The change is particularly visible in newer hotel developments and renovation/extension projects. Reception areas now often take up less space, while seating, food and beverage areas, and other guest facilities become more integrated into the lobby. A recent example is the new Holiday Inn & Suites Commerce City-Denver Airport, just outside Denver International Airport. The hotel is the first ground-up Holiday Inn property built to test the brand’s latest lobby layout, combining the front desk, an order counter, and a full bar in one space near the entrance.

Designing a Lobby for Multiple Uses

The Denver hotel’s layout shows a move toward making different guest services easier to access from one central area. Rather than separating check-in, food orders, and drinks into different stations, the design brings them together near the entrance. The approach is intended to simplify how guests move through the space while allowing the lobby to have several functions.

Flexibility is also an important consideration in lobby design. Different seating arrangements can help create areas for individual work, informal meetings, socializing, or just taking a break. Tables with access to power, comfortable lounge seating, and movable furniture can allow spaces to be adapted as guest needs change.

This shift is not limited to new-build hotels. Ocean Signature Resorts is upgrading Ocean Eden Bay, an adults-only, all-inclusive resort in Coral Spring, Trelawny, Jamaica, ahead of its November 2026 relaunch as Ocean Allure Eden Bay. The changes include a private check-in experience and a champagne welcome for guests, showing how the arrival experience can also form part of a broader property upgrade.

What the Shift Means for FF&E Suppliers

Food and beverage is another factor influencing lobby layouts. Cafés, bars, and restaurants bring more activity into the space and give guests another reason to use it. In some hotels, these facilities are closely connected to the lobby rather than being treated as separate areas. This can affect everything from furniture selection to lighting and the placement of fixtures and equipment.

As lobby spaces take on more functions, the range of products required also expands. Suppliers may be involved in areas including furniture, lighting, flooring, textiles, bathroom fittings, and decorative elements. Products may need to work across different uses while fitting the hotel’s overall design direction.

For FF&E suppliers, understanding how a project plans to use its lobby can provide useful context when approaching developers, designers, operators, and procurement teams. The timing of those conversations also matters, as lobby concepts and product specifications often begin taking shape during the planning and design stages.

Hotel lobbies will continue to vary by brand, property type, location, and target guest. However, their role within a hotel is increasingly tied to more than arrival and check-in. For suppliers tracking hotel projects, changes in lobby design can therefore offer an early indication of the products and categories that may be needed as a development moves forward. Tracking projects at these early stages can help suppliers identify where their products may fit as a development or renovation moves forward.

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The first two properties are already covered by franchise agreements. Staybridge Suites Sydney Parramatta will have 130 rooms, while Staybridge Suites Sydney Leppington will have 112 rooms. Both hotels will be in Greater Western Sydney and will be managed by Signature Hotel Management Group.

First Hotels Set for Western Sydney

The two properties will form the first phase of the national rollout. Parramatta is an established commercial center, while Leppington is close to Western Sydney International Airport and the emerging Aerotropolis. The locations give the brand a presence in two different parts of the region as it enters the Australian market.

The agreement expands an existing relationship between IHG and ALAND. The companies recently opened the 130-room voco Gosford at ALAND’s Archibald precinct. ALAND founder and CEO Andrew Hrsto said the new agreement would allow the partnership to grow from its first hotels in Parramatta and Leppington to a national portfolio.

Matt Tripolone, IHG’s Managing Director for Australasia & Pacific, said the agreement provides a development path for the company in Australia’s extended-stay market. He also pointed to the two initial hotels as an immediate start to the planned portfolio.

Extended-Stay Brand Enters Australia

Staybridge Suites had 355 open hotels and another 152 in its pipeline as of June 26. The brand targets guests staying for days, weeks, or longer. Its hotels typically combine larger, residential-style suites with hotel services and shared spaces.

IHG said the extended-stay segment in Australia is being supported by corporate travel, project-based work, relocations, and longer stays that require more flexibility. The company plans to use the ALAND agreement to develop Staybridge Suites in markets across the country.

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The 416 room hotel is part of a major mixed use development, the Millennium Plaza, combining office, retail, parking and leisure space. Sold as a single asset, it realised around EUR200 million for seller PH Properties. The hotel will continue to trade as before, with operations handled directly by Marriott under a long term hotel management agreement.

A New Investment Fund Is Launched

The hotel and Millennium complex have been acquired by the Prime Hotel Assets Fund, an investment fund managed by J&T Investment Company, partnering with hospitality investment specialists Dosfield Group. This is the pair’s first joint investment in this capacity

The deal comes 18 months after another major hotel asset in Prague changed hands, again with agent CBRE handling the transaction. That saw the Hilton Prague sold to new owners, Czech-based PFF, after the asset was offered for sale by the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation. The 791 room hotel traded for around EUR270 million.

The aim is for the new fund to become part of a larger vehicle, building a portfolio of real estate investments across central Europe, said Jan Kotek, member of the board of J&T Banka, which provided capital for the acquisition.

“We believe we are able to identify high-quality partners and assets offering a balanced risk profile and attractive growth potential. Our partnership with Dosfield Group and the acquisition of Prague Marriott Hotel & Millennium Plaza are the first example of such an investment.”

In Prague, the appetite for hotel investments is driven by a tight market where planning and building a new hotel can be a challenge. Currently, the city’s hotel pipeline is modest in scale.

One of the few projects coming through to opening is the Puro Hotel Prague. A 150 room development, it is due to open in early 2027. Puro is a Polish lifestyle hospitality group, which is bringing forward in Budapest and Warsaw, adding to a portfolio of eight trading properties across Poland.

Marriott is also planning an opening for its new Ritz-Carlton luxury hotel in the city’s Old Town Square. Developed by combining eight historic houses overlooking the square, the property will have 84 rooms, as well as a spa, conference rooms and its own restaurant.

More Luxury Hotels Planned

And it is in the luxury segment that there are more planned openings. Kempinski is working up the five star Augustine Hotel, a refurbishment that will be followed by a relaunch as part of the Kempinski portfolio in the second quarter of 2027. Accor is also expanding its local portfolio, with a rebrand of the Mozart Prague hotel to its Sofitel Legend brand. The 70 room property will have a refit, retaining its distinctive history features, reopening in the first half of 2027.

IHG is also planning to add to its presence in the city. The new InterContinental Prague Old Town will have 137 rooms, with an opening scheduled for early 2029.

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The Fettlers Regeneration Puzzle

The Hampton by Hilton Wigan is designed as the centerpiece of the wider Fettlers regeneration scheme, a project reshaping the former Galleries shopping center site into a mixed-use town center destination. With the hotel in a position to overlook a new public square, it’s set up to be a visible symbol of Wigan’s ongoing transformation. It will offer modern guest rooms, a complimentary hot breakfast featuring the renowned Hampton waffle, a gym with panoramic views of the square, dining and meeting facilities, and secure parking.

Once finished, Fettlers will bring more than 400 new homes, a cinema, leisure facilities, bars, restaurants, and a market hall with a food court to the town center. The hotel’s role within that ecosystem is significant: it’s expected to draw visitors who will, in turn, support the surrounding retail and hospitality offerings, helping Fettlers to exist as a genuine live-work-play destination rather than just another retail redevelopment.

For Hilton, the project also reflects a broader UK strategy of backing regeneration-led developments. The Q4 2027 opening target gives partners nearly two years to finish construction and prepare operations, with Leaf Hospitality already laying groundwork behind the scenes to ensure the property meets Hampton’s brand standards from day one.

Construction Progress and What’s Next for the Site

As of March 2026, site visits confirmed steady momentum, with visible structural progress including the rising steel frame of the neighboring Market Hall and major infrastructure works reshaping the town center skyline. Having multiple elements of the masterplan advancing in parallel, rather than sequentially, suggests a coordinated construction timeline aimed at bringing Fettlers online in phases.

With 144 rooms to complete and an opening for next year on the horizon, the project has roughly 18 months of runway to move from steel and infrastructure to a fully operational 4-star hotel ready for guests. For hotel suppliers, this stretch of the timeline represents a key window of opportunity to get involved—as fit-out phases begin, procurement decisions around furnishings, fixtures, technology, and operational equipment will start ramping up.

Local stakeholders, including Wigan Council, have emphasized that the development’s success will be measured not just by its physical completion but by the economic impact it generates—job creation, increased footfall, and renewed investment in the town center.

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The 100-room hotel will be located inside a three-story podium at the base of two 46-storey residential towers. Those towers will hold 597 apartments in total, with the whole project designed by Turner Studio. Alongside the hotel, the podium will include retail space, commercial space, and dining options, creating what the developer describes as a new urban village near the edge of Parramatta’s CBD.

Rooms, Dining, and Meeting Space

Guest rooms at the new DoubleTree will range from 20 to 45 square meters, covering a mix of standard and larger layouts. The hotel will also include an all-day dining restaurant and lounge. For business travelers and events, there will be 667 square meters of event space, including meeting rooms, a boardroom, and pre-function areas. Fitness and wellness facilities round out the amenities.

The location gives the hotel access to several nearby draws, including:

• Parramatta Square
• Westmead Health Precinct
• Western Sydney University
• The upcoming Sydney Metro line, which will add another transport option to the area

Part of a Broader Push into Western Sydney

The signing comes as Western Sydney’s economy continues to expand, helped by population growth and several large infrastructure projects. The Western Sydney International Airport is scheduled to open in October, adding another point of connectivity to the region. Hilton Director of Development Australasia Tushar Raniga said the signing reflects the company’s broader growth in Australasia and its interest in expanding in urban markets with long-term demand. He added that Parramatta’s position as what he called Sydney’s second central business district made it a strong fit for the DoubleTree brand.

Deicorp Founder Fouad Deiri OAM said the hotel fits with how Parramatta has changed over time, along with the rising demand for hospitality options in the region. He pointed to Trilogy Hotels’ experience on the developer’s earlier mixed-use hotel projects as a factor in bringing the company on for this one as well.

Trilogy Hotels CEO Scott Boyes said the project depends on the roles played by each partner, from Deicorp’s work on the precinct to Hilton’s brand strength to Trilogy’s operating experience in the region. He said the goal is a hotel that works well for its owners, appeals to guests, and gives staff a workplace they can be proud of.

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The playful, bold RED brand will be injecting its lively style into the centre of the city, at a site just 200 metres from Central Station. It will be the brand’s first property in Australia. A 31 storey block, it will contain 328 guest rooms, plus an outdoor pool and fitness centre, meeting rooms, a cafe bar alongside the hotel lobby, plus a restaurant and pool bar.

Working with a Local Developer

Local developer Ceerose will be delivering the new hotel, which will be built to designs by Architecture AND. At the hotel’s base will be an existing heritage property, the Sutton Forest Meat Company building, with its distinctive green and white tiled facade. Set back from the original facade will be the new tower, providing state of the art modern hotel accommodation.

“Radisson RED is a distinctive brand that offers a relevant and impactful proposition to both guests and owners,” commented Elie Younes, global chief development officer at Radisson Hotel Group. “The signing of Australia’s first Radisson RED marks an important milestone in our Australasia expansion plan.”

The Radisson RED brand was launched in 2015, as an addition alongside the established Radisson and Radisson Blu brands. Its first hotel opened in Brussels in 2016, and today there are close to 25 Radisson RED hotels operating around the world. The pipeline is a strong one, with around a dozen alone in the Asia Pacific region. These include Radisson RED Hotel Queenstown in New Zealand, due to open in 2027; and Radisson RED Resort Cebu Mactan in the Philippines.

Preparing for an imminent opening is Radisson RED Vientiane, launching the brand in Laos, followed shortly by a launch in Thailand, with Radisson RED Bangkok Sukhumvit 18. The brand is also coming to Cambodia, with Radisson RED Phnom Penh due to complete in autumn 2027. This is part of a major mixed use development that will also include a Raidsson Blu hotel, along with branded residences.

Radisson joins the other major hotel groups in building its presence in Sydney. Hilton is about to launch the luxury Waldorf Astoria One Circular Quay in the city, while it also has a Motto by Hilton hotel shaping up for opening in the third quarter of 2027.

Big Brand Groups Focus on Sydney

IHG is also building in the city. It has the 318 room Voco Sydney Central under construction, with a 17 storey tower beneath a sloping roof featuring cascading greenery. And in the city’s Parramatta district, it will follow with the opening of an InterContinental hotel, and a Holiday Inn Express and Crowne Plaza.

Not to be outdone, Marriott has a pipeline in the city that includes Moxy Sydney Pitt Street, a new Marriott hotel, and the 104 room AC Hotel by Marriott Sydney Hyde Metropolitan. All three will be opening before the end of 2027, adding significant inventory to the city’s accommodation offering.

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The hotel was developed by Al Rayyan Tourism Investment Company, known as ARTIC, and will be managed by Highgate. Tarek M. El Sayed, Managing Director and CEO of ARTIC, said the goal was to transform the landmark property while still holding onto its original character. He also pointed to the United States as a key market for the company going forward, noting plans to keep investing in existing properties while looking for new opportunities.

What’s Inside?

The hotel includes a bar and restaurant called Fifty-First Street Social, meant to be a spot for everything from morning coffee to evening cocktails. A 24/7 marketplace offers grab-and-go food and travel essentials for guests short on time. There are also multiple meeting and event spaces for business travelers, including a smaller area called The Studio for more focused sessions.

A few other features round out the property:

• The Manhattan Level, located on the upper floors, with expansive suites and skyline views
• The Broadway Suite, a 22nd-floor penthouse with its own terrace
• Large-scale murals and artwork by artist Tiago Magro throughout the property
• Weekly Socials and Daily Rituals programming, featuring food, drink, and wellness touches tied to the destination

Ginger Taggart, Vice President of Brand Management for Global Premium Brands at IHG Hotels & Resorts, described the opening as a defining moment for Crowne Plaza. She said, “Guided by our New Modern design philosophy, every aspect of the traveler experience has been thoughtfully developed to meet the needs of today’s blended traveler—from flexible social spaces and elevated food and beverage offerings to signature experiences that are truly tailored to what the next generation of guests expect.”

Part of a Larger Push

Crowne Plaza now operates more than 400 hotels worldwide, with close to 150 more in the pipeline. The brand says roughly half of its global portfolio is either newly built or recently renovated, and this New York property adds to that count. IHG expects Crowne Plaza to add more than 36,000 rooms in the coming years, which would grow its overall footprint by more than a third.

The Times Square opening also comes as IHG continues to lean into the idea of blended travel, a term the company uses to describe guests who combine work trips with personal time.

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The all-share proposal will tidy up the group structure, which currently sees IHCL holding just over 37% of Oriental Hotels stock. Currently, Oriental Hotels has seven hotels, three of which it owns freehold, and these will be amalgamated into the Indian Hotels portfolio. The hotels are already operating under IHCL brands, in key destinations across India.

Accelerating Growth, Streamlining Systems

“In line with our Accelerate 2030 strategy of creating value, simplifying the group’s holding structure and unlocking the full potential of OHL portfolio including iconic assets like Taj Coromandel, Chennai, Taj Fisherman’s Cove Resort & Spa, Chennai and Taj Malabar Resort & Spa, Cochin, the Boards of IHCL and OHL have today approved this merger,” commented IHCL managing director Puneet Chhatwal.

Aside from owning interests in the seven Taj, Gateway and Vivanta hotels, Oriental also has interests in a number of other hotel companies, including TAL Hotels and Resorts, Lanka Island Resorts, Taj Madurai and Taj Karnataka Hotels and Resorts.

The group has just opened Taj Palace Lucknow, as it looks to keep its luxury brand to the fore, in its growth plans. The 181 room property is set among extensive grounds, in Gomti Nagar. Also newly opened is Taj Tadoba Resort & Spa, a luxury wildlife oriented retreat in Nagpur.

The Taj brand is also venturing into branded villas. The group has just signed to launch Taj Mount Kusur Resort and Villas in Lonavala, Maharashtra. Laid out across a 34 acre estate, a development in partnership with the Amavi real estate group will see development of a 100 room Taj resort, plus 34 luxury villas. The destination will also include a Japanese-inspired garden, along with forest walks and nature trails.

In early August 2026, IHCL reorganised internally to create a new Select Service Business, aimed at accelerating growth of its midmarket brands. The new team will concentrate on four brands: Ginger midscale hotels; Tree of Life, a leader in experiential leisure; Ama Stays and Trails; and Qmin, IHCL’s culinary-led brand.

Growing the Ginger and Gateway Brands

Currently the group has over 260 Ginger hotels. The brand recently opened Ginger Siwan in Bihar, and Ginger Agra Fatehabad Road in Agra, totalling 100 rooms between them. Both destinations are viewed as high potential new markets for the brand. Latest signings include Sindhudurg, Maharashtra, a conversion of an existing hotel.

The group’s Gateway brand continues to grow. Recent signings include a new property in Raipur, where a 151 room hotel will be developed on a greenfield site by partner KLA Group. The property will be IHCL’s fourth in the destination. Also in the pipeline is the 176 room Gateway Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, one of 33 Indian Hotels across Tamil Nadu either operating or under development.

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Marques steps into the role after two years as General Manager of Tivoli Alvor Algarve Resort. He brings more than twenty years of hotel experience, gathered across Europe, Africa, the Indian Ocean, and the Middle East. That range of postings has taken him through some very different hospitality markets, each with its own demands and guest expectations.

A Career Built Across Continents

Marques started his career in the industry in 2003 at Pine Cliffs in the Algarve, shortly after finishing a degree in Sustainable Tourism. His path then went international in 2012, when he joined Starwood Hotels & Resorts in Algeria as Front Office Manager at Le Méridien Oran Hotel & Convention Centre. From there, he moved up to Director of Rooms & Green Belt and later took charge of rooms at Sheraton Club des Pins Hotel & Resort.

The postings that followed took him even further abroad. Here is a quick look at the roles that followed:

• Executive Assistant General Manager at Le Méridien Fisherman’s Cove in the Seychelles, starting in 2016
• Resort Manager of Constance Halaveli Maldives from 2018
• General Manager and Owner’s Representative for a new Marriott International resort opening in the Seychelles in 2020
• Senior Manager, Franchise Operations for Europe, Africa, and the Middle East at Marriott International’s London office, overseeing 116 hotels across Southern Europe

Marques joined Minor Hotels in January 2024 to run Tivoli Alvor Algarve Resort, a post he held until this latest move to the capital.

Looking Ahead at Avenida Liberdade

In his new role, Marques will oversee the hotel’s day-to-day operations while working to build on its long-standing reputation. Minor Hotels describes the aim as balancing the property’s history with fresh ideas for guests.

Marques spoke about the appointment in a statement, calling it a privilege to lead a hotel that is woven into Lisbon’s identity. He said, “My ambition is to honor that legacy, working closely with the team to continue elevating the experience we offer our guests and reinforcing the standard of excellence for which the hotel is known.”

Tivoli Hotels & Resorts, founded in Portugal in 1933, now has more than 20 properties across Portugal, Brazil, Qatar, Oman, China, the Netherlands, Italy, and Spain. Additional hotels are planned for Europe and the Middle East in the coming years. Tivoli Avenida Liberdade remains one of the brand’s flagship addresses, and its next chapter will now be shaped under Marques’s leadership.

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Pulled from the THP database, these three hotels are a fraction of Series by Marriott’s larger development pipeline. The Fern Eco Bliss Resort Moolakada in Chennai sits in pre-planning with a 2027 opening on the books, while The Fern Residency Ayodhya is also in pre-planning but targeting 2028. The Fern Residency Pushkar sits earliest in the process, still in the vision phase, with an opening also expected in 2028

Taken as a group, these three properties point to a brand still in the early stages of a broader rollout. Whether in Pushkar, Ayodhya, or Chennai, the pattern is the same: The Fern is staking out ground in markets built around travel and tourism, well before shovels hit dirt.

The Fern Residency Pushkar, Series by Marriott

• Location: Pushkar, India
• Project Phase: Vision

• Expected Opening Date: 2028
• Construction Type: New Building
• Stars: 4
• Number of Rooms: 100
• Management Company: Concept Hospitality

The Fern Residency Ayodhya, Series by Marriott

• Location: Ayodhya, India
• Project Phase: Pre-Planning

• Expected Opening Date: 2028
• Construction Type: New Building
• Stars: 4
• Number of Rooms: 63
• Developer: SS Abasan LLP

The Fern Eco Bliss Resort Moolakada, Series by Marriott

• Location: Chennai, India
• Project Phase: Pre-Planning
• Expected Opening Date: 2027

• Construction Type: New Building
• Stars: 4
• Number of Rooms: 116
• Developer: WF Kaivalya Holistic Private Limited

What These Three Projects Tell Us

India’s hotel development scene has been picking up steam, and Series by Marriott’s activity is part of that broader trend. Religious tourism alone drives tens of millions of domestic trips each year, and cities like Ayodhya and Pushkar have become focal points for new hotel supply as a result. Against that backdrop, these three Fern projects look like a brand positioning itself early in markets that are only beginning to see formal hospitality investment.

For hotel suppliers, the real opportunity is in what’s beyond these three projects. The THP database tracks Series by Marriott’s pipeline with the same level of detail, covering project phase, expected opening dates, construction type, and the decision-makers behind each deal. That kind of visibility helps suppliers get ahead of the timeline, track projects as they move from vision to pre-planning to construction, and connect with the right people before contracts are locked in.

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