Latest news: Super Bowl rooms sparse; Dreamscape adds 3; Nikki Beach founder dies

Super Bowl hotel rooms hard to find. New Orleans will host Super Bowl LIX on Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles, but with just 43,000 hotel rooms, the city has less than a quarter of the hotel rooms of Las Vegas, which hosted last year’s game. The result is hotel occupancy surging in New Orleans along with higher ADRs. STR’s Forward STAR data has occupancy at 90.1% the night before the Super Bowl and says it expects that number to continue to climb during this week. Additionally, ADR is forecast to grow 35% year-over-year with a 43% growth in RevPAR. This might not sound impressive, but it’s important to note that the 2024 comparable in New Orleans was Mardi Gras falling on the same weekend.

Dreamscape adds 3 to portfolio. New York City-based Dreamscape Hospitality has been selected to manage a portfolio of independent lifestyle boutique hotels in New Orleans. The portfolio, owned by Groogrux Hotels, includes The Blackbird Hotel; The Garden District Hotel; and The White Heron Hotel.

Nikki Beach founder passes away. Jack Penrod, owner and chairman of luxury lifestyle company Nikki Beach Hospitality Group, passed away on February 3 after a battle with cancer. He was 85. In 1988, he launched Penrod’s Beach Club on South Beach. In 1997, Penrod’s 18-year-old daughter, Nicole, passed away in a car accident. To honor her memory, he founded Nikki Beach in 1998 on the former Penrod’s Beach Club site. Nikki Beach has since grown into a global luxury lifestyle and hospitality brand. In 2022 his wife Lucia, who cofounded the company, assumed full responsibility as CEO.

IHG adds first Vignette in South America. IHG Hotels & Resort has added the Souma Hotel Lima in Peru, its first Vignette Collection in South America. The 214-key Souma Hotel Lima is operated by Iberostar Hotels & Resorts and will open in March. Vignette Collection has surpassed the halfway point in its initial aim to reach 100 open and pipeline hotels in 10 years.

Hilton adds in Northern Ireland. Hilton is partnering with Carrickfergus, U.K.-based Loughview Leisure Group to convert a hotel to the 131-key DoubleTree by Hilton Belfast City Ten Square in Northern Ireland. The hotel will undergo a multi-million refurbishment before joining the brand later this year.

Hilton adds in Central India. Hilton is partnering with Sage Group to open the first DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in Bhopal, the capital city of Madhya Pradesh, in Central India. The 229-key DoubleTree by Hilton Bhopal is scheduled to open in 2027. Hilton currently has a portfolio of 56 trading and pipeline hotels in South Asia.

ONE launches music-based brand. Abu Dhabi-based ONE Development has launched ONE/AD, an endeavor set to disrupt the hospitality industry as the first musical-themed boutique hotel integrating AI, music and wellness. Co-founded by ONE Development and entertainer Amr Diab, DO Boutique Hotels is orchestrating a fusion of bold design, wellness, evocative music and AI.