5-Star Weekly Briefing

This week’s Five-Star Weekly Briefing highlights current trends, investments, and developments in the hotel sector.

Including Paradox Hotels’ debut in Sydney, the relaunch of Hotel Diana in Brisbane by Samdoo Corporation, and Minor Hotels’ alpine expansion with Oaks Lake Crackenback. We explore the surge in tourism-driven investment across Australia and New Zealand, with insights from Global Asset Solutions and WTTC projecting strong sector growth through 2028. From the Lion Hospitality Awards – standouts like QT Auckland, Craggy Range, and Peekaboo Eatery were recognised for excellence, sustainability, and innovation. And at HITEC 2025, AI stole the spotlight – with Levee sweeping the E20X pitch competition and startups like Bookboost, Ediphi, and Vella AI showing how tech is reshaping guest experience and operations. Plus, new appointments from Four Seasons, JLL, Imagine Hotels, and more across the region.

🎙️This week’s Five-Star Weekly Briefing highlights current trends, investments, and developments in the hotel sector. Australia’s first Mondrian Gold Coast opens with oversized suites, private beach houses, and panoramic views 🌊, while W Brisbane unveils river-inspired suite upgrades blending bold design with luxe tech. In Canberra, Redhill Hospitality takes over Tall Trees Ainslie, promising soft refurbishments and elevated service, and in Perth, Residence on Langley Park repositions to meet long- and short-stay needs with flexible layouts and full amenities. We also cover Wyndham Hotels' powerful 🤖 AI rollout that’s cutting call times and boosting service efficiency , IHG’s voco reaching 100 hotels in just seven years with flexible conversion appeal, and Accor’s sustainability leadership and standout new properties like Te Arikinui Pullman Auckland Airport and Wairakei Resort Taupō. Finally, we spotlight Mandarin Oriental’s wellness-first approach for Global Wellness Day, focused on reconnection, ritual and inner strength. A packed episode full of innovation, guest experience, and future-focused moves.

🎙️ This week’s Five-Star Weekly Briefing highlights current trends, investments, and developments in the hotel sector.

Hyatt expands with its new Unscripted brand and the launch of Hyatt House South Melbourne—marking its entry into Australia’s extended-stay market. Hilton celebrates a major milestone with its 1,000th luxury and lifestyle property, with more than 150 openings expected in 2025. 1834 Hotels grows its white-label footprint with 18 Elanor Group properties and a strong push on underutilised space and digital check-ins. La Vie unveils an $18M rebrand in Sydney, while Intrepid acquires boutique stays in Tasmania and Marrakech. In tech and trends, AI security and personalisation dominate headlines, while Marriott and Plantation Island Resort lead the charge on sustainability and community engagement.

This week’s Five-Star Weekly Briefing highlights current trends, investments, and developments in the hotel sector.Hotel brands are expanding across the region with new concepts and renovations. Marriott has launched Series by Marriott in India, targeting the midscale–upscale market. Hilton is marking 50 years in Australasia with a $40 million upgrade to Hilton Sydney and new growth initiatives. New Zealand welcomes Edit Hotels & Resorts, offering digitally enabled, value-driven stays. IHG’s Holiday Inn Express introduces its tech-enhanced 5.0 model with 30 projects already signed. In WA, The Sebel The Vines unveils a $3 million redesign, while Rick Stein will open a flagship beachfront restaurant at the rebranded InterContinental Sydney Coogee Beach. Meanwhile, Capella announces The Lands at Circular Quay, a major mixed-use development set to open in 2026.

This week’s Five-Star Weekly Briefing highlights current trends, investments, and developments in the hotel sector. From JW Marriott’s debut in New Zealand to Pan Pacific Perth’s $50M transformation, luxury and sustainability are defining the next era of travel. In Canberra, Crystalbrook Aurora and IHG’s Regent revival signal serious investment in upscale experiences. Meanwhile, Blackstone’s delay at Crown Melbourne raises questions about missed momentum in a competitive landscape.

📊 Market insights show Melbourne and Adelaide leading post-pandemic hotel growth, while the Sunshine Coast’s tourism excellence gains state-wide acclaim. Rydges Melbourne shines as a top meeting hotel, and Novotel’s WWF partnership highlights the industry’s sustainability focus.

💡 On the tech front, AI and digital compendiums are revolutionising operations, personalisation, and guest engagement. All eyes now turn to HITEC North America, where the latest in hospitality tech will be on display—joined by Brendon Granger and the GAIN team.

Hospitality is evolving fast—these stories show who's adapting, who's leading, and what’s next.

This week’s Five-Star Weekly Briefing highlights current trends, investments, and developments in the hotel sectorWe cover the debut of boutique and lifestyle hotels across Australia and New Zealand, including The George Glenelg, Hyde Melbourne Place, and Edit Hotels. We also highlight key acquisitions from Trilogy Hotels and Accor’s major deal with Bayview International. Learn how global events like AHICE and TRENZ 2025 are influencing tourism, and how AI—from operational tools to guest personalisation, is transforming hotel marketing and management. Plus, find out which hotel took the top spot in Tripadvisor’s 2025 awards and catch up on leadership moves across the sector.

This week’s Five-Star Weekly Briefing highlights current trends, investments, and developments in the hotel sector.Marriott International announces its flagship 279-room Sydney Marriott Hotel Parramatta, opening in 2027, while IHG partners with Luxora and La Vie to bring Holiday Inn back to Townsville by 2026. Veriu and Riverlee unveil plans for a 100-key Punthill hotel in Melbourne’s New Epping, and Radisson continues its expansion across Fiji, New Zealand, and Australia. Marriott also acquires lifestyle brand CitizenM for US$355M, and Park Hyatt Melbourne is sold to Shayher Group for A$200M. Cross-border investment into Australian commercial real estate hit US$2.46B in Q1 2025, second only to Japan, according to Knight Frank. Crowne Plaza reports a global shift toward blended travel combining work and leisure, while the Design Inn Symposium spotlights AI’s role in hotel design, adaptive reuse, and community impact. The fast-growing City of Moreton Bay is calling for 10 new hotel developments amid rising demand, and Ascott adds over 17,400 units globally through its multi-typology strategy. Key leadership changes this week include new appointments across corporate affairs and general management roles at major hotel groups, with several senior industry figures stepping into leadership positions.

This week’s Five-Star Weekly Briefing highlights current trends, investments, and developments in the hotel sector.Kittawa Lodge launches a new retreat and chef series, while IHG announces voco Darwin Suites and G’day Group acquires Discovery Parks – Bargara. CBRE’s forecast shows APAC’s hotel recovery strengthening, with New Zealand’s regions rebounding faster than its major cities. Accor earns 5-Star Employer status again, and Adelaide Marriott sets a sustainability benchmark with touch-free water stations. GAIN and Techne Infiniti Ventures form a strategic AI-focused partnership. We also cover new appointments at Accor, Rydges, Marriott, and more, plus how AI continues to reshape guest experience and hotel operations.

This week’s Five-Star Weekly Briefing highlights current trends, investments, and developments in the hotel sector. This week, The Ascott Limited expands its Lyf brand in Sydney; Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour proposes luxury penthouses; Brisbane unveils the Isoletto Pool Club at Queen’s Wharf; and Accor launches Wellness Studios at Mantra 2 Bond Street. IHG is set to open InterContinental Brisbane in June, transforming the former Hilton, while Accor Vacation Club is refreshing its Palm Cove properties with a $4.7M investment. In acquisitions, BWH Hotels signs its first Australian hotel management deal in Kununurra. AHICE 2025 is gearing up as the region’s top hotel investment event, and industry movements include leadership appointments across Ovolo, Crowne Plaza, Wyndham, Holiday Inn, The Star, and Baillie Lodges.

This week’s Five-Star Weekly Briefing highlights current trends, investments, and developments in the hotel sector . This week, the spotlight is on hotel openings and developments across Australasia, with Hotel Indigo launching in Auckland, Veriu announcing a new Punthill in Epping, and The George Glenelg opening its doors in South Australia. 1 Hotel Melbourne is set to debut in June 2025 with a focus on sustainable luxury, while Queenstown’s Nugget Point is being transformed into Coronet Ridge Resort. Plantation Island Resort in Fiji also announced a major upgrade. Radisson celebrates a major milestone with over 200 hotels in India. On the trends front, Maximum Occupancy West Coast returns to Perth, Darwin Airport Resorts sets new sustainability benchmarks, and Accor reports strong global growth. Wellness tourism is booming, with The Farm at San Benito leading the way, while luxury travel continues to thrive, fuelled by Gen Z and millennial travellers. Lastly, we’ve seen a number of leadership moves across the industry, including new appointments at Marriott, Accor, Minor Hotels, and Travel + Leisure Co.