Latest news: Spark’s 100th; Crowne Plaza's refresh; Sonesta adds 23 in Q4

Spark has 100 open hotels. Spark by Hilton, the fastest launch-to-open brand in the history of Hilton, has surpassed 100 open hotels, achieving the feat less than 18 months after opening its first property. Spark has a pipeline of more than 230 hotels and many conversions currently under way domestically and internationally.

Crowne Plaza renovations for Americas. Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, part of the IHG Hotels & Resorts’ premium portfolio, is rolling out renovations across several prominent Americas hotels. IHG forecasts that 70% of Crowne Plaza’s Americas portfolio will have updated designs by the end of 2025. Crowne Plaza has more than 400 open properties in major global cities and resort locations. The brand’s growth plan includes the addition of more than 36,000 rooms.

Sonesta adds 23 in Q4. Sonesta International Hotels Corp. executed 23 new franchise agreements during the fourth quarter of 2024, representing growth at nine of the company’s 13 brands. Sonesta expanded its footprint across the U.S. with 71 executed franchised agreements in 2024. The new hotel agreements in the last quarter include Sonesta ES Suites (5), Sonesta Essential Hotels (5), Americas Best Value Inn by Sonesta (4), Sonesta Simply Suites (4) and one each for Sonesta Select Hotels, Sonesta Hotels, Resorts & Cruises, Red Lion Hotel, Inn & Suites, Signature Inn by Sonesta and The James Hotels.

Wyndham, Barclays credit card deal. Barclays US Consumer Bank has renewed its co-branded credit card program with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. Under the newly signed agreement, Barclays will continue to be the exclusive issuer of the Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card, Wyndham Rewards Earner Card, and Wyndham Rewards Earner Business Card. The cards are specifically designed for road trippers and road warriors.

Italian hotel investment. Hotel investment in Italy increased 30% year-over-year to €2.1 billion, according to an EY report. The total was the second-highest number behind 2019 (€3.3 billion). While the market faced headwinds from elevated financing costs in the first half of the year, transactional momentum accelerated in the fourth quarter, fueled by high-profile trophy assets selling such as the Bauer Venice and the Project Via delle Vergini in Rome. Investments in resort destinations remained strong with €831 million or 39% of the volume. Cross-border transactions represented 53% of the volume while Rome reconfirmed its lead in 2024 as the most sought-after transaction location reaching sales for €465 million (22%) followed by Venice (17%) and Milan (8%).

Opening date for Treehouse Manchester. SH Hotels & Resorts, soon to be Starwood Hotels, said the 224-key Treehouse Hotel Manchester in England will open on March 19. This marks Treehouse Hotels’ second U.K. property following the successful launch of Treehouse Hotel London in 2019.

Aperture adds two in Memphis. Atlanta-based Aperture Hotels has added two fully renovated properties to its growing management portfolio: the 220-key Embassy Suites Memphis East Memphis Germantown Area and the 133-key Hampton Inn & Suites East Memphis Germantown. Both hotels, which were completed last year, are located in East Memphis.

Meliá plans $60M in Mexico in 2025. Palma, Spain-based Meliá Hotels International plans to invest over $60 million in Mexico in 2025. The Spanish hotel group expects to nearly double its presence in Mexico to reach 14 hotels within the next three years. CEO Gabriel Escarrer said that nearly $50 million of this investment will support the remodeling of its Paradisus hotel in Cancún. Mexico is Meliá’s second biggest investment market after Spain, with over $1.2 billion worth of property investment in the country.

IHG adds in India. IHG Hotels & Resorts has signed a management agreement with Bangalore, India-based Hulkul Hotels to develop the 100-key Holiday Inn Express Bengaluru Lalbagh Road. The hotel is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2026. IHG currently has 46 hotels operating across five brands in India. 

IHG adds in Thailand. IHG Hotels & Resort is partnering with Hat Yai, Thailand-based Park Avenue Property Co. Ltd. to open its first property in Hat Yai, the largest city in Songkhla in Thailand. The 160-key Holiday Inn Express Hat Yai will be the first internationally branded hotel in Hat Yai and is scheduled to open in 2027.

Valor adds in East Africa. Atlanta-based management company Valor Hospitality Partners has expanded its East African presence into Mauritius where it will manage the 140-key Holiday Inn Mauritius Mon Trésor. The property was developed in 2013 by Mauritian company Omnicane.