Latest news: KSL buys JW in Venice; Sonesta-GHL deal; IHG MLAC pipeline

KSL buys JW in Venice. KSL Capital Partners has acquired the 266-room JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa from Aareal Bank Group for an undisclosed price. JW Marriott Venice represents the first equity transaction completed by KSL’s European Capital Solutions platform, a dedicated European strategy with a versatile mandate to invest across the capital structure in travel and leisure assets in Europe with a focus on high quality urban and resort destinations.

Four Seasons adds in UAE. Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and Al Zorah Development Co., a joint venture between the Government of Ajman and Solidere International, announce plans for the luxury hospitality company to assume management of a beachfront resort in Al Zorah, Ajman, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Scheduled to welcome guests in 2026, Four Seasons Resort Ajman at Al Zorah will open its doors following enhancements to the existing property’s amenities, accommodations, and wellness facilities. Featuring 23 villas and 74 guestrooms and suites, the resort is 35 minutes from the Dubai International airport.

GHL extend deal. Sonesta International Hotels Corp. has extended its Master Franchise Agreement with Bogota-based GHL Hoteles (GHL) covering the development and franchising of most of Sonesta's brands through 2034 throughout Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Chile and Argentina. GHL currently has 14 Sonesta hotels open including: Colombia (7), Peru (5), Ecuador (1) and Chile (1).

IHG MLAC pipeline. With nearly 400 hotels open and in the pipeline in the Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean (MLAC) region, IHG Hotels & Resorts said it expects to add 32 hotels across the region spanning its six segment brands in the coming years. Many of these will offer branded residences, including a forthcoming joint Kimpton hotel and residence offering in Tulum, Mexico. IHG also offers a mix of iconic and emerging midscale brands in the region, led by more than 200 open and pipeline properties across the Holiday Inn brand family. The avid hotels brand is on track to more than double its reach in Mexico with nine new properties on the way, including a dual brand pairing with Candlewood Suites in Torreon. Atwell Suites will make its regional debut in Costa Rica as part of a recently signed dual brand pairing with Holiday Inn.

Dallas still US pipeline leader. At the close of the first quarter of 2025, the top five U.S. markets with the largest hotel construction pipelines are led by Dallas with 203 projects/24,496 rooms, a new all-time-high room total representing 9% project and 11% room growth year-over-year. Following Dallas is Atlanta with 166 projects/19,149 rooms, Nashville with 127 projects/16,589 rooms, Phoenix with 126 projects/16,490 rooms, and Austin with 124 projects/14,514 rooms, which also achieved new all-time-high project and room totals, showing impressive 11% project and 9% room growth YOY. U.S. markets with the greatest number of projects already under construction at the Q1 close are New York with 39 projects/7,064 rooms, Phoenix with 34 projects/5,023 rooms, and Dallas with 31 projects/3,706 rooms. Atlanta follows with 26 projects/3,182 rooms and the Inland Empire with 22 projects/2,399 rooms under construction. For the 2026 forecast, LE analysts expect 848 new hotels/92,892 rooms to open in the U.S. by year-end.

Marriott adds safari camp. Marriott International has signed an agreement to open the first Autograph Collection safari camp globally. Expected to debut in Q3 2025, Mapito Safari Camp, Serengeti, Autograph Collection will offer 16 tented suites, including a two-bedroom villa. Each suite will feature an outdoor deck, fire pit and retractable roof for open-air stargazing. Plans for the camp include a spa, fitness center, swimming pool and multiple dining options.

Schroders closes W Edinburgh. Schroders Capital has finalized the acquisition of the 244-room W Edinburgh hotel from Nuveen Real Estate. The purchase price was undisclosed, but it was reported in December that Nuveen was in talks to sell the hotel for more than £100 million. Schroders Capital currently manages £3.1 billion of investments in hotel businesses.