Today’s news in brief – 4/6/24
The Mandarin Oriental group has inaugurated its second London property, the Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, situated on Hanover Square. The boutique hotel, designed by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, features 50 rooms and suites, 77 private residences, and culinary offerings by chef Akira Back. The Vierendeel-structured building, a first in the UK, boasts a modern architectural style with burnt red brick inspired by Georgian terraces. Studio Indigo crafted the interiors, blending Asian heritage with local elements, featuring hand-painted silk wallpaper and materials like marble and brass. The hotel includes two bars, a spa, and multiple dining spaces, emphasising natural elements in their design. The spa offers a range of wellness treatments and a 25-metre swimming pool.
April hotel performance in the UK presented a mixed picture, with a 2% decline in RevPAR according to CoStar data. Occupancy and rates dropped for the first time in 36 months, attributed to Easter and school holidays shifting, and wet weather deterring local travel. Birmingham stood out with an 11% revenue increase, particularly in the Birmingham East/Airport/NEC area, due to events at the NEC. Edinburgh also performed well, with an 8% increase in average rates, driven by upcoming events like Taylor Swift’s concerts. Conversely, cities like York and Cardiff saw declines, with Cardiff affected by increased inventory and fewer events. Despite these variations, the overall outlook for UK hotels remains positive, with stable revenue growth expected.
Imperial London Hotels has announced a significant refurbishment of its London property, set for completion in 2026. The Brutalist building will be transformed into a four-star deluxe lifestyle hotel, featuring 357 rooms and suites, adaptable public spaces, and a 10th-floor rooftop bar and restaurant. Cube Design Ltd will lead the architectural redesign, while Trevillion Interiors Ltd and Keane Brands will handle interior design. The refurbishment will preserve the building’s bold exterior and geometric windows, blending 1960s design elements with contemporary aesthetics. Neil Braude, COO of Imperial London Hotels, expressed excitement for the project, emphasising the group’s commitment to exceptional service and memorable experiences.
Hyatt has significantly expanded its pipeline, growing by nearly 85% since 2017 to 129,000 rooms. This expansion includes doubling luxury rooms, tripling resort rooms, and quadrupling lifestyle rooms. The World of Hyatt loyalty program has also seen substantial growth, with membership increasing by 22% year-on-year to 46 million members globally. Hyatt’s strategy focuses on thoughtful organic growth and strategic acquisitions, enhancing its asset-light business model. CEO Mark Hoplamazian highlighted the company’s commitment to being highly valued by colleagues, guests, and owners, rather than being the largest hospitality company. Hyatt’s net rooms growth leadership reflects its unique development approach and brand expansion strategy.
