Latest news: Details on Host sale; AHT closes in Houston; groundbreak in Georgia

Host sells second Four Seasons. As previously reported and now confirmed, BDT & MSD Partners is acquiring the 444-room hotel within Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, from Host for $750 million ($1.69 million per room) and financing the acquisition with a $510 million CMBS loan. The acquisition price represents 13.3x Hotel EBITDA and a 6.1% NOI cap rate (both inclusive of membership club profits), according to R.W. Baird analyst Michael Bellisario. The mortgage loan will have a five-year fully extended maturity and is expected to bear interest at SOFR+209 bps for an initial all-in rate of ~5.75%; the financing represents a 9.0% NOI debt yield and 1.6x DSCR. The hotel opened in 2014, and Host acquired the property in May 2021 for $610 million and is nearing completion on the 40-unit condo development that is not part of this pending transaction. The buyers are planning to invest nearly $64 million on various renovations and upgrades over the next five years.

AHT completes deal. Ashford Hospitality Trust has completed the sale of the 150-room Embassy Suites Houston Near the Galleria in Houston, Texas, for approximately $13.1 million in cash net of selling expenses, following an agreement originally signed on November 11, 2025. The company used about $12.9 million of the proceeds to pay down a mortgage loan secured by 14 hotels. Pro forma results show a leaner balance sheet and one-time gain from the disposition.

Andaz to Utah. Hyatt Hotels Corp. plans to develop the Andaz Heber Valley in Utah, which will mark the debut of the first-ever mountain Andaz hotel. Developed by Angstrom Development Group, this project will be situated within The Slope, a larger lifestyle mixed-use community masterplan. The hotel will feature 85 guest rooms, alongside a collection of private residences comprised of 62 condominiums and 140 villas. This project will be delivered in phases, with residences launching in spring 2026 and staged residential completions through 2029. Andaz Heber Valley is anticipated to officially open in January 2029.

Groundbreaking in Georgia. DSM Real Estate Partners, Stafford Development Co. and operator The Indigo Road Hospitality Group have broken ground on the The Chambray in Roswell, Georgia. Set to welcome its first guests in Summer 2027, the 125-key boutique will become part of Hyatt’s JdV Collection.

Dumont CEO at Las Vegas Sands. Patrick Dumont will become Las Vegas Sands chairman and CEO effective March 1.  He will succeed Robert Goldstein, who becomes a senior advisor to the company through March 2028. Dumont was also appointed chairman of Sands China Ltd., the company’s Hong Kong-listed subsidiary. He was appointed president and COO of Sands in January 2021 and has been a member of the board of directors since 2017. Dumont joined the company in 2010 and has more than 25 years of experience in management, development, operations and corporate finance.

Airbnb beats. Airbnb reported strong 4Q25 results with accelerating bookings and nights growth. Adjusted EBITDA of $786 million came-in approximately 3% better than consensus of $765 million. Adj. Revenue of $2.78 billion was an 11% increase year-over-year. ADRs increased to $168 (+3% YOY). 1Q26 revenue guidance of $2.59-2.63 billion (+15% Y/Y at the midpoint) reflects healthy demand. Management expects 1Q26 Gross Booking Value to increase in the low-teens with events such as World Cup helping later in the year. Analysts believe Airbnb will continue to ramp hotel listings and support product and global expansion with more aggressive marketing.

Hyatt adds to Destination. Hyatt Hotels Corp. has added the Seaview Hotel & Golf Club on the Jersey Shore Galloway, New Jersey, to its Destination by Hyatt brand. The hotel features 296 guest rooms and 16 suites, 34,500 square feet of flexible meeting and event space, as well as two on-property golf courses.

MOHG grows in Egypt. Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group will offer its first Nile River cruises and take over management of two Egypt hotels. The ship is in development and owned by Garranah Group. Mandarin Oriental will offer three-, four- and seven-night itineraries cruising between Luxor and Aswan. Mandarin Oriental also reported it will assume management of the Old Cataract in Aswan and the Winter Palace in Luxor, with both hotels undergoing renovations. Both are currently operated under Accor's Sofitel brand. Parts of the Aswan hotel will remain open for bookings while its Nile wing is renovated. It will be renamed the Mandarin Oriental Old Cataract. The Luxor hotel, which will be renamed he Mandarin Oriental Winter Palace, will close in early 2026 for a revamp before reopening next year. The hotels are owned by Egypt real estate developer Talaat Moustafa Group Holding.

Minor adds in Adriatic. Bangkok-based Minor Hotels has signed a management agreement with MK Group for two hotels on Europe’s Adriatic coast in Croatia and Slovenia. Following extensive refurbishment programs, the resorts will relaunch under the group’s luxury Anantara and Minor Reserve Collection flags in Q1 2027. The 183-key Hotel Palace Portorož in Slovenia will relaunch as the Hotel Palace Portoroz, Minor Reserve Collection Slovenia. The 186-room Adriatic Istria Resort in Croatia will relaunch as Anantara Adriatic Istria Resort.

IHCL RevPAR up 9%. The Indian Hotel Co. Ltd. (IHCL) reported consolidated financials for third quarter and nine months ending December 31, 2025, that included consolidated same store hotels delivering 9% RevPAR growth. Management fee income grew by 15%. IHCL signed 239 hotels, including entering strategic acquisitions and partnerships with Clarks Group, Madison, Rajdarbar Group, Ambuja Neotia and Atmantan brand. IHCL opened and onboarded 120 hotels taking operating hotels to 361 with an inventory of more than 32,000 rooms. Managing Director and CEO Puneet Chhatwal said, Q3 FY2026 marks 15 consecutive quarters of record performance with consolidated revenue up 12% over the previous year. IHCL has signed 239 hotels in FY2026.