Hotel development is continuing at a rapid rate in 2024, with plenty of new properties making their debuts and many more on the horizon for the coming years. Below is a roundup of the latest updates from top brands, including new member properties for Relais & Chateaux, recent and future properties from Hilton brands and Saudi Arabia management deals for BWH Hotels.
New Debuts From Hilton
Hilton has seen plenty of new properties debut in recent months, spanning various brands and destinations around the world. DoubleTree by Hilton, for one, recently opened outposts in Kyoto and Osaka, Japan, along with a property on St. Paul’s Bay in Malta. And Curio Collection by Hilton has just opened Anglo American Hotel Florence in Italy (two blocks from the Arno River) and the 59-room Legacy Hotel Cascais in Portugal, near the area’s beaches. Additional recent arrivals include The Printing House Nashville Downtown, Tapestry Collection by Hilton in Tennessee; the 1920s-inspired Conrad Chongqing in China; and the Conrad Bahrain Financial Harbour in the heart of downtown Manama, Bahrain.
Soon to come are the centrally located Hilton Kathmandu in Nepal, which is accepting reservations for this August; Keight Hotel Opatija, Curio Collection by Hilton, located in Croatia’s coastal destination of Opatija and accepting reservations for June 10 and beyond; and Hilton Cairo Nile Maadi in Egypt, opening soon but not yet taking reservations. Further out is Conrad Yokohama, a 272-room property in Japan that will span 16 levels of a 40-story high-rise and is slated for 2027.
Relais & Chateaux Adds New Members
Twelve new properties have joined Relais & Chateaux within the last few months, spanning destinations from Antigua to Australia, Namibia, Portugal and beyond.
Among the additions are two noteworthy London properties: the 36-room Chelsea Townhouse, which opened in September 2023, and the upcoming Hotel Balzac, slated to open in July 2024 with 58 guestrooms. Other new Europe properties include Hotel Vermelho in Melides, Portugal, and Hotel Cappella in Colfosco, Italy. In Africa, the collection now includes Namibia’s Gmundner Lodge (which runs on solar energy), and Silvan Safari Lodge in South Africa’s Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve. Lizard Island Resort in Cairns, Australia; Curtain Bluff in Antigua; and other global properties are also now part of the collection.
BWH Hotels Sets Sights on the Middle East
BWH Hotels is prioritizing portfolio growth in the Middle East for 2024 and beyond. The company will soon bring eight new hotels and one branded residence into Saudi Arabia, with more development in the region possible within the near future. New signings and management agreements include four properties in Makkah, as well as BW Signature Collection Jeddah and Executive Residency by Best Western, Al Shafa Hotel Jeddah.
“As tourism continues to gain momentum in this region, our team is taking notice,” said Wytze Van den Berg, vice president of international operations for Europe, Middle East and Africa at BWH. “It is important for us to grow all aspects of the brand across chain scales, from value-driven offerings and boutique options to WorldHotels’ upscale selections. It is an exciting time of growth in the region, and we are positioning our brand as an important driver in its hospitality expansion.”