 64-key Holiday Inn Express Glenwood Springs, which are adjacent hotels located in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, from Aspen, Colorado-based Terrapin Investments. Nightcap has developed and purchased more than 15 hotels with a combined value of $200 million over the past five years. HREC Investment Advisors brokered the transaction.

Legendary sells in Indianapolis. Fargo, North Dakota-based Legendary Capital has sold the 89-key Holiday Inn Express in Indianapolis to a local buyer for $10.1 million. Legendary acquired the hotel in 2017 and has made significant renovations.

RealVantage acquires in Glasgow. Singapore-based RealVantage has acquired the Arthouse Hotel in Glasgow, Scotland, through a joint venture partnership with London-based Oberland from an undisclosed seller for an undisclosed amount. The Arthouse Hotel, formerly the ABode Hotel, will undergo extensive interior renovations and be reimagined as a boutique hotel. The renovations are scheduled to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2025. The hotel was originally built in 1829. C1 Capital Partners will operate the hotel.

IHG adds resort in India. IHG Hotels & Resorts has signed a management agreement with So Hotels to develop the 130-key InterContinental Kasauli in India. The luxury resort is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2029. IHG also is currently developing the Holiday Inn Resort Kasauli. InterContinental Hotels & Resorts has over 225 open hotels and nearly 100 properties in the pipeline globally. IHG currently has 47 hotels operating across six brands in India and a pipeline of 60 hotels due to open in the next three to five years.

Resorts World to open Luxury Collection. Singapore-based Resorts World Sentosa will debut the 183-key The Laurus, a Luxury Collection Resort, scheduled to open in the third quarter of 2025. Developed in collaboration with Marriott International, The Laurus will be the first hotel in Singapore to carry the Luxury Collection brand.

Hilton adds 2 in the Philippines. Hilton has signed two new hotels in the Philippines to expand its Southeast Asian portfolio. The 210-key Hilton Garden Inn Manila Quezon City and the 151-key Hilton Garden Inn Cebu Mactan will also mark the debut of the Hilton Garden Inn brand in the Philippines, making it Hilton’s third brand in the country and expanding its portfolio from three to five properties.

Aman reveals name of luxury yacht. Aman has revealed the name of its luxury motor yacht as Amangati. Following the announcement of Aman at Sea in 2021, the vessel is currently under construction by T. Mariotti S.p.A in Genoa, Italy, and is scheduled for launch in 2027. Amangati will feature 47 luxury suites, among the largest for a vessel of its size.

New exec at Omni. Dallas-based Omni Hotels & Resorts has appointed Adam Hayashi as its chief revenue officer. Hayashi’s career spans over 20 years in the hospitality industry. Prior to joining Omni, Hayashi served as the global vice president of revenue management, distribution & BI at Accor, supporting more than 120 hotels across the Fairmont Hotels & Resorts and Raffles Hotels & Resorts brands. He has also held various other leadership positions at Accor.

Hotel Indigo debuts in New Zealand. IHG Hotels & Resorts’ Hotel Indigo is making its New Zealand debut with the opening of the 225-key Hotel Indigo Auckland.

Proposed Guam hotel scaled back. An initial 37-story Honhui Tumon Bay Hotel in Guam, which was touted as being the tallest building in the country at up to 492 feet, has been scaled back in consideration of prior comments, in a bid to win support from the community, according to the Pacific Daily News. Tamuning-Tumon-Harmon Municipal Planning Council members received an update about the hotel project from Swavely Consulting Services, representing the Honhui Guam LLC. The council opposed the project in 2023, voting against the proposed rezoning of the area. The project’s height has been scaled back and the development’s water park has been relocated.