Latest news: Houston hotel expands; 100th Days Inn in China; Paradox debuts in Australia

Expansion for Houston hotel. Nashville and San Diego-based Southwest Value Partners is adding 56 rooms and 10,000 sq. ft. of event space to The JW Marriott Houston Downtown as part of a multimillion-dollar expansion and renovation ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The expansion will transform the historic Battelstein’s Building in Houston adjacent to the hotel. The renovations will bring the hotel’s room count to 384.

100th Days Inn in China. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has opened its 100th Days Inn hotel in China with the 83-key Days Inn by Wyndham Shantou Jinping. Wyndham said its Days Inn brand in China has averaged double-digit net room growth over the last five years, contributing to a 14% increase in Wyndham’s overall direct franchising business over the same period. The brand is poised for sustained growth, with its pipeline in China expanding 25% year-over-year through the end of the first quarter.

Paradox debuts in Australia. Vancouver-based Paradox Hotels & Resorts will make its Australian debut on July 1 with the rebranding of the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel in Sydney to the Paradox Sydney. The hotel has been owned by TA Global since 1997 and will join a global portfolio of hotels for Paradox in five countries, including Canada, Singapore, China and Thailand.

Alabama hotel sells. Jai Mahadev LLC acquired the 64-key Holiday Inn Express & Suites Birmingham NE in Alabama from R & M Properties LLC on May 23 for $5.7 million, according to the Birmingham Business Journal.

Marriott adds 3 in Scotland. Marriott International is strengthening its presence in Edinburgh through a three-hotel agreement with the Edinburgh-based Chris Stewart Group. The partnership includes two rebrands under Marriott’s Collection brands and the launch of a new-build hotel. On July 1, The Edinburgh Grand will join The Luxury Collection, marking the brand’s debut in Scotland. The Old Town Chambers will be rebranded under the Autograph Collection. RBH Hospitality Management will operate both hotels. The third property, The Colourist, is currently under development and scheduled to open in 2027 as part of the Tribute Portfolio.

BWH adds in Germany. BWH Hotels is strengthening its footprint in Germany with the rebranding of the 74-key City Hotel Valois in Wilhelmshaven. The hotel will now operate as the Sure Hotel by Best Western City Hotel Wilhelmshaven and will undergo renovations over the next year to align with the BWH brand.

Scandic adds in Sweden. Stockholm, Sweden-based Scandic Hotels Group is partnering with Vasakronan to open a new 236-key hotel in downtown Uppsala, Sweden. The hotel will be built in the rapidly growing Södra City (Southern City) area. Construction is set to begin in the fall of 2025 and the hotel is scheduled to open in the second quarter of 2028.

AWC acquires in Bangkok. Thailand-based Asset World Corp Public Co. Ltd. (AWC) has acquired all shares in Le Concorde Hotel Co. Ltd., the owner of the Swissotel Bangkok Ratchada and the adjacent Le Concorde Office Tower for THB4.4 billion, according to HVS. AWC will invest a further THB4.3 billion to reposition the hotel as a 368-key JW Marriott brand by 2028.