Latest news: Waldorf resi to Mexico; Sandals updates reopenings; TSA fallout

Waldorf residences to Mexico. Mexican real estate investor Grupo Imobiliario GFA and Hilton have signed a deal for the Waldorf Astoria Residences Guadalajara (The Residences). Expected to deliver in Winter 2029, this project marks the debut of the first Waldorf Astoria standalone branded residence in Mexico and the Caribbean and Latin America. The Residences will rise 128 meters, forming a 30-story tower with 114 one- to four-bedroom units. Architecture will be done by Gensler and interiors curated by Cuaik Architects. Waldorf now has 29 residences open or in its pipeline.

Sandals 2.0. Sandals plans to pour $200 million into the transformation of three Jamaica resorts that have been closed since Hurricane Melissa damaged them last fall. The Sandals Montego Bay, Sandals Royal Caribbean and Sandals South Coast, which the company had previously aimed to reopen on May 30, will instead undergo what Sandals is calling a "Sandals 2.0" reimagination. Under the new timeline, the Sandals South Coast is now slated to reopen on November 18, while the Sandals Royal Caribbean and Sandals Montego Bay will reopen on December 18. Sandals plans new arrival experiences, additional accommodation categories, redesigned pools, refreshed social spaces and expanded dining and bar concepts at each resort. Five of the company's eight Jamaica resorts -- Sandals Royal Plantation, Sandals Ochi, Sandals Dunn's River, Sandals Negril and Beaches Negril -- reopened in December.

Another good week in US. The U.S. hotel industry from March 8-14 reported positive year-over-year comparisons, according to CoStar data. Occupancy was 65.7% (+2.3% YOY); ADR was $167.97 (+3.2%); and RevPAR was $110.29 (+5.6%). Among the Top 25 Markets, San Francisco reported the highest increases across each of the three key performance metrics: occupancy (+22.1% to 77.5%), ADR (+34.6% to $263.43) and RevPAR (+64.4% to $204.08). The market’s performance was lifted by the Game Developers Conference. World Baseball Classic host, Miami, saw the second-largest performance gains: occupancy (+10.1% to 87.3%), ADR (+17.0% to $315.14) and RevPAR (+28.9% to $275.04).

More TSA fallout. TSA agent attrition may force the closure of some U.S. airports if the Department of Homeland Security shutdown lasts much longer, a TSA administrator said. In an interview with Fox News, acting deputy TSA administrator Adam Stahl said, “If this continues it’s not hyperbole to suggest that we might have to quite literally shut down airports, particularly smaller ones if call-out rates go up and a lot of these officers can’t afford to come in,” Stahl said. At issue in the DHS shutdown are demands by Democrats for new restrictions on Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents before they will agree to a new DHS funding package.

IHG grows in Mexico. IHG Hotels & Resorts continues to strengthen its position in Mexico, a key growth market for its Luxury & Lifestyle, Premium, Essentials and Suites brands with stated ambitions to nearly double its growth pace over the next few years. Today, IHG has 87 hotels, and 30,000 rooms open across Mexico. It has an additional 62 hotels with 8,600 rooms in the development pipeline. In the last five years it has added more 6,000 rooms in Mexico across 14 brands. IHG will open a MLAC region headquarters in Guadalajara this spring where it will grow from 40 colleagues today to 200 by the end of 2026.

Island grows in Silicon Valley. Island Hospitality Management has assumed management of the 138-suite Homewood Suites by Hilton Palo Alto in California, an upscale extended-stay hotel in the Silicon Valley. Island operates more than 70 hotels across 27 states and the District of Columbia, representing more than 20 brands.