Hotel News We Noted: June 1, 2012

It’s finally Friday (short weeks always feel the longest, don’t they?) and this week’s edition of “Hotel News” is unusually full! This week, we discuss a number of hotel acquisitions, openings, and planned openings – it was a busy week in the hotel world. If you have tips or news, please email us for consideration.

Hotel Ownership: Gaylord Sells to Marriott
Gaylord Entertainment has sold the rights to manage its four massive hotels to Marriott for a whopping $210 million, as well as its plan to convert to a real estate investment trust. Gaylord hotels are currently in four cities – Nashville, Tennessee, Kissimmee, Florida, Grapevine, Texas, and National Harbor, Maryland, just outside of DC. What does that mean for Marriott? Good news for its meetings portfolio – the four hotels are known for their massive amounts of conference space. Marriott beat out three other hotel management groups for the title, although the hotels will still operate under the Gaylord name. Executives are hopeful for future development, but a planned project in the Denver area has been put on hold indefinitely. For the full story, visit Hotels Magazine.

Coming Soon: Bulgari London
Opening just in time for the London Olympics will be the third hotel in the Bulgari portfolio, Bulgari London. The 85-room hotel will be the first new luxury hotel build in four decades in the city of London. Two other properties (operated under the Marriott name) are currently open in Bali and Milan.

Hotel Openings: Ritz-Carlton Montreal and Japan
The Ritz-Carlton announced two hotel openings this past week on opposite ends of the globe. Its historic Montreal property (shown above) re-opened after a nearly four-year, $200 million renovation. The property was North America’s first-ever Ritz-Carlton and originally opened in 1921. In the Far East, the Ritz-Carlton, Okinawa opened its doors as well, making it the first luxury property on the Japanese island.

Hotels on TV: Rosewood Tucker’s Point
Never mind that strange Hotel Catalina, the luxe Rosewood Tucker’s Point in Bermuda is playing host to a reality series of its own this week. The June 4 episode will feature the cast of “The Bachelorette.” The Point, the hotel’s fine dining restaurant, will be the backdrop for a one-on-one date, and the private beach club and its famed pink sand as the group date location. We wonder if the bachelors or bachelorette got to use the spa’s crazy $100,000 shower?

Private Parties: Soho House Gets Five New Locations
Private members club Soho House has announced additional expansion with new openings confirmed for Toronto, Mumbai, Chicago, Istanbul and Barcelona, all of which will open by the end of 2014. The private members club was founded in London in 1995 and has long been an exclusive retreat for the film, media and creative elite.