Know What's Happening in Hotels
Know What's Happening in Hotels
High‑end hotels revamp minibars with local, wellness‑focused offerings
Luxury properties are replacing traditional snack trays with curated selections such as locally sourced foods, handcrafted cocktails, wellness products and even pet‑friendly treats. Examples include Aman New York’s complimentary apothecary‑style cocktails and Equinox Hotels’ superfood bites, while The Largo in Porto adds a sommelier‑noted wine fridge.
Smoothie King is expanding its menu beyond smoothies, adding ovens and new food items such as bowls, toasts, protein boxes and chicken bites. The company will fund the oven equipment for franchisees, reinforcing a franchisee‑first strategy. Enhanced technology from Crunchtime will automate inventory, labor and cost management. The move follows a broader industry trend toward snack‑daypart growth, with sales up 6% YoY and unit count rising 4.3%.
Choice Hotels International posted a record $369.9 million net income for 2025, accompanied by an all‑time adjusted EBITDA of $625.6 million. The company added 440 new hotels, with international openings surging 82% and net rooms expanding 12.5% worldwide. U.S. extended‑stay...
TGI Fridays has introduced a $3 “Fondue‑It” upgrade that adds a warm cheese pour to five popular menu items, served on a cast‑iron skillet. The launch coincides with two new offerings—a rib‑sandwich called the FRRIB and a Dubai Chocolate Espresso...
Sun PhuQuoc Airways, a Vietnam‑based carrier owned by Sun Group, announced an order for up to 40 Boeing 787‑9 Dreamliners, the largest widebody purchase in the country’s history. The aircraft will form the core of the airline’s long‑range fleet, linking...
U.S. hotels ended 2025 with weaker demand, as RevPAR dropped 9.6% in Q4 and fell 6.3% year‑over‑year, while ADR slipped only 0.9% quarter‑over‑quarter. Despite the revenue dip, GOP margin improved to 38.3% for the full year, reflecting tighter labor discipline...
Groupe GM, a global premium amenity provider, has launched an exclusive hotel‑line in partnership with French heritage brand Compagnie de Provence. The collection blends Groupe GM’s distribution reach with Provençal-inspired, up‑to‑98% natural formulas and minimalist amber‑toned packaging. It introduces two...
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Taco Bell introduced a limited‑time Chicken Bacon Ranch Street Chalupa on February 19, 2026, priced at $5.99 for a two‑pack and paired with $4.99 Nacho Fries. The new item joins the $9 Discovery Luxe Box, which also includes a Cheesy Bean and...
Jack in the Box reported a 6.7% same‑store sales decline in Q1 2026, an improvement over the 7%‑plus drops in the prior two quarters. Restaurant‑level margins fell to 16.1% and franchise margins to 38.6%, signaling unit‑level pressure. The chain is executing...
The Punk CX podcast captured insights from Medallia’s Experience event, where Sid Banerjee, Mike Murchison and Paloma Paraja discussed a turning point for customer experience. They emphasized moving beyond survey‑based metrics toward AI‑driven financial outcomes such as retention, loyalty and...
W Amsterdam’s operator, Sircle Collection, has failed to pay rent for nearly three years, accruing €23.4 million in arrears. The hotel’s annual lease is about €10 million, and the landlord, German investor Deka, has filed for eviction with a court ruling expected...
Restaurant POS provider Toast announced plans to launch a dedicated drive‑thru product in 2026, targeting fast‑food operators for the first time. The move follows a rapid expansion last year, with 30,000 new restaurants joining its platform, bringing total customers to...
In this episode, host Michael welcomes Nicole Antonio‑Gadsdon, founder of Banana Pepper HR, to discuss her new book *Help Wanted*, which reframes hiring as a form of hospitality that seeks "human magic" rather than just technical competence. Nicole argues that...
Samoa hosted a leg of the 2026 King’s Baton Relay, the Commonwealth Games’ newly re‑imagined tradition that delivers a custom baton to each member nation. The island nation used the event to showcase its cultural heritage, youth engagement and a...
Neste and World Fuel Services have signed a five‑year extension to broaden the supply of Neste‑produced sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) across more than 100 airports in the UK and Europe. The agreement aligns World Fuel’s extensive distribution network with Neste’s...
Delta Air Lines Flight 2557 from Houston to Atlanta reported a passenger attempting to breach the cockpit shortly after take‑off, prompting the captain to alert air‑traffic control. The Boeing 717 returned to Houston, where the individual was restrained and handed over...
JLL’s Hotels & Hospitality Group projects a strong rebound in global hotel investment, with 2025 transaction volumes rising 22% from the 2023 trough. The Americas posted the steepest growth at 27%, while Asia‑Pacific fell 20% but is slated for recovery...
Accor posted a 4.2% rise in RevPAR for FY 2025, driving recurring EBITDA to €1.20 bn – a 13.3% increase at constant currency that beat its 11‑12% outlook. Revenue grew 4.5% to €5.6 bn, led by a 9.8% jump in the luxury...
RaceTrac bought Potbelly for $566 million but will not install a sandwich shop in every convenience store. Senior vice‑president Jennifer Durham says the rollout will be selective, starting with a pilot company‑owned location in Atlanta. The acquisition’s core purpose is to...
At Hotel Analyst’s HIDE event, industry leaders debated whether branded residences should be anchored to hotels or function as standalone assets. Speakers from Marriott and Hilton emphasized that co‑location still offers the strongest financing and brand‑equity benefits, especially in emerging...
IHG Hotels & Resorts posted a 13% jump in operating profit to $1.3 bn for 2025, driven by a record 443 hotel openings that added 65,100 rooms. Group RevPAR rose 1.5% overall, with Europe‑EMEAA up 4.6% while Greater China fell 1.6%....
The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) is providing technical‑assistance funding to Palau’s National Aviation Administration to upgrade Palau International Airport (ROR). The assistance will update the airport’s master plan, evaluate runway extensions for larger aircraft, and outline broader aviation...
London Gatwick is gearing up for its busiest summer since 2019, with 62 airlines serving the airport and a record‑wide network of more than 230 destinations. Emirates has added a fourth daily Airbus A350 service to Dubai, marking the first A350...
United and American are locked in a fierce capacity battle at Chicago O'Hare, where United has been expanding its footprint and defending gate positions. United CFO Michael Leskinen publicly dismissed American’s Chicago hub as "temporary" and warned that American could...
Envi Lodges announced Envi Paje, a beachfront retreat opening in June 2026 on Zanzibar’s Paje Beach, marking its third Tanzanian property. The lodge will host 22 private villas that fuse sustainable materials with local Zanzibari craftsmanship, and feature Signature Ocean...
Jeff's Bagel Run has surpassed the 30‑location milestone, adding four new shops in Madison, Alabama; Colorado Springs, Colorado; Jacksonville, Florida; and Rolesville, North Carolina. The fast‑casual brand, founded in Orlando in 2019, leverages scratch‑bakery methods and a recent acquisition of...
Pan American World Airways has signed a Letter of Agreement with Amadeus to serve as its strategic technology partner for the airline’s comeback. Amadeus will provide integrated IT and distribution solutions, covering everything from booking and inventory management to day‑of‑travel...
Roam Interior Design announced three senior appointments: Deanne Teeter was promoted to Principal, Jenny Holt to Vice President and Senior Project Manager in Dallas, and Gareth Payne joined the Los Angeles office as Vice President and Regional Design Director. The...
Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams has appointed Kamal Munasinghe as its General Manager while he continues as Senior Vice President for Colombo hotels at Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts. Munasinghe brings over three decades of hospitality experience, most recently serving...
South Africa is intensifying its push to attract Indonesian tourists, addressing a stark travel imbalance where only 3,000 Indonesians visited South Africa in 2025 compared with 30,000 South Africans traveling to Indonesia. The tourism ministry introduced an Electronic Travel Authorisation...
Saudi Arabia’s low-cost carrier, flyadeal has taken delivery of its first aircraft of 2026, an A320neo, increasing its all narrowbody fleet to 45 aircraft. The jet, delivered to Jeddah from Airbus’ Toulouse facility, is the airline’s 34th A320neo. It has been...
Air Astana has appointed Johan Eidhagen as President of FlyArystan, effective March 1, 2026. Eidhagen joins from Wizz Air, where he most recently served as Managing Director of Wizz Air Abu Dhabi and previously held senior roles including Chief People &...
Japan’s transport ministry will ban the use and charging of power banks on all domestic and international flights operating to, from, or within Japan starting April 2026. Passengers may still bring up to two power banks, each capped at 160...
Boeing has secured major aircraft orders from two Vietnam-based carriers — Vietnam Airlines and Sun PhuQuoc Airways — covering up to 90 jets across narrowbody and widebody programmes. The deals signal continued fleet expansion in one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing aviation...
Robynne Trueman’s PAX Perspective review details Porter Airlines’ PorterClassic economy on a Toronto‑Los Angeles flight. The Embraer E195‑E2 offers a 132‑seat, two‑by‑two cabin with guaranteed aisle or window seats, 30‑inch pitch and six‑inch recline. Passengers receive free Viasat Wi‑Fi, universal AC power...
Ascott announced a record 19,000 new units across 102 properties for 2025, marking a 27% year‑on‑year increase in signings. The expansion pushes its portfolio to over 1,000 properties in more than 230 cities across 40+ countries, totaling 176,000 units. Growth...
The episode spotlights the upcoming 2026 New York Restaurant Show, emphasizing its focus on practical solutions for cost control, staffing, compliance, and menu innovation. Andrea Tencza and Paul Pedrow explain how the industry‑only event blends product sourcing, hands‑on demos, and targeted...
Legacy inflight entertainment (IFE) systems are being re‑engineered through software rather than costly hardware replacements. Airlines such as Delta and United are upgrading seat‑back screens with modern interfaces, faster DRM, and new features using IdeaNova’s two‑decade expertise. The company’s Inplay AI...
The APEX TECH 2026 conference in Los Angeles gathered airlines, suppliers and media to debate inflight connectivity and content licensing. Panels highlighted that simply adding bandwidth does not automatically enhance passenger experience; instead airlines must focus on edge caching and...
South Korean golfers are flocking to Guangzhou, with bookings rising over 300% year‑over‑year after China introduced a 30‑day visa‑free travel policy. The surge is evident at venues like Holiday Islands Golf Club, where Korean visitors jumped 81% while Chinese traffic...
MXR Hospitality, a joint venture between RREAF Holdings and Phillip McNeill Sr., announced Brent McDowell as its inaugural CEO and Eric Watts as its inaugural president. McDowell brings nearly three decades of hospitality experience, most recently as COO of McNeill Hotel Company,...
Choice Hotels reported full‑year 2025 adjusted EBITDA of $626 million, up 4% and in line with guidance, while adjusted EPS matched the midpoint at $6.94. International expansion accelerated, adding 13% rooms to nearly 160,000 and pushing direct‑franchised rooms above 40% of...
Virgin Atlantic and WestJet have launched a reciprocal mileage partnership, allowing Flying Club members to earn Virgin tier points and points on WestJet‑operated flights, while WestJet Rewards members can earn WestJet points on Virgin routes. The agreement also enables cross‑program...
Booking Holdings CEO Glenn Fogel emphasized the platform’s deep ties with independent hotels, which supply the bulk of its room nights, as the company confronts rising pressure from AI‑driven travel agents and Airbnb’s expansion into the boutique‑hotel segment. He announced...
Wyndham Hotels disclosed a $160 million charge after its largest European franchisee, Revo Hospitality Group, entered self‑administration in January. The charge covers uncollectible receivables, asset impairments and a write‑down of the Vienna House trademark acquired in 2022. Despite the setback, the...
United Airlines CFO Michael Leskinen hinted at a possible United‑JetBlue merger during a Barclays conference, suggesting the airline sees value in industry consolidation. He also disclosed that United will ground its Pratt & Whitney‑powered 777 fleet this summer, temporarily curbing...
Southwest Airlines replaced its historic open‑seating system on January 27 2026 with an eight‑group boarding structure. Placement now depends on fare class, Rapid Rewards elite tier, and Southwest credit‑card ownership, while check‑in still opens 24 hours before departure. The airline eliminated dedicated family...
San Diego International Airport handled a record 25.32 million passengers in 2025, a modest 0.3% increase over the previous year. The newly opened Terminal 1, operational from October 2025, contributed an 11% traffic boost in its first quarter and served 9.68 million travelers....
JetBlue announced a new twice‑daily nonstop service between Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) launching on May 21. The route restores a key connection for JetBlue, complementing its existing daily IAH‑Boston flight. Tickets are...
The Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority (MNAA) has signed a 50‑year license agreement with The Boring Company to build the “Music City Loop,” an all‑electric, high‑speed underground transit system linking Nashville International Airport (BNA) to key destinations. The partnership requires no...
Philadelphia‑based Spread Bagelry is opening its 17th store, a 2,800‑square‑foot location in Buckhead, Atlanta, in March. The shop will function both as a retail outlet and a production hub, supplying fresh bagels to future sites across Georgia and the Carolinas....
