Top 3 project announcements in July

TOPHOTELPROJECTS researchers added nearly 200 new projects to the database in July, so here we profile three major inclusions from the past month to give you a taste of the detailed information available on the platform.

Our top three are five star properties scheduled to open across Asia and North America, from boutique hotels to urban resorts.

Curio Collection by Hilton Wuxi

We begin with Hilton’s latest foray into the Chinese market, as it has just signed up to be the management partner of a newbuild lifestyle boutique hotel in Wuxi.

Curio Collection by Hilton Wuxi will be part of the Center 66 mixed use development in the eastern Chinese city, scheduled for completion in the second half of 2024. Developer Hang Lung Properties’ vision of building compelling spaces that enrich lives will be brought to life within the hotel by Singaporean interior designer, White Jacket.

The hotel will comprise a seven-story main building and an adjacent three-story heritage building, providing a total of 106 guestrooms, a lobby lounge, two restaurants, a bespoke event space, an indoor pool, and a fitness centre. The hotel is designed to LEED Gold Pre-Certification, indicating that the building will meet world-class standards in terms of carbon reduction and environmental protection.

Banyan Tree Japanese trio

Staying in the Far East, Banyan Tree Group announced three further properties in Japan, following its entry into the country this year.

Through a partnership with Wealth Management Group, Dhawa Yura and Garrya Nijo Castle just launched in July, while Banyan Tree Higashiyama and Banyan Tree Ashinoko Hakone are set to open from now through 2026. Separately, Banyan Tree Group signed a new partnership with Terraform Capital that will lead to newly-built Cassia Hirafu in the ski resort of Niseko. 

Banyan Tree Higashiyama Kyoto will be located in the city’s Gion and Higashiyama district. Opening in spring 2024 as a 52-key luxury, hilltop urban resort, it will boast spectacular views of Kyoto city. The site will also be the first and only hotel in Kyoto city to have a Noh open stage.

Secondly, renowned for its hot spring, historical destination and views of Mount Fuji, Banyan Tree Ashinoko Hakone will be a new luxury resort development slated to open in 2026, in an area adjacent to Lake Ashino.

The last of the trio, Cassia Hirafu, is set to open in 2025 in the popular ski resort of Niseko. The newbuild will have 50 keys for the resort, and 113 keys for residential accommodation – ranging from one-bedroom to villas that will be available for sale.

In addition, Banyan Tree announced a strategic partnership with Intrance Hotels & Resorts Inc, focusing on conversion projects that will further propel the group’s growth in Japan.

Kimpton Hotel San Antonio

Across the other side of the globe, IHG Hotels & Resorts brand Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants is to open its first hotel in San Antonio, Texas, USA in late 2024.

Located in the Central Business District and at the intersection of the city’s vibrant La Villita and Southtown neighbourhoods, the 347-room Kimpton Hotel San Antonio will be part newbuild and part adaptive reuse of an 1850s-original schoolhouse.

Owned and operated by White Lodging and with the support of HKS Architects and KTGY Simeone Deary Design Group, the hotel will feature a 10-storey tower housing a modern and airy lobby, luxurious guestrooms, and a rooftop pool and lounge with views overlooking downtown and the neighbouring greenspace.

Two adjacent historic buildings will undergo careful adaptive reuse to become a high-end restaurant, lively lobby bar and several one-of-a-kind hotel suites. Bridging the historic buildings, the courtyard and its natural foliage will become an outdoor entertainment and event venue for hotel guests and the local community. In addition to the courtyard, the hotel will feature more than 10,000 sq ft of flexible meeting and event space, inclusive of a 5,000 sq ft ballroom.

Related Articles