ARYADUTA Hotel Group has announced the appointment of Maurizio Moncalvo as General Manager of ARYADUTA Bali, in Kuta. The Italian executive took up the role in September 2026, following a career of more than two decades spanning Europe, the Middle East and Asia, including three years leading operations at The Ritz-Carlton, Jakarta.

Cameroonian group ALS Group, led by Rodolphe Simo Kam, laid the first stone of the Kempinski Shekinah Palace on 25 September 2026 in Bonanjo, Douala's business district. Valued at €335.4 million (XAF 220 billion), the mixed-use hotel and office complex is set to open in 2029 under the Kempinski Hotels brand. The project underlines the growing weight of Cameroon's economic capital as a regional hospitality hub, backed by a financing structure combining development banks and private investors.

Family-owned hotel group Terrou-Bi will shortly take over the running and management of the former Radisson Blu Diamniadio, now renamed Terrou-Bi Diamniadio. The move ends several months of closure at the property, following a labour dispute, and comes ahead of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games. It also marks a new stage of growth for the Senegalese hotel house, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.

Raffles Hotels & Resorts, the Accor group's luxury brand, has announced the return of Ajay Mistry as Vice President, Design & Technical Services. The Canadian architect, who most recently led design and interior architecture at Montage International, rejoins a group where he previously spent five years, between 2019 and 2024. The appointment strengthens the Singapore-based brand's architectural and technical leadership as its portfolio continues to expand internationally.

The Crowne Plaza Frankfurt, operated by Novum Hospitality under an IHG licence, was evacuated and closed on Monday in the Niederrad district over fire-safety failures, putting 50 jobs at risk. The 395-room property, whose sprinkler system is reported to be out of service, could require up to €25 million in works, against a backdrop of a lease dispute with French property company Praemia. The sudden closure highlights growing tensions between hotel operators and landlords over responsibility for compliance works.

SCPI Atream Hôtels, managed by asset manager Atream, has announced the acquisition of a 216-room, 4-star hotel in L'Albir, on the Costa Blanca, together with a 15-year firm lease handed to Pierre & Vacances for its operation. Announced on 22 September 2026, the deal marks the SCPI's entry into the Spanish market, its sixth country of investment, and confirms its strategy of geographic diversification alongside major European tourism operators.

Vestige Collection has announced the opening of Vestige Xaudum, set for 15 March 2027 in the heart of Khaudum National Park, Namibia. The six-suite lodge marks the Spanish hospitality group's first international property, having until now operated exclusively in Spain, and inaugurates the new Vestige Namibia circuit, which is set to comprise four addresses in total. Bookings have been open since September 2026, with rates starting at €1,600 per person per night on an all-inclusive basis.

JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group advised Essendi on the sale of four hotels in Poland — 752 keys — to Polish group DeSilva. The portfolio brings together the Sofitel Warsaw Victoria, a landmark hotel in central Warsaw, along with three properties in Szczecin operated under the Novotel and ibis brands. The deal forms part of the refocusing strategy pursued by Essendi, formerly AccorInvest, on the economy and midscale segments in Europe.

In Dubai, property and hospitality developer Seven Tides has officially launched NH Collection Dubai Ibn Battuta, a 396-room property born from the complete transformation of the former Oaks Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel. The property, operated by Minor Hotels, extends the partnership between the two groups around the NH Collection brand in the United Arab Emirates. The repositioning illustrates Seven Tides' strategy of sustained reinvestment in its existing hotel portfolio in response to the upmarket shift in the Dubai market.

🔎 Trend of the day: Africa is stepping up to a new scale. A Kempinski complex in Douala and a regional office for Aleph Hospitality in Cape Town show the continent drawing operators and investors, while Prague, Barcelona and Berlin each confirm, in their own way, the vitality of European hospitality.

Naumi Hotels has appointed Shue Sng General Manager of its flagship property, Naumi Hotel Singapore. With nearly 20 years' experience in hospitality in Singapore and across Asia-Pacific, she takes charge of the hotel's operations and performance. The appointment forms part of the reinforcement of the Singapore-based group's management team in its home market.

California start-up Figure presented Helix 2.5 on 17 September 2026, a new artificial intelligence model that allows its Figure 03 humanoid robot to operate in environments it has never mapped. Tested in 30 homes across the San Francisco Bay Area, the system achieved a 56% success rate across three household tasks, with no data collected on site beforehand.