Marriott International Inks Landmark Agreement With Rua Al Madinah Holding Company to Open Eight Hotels in Saudi Arabia

Marriott International, Inc. announced it has signed an agreement with Rua Al Madinah Holding Company to open eight hotels in the Holy City of Madinah in Saudi Arabia. Located in close proximity to the Prophet’s Mosque, Al Masjid An Nabawi, the planned properties will be part of the Rua Al Madinah Project which aims to elevate the service and travel experience for visitors of Madinah. The anticipated openings will feature approximately 4,400 rooms across eight of the company’s brands – The Ritz-Carlton, JW Marriott, Marriott Hotels, Westin Hotels & Resorts, Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts, Four Points by Sheraton, Aloft Hotels, and Courtyard by Marriott.

“There is a strong demand for high-quality hotel accommodation in Madinah and we are delighted to work with Rua Al Madinah Holding Company to support the enhancement and diversification of the city’s hospitality landscape,” said Satya Anand, President, Europe, Middle East & Africa, Marriott International. “This multi-deal agreement also strengthens our footprint in Saudi Arabia where we continue to see strong growth momentum in line with the Kingdom’s vision for its tourism sector.”

“The agreement with one of the world’s leading hospitality operators brings the Rua Al Madinah project a step closer to realising its ambitions to further enrich Madinah city’s Hajj and Umrah services" commented Eng. Ahmed Al Juhani, CEO of Rua Al Madinah Holding Company. “This collaboration will culminate in the launch of eight new hotels and nearly 4.400 rooms that will serve both residents as well as visitors from around the world looking to visit Madinah.”

MCR — the 4th-largest hotel owner-operator in the U.S. — has acquired the Hilton Miami Airport Blue Lagoon

MCR — the 4th-largest hotel owner-operator in the U.S. — has acquired the Hilton Miami Airport Blue Lagoon, a 14-story hotel with 508 rooms in Miami, Florida. With a prime waterfront setting within the Blue Lagoon business park, the hotel is located just south of Miami International Airport (MIA). This is the company’s second hotel in the Miami airport submarket following the acquisition of the Hyatt Place Miami Airport East in December of 2022 and its tenth hotel in Florida.

MIA is the busiest airport for international passengers and international freight in the U.S. and provides a hub for over 90 air carriers. International traffic continues to ramp back up following the pandemic and overall passenger volume through MIA was up over 10% in 2022 compared to 2019 based on the latest data available. And with a $5 billion capital improvement and expansion plan underway, it’s only going to get busier.

Tourism remains the top industry in “the 305,” but it is also home to the largest concentration of international banks in the U.S., as well as many major Fortune 500 companies. With its prime location near the airport, the Blue Lagoon business park has over four million square feet of office space and serves as the headquarters for nationally recognized names including Burger King and Lennar, as well serving as the Latin American headquarters for Sony, Airbus, Novartis, Hasbro, Estée Lauder and Olympus.

Hyatt Hotels Corporation has confirmed the completion of the Dream Hotel Group lifestyle hotel brand and management platform acquisition

The addition of Dream Hotel Group further strengthens Hyatt’s global lifestyle footprint and accelerates asset-light growth

Hyatt Hotels Corporation has confirmed the completion of the Dream Hotel Group lifestyle hotel brand and management platform acquisition, bringing a vibrant portfolio of lifestyle hotel brands – including Dream Hotels, The Chatwal and Unscripted Hotels – into the Hyatt portfolio. The asset-light acquisition includes 12 lifestyle hotels (nine managed and three licensed), with another 24 signed long-term management agreements for hotels expected to open in the future.

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Dream Hotel Group properties are known for their progressive design and vibrant dining and nightlife that are the soul of each hotel. They boast unique and authentic hospitality experiences built on inventive activations and design-savvy spaces that inspire creativity and act as social hubs for guests as well as local communities.

The acquisition welcomes more than 600 new colleagues into the Hyatt family, bringing deep expertise in experiential hospitality to Hyatt’s global portfolio of lifestyle offerings and extending Hyatt’s brand footprint in strategic destinations including Nashville, Hollywood, Las Vegas, South Beach, Saint Lucia, Doha and several new locations new in New York City. It will also include new markets such as the Catskills in New York and Valle de Guadalupe in Mexico.

“Hyatt’s acquisition of Dream Hotel Group represents an exciting chapter in our asset-light growth as we expand our lifestyle offerings, providing global travellers with an increased number of elevated experiences – now, and in the future,” said Mark Hoplamazian, president and chief executive officer, Hyatt. “Together, we will carefully preserve the spirit and individual identities of the sought-after Dream Hotel Group hotels while adding the commercial strength of Hyatt’s marketing and sales channels, all united under the World of Hyatt loyalty program.”

Dream Hotel Group founder Sant Singh Chatwal will continue his commitment as an owner of four open and two future hotels that are expected to join the Hyatt portfolio.

2022 Historic Hotels of America Annual Awards of Excellence Winners Announced

Historic Hotels of America is pleased to announce the winners of the 2022 Historic Hotels of America Annual Awards of Excellence. The Historic Hotels Awards of Excellence recognize and celebrate the finest historic hotels and hoteliers from across the United States of America and around the world.

Recipients were announced and honoured at a special evening Ceremony and Gala at the Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa, Autograph Collection in Point Clear, Alabama, on Thursday, November 17, 2022. The Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa (1847) has been known as The Queen of Southern Resorts for 175 years and is set on 550 acres next to Mobile Bay. Awards were presented before an audience of more than 200 industry leaders, owners, senior management, and representatives of the world’s finest historic hotels.

Seventeen Historic Hotels of America Annual Awards of Excellence were given in multiple categories ranging from Historic Hotels of America Historic Hotelier of the Year, Historic Hotels of America Hotel Historian of the Year, Historic Hotels of America Best Historic Resort, Historic Hotels of America Lifetime Achievement Award, and others.

Winners were selected from nominations by historic hotels, preservation supporters, prior award recipients, community leaders, and leadership from Historic Hotels of America. As an official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Historic Hotels of America provides the recognition to travellers, civic leaders, and the global cultural, heritage, and historic travel market that member hotels are among the finest historic hotels from across the United States of America. The Historic Hotels Annual Awards of Excellence program recognizes the pinnacle of this distinct group of nominees in a range of categories.

From over 350 nominations, the awards committee evaluated the nominee finalists and, after careful consideration, selected the 2022 Historic Hotels of America Annual Awards of Excellence award winners:

Historic Hotels Worldwide names the winners of the 2022 Historic Hotels Worldwide Annual Awards of Excellence

Historic Hotels Worldwide is pleased to announce the winners of the 2022 Historic Hotels Worldwide Annual Awards of Excellence. The Historic Hotels Awards of Excellence recognize and celebrate the finest historic hotels and hoteliers from around the world.

Recipients were honoured at a special evening Ceremony and Gala at the Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa, Autograph Collection in Point Clear, Alabama, on Thursday, November 17, 2022. The Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa (1847) has been known as The Queen of Southern Resorts for 175 years and is set on 550 acres next to Mobile Bay. Awards were presented before an audience of more than 200 industry leaders, owners, senior management, and representatives of the finest historic hotels in operation today.

Nine Historic Hotels Worldwide Annual Awards of Excellence were presented, including awards for Best Historic Hotels Worldwide Hotel in Europe, Best Historic Hotels Worldwide Hotel in Asia / Pacific, and Best Historic Hotels Worldwide Hotel in the Americas.

Winners were selected from nominations by historic hotels, preservation supporters, prior award recipients, community leaders, and leadership from Historic Hotels Worldwide. As a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Historic Hotels Worldwide provides the recognition to travellers, civic leaders, and the global cultural, heritage, and historic travel market that member hotels are among the finest historic hotels in the world. The Historic Hotels Annual Awards of Excellence program recognizes the pinnacle of this distinct group of nominees in a range of categories.

From over 350 nominations, the awards committee evaluated the nominee finalists and, after careful consideration, selected the 2022 Historic Hotels Worldwide Annual Awards of Excellence award winners:

Historic Hotels Worldwide New Member of the Year

This award is presented to a new member hotel that best demonstrates immediate engagement, activation, and passionate support of Historic Hotels Worldwide.

Winner: Solar do Castelo (18th century) Lisbon, Portugal.

Historic Hotels Worldwide Best Social Media of a Historic Hotel

This award is presented to a hotel that actively engages consumers by sharing the best of its history through social media, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram with interesting historical facts and stories.

Winner: Hotel Maximilian’s (1722) Augsburg, Germany

Historic Hotels Worldwide Sustainability Champion

This award is presented to a hotel that best implements and practices innovative green initiatives and programs, demonstrating historic preservation is the ultimate green.

Winner: Dromoland Castle Hotel (1014) Newmarket-on-Fergus, County Clare, Ireland

Historic Hotels Worldwide Legendary Family Historic Hoteliers of the Year

This award is presented to a multi-generational family ownership entity or management company which has served as an exemplary role model in the operation of the historic hotels entrusted to its stewardship, has demonstrated a long-term legacy of commitment to historic preservation, and has been an active champion of Historic Hotels Worldwide.

Winner: The Dietrich-Kienberger Family at Hotel Waldhaus Sils (1908) Sils Maria, Switzerland.

Historic Hotels Worldwide Best City Center Historic Hotel
This award is presented to a hotel located in a city center that best celebrates its history in the guest experience and provides exceptional customer hospitality and service.
Winner: Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh – The Caledonian (1903) Edinburgh, Scotland, U.K.