Imperial Hotel has announced it will open a new property in Kyoto’s Gion district on 5 March 2026, marking the brand’s first new hotel in three decades. Reservations officially opened this week (17 November). The hotel will operate within the Yasaka Kaikan, a nationally registered Tangible Cultural Property, which has been refurbished to retain key […]

Accor has appointed Graham Dodd as VP of development for the UK and Ireland for its premium, midscale and economy brands. In his new role, Dodd will spearhead the growth of leading hospitality brands including Pullman, Mövenpick, Swissôtel, Novotel, Mercure, Handwritten Collection, TRIBE, Ibis and greet. He joins Accor from Hilton, where he led the […]

Sofitel London St James has completed the refurbishment of six signature suites by Paris-based interior architecture studio Pierre-Yves Rochon (PYR).  Four prestige suites are now open and available to book, with the final two flagship suites, Suite 70 and The Opera Suite, set to launch in January 2026.    Pierre-Yves Rochon’s studio has “long been […]

The number of hospitality businesses entering insolvency eased only very slightly in the third quarter of 2025, yet remained historically high, reflecting challenging trading conditions for the industry. Some 857 accommodation and food service companies, including hotels, restaurants and pubs, closed in the three months to September 2025, down 2.7% from 881 in Q2 this […]

Duke Street Boutique Hotel has reopened in Liverpool city centre about a month after being bought by Golding Group.  It comes after the 30-room venue had been on the market for nine months with a guide price of £2.25m. Golding Group, which began as an estate agent in the region before expanding into hotels and […]

The Wesley Euston has been awarded the Eco-Smart Platinum Accreditation, the highest level of the sustainability scheme, after advancing from its previous Gold rating. The hotel received the certification for measures that include energy and water efficiency, responsible sourcing and carbon-reduction work. The scheme assesses hotels against criteria covering resource use, procurement and building performance. […]

White Elephant Resorts will open a 54-key hotel in Aspen on 3 February 2026, marking the boutique brand’s first site in the American West.  The hotel will be located on the corner of Main Street and Garmisch Street in the West End neighbourhood, close to the Aspen Institute, Harris Hall and the Benedict Music Tent. […]

Focus Hotels Management has appointed Craig Jones as finance director as the group prepares for its next phase of development amid a challenging trading environment. The qualified accountant brings more than 25 years of hospitality finance experience, having held senior roles at Whitbread, Marriott, InterContinental Hotels Group, Principal Hotels and Klarent Hospitality.  Jones has built […]

Work has begun to convert Phoenix House in Vauxhall, London into a 180-bedroom Premier Inn, eight months after Whitbread agreed lease terms for the site. The 10-storey, 7,469 sqm former office building sits opposite Vauxhall Underground Station and was secured as part of Whitbread’s London expansion programme. Under the arrangement, the company has leased the […]

The Government is considering giving mayors the power to introduce a holiday tax in England, despite assurances to Parliament two months ago that no such measure was planned, according to the Times.  The proposal, expected to be examined ahead of the 26 November Budget, would allow local leaders to apply a tourist levy on accommodation.  […]