Latest news: Peachtree adds in Texas; Marriott layoffs; first voco in Atlanta

Peachtree adds in San Antonio. Atlanta-based Peachtree Group is partnering with Austin, Texas-based Merritt Development Group for a new 171-room Residence Inn by Marriott in downtown San Antonio, Texas, near the Riverwalk, which is set to open in the second quarter of 2026. The property is located within a Qualified Opportunity Zone (QOZ). Peachtree has been one of the more active hotel developers in QOZs, having opened nine hotels in the zones with five more under construction.

Marriott layoffs. Marriott International is laying off 833 workers at its Bethesda, Maryland headquarters as part of a restructuring plan for 2025. A company spokesperson told Hotel Investment Today that at the same time the layoffs are occurring, several hundred other job openings will be made available internally to the impacted employees. So, the net number of impacted jobs is expected to be “meaningfully lower.” Staffing at hotels is not part of the scope of this initiative. “Earlier this year, we began a strategic review of all aspects of Marriott International’s business across geographies to enhance our enterprise-wide effectiveness and discussed this initiative on our Q3 earnings call. While always difficult, these job reductions at our corporate and continent offices will reshape the way we work and are expected to be largely in place in Q1 2025,” the spokesperson said.

Labor union campaign against resort fees. Hospitality union Unite Here has rolled out a campaign and website warning consumers and travel advisors that hotel resort fees are a money grab at their expense. The organization’s “Resort Fee Ripoff” initiative urges advisors to review the commission policies of Marriott International, Hilton and Hyatt. The website highlights excerpts from several commission policies, including language from Hyatt that excludes “incidentals, taxes, mandatory fees” from commission calculations and a fine print from Hilton indicating that advisors can “earn commissions on room revenue only” for U.S., Canadian and Mexican bookings.

First Mama Shelter in Italy. Ennismore is partnering with its joint venture partners, London-based Zanklon Capital and Paris-based Extendam, to sign the Mama Shelter Lake Como in Italy. The 150-key property will be the first Mama Shelter in Italy and is scheduled to open in the resort city of Como by mid-2026.

First voco in Atlanta. IHG Hotels & Resorts is debuting its voco brand in Atlanta with the opening of the 111-key voco The Darwin Hotel. IHG partnered with Albany, Georgia-based Global SCR on the property and Atlanta-based HVMG will manage the property. IHG said voco hotels is on pace to exceed its goal of more than 200 open hotels globally by 2028.

Wimmer, Crescent adds in Wisconsin. Hales Corners, Wisconsin-based Wimmer Communities and Fairfax, Virginia-based Crescent Hotels & Resorts have expanded their decades-long partnership to open a new dual-branded property, known as The Marriott Center, in Brookfield, Wisconsin. The Marriott Center comprises the 104-key Residence Inn by Marriott Milwaukee Brookfield at Poplar Creek and the 121-key Courtyard by Marriott Milwaukee Brookfield at Poplar Creek, which will be owned and developed by Wimmer Communities and managed by Crescent Hotels & Resorts.

Two new SOAR signings for Choice. Choice Hotels International announced two new contracts as part of its Supporting Ownership Access and Representation (SOAR) program, which aims to help empower and support hotel ownership for underrepresented entrepreneurs. The new contracts – an 82-key WoodSpring Suites in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, and a 49-key Rodeway Inn in Effingham, Illinois – are part of the 17 SOAR contracts signed year-to-date. Walter Barela and Brain Resendez of Albuquerque, New Mexico-based Peak Hospitality executed a contract to open the WoodSpring Suites, while Ben Rohlfing, Amanda Rohlfing and Bob Schultz executed a conversion contract for the Rodeway Inn.

Oasis tour effects. Eight months before the start of Oasis’ sold-out tour, host markets in Europe are already seeing a significant impact on occupancy on the books, according to CoStar data. In July, August, and September 2025, Oasis is set to perform 19 times across five markets in the U.K. and Ireland: Cardiff, Manchester, London, Edinburgh and Dublin. Through November 4, Cardiff showed the highest occupancy level, peaking at 73.6% on Friday, July 4, the highest 2025 booking level in the market thus far. Outside Europe, the band is set to continue its tour in Canada, the U.S., and South America, starting with Toronto, which already shows booking levels at 20.4% (+13.2 ppts year over year) on Sunday, 24 August.

First St. Regis in Serbia. Marriott International is debuting its St. Regis brand in Serbia with the 119-key The St. Regis Belgrade. Abu Dhabi-based Eagle Hills is developing the new build, 42-story property. St. Regis Hotels & Resorts has more than 60 luxury hotels and resorts around the world.

LuxUrban stock split. Miami-based LuxUrban Hotels said on Friday that it would effectuate a 1:70 reverse stock split of its common stock, effective at the opening of trading on November 20. The reverse stock split is part of LuxUrban Hotels’ strategy to strengthen its position within the Nasdaq Capital Markets. Following the reverse split, the number of shares of common stock issued and outstanding will be reduced from approximately 151.85 million to approximately 2.17 million shares.

Minor to debut in Zimbabwe. Minor Hotels is opening its first property in Zimbabwe in Africa, with the Anantara Stanley & Livingstone Victoria Falls Hotel. The property is scheduled to open in mid-2025. Minor Hotels currently operates 27 hotels and resorts in nine countries in Africa.

100th Marriott in Japan. Marriott International has opened its 100th property in Japan with the Four Points Flex by Sheraton Osaka Umeda, which also marks the debut of the Four Points Flex brand in Asia Pacific. Marriott partnered with New York City-based KKR on the development and the company expects 14 more conversions to join the brand in Japan through early 2025.

Radisson adds in Kuwait. Radisson Hotel Group is opening its second hotel in Kuwait with the Park Inn by Radisson Hotel & Apartments within the Mahboula district, just south of Kuwait City. The property has 180 hotel rooms and 70 serviced apartments.