Kempinski’s Riga Debut

Kempinski is set to open its first hotel in Riga, Latvia, at the beginning of next month. The 141-room Grand Hotel Kempinski Riga is housed in a landmark 19th-century building opposite the city’s famous opera house, at the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Old Town. "We are excited to welcome the first five-star luxury hotel in Riga and Latvia to our exquisite portfolio," said Bernold Schröder, Kempinski’s chief operating officer for Europe and a member of the group’s management board.

Hilton Opens its Third Hotel in York

Hilton Worldwide's DoubleTree by Hilton brand has made its debut in York in northeast England with the opening of the DoubleTree by Hilton York. The 143-room hotel, which overlooks the city’s historic medieval walls, is owned by Siva Hotels and managed by Hospitality Management International. The hotel changes Hilton’s presence in York from a duo to a trio, joining sister properties the Hilton York and the Hampton by Hilton York.

Apex Opens its First Hotel in Bath

Edinburgh-based Apex Hotels has opened its Apex City of Bath Hotel at the heart of historic Bath in southwest England, adding a fifth destination to the Edinburgh-based group’s portfolio of properties across the UK and increasing it from nine hotels to ten. The 177-room hotel, which cost £35 million to create, is the group’s first property in England to open outside of London.

Foremost Hospitality Opens New Holiday Inn Express in Cologne

Hotel operator Foremost Hospitality and project developer GBI AG have opened the largest Holiday Inn Express property in Europe to-date in Germany’s fourth-largest city, Cologne. The 18-storey, 323-room Holiday Inn Express Cologne – City Centre occupies the former Gothaer Insurance building, which has lain empty for ten years. The hotel is within walking distance of Cologne’s historic district. Foremost and GBI AG have previously cooperated on hotel projects in Nuremberg and Frankfurt. "Our long-term cooperation will be successfully continued with other hotel projects that are still in the planning phase," commented Hubert van de Loo, managing director of Foremost Hospitality.

The Sandman Sweeps into Gatwick

Canadian chain Sandman Hotel Group has opened its second property in the UK. The 151-room Sandman Signature London Gatwick Hotel is the result of a three-year transformation of the hotel’s seven-storey building. The hotel joins sister property, the 170-room Sandman Signature Newcastle Hotel. The group plans to open its third property in the UK in Aberdeen, Scotland, in early 2018.

Protea Makes its First Foray into Owerri

Protea Hotels by Marriott has expanded its presence in Nigeria, in West Africa, by opening a hotel in Owerri, the capital of the country’s Imo State. The Protea Hotel Owerri Select has 72 guest rooms and 18 suites. The three-star hotel was developed by African Capital Alliance and Kunoch Limited.

Autograph Collection Goes Public in Herzliya

Marriott International’s Autograph Collection chain has made its first appearance in Israel with the opening of the Publica Isrotel, Autograph Collection in the coastal city of Herzliya. The 159-room hotel, just a ten-minute walk from the beach, has a fitness centre and a rooftop swimming pool; the property is also home to a social club where guests can mingle with the locals and enjoy free access to fitness classes, live music/sporting events and much more.

Swiss-Belhotel to Make its Mark in Mecca

Swiss-Belhotel International is to make its debut in the city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia with the Swiss-Belhotel Al Aziziya Makkah, which is scheduled to open in the second quarter of 2018. The 525-room hotel is owned by Cardamom International Property Management. Gavin M. Faull, Swiss-Belhotel’s chairman and president commented that the hotel “will add tremendous value to our growing presence in the region and further strengthen our portfolio.”

Absolute Share Price Performance Over the Past Week – 21-28 September 2017

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