Liverpool Indigo Sold

The 151-room Hotel Indigo Liverpool, in the port of Liverpool in northwest England, has been sold to an investment vehicle affiliated with New-York headquartered MCAP Global Finance Ltd for an undisclosed sum. The seven-storey hotel opened in 2011. Having purchased the QMH Group of hotels in 2014 and more recently acquired a portfolio of former Mint Hotels in the UK and the 140-room DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Spa Chester, the new owner of the Liverpool Indigo is reportedly keen to purchase more hotels in the UK.

Second German Hotel Joins Marriott's Autograph Collection

The Gewandhaus Dresden in Dresden city centre, Germany, has joined Marriott International's Autograph Collection, becoming the second hotel in Germany to join the collection, alongside the 87-room Hotel am Steinplatz in Berlin. The 97-room Gewandhaus Dresden, which dates from the mid-eighteenth century, has recently reopened after undergoing an extensive refurbishment.

Hilton's First Canopy to Unfurl in Iceland

Hilton Worldwide has announced that the global debut of its new lifestyle brand, Canopy, will take place in Reykjavik in Iceland. The 115-room Canopy Reykjavik | City Centre is scheduled to open in early 2016. The hotel, which will be operated by Icelandair Group subsidiary, Icelandair Hotels, is currently under construction on Hverfisgata Street. "Visitor numbers to Iceland have more than tripled in the last 15 years and Canopy Reykjavik | City Centre will add fresh momentum to the city's vibrant travel scene," said Patrick Fitzgibbon, Hilton's senior vice president for development in Europe and Africa.

Lone Star Launches Amaris Hospitality

US-based private equity firm Lone Star has formed a new hotel group called Amaris Hospitality. The new company comprises 89 hotels that Lone Star has purchased in four separate portfolio deals over the last couple of years – 28 Jurys Inn hotels, 21 Mercure hotels, 17 Hotel Collection properties, three Hilton Worldwide hotels, and 19 Thistle hotels (the acquisition of the Thistle assets is due to close later this month). Lone Star plans to invest £100 million in renovating the hotels over 2016.

Two New Properties for Scandic in Norway

Nordic chain Scandic is to take on the operation of the Hotel Norge in Bergen, western Norway, as of 1 September 2015. The hotel will then undergo a thorough renovation and extension costing more than SKr250 million (€26.6 million), during which it will remain open. Once the work is completed, by autumn 2017, the hotel will have 390 guest rooms. The property is owned by Hotel Norge Holding, in which Geir Hove and Glastad Farsund both hold a 50% stake. Additionally, Scandic also announced that it plans to open a new hotel in the Danish capital, Copenhagen. The 370-room hotel is due to open in spring 2018 and will cover 15,500 square metres in the city's Kødbyen district. The property is owned by real estate company KLP Ejendomme.

Accor Signs Deal for 50 Hotels in Angola

French group AccorHotels has signed an exclusive partnership with Angolan firm AAA ACTIVOS LDA that will result in the creation of 50 hotels (totalling more than 6,200 guest rooms) across Angola, southern Africa, over the next couple of years. Six hotels will open this year, followed by 22 hotels in 2016 and 22 hotels in 2017. The properties are to be located in the capital, Luanda, and across Angola's 17 provincial capital cities. The hotels will cover a range of service levels; Some 27 hotels will operate under the ibis Styles budget brand, 22 will be midscale Mercure properties and one hotel will be positioned in the luxury segment under Accor's Sofitel brand. 

Rezidor to Move into the Republic of Congo

Carlson Rezidor has announced that it plans to make its first appearance in the Republic of Congo in Central Africa this autumn. The 178-room Radisson Blu M'Bamou Palace Hotel in the country's capital, Brazzaville, is due to open in September, on the banks of the River Congo, and will be the first internationally branded hotel in the city. The new opening will increase Rezidor's presence on the continent to 26 countries. Commenting on the news, Rezidor's executive vice president & chief development officer and HVS alumnus, Elie Younes, said, "Our aim is to be a premier operator in Africa and a responsible partner: by giving jobs to local talent and interacting with the communities we are active in, we can make a huge difference."

Marriott Makes its Debut in Mecca

Marriott International has opened its first hotel in the city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia: the 426-room Makkah Marriott Hotel. The five-star hotel is in the city centre within the Jabal Omar complex. Marriott now has nine hotels in operation across Saudi Arabia, under its Marriott, Residence Inn, Courtyard and Ritz Carlton brands. The group also has a further 19 hotels in its development pipeline for the country.

New Mövenpick Signed For Jeddah

Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has signed a management agreement with Dr Mohamed Ali Al-Turki for the Mövenpick Hotel Heraa Jeddah, which will become the group's fourth hotel in Jeddah and its 14th in the country overall when it opens in the first quarter of 2019. The 300-room, new-build hotel is to be developed on Prince Sultan Road, five minutes from King Abdulaziz International Airport.

Absolute Share Price Performance Over the Past Week – 3-9 July 2015

Marriott International –  Completed the acquisition of the rights to manage the Protea hotels in the country.

InterContinental Hotels Group –  Has agreed to sell the InterContinental Hong Kong to a consortium of buyers for $938 million. 

Millennium & Copthorne –  Craig Bruce joins the Grand Millennium Al Wahda as general manager. 

Disclaimer: Information provided above has been gathered from various market sources. HVS has not independently verified the accuracy of the information provided. Interested parties should not rely on the information as statement of facts and are advised to make their own independent checks to verify the information provided. For further information, please feel free to contact HVS London.