Ouvertures d’hôtels

🏕 Chandra Wickramasinghe, President of Thema Collection, launched the Amba Yaalu hotel project in January 2025, amidst a mango plantation. Amba Yaalu, meaning "among friends," aims to empower women in the Sri Lankan hospitality industry, where only 10% are female. The hotel has 33 rooms and employs 80 women, including in security, where 7 female soldiers have been recruited, marking a significant societal shift just 4 months post-opening.

🏦 Lone Star Funds acquired a 175-apartment hotel in Yokohama, Japan through Lone Star Real Estate Fund VII, L.P., advised by JLL and concluded with Mapletree Investments Pte Ltd. Inaugurated in November 2020, the Oakwood Suites Yokohama, part of a 167,000m2 mixed-use redevelopment by Mitsui Fudosan Co. Ltd., spans floors 46 to 51 of a luxury residential tower with over 1,176 homes, near Minato-Mirai metro station. The serviced apartments will convert into a high-end hotel by Q4 2025, offering spacious rooms averaging over 52m², aiming for a premium positioning. Jérôme Foulon, Global Head of Commercial Real Estate at Lone Star, highlighted the investment as an example of their successful value-add strategy in Japan.

🏦 Eve-Marie Steenman, ex-marketing head at Aman Hotels, leads the creative hub of Influence Society at Cours Albert 1er in Paris' upscale 8th district, aligning with the agency's goal to serve top-tier hotel brands with refined digital communication. Founded in 2016, Influence Society has become a key player in digital innovation for luxury hospitality, offering bespoke digital ecosystems to hotels in Europe, the Middle East, and North America. The Paris office is a strategic cultural choice, set to strengthen ties with distinctive hoteliers.

🏠 Banyan Group opened their first Garrya brand establishment, Garrya Mu Cang Chai, in Mu Cang Chai, Yên Bái province, Vietnam. Offering 110 rooms, suites, and villas with panoramic views, the 6.5-hectare wellness-focused retreat is a 6-hour drive from Hanoi. Local materials like bamboo and H’Mong patterns decorate the resort. Two main restaurants, Refresh and Charcoal Grill, offer diverse culinary experiences with traditional Vietnamese, Asian influences, and international recipes.

🎢 The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection's international campaign "Unlike the Rest" emphasizes a transformative travel experience with ultra-luxury service at sea. Ernesto Fara, President and CFO, seeks to provide experiences that stir curiosity and forge unforgettable memories. The fleet expansion includes Evrima launched in 2022, Ilma set for 2024, and Luminara to set sail in July 2025, promising a high crew-to-guest ratio, private terrace suites, and signature amenities such as The Ritz-Carlton Spa® and an integrated marina.

🏢 Fairmont Xiamen opens in Fujian province, Southeast China, designed by British architectural firm Foster + Partners. The hotel features 420 rooms and suites with Art Deco and local cultural influences. It offers five dining venues blending local traditions and international flavors, including TIANXIA 1984 with celadon porcelain tribute, Del Mar with Italian and vintage touches, Victoria with Asian recipes at the top floor, AIR LOFT reflecting Xiamen Airlines' aviation theme, and the relaxing PLAZA Lobby Lounge.

🍴 The Mark Clam Bar, a new seafood spot by star chef Jean-Georges and Caviar Kaspia, opens in May in Manhattan's Upper East Side. Offering a seaside shack vibe with New York elegance, it serves refined classics like lobster rolls, oysters, and fresh clams, along with luxurious Kaspia caviar. Open daily from 12pm to 10pm, reservations for lunch and dinner are available at The Mark Hotel, Madison Avenue at 77th Street, New York, NY 10075.

🏨 Travelodge has opened a new 111-room budget hotel in Aston, Birmingham. The location is strategic for both leisure and business, with easy access to cultural sites like Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery and Ikon Gallery, the birthplace of Shakespeare, Warwick Castle, and football clubs. Business travelers benefit from proximity to transport links and venues like the National Exhibition Centre and International Convention Centre. The Birmingham Airport is a 20-minute drive away.

🏖️ Minor Hotels expands to India, planting the Avani brand in Visakhapatnam with the Avani+ Sunray Beach Visakhapatnam Resort, a high-end 25.5-hectare project featuring 117 hotel rooms, 58 luxury residential villas, three restaurants, a bar, large swimming pool, Avani spa, AvaniFit fitness center, beach bar, and a 9-hole golf course. Located in Bhogapuram near the upcoming Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport (opening in 2026), this development by Minor Hotels and Sunray Green Space Pvt Ltd aims to cater to the business and leisure boom in Visakhapatnam, a city experiencing significant IT and infrastructural growth.

🏂 L'Hôtel Barrière Les Neiges, located at the heart of Courchevel in the Alps, is proud to announce the renewal of its prestigious Palace distinction from Atout France. The luxury establishment boasts 42 rooms and suites, customized guest services, a spa, and emphasizes the combination of winter sports, wellness, and gastronomy to provide a unique experience. This renewal reflects the hotel's ongoing commitment to unparalleled service and meticulous attention to detail.