Latest news: $104.5M loan in Savannah; rebrand in DC; Hyatt’s Unbound adds 4

$104.5M loan for Savannah Ritz-Carlton. Boca Raton, Florida and Charleston, South Carolina-based TMGOC Ventures secured a $104.5 million loan for the construction financing for the 168-key Ritz-Carlton Savannah, a conversion of the historic “Savannah Skyscraper” building that is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2028. Bethesda, Maryland-based Walker & Dunlop Inc. arranged the loan, with the capital provided by White Plains, New York-based The LCP Group, LP.

Rebrand in DC. The ARC Hotel Washington, DC has rebranded following a comprehensive renovation, marking its debut as part of Marriott International’s Series by Marriott portfolio. Formerly known as ARC Hotel Washington, D.C., Georgetown, the property is in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood. The repositioned hotel features renovated guestrooms and refreshed public and private spaces.

Hyatt adds four to Unbound. Hyatt Hotels Corp. will add four properties to The Unbound Collection by Hyatt as the brand marks its 10th anniversary. The 84-key The Georgian in Santa Monica, California; the 120-key Hotel 1000 in Seattle; the 218-key Cayo Levantado Resort in the Dominican Republic and The Clayfield in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, which is scheduled to open in the middle of the summer, are joining the portfolio this year.

Virginia Guesthouse opens. The Virginia Guesthouse Hotel & Conference Center has opened along the University of Virginia’s Ivy Corridor in Charlottesville, Virginia. The nine-story, 214-key hotel has 25,000 sq. ft. of meeting facilities and is owned by the University of Virginia, managed by Pyramid Global Hospitality and is part of Pyramid’s independent collection, Benchmark Resorts & Hotels.

HEI adds in South Carolina. Norwalk, Connecticut-based HEI Hotels & Resorts has added the historic Westin Poinsett in Greenville, South Carolina, to its portfolio. This is the first property HEI has operated in South Carolina, adding to its growing presence throughout the Southeast. The 200-key hotel originally opened in 1925 and was added to Historic Hotels of America in 2002 following a 2000 renovation and reopening as a Westin.

Sonesta reposition in Curaçao. Newton, Massachusetts-based Sonesta International Hotels has opened the new 196-key Sonesta Resort Curaçao following a conversion within the southern Caribbean nation. The repositioned property, previously known as Livingstone Jan Thiel Beach Resort, offers a variety of accommodations, including villas, apartments and traditional guestrooms. Owned and operated by Amsterdam-based Corendon Hotels, the hotel overlooks Jan Thiel Beach near Willemstad.

Savills acquires Hotelivate. London-based Savills has acquired a majority interest in Hotelivate, a leading hospitality advisory firm in South Asia. The investment brings together Hotelivate’s deep sector expertise and the global Savills real estate platform and reach to create a scaled, institutional-grade hospitality advisory offer under a unified brand, Hotelivate-Savills.

Dunton adds first in Europe. Dunton is opening Kilchoan Estate in Scotland this June, the brand’s first European property and a landmark addition to its portfolio. Set across 13,000 acres of private wilderness between Loch Nevis and Loch Hourn, Kilchoan Estate by Dunton offers rare year-round access to one of the most remote and unspoiled corners of the Scottish Highlands, reachable only by boat or on foot.

Leva’s first in Morocco. Dubai-based Leva Hotels & Resorts is entering Morocco with the launch of 106-key Leva Casablanca, through a strategic management agreement with Ares Invest and Oukrid Family Office. Formerly known as the Washington Hotel, the property is set for an official transition on June 1 and will undergo phased renovations, allowing it to remain fully operational throughout the transformation.