Top Hotel & Resort News From February 2023

From new member properties in leading hotel portfolios to positive end-of-year reports showcasing the hotel industry's climb toward a post-pandemic recovery, February had its fair share of important news as a far as hotels and resorts are concerned. Curious to learn more? Click through this slideshow to read the biggest news of the month, and click on the links provided in each slide to read the full stories. Don't want to miss a beat? Register for our TravelPulse newsletter today!

Sandals Halcyon Beach will be offering new beachfront accommodation options beginning this April, including suite and private villa options for travelers heading to the Castries, Saint Lucia resort.

Hyatt officially finished its acquisition of Dream Hotel Group on February 2. Its Dream Hotels brand is now part of Hyatt's Boundless Collection, while The Chatwal and Unscripted Hotels brand will be part of Hyatt's Independent Collection.

Sonesta International Hotel Corporation added 74 franchised properties to its portfolio in 2022. Sonesta Franchising began in 2021.

S&P Global, which has been evaluating companies around the world for their sustainability practices since 1999, has announced that Meliá Hotels International is the most sustainable hotel company in the world in 2022.

It's that time of the year! U.S. News & World Report has once again published its list of the best hotels of the year. The best hotel of the year in the U.S. is Acqualina Resort & Residences in Sunny Isles, Florida.

Preferred Hotels & Resorts, the world's largest collection of independent hotels, has added eight new properties to its portfolio, including sly Berlin and Virgin Hotels Edinburgh.

In a new feature on the global hotel industry, we discuss Asia's hotel industry as the only region in the world where hotels stays remain less expensive than pre-pandemic levels.

Marriott maintains its steady rise towards recovery in a look at its fourth quarter 2022 and full-year reports, with business travel helping the recovery.

Two of Marriott's newest properties in Salt Lake City, Utah celebrated a dual opening ceremony this February. Le Méridien Salt Lake City Downtown and Element Salt Lake City Downtown are the first of their brands to open in Utah.

Hyatt and Wyndham's fourth-quarter and annual reports for 2022 reveal a steady recovery and strong development pipelines from both corporations.

MGM Resorts International became the first gaming company in the world to sign the United Nations' CEO Water Mandate, which focuses on six key pillars of responsible use and management practices surrounding the all-important resource.

IHG Hotels & Resorts published its 2022 annual economic report in February, showcasing its steady climb in both development and economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Leading Hotels of the World, specializing in independent luxury hotels, welcomed eight new hotels to its portfolio, including several new openings. The hotels are located Arizona, Hawaii, Austria, Italy and Belek, Turkey.

A new report by the American Hotel & Lodging Association predicts that hotel-generated state and local tax revenue will reach records this year, over and above pre-pandemic levels both nationally and in the most popular tourism states, including Florida, Texas and Arizona.

Opening this September is a brand-new accommodation option for Disneyland in California: The Villas at Disneyland, a modern new-build. New renderings published in February showcase the exterior and the interior of one of its most lavish villas.

In a new feature on the hospitality industry, we discuss the industry's major challenges, like a need for more employees, as well as its major strengths, including leisure demand and increased spending.