The Wyboston Lakes Resort team has come back from Texas with the highly prestigious International Association of Conference Centres (IACC) Americas Innovation Award while chef Lena Cybulska was a very close runner-up in the Global Copper Skillet competition.

The Resort beat strong international competition to win the award which recognises the successful implementation of new ideas and practices.

Operations Director Simon McMahon was presented with the trophy at the IACC Americas Knowledge Exchange Conference at the Texas A&M Hotel and Conference Centre.

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Thomas Kochs has been named Managing Director of Claridge’s, the hotel in London’s Mayfair.

Kochs has served as Managing Director at Corinthia London since 2017 and was previously in the same role at Hotel Café Royal.

He returns to the hotel after previously serving as its General Manager from 2009 to 2015.

He has also held positions at The Berkeley and The Connaught—both part of Claridge’s luxury parent company.

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Next month, NoMad London will open New York-inspired Twenty 8 NoMad restaurant, taking over the old Atrium site.

In the heart of Covent Garden’s Bow Street, the restaurant at NoMad London’s 91-bedroom hotel will be led by culinary director Bryce Shuman.

Dishes will range from grilled flatbreads crafted from a Little Italy recipe and crudités inspired by early morning visits to Union Square Greenmarket, to a truffle- and foie gras–laden chicken dish first served at the brand’s New York outpost.

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The four-AA-red-star Beechfield House hotel in Wiltshire has been acquired by India-based Bird Group, with the sale completed off a guide price of £4m.

The country house hotel had been under the ownership of Chris Whyte for the past 19 years, but he has now sold the property as he plans to retire.

Bird Group is the promoter and operator behind Roseate Hotels & Resorts, a portfolio of luxury properties in both India and the UK, including the Roseate Edinburgh.

The group stated that it plans to 'responsibly and mindfully' restore Beechfield House under its new ownership.

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The Edenhall Country House Hotel, located near Penrith in Cumbria, is on the market for the first time in 17 years as its owners plan for retirement.

Paula and Wayne Williams have owned and managed the 25-bedroom hotel since purchasing it in 2008 for a guide price of £985,000.

It is now on the market through Christie & Co with a freehold asking price of £1.29 million.

Edenhall features a bar.

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Travelodge plans to open 15 hotels across the UK in 2025 using a combination of its traditional leasehold model, freehold acquisitions, and opportunities for rebrands and developments.

A site in London’s Bromley has already opened this year, with nine more hotels recently acquired on a freehold or long leasehold basis set to be refitted and rebranded as Travelodges. Additionally, four new leasehold hotels are expected to begin operations by the end of the year.

In 2024, Travelodge opened five new UK hotels in locations including London Bermondsey.

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Global travel technology company OYO reported a 15% year-over-year revenue increase for its UK operations in 2024. The company's Average Daily Rate (ADR) grew by 2%, outperforming the broader market, which saw a 2.8% decline according to STR. Additionally, OYO’s per room revenue (RevPAR) rose by 4%, while the market experienced a 4.5% drop.

OYO recently announced plans to launch over 40 premium self-operated hotels through leasehold contracts this financial year. The company has already onboarded 18 hotels under this model and aims to add 22 more in key cities, including London, Birmingham.

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Dorchester Collection has named Philippe Leboeuf as its new Chief Executive Officer, with his appointment taking effect in June 2025.

An award-winning and experienced hotelier, Philippe brings extensive expertise in luxury hospitality across multiple continents. His strategic vision, leadership, and deep understanding of operations and organisational culture, along with his proven track record in new openings, will further strengthen Dorchester Collection’s position as a leader in luxury hospitality.

Philippe has served as Director General of Concorde Hotels.

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Belfast City Council has approved planning permission for the construction of a new multi-million-pound hotel in the city.

The Bedford Hotel, being developed by the Derry/Londonderry-based Martin Property Group, is slated to open in October and will create 85 jobs.

Martin Property Group submitted its planning application in February of last year to transform the Edwardian-style Scottish Mutual Building into a hotel.

Construction is currently ongoing at the listed building on Bedford Street.

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Hyatt Hotels has announced plans to grow its UK portfolio by 30% within the next two years.

This follows the recent launch of the 217-key Hyatt Place Leeds and the 88-key Hyatt House Leeds, designed for extended stays, earlier this month by the Chicago-based hotel company. Additionally, in October 2024, the group debuted the UK's first Park Hyatt London River Thames.

Hyatt plans to add over 1,000 rooms in the UK over the next two years, identifying the region as a “priority growth market.” Potential expansion destinations include Oxford.

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Hyatt Hotels Corporation has announced a series of leadership changes align with Hyatt’s strategy to enhance its brand positioning, streamline operations, and drive global expansion.

Marc Jacheet’s appointment as Group President for Europe, Africa, and the Middle East (EAME) signals Hyatt’s commitment to strengthening its presence in these key regions. His leadership is expected to play a crucial role in the company’s strategic growth and brand positioning.

With a background spanning luxury and premium consumer brands like De Beers.

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Radisson Hotel Group has revealed plans to open a 401-room hotel at Manchester City Football Club’s Etihad Stadium, set to launch in late 2026.

Radisson has announced that the hotel, named the Medlock, will cater to visitors attending events at the stadium as well as those at the nearby Co-op Live arena.

The hotel will feature suites, deluxe and standard rooms, along with a luxury penthouse, and will be managed by Valor Hospitality.

The hotel will offer a range of F&B options.

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The luxury Welsh hotel, Grove of Narberth, has received planning permission to expand its guest room capacity and introduce new back-of-house facilities for staff.

The plans for the hotel's expansion were initially submitted to Pembrokeshire County Council in autumn 2021 and received approval last week on 25 February.

Neil Kedward, founder and CEO of the Seren Collection, expressed his excitement over securing planning permission for the “important extension” at the beloved Grove of Narberth.

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The Celtic Collection and ICC Wales have named Julie Hammond as the group's new Chief Executive Officer.

With over 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Julie now leads Wales’ largest independent hotel group, The Celtic Collection, along with the UK’s newest convention centre, ICC Wales.

Julie most recently managed one of the UK’s largest hotels in Central London and has held senior leadership roles across several prestigious hospitality properties and groups in the UK and Europe.

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The luxury boutique hotel, Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, has unveiled its 77 private residences for booking, eight months after its grand opening.

Ranging from one to two bedrooms, The Residences at Mandarin Oriental Mayfair have been designed by London-based Studio Indigo, the same team behind the hotel’s 50 bedrooms and suites.

Each of the 77 apartments boasts a kitchen designed by Thomas Juul-Hansen, complete with integrated Gaggenau and Miele appliances and a wine fridge. The residences also feature separate living and dining areas.

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Irish-owned aparthotel operator Staycity Group aims to triple its size over the next five years after securing a £77 million loan from OakNorth Bank.

Founded in Dublin in 2004, Staycity Group operates two aparthotel brands: Staycity Aparthotels, with seven locations across the UK, and the lifestyle-focused Wilde brand (pictured), which has six UK sites.

Staycity Group currently operates 6,000 keys across 36 aparthotels in the UK and Europe. The £77 million loan will fuel its future growth as the company targets expanding to 18.

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Manchester’s five-star Lowry Hotel has joined Millennium Hotels and Resorts (MHR) as part of the Leng’s Collection.

Situated on the banks of the River Irwell, The Lowry Hotel features 165 rooms, the River Restaurant and Bar, a spa, and multiple event spaces. The hotel is owned by CDL Hospitality Trust.

The Leng’s Collection is described as a 'distinctive portfolio' of hotels within Millennium, with each property highlighting 'individuality' by blending contemporary luxury with cultural authenticity and architectural character.

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Whitbread, the owner of Premier Inn, is planning to reduce its customer support and call centre teams by approximately 300 jobs and shift some roles overseas.

The company stated that its guest reservations team would be outsourced, pending consultation, and that half of the calls it receives are already handled by an overseas partner.

Whitbread's head office, along with its guest relations team in Houghton Regis, will remain based in the UK.

The group stated that it aimed to improve 'efficiency' and anticipated that around 150 roles would be redeployed within the business.

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Mollie’s has named Matt Bell as its new managing director. With over 20 years of leadership and operational experience in hospitality, Bell joins the brand as it continues its ambitious growth plans.

Bell previously served as chief hotel operating officer at citizenM and has also held roles as operations director at The Hospital Club and general manager at Seaham Hall Hotel & Serenity Spa.

Bell succeeds Darren Sweetland, who led Mollie’s for the past four years and has now moved into the role of CFO for the UK.

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Wroxall Abbey Hotel in Warwickshire has closed for the third time in six years.

The hotel closed last week after the leaseholder's tenancy was terminated and the estate was repossessed, according to BBC reports.

The tenancy at the hotel was held by JGBM Hotel Limited. Paresh Thakkar, one of the directors of the company that took over the hotel’s operations in 2022, told the BBC that the termination was 'a total shock.'

'From a personal standpoint I am extremely heartbroken as I had invested a substantial amount of time.

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