Minor Hotels has signed Ampersand Beach House, a 111-key boutique lifestyle hotel on Dubai Islands scheduled to open in late 2029. The first Colbert Collection property designed for the brand from the outset, the project brings London's Ampersand Hotel to Dubai and strengthens the soft brand's roll-out in the United Arab Emirates.

LVMH Hotel Management has appointed Vincent Billiard as Chief Operating Officer (COO). He also sits on the Executive Committee. Managing Director of Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel since 2020, the EHL-educated hotelier takes operational and commercial oversight of the Cheval Blanc Maisons as the LVMH group's luxury hotel brand continues to expand.

Canadian group Manga Hotel Group has announced the acquisition of the Royal Sonesta Chicago River North, a 261-room hotel in the heart of Chicago, now operated independently as Hotel 505 River North. Following two deals in New York, the transaction marks the group's entry into the Chicago market and paves the way for a new property under its TOOR Hotel brand.

In a press release issued from Chicago on 29 September 2026, Hyatt Hotels Corporation set out the acceleration of its luxury portfolio across the Americas. Mexico sits at the heart of the strategy, with three Park Hyatt properties spanning the Pacific coast, the Caribbean coastline and Mexico City. Among them is the first all-inclusive hotel in the brand's history.

Australian group EVT has appointed Shannon Craig to lead Atura Oran Park in south-west Sydney. She retains her role as Area General Manager for New South Wales. Her appointment comes in the midst of the pre-opening phase, with the hotel due to open in late October 2026.

Minor Hotels has signed a management agreement for Dukes London, a historic address in the St James's district. The hotel is undergoing a transformation and will reopen in the second quarter of 2027. It will be the first UK property in the Minor Reserve Collection, the luxury soft brand the group launched in 2025. The deal also strengthens the partnership between Minor Hotels and Seven Tides, which already work together in the United Arab Emirates.

Ennismore has confirmed that The Hoxton, Hamburg will open in summer 2027 in a 1950s building on Alter Wall, in the heart of the Nikolaiviertel. Following Berlin and Vienna, the lifestyle brand secures its third location in the German-speaking region, in the year of its 20th anniversary and with Oslo and Madrid also on its European calendar.

On 11 December 2024, France's Cour de cassation ruled that the dismissal procedure for an in-house lawyer was irregular because her letter inviting her to a pre-dismissal interview had never actually been presented at her home. Although gross misconduct was upheld, the employer was ordered to pay €6,887 in total, a decision that reminds all employers, hoteliers included, that the postal risk lies with them.

Maria Strati has joined Shedir Collection, the Rome-based luxury hotel group, as Chief Commercial Officer with effect from 1 October 2026. The former General Manager of J.K. Place Roma and Casa J.K. Place Roma arrives as the group opens a new chapter under Simone Giorgi, CEO and Executive Asset Manager.

🔎 Trend of the day: the leadership transfer market is in full swing. A general manager returns to Le Christopher St Barth, a string of departures at L'Isle de Leos, a newly created role at Discovery Hospitality in the Philippines, new leadership at ERTH and Banyan Tree: with seasonal reopenings and pre-openings approaching, groups are securing their management teams.

Choice Hotels International (NYSE: CHH) announced on 1 October 2026 that its Chief Human Resources Officer, Patrick Cimerola, will retire at the end of 2026, after 25 years with the group. His departure comes a month after Dominic Dragisich was confirmed as President and Chief Executive Officer. The franchisor is launching a comprehensive search for his successor.

On 1 October 2026, Oetker Hotels announced a series of internal promotions at the top of its leadership: Duarte Bon de Sousa becomes Chief Operating Officer and joins the Executive Committee, Virginie Saint-Laurent is named Chief People & Culture Officer and Simon Neggers Chief Commercial Officer. The reshuffle comes as the collection, which entered the US market this year, prepares to open Le Mas Bellevue in Saint-Tropez in June 2027 and launch its first branded residences.