Ouvertures d’hôtels

🏡 Kempinski Hotels will manage the Nymphenburg Palace Royal Residence in Munich starting March 1, 2025, through a historic agreement with Prince Luitpold von Bayern and the Bavarian royal family. The 836-square-meter residence features luxurious rooms, relaxation spaces, a home cinema, a private garden, Nymphenburg porcelain, and world-renowned artwork. Barbara Muckermann, CEO at Kempinski, aims to preserve the prestigious property's heritage, continuing Kempinski's historic ties with the Bavarian royals.

🏨 Marriott International and Courbet Héritage will open the first Four Points Flex by Sheraton in France, set for 2026. The current Hôtel Christ Roi in Lourdes will be renovated and expanded for this purpose, targeting both business and leisure travelers. Antoine Sibieude, Development Director at Marriott, highlighted the growing demand for mid-scale accommodations in France. Laure Guillemin, Asset Manager at Courbet Héritage, sees the transformation as a significant advancement for tourism in Lourdes.

🏨 limehome, a German operator in digitized apartment hotels, is expanding into the French market with two projects in Île-de-France, targeting a 2025 opening. They'll deploy 44 apartments across Suresnes and Versailles. Suresnes will feature 25 units in a renovated office building near La Défense and Charles de Gaulle Étoile, opening in the autumn of 2025. Versailles will have 19 units in two adjacent historical buildings close to the château and Notre-Dame market, including an antique shop on the ground floor. limehome operates over 9,000 apartments in 150 European cities and focuses on flexible offerings for investors and travelers. CEO Josef Vollmayr notes Paris's 52 million hotel stays in 2023, second only to London in Europe.

🏨 The Social Hub, a European hospitality group, launched their first hotel in Porto, Portugal, on March 1. This 4-star, 11,200 m² property represents a €60 million investment and is located in the culturally vibrant Bonjardim quarter. The opening of The Social Hub Porto brings the group's portfolio to 20 establishments in 18 European cities, with plans to expand into Lisbon. The new hotel is expected to create 30 jobs and contribute to the economic growth of Porto.

🏛 MGallery unveiled its first establishment in Mexico, Armony Marival Resort & Spa Punta de Mita, as part of its collection of over 120 boutique hotels, opening on January 2. Located on one of the Pacific coast's best-preserved shores, the hotel features award-winning architecture that honors local culture and blends into the ecosystem. The resort experience is built around tradition, offering a gastronomic journey and spa treatments amidst design-focused spaces. The hotel comprises 212 rooms and 56 suites, each boasting balconies or terraces with sweeping Pacific views.

???? The Ascott Limited expands in North Africa, focusing on Morocco with a portfolio of six establishments, reaching over 600 rooms under three international brands. The Citadines Almaz Casablanca recently opened, featuring 61 apartments, targeting business travelers and tourists. Located 30 minutes from Mohammed V airport, the property offers amenities like a gym, restaurant, and meeting spaces. Citadines Bab Tangier is another signed project, signaling a series of upcoming inaugurations in Casablanca and Marrakech.

🏖️ Minor Hotels, with 560 hotels globally, is partnering with YouChao International Tourism Hotel Co. Ltd. and Funyard Minor to develop Anantara Thousand Island Lake Resort, slated to open in October 2027 in Hangzhou on Qiandao Lake's shores, Zhejiang Province. The 36,000 sqm resort will feature 160 rooms ranging from 62 to 340 sqm, specialized restaurants, fitness center, pool, spa, and tea garden. Minor Hotels currently runs four hotels in China and aims to add 15 more within three years. Eddy Tiftik, VP at Minor Hotels, and Tang Wenyi, President of YouChao, anticipate the venture's regional economic boost and tourism potential exploitation. The resort will be 22 km from Qiandaohu Station and 150 km from Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport.

🏕 Marriott International plans to open two luxury safari camps in Kenya: The Ritz-Carlton, Masai Mara Safari Camp in August 2025, marking The Ritz-Carlton's debut in luxury safaris, and the second Kenyan safari camp for JW Marriott, in partnership with Lazizi Mara Limited and Lazizi Solio Limited of the Lazizi Group of Companies. The camps aim to redefine high-end luxury hospitality in some of Africa's most stunning safari destinations.

🏖️ Taner Kurt, with 20+ years in the hospitality sector, is the new Director of Mercure Ax-les-Thermes in Ax-les-Thermes, operated by Cité Hotels. The hotel, set on 2 hectares, includes the carefully restored Château de Villemur and a contemporary building. It offers two 100 m² family apartments, a bistronomic restaurant Le Fédou, and a lounge bar. The professional space spans 140 m².

🏦 The Ascott Limited focuses on North Africa, especially expansion in Morocco. Recently opened Citadines Almaz Casablanca with 61 apartments; Citadines Bab Tangier with 130 apartments expected in 2027 near Tangier airport. Future openings include Citadines Connect Belvédère Casablanca (60 units, Q4 2026), Citadines Racine Casablanca (123 apartments, Q3 2025), Ascott Hivernage Marrakech (100 units, Q4 2026), and The Unlimited Collection Marrakech (90 rooms, Q4 2026). Morocco's tourism grows with 17 million visitors in 2024, projecting 20 million by 2025, a 30% increase from 2023.