April Hotel & Resort News You Might Have Missed
The Month’s Biggest Hotel & Resort News
Hotels and resorts have been busy with news this April, from a new Toy Story-themed hotel in Tokyo’s Disney Resort to Hyatt’s termination of contracts in Russia over its invasion of Ukraine and Club Med’s new resort-specific sustainability initiatives. To check out the biggest hotel and resort news you might’ve missed this April, click through this slideshow.
Disney World Celebrates Reopening of All Hotels, Return of Character Greetings
April 1 marked the first day that every hotel in the Walt Disney Resorts Collection were open since March 2020; the last resort to open was Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort.
Leisure and Hospitality Left Out of Jobs Recovery
Despite the country’s historically low unemployment rate, the hospitality industry is struggling to return to pre-pandemic levels, with a reduced workforce and still-recovering business and leisure travel spending.
Waldorf Astoria to Make Australia Debut in 2025
The Waldorf Astoria luxury brand is expected to make its debut on Australian soil in 2025 with the Waldorf Astoria Sydney. The hotel will be part of the new One Circular Quay development.
Hyatt Adds AMR Collection Brands To Its Loyalty Program
The AMR Collection’s seven brands are slowly being added into Hyatt’s World of Hyatt loyalty program, which will expand points-earning possibilities for loyalty members, including many all-inclusives.
Beyond Green, &Beyond Launch New Booking Platform for Sustainable Experiences
Luxury travelers wanting to travel sustainably can now do so with curated itineraries with Beyond Green and its partnership with &Beyond, which both offer luxurious stays in immersive and sustainable destinations around the world.
Toy Story Hotel Officially Opens at Tokyo Disney Resort
Tokyo Disney Resort’s Toy Story Hotel opened this month. It’s the first Toy Story-themed hotel in the world and brings guests into Toy Story’s world with two wings celebrating Buzz Lightyear and Woody.
Club Med Announces New Social Responsibility Commitments
Club Med announced new sustainability commitments for some of its resorts this month; overall, they include plans ranging from harvesting seaweed to create fertilizer to sourcing local produce and vegetables and utilizing renewable energy.
Secrets Resorts & Spas to Debut St. Lucia Property in 2023
The AMR Collection announced its Secrets Resorts & Spa St. Lucia resort will debut in 2023. The resort is being converted from the St. James’s Club Morgan Bay.
Hyatt Terminates Contracts With Russian Hotels Over Ukrainian War
Hyatt announced that it is expanding its termination of contracts with its Russian hotels in protest of its invasion of Ukraine, this time with the Hyatt Regency Sochi. Thus far, the corporation has only three contracted hotels left in Russia; the hotels who have had their contracts with Hyatt terminated can continue to operate, just without Hyatt’s affiliation.
AMR Collection Unveils Secrets Moxche Playa del Carmen
The AMR Collection celebrated the opening of its Secrets Moxche Playa del Carmen resort on April 19 in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.
Experts Say Hotel Industry Still Far Below Pre-Pandemic Revenue Totals
A new report published by the American Hotels & Lodging Association predicts that revenue from hotels and resorts in the United States is likely to be down $20 billion from 2019 this year, a sign that the hospitality industry has a long way to go, despite the travel surge.
First Net-Zero Hotel and First Passive House-Certified Hotel in the US to Open This Spring
Hilton marks a milestone in the United States, with the first net-zero and Passive House-certified hotel in the United States expected to open May 19. The Hotel Marcel, a Tapestry Collection by Hilton hotel, features a repurposed historic building and will power everything from its kitchens to its electric car chargers using solar energy.
Preferred Hotels & Resorts, Virgin Hotels Forge Partnership
Preferred Hotels & Resorts and Virgin Hotels announced a partnership this month, adding four Virgin properties under Preferred’s L.V.X. Collection luxury brand. Virgin Hotels’ New Orleans, Chicago, Dallas and Nashville properties are now part of Preferred.
Atlantis Paradise Island Announces a Multimillion-Dollar Renovation
Atlantis Paradise Island announced another multimillion-dollar renovation, with renovations expected for The Royal West Tower and David Grutman’s ‘Somewhere Else’ resort replacing The Beach Tower in 2024.
Sandals Launches “Online Masterclass” Series Developed For Canadian Advisors
To help Canadian advisors learn how to sell Sandals Resorts to their clients, Sandals launched a new “Online Masterclass” series, which offer live training sessions that can be applied to retain their Certified Sandals Specialist status. The sessions include one French-language session for Quebec natives.
Hard Rock Hotel New York Makes Its Debut
The new Hard Rock Hotel New York opened on April 25, bringing its music-themed atmosphere and culture to Manhattan. It’s located by the city’s Music Row, Radio City Music Hall and the Theater District.