Hong Kong has continued to loosen Covid restrictions, now targeting eventgoers. The New York Times gave them publicity on this, telling them no sweat if you test positive for Covid in Hong Kong. Things like bankers being allowed to leave on a private jet if they test positive, tech executives dining in private rooms and rugby watchers allowed to eat in the stands is a bit different than what ordinary Chinese or Hong Kong residents go through. If you believe the stock markets, China’s government is loosening up restrictions while still having their officials toe the line on Zero-Covid. We’ll see who is correct in another month or so.
Marriott International will be adding about 13-14 hotels in India under different brands in the next 12 months. Marriott currently manages about 134 properties under different brands in the country. They have about 60 agreements for hotels to open in the future. The VP of South & East India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka said in his area, Marriott will be opening the new hotels under brands like Courtyard, Sheraton, and Tribute in Meghalaya, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana and other places. While Marriott is continuing with conversions, the new properties are supposed to be mostly new construction.
The new Courtyard by Marriott Tiruchirappalli in India’s southern Tamil Nadu state is a conversion. Marriott converted an existing property called Sangam Hotel in Trichy into the Courtyard brand. The 108-room property will be the first international hospitality 5-star brand to launch in Tamil Nadu’s fourth largest city. The rooms there feature uninterrupted views of the city skyline. Marriott said the hotel’s swimming pool lends a feeling of space and calm. The hotel offers three F&B outlets that offer international and local culinary experiences. The Courtyard by Marriott Tiruchirappalli offers 20,000 square feet of versatile banqueting space and a 24/7 fitness center.
Hilton announced the signing of an agreement with Wondergrain Exports Private Limited to launch DoubleTree by Hilton Amritsar. The hotel is scheduled to open in early 2026 and will mark the debut of the DoubleTree by Hilton brand in Punjab. The hotel will be situated in Ranjeet Avenue, close to the Golden Temple. The 116-room hotel will feature expansive lush green lawns, modern architecture and design. The DoubleTree will include large banquet and meeting spaces, a fitness center and a spa as well as multiple specialized dining options. Hilton said with this signing they are on track to double their presence in the country.
Indian Hotels Company announced the signing of a SeleQtions hotel in Munnar, Kerala. The brownfield project is a management contract between IHCL and CRB Hotels & Resorts Pvt. Ltd. The hotel will feature a combination of 55 rooms and suites, located at an easy driving distance from Kochi airport. The hotel will house an all-day restaurant and bar, a fitness center, swimming pool and spa and more. With the addition of this hotel, IHCL has 14 hotels in Kerala including three under development.
Centara Hotels & Resorts announced the expansion of its collection of hotels in Thailand with the opening of Centra by Centara Bangkok Phra Nakhon on October 22. The new hotel is situated near Khaosan Road giving guests easy access to Bangkok’s historic district. The hotel offers 180 rooms and suites spread across two low-rise buildings, ranging from Superior, Deluxe and Premium Deluxe rooms with 21 to 38 square meters of space. The Premium Suites offer 44 square meters for families and long-stay guests. The hotel is built around an inner courtyard. There is an outdoor swimming pool with a terrace, fitness center, modern meeting facilities and F&B options. Centra by Centara is considered Centara’s upper mid-scale hotel concept.
IHG Hotels & Resorts announced a new partnership with Shenzhen Tian An Yuncheng Investment Development Group Co., Ltd. to develop the first voco hotel in Guangdong province. The hotel is scheduled to open in 2027 and will be built on Phase 3 of Bantian Tian An Club Valley, one of the major platforms along the Guangzhou-Shenzhen Sci-Tech Innovation Corridor. The signing works with China’s national strategy to develop the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. For IHG, Greater China is their fastest-growing market worldwide with over 1,000 hotels opened and in the pipeline. IHG has already collaborated with Shenzhen Tian An Yuncheng on the Even Hotels Shenzhen Guangming Cloud Park and Holiday Inn Express Shenzhen Guangming Cloud Park that are in the pipeline. The voco Shenzhen Bantian Coulb Valley is expected to have 264 rooms with four room types.
Accor’s Pullman Hotels & Resorts brand announced the grand opening of Pullman Shenzhen North, a new hotel in the Longhua District, stationed at the East Square of Shenzhen North Railway Station. The hotel is on floors 46 to 58 of the Shenzhen North Station Huide Tower and features an avant-garde railway motif, inspired by the Shenzhen Railway and history of Pullman. The hotel was constructed by Shenzhen Metro Group and China Railway Engineering Corporation. The Pullman Shenzhen North includes 271 guestrooms and suites with all rooms enjoying views overlooking the North Railway Station Central Park, Yixiu Park, Nanyuan Park and Tanglang Mountain. The highest floor in Longhua District, the tower’s 58F is the Executive Lounge. There is a selection of F&B, 24/7 Pullman Fit Lounge, Yoga Room on the fourth floor, outdoor swimming pool and more than 1,400 square meters of multi-functional banquet and meeting spaces.
Tribe, part of Ennismore, opened the doors to its first hotel in Indonesia. The Tribe Bali Kuta Beach opened just a 10-minute drive from the airport on the Kuta beach strip. The hotel features collaborative workspaces, decompression zones and co-living areas. The co-working spaces are in the lobby and the rooftop. Tribe Bali Kuta Beach offers 165 smart rooms with six different categories of rooms and suites, most of which come with balconies. The F&B options include a coffee shop on the ground floor that transforms into a bar by night, rooftop 360 degree restaurant and bar and more. There is an infinity pool with the Afterglow Bar & Kitchen overlooking Kuta Beach, a gym, business facilities and more.
The Hilton Garden Inn Phoenix Mauritius is set to open in 2026, offering affordable and upscale accommodation with amenities for both business and leisure travelers. The hotel is being developed by Ebene Square Ltd and will join Hilton’s more than 40 properties operating and 66 under development across Africa and the Indian Ocean. The hotel will offer 135 guest rooms and suites. There will be a lobby lounge, pool bar and a rooftop lounge. The hotel will also feature meeting rooms, an outdoor swimming pool, spa and a gym. This will be the first Hilton Garden Inn in the country, located in Vacoas-Phoenix, one of the largest towns in the region. Phoenix is located 19 kilometers south of Port Louis and 32 kilometers from Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport. The property will be Hilton’s second in the country, joining the Hilton Mauritius Resort & Spa which is already operating.
