Latest news: Minor to delist NH; Kimpton to LATAM's tallest tower; Crowne Plaza in Japan

Minor proposes to delist NH. Bangkok-based Minor International has proposed to delist one of its hotel operating companies, NH Hotel Group, from the Madrid Stock Exchange. NH Hotel Group, which was acquired by Minor in 2018, officially became Minor Hotels Europe & Americas (MHEA) in April. Minor currently holds a 95.9% interest in MHEA and plans to purchase the company’s remaining shares at €6.37 per share. Shareholders are scheduled on the proposal on or around January 20. If shareholders agree, Minor expects everything to be completed by the middle of 2025.

Kimpton adds in Mexico. IHG’s Kimpton is planning a new boutique luxury hotel and branded residences in Monterrey, Mexico. Kimpton Monterrey will be the brand’s sixth property planned for Mexico. It will be located in the new-build mixed-use Torre Rise, set to be the tallest tower in Latin America, and is scheduled to open in 2026. The hotel will be owned by Grupo Alora and operated by Marca Hotel Solutions and will have 120 hotel rooms and 60 private residences. The Kimpton brand currently has 78 hotels open globally, with 57 projects in its pipeline.

NewcrestImage wins historic tax credit. Grapevine, Texas-based NewcrestImage has won $5 million in historic tax credits for the adaptive reuse of the Fourth & Walnut Centre downtown in Cincinnati from Ohio’s Historic Tax Credit program, according to the Cincinnati Business Courier. NewcrestImage is planning a $174.7 million, 280-key luxury hotel in the space, 16 apartments and a 244-space parking garage. The vacant building was once known as the First National Bank Building.

AAA predicting record holiday travel. AAA is projecting 119.3 million people will travel 50 miles or more from home over the year-end holiday period from December 21 to January 1. This year’s domestic travel projection narrowly surpasses the previous record set in 2019 by 64,000 travelers. AAA expects an additional three million travelers this holiday season compared to last year. Nearly 90% of holiday travelers will be driving to their destinations.

IHG adds Crowne Plaza in Japan. IHG Hotels & Resorts, through ANA Hotels Group Japan, has signed a management agreement with BHR Okinawa Management GK to return the ANA Crowne Plaza brand to Okinawa, Japan. The 123-key ANA Crowne Plaza Resort Okinawa Uruma Hills will join the IHG system early in 2025 and undergo a renovation to convert to a Crowne Plaza. BHR Okinawa Management GK is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berjaya Land Berhad, a subsidiary of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia-based Berjaya Corp. Berhad. IHG and Berjaya have had a long-term relationship and are building on their collaboration in Vietnam with their first joint project in Japan. There are 20 ANA Crowne Plaza hotels and three pipeline properties in Japan, 413 of which are open Crowne Plaza hotels, and 146 are in the brand’s pipeline globally.

Choice Everhome Suites development. Choice Hotels International is partnering with Denver-based Highside Companies to develop new Everhome Suites hotels in Fayetteville, North Carolina; Cheyenne, Wyoming; and Clarksville, Tennessee. The 114-key Everhome Suites Fayetteville and the 114-key Everhome Suites Cheyenne are both opening and the 115-key Everhome Suites Clarksville is scheduled to open in the spring of 2026. Choice Hotels has seven Everhome Suites open; over 20 are under construction; nearly 30 are expected to open by the end of 2025; and over 65 are in the pipeline.

Capella adds 4 in APAC. Singapore-based Capella Hotel Group has unveiled plans for four new properties opening in 2025 in the Pacific Asia region. The 86-key Capella Taipei in Taiwan is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2025, the 93-key Capella at Galaxy Macau in China and the 221-key Patina Osaka in Japan are scheduled to open in the second quarter, and the 89-key Capella Kyoto in Japan is scheduled to open in the fourth quarter. Capella aims to double its portfolio by 2030.

Luxury hotel reopening in Glasgow. The 40-key Crossbasket Castle on the outskirts of Glasgow, Scotland, is set to reopen as a luxury hotel on March 16, along with a restaurant and bar, following a £20 million investment. Alison and Steve Timoney took ownership of the property in 2011. It reopened in 2016 after £10 million in renovations. It is managed by Inverlochy Castle Management International (ICMI), which operates 12 other independent properties around Scotland.

Accor adds in Kazakhstan. Accor has announced has signed an agreement with FC Elimai to develop a new ibis hotel in Semey, Kazakhstan. The 100-key ibis Semey is scheduled to open in 2027.