A new name in the Australian accommodation business

Australia is to gain a major new player in the extended stay accommodation space with the arrival of the Staybridge Suites brand. 

Staybridge Suites is IHG Hotels & Resorts' globally established upscale extended-stay brand, which will be making its debut in Australia starting with two properties in western Sydney, in Parramatta and Leppington (top image). 

IHG has signed a Master Development Agreement with Australian property developer ALAND to launch Staybridge Suites Down Under. 

Under the agreement, ALAND will have exclusive development rights for Staybridge Suites in Australia, with a portfolio of at least 15 hotels comprising a minimum of 2,000 rooms to be developed across the country. 

The first two franchises will be the 130-room Staybridge Suites Sydney Parramatta and 112-room Staybridge Suites Sydney Leppington. The hotels will be managed by Signature Hotel Management Group.

“This is a significant long-term development agreement for IHG in Australia," says Matt Tripolone, managing director, Australasia & Pacific, for IHG. 

"Establishing a portfolio of at least 15 hotels and 2,000 rooms with one development partner gives us a clear pathway to build a meaningful position in the extended-stay segment, where we see considerable long-term opportunity.

“Importantly, this is not simply an agreement about future growth. We are announcing the first two 

Staybridge Suites has 355 open hotels and a further 152 in the pipeline globally. The vast majority are in the US and Canada. 

Designed for guests travelling for weeks or longer, the properties combine "spacious residential-style suites with the services and sense of community of a hotel".

Small Luxury Hotels expands global portfolio

A boutique hotel in the vineyards of the Yarra Valley is among the new properties being showcased by the fast-expanding Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) group.

SLH, known for its global portfolio of boutique properties, has continued a growth spurt, announcing 49 additions to its portfolio in the first half of 2025.

This follows a record-breaking 2024, in which the brand saw 82 new signings.

They joined 620 hotels across 90+ countries and SLH's latest additions include destinations in Australia, Japan, Mexico and India.

Opening in December is December is the 33-room Levantine Hill Hotel, a suite-only hotel next to Levantine Hill Estate's cellar door and restaurant to allow guests to indulge in exceptional dining experiences. See https://www.levantinehill.com.au/pages/hotel

“2024 was a record year for SLH, and 2025 is shaping up to surpass it,” said Richard Hyde, SLH Chief Operating Officer.

“As the demand for genuine and intimate luxury stays continues to soar, we are in the right place at the right time. Our expanding and diverse portfolio of independent properties ensures there's something for every discerning, independently minded traveller.”

Openings in early 2025 included La Valise Mazunte in Mexico, located between Oaxaca's rugged cliffs and the Pacific Ocean.

July 2025 saw the opening of The James Suite Hotel Firenze 1564, a hidden retreat in the centre of Florence, housed in a 16th-century Renaissance palazzo built in 1564.

Maya Hotel Courchevel 1850, meanwhile, will open in the heart of French mountain resort Courchevel in December, with easy access to the ski slopes and nearby boutiques.

In Germany, the Wilmina Hotel marks SLH's arrival in Berlin located in a former courthouse and prison.

For more info visit www.SLH.com

Thai-based hotel group spreads its wings

The Thailand-based hotel group Minor Hotels is developing into a into a major international force.

Minor Hotels is an international hotel owner, operator, and investor currently with more than 540 hotels in operation in 56 countries under brands including Anantara, Avani, Oaks, Tivoli, NH Collection and NH Hotels.

Minor Hotels this week announced its arrival in the French capital with plans for a trio of four-star Paris hotels.

The group will launch the properties under its NH Hotels and NH Collection brands.

The hotels will be with the 207-key NH Paris Gare de l’Est (above) and the 103-key NH Opéra Paris Faubourg.

The third property has 80 rooms and will open as NH Paris Champs-Elysées. It will then be launched in 2025 as an NH Collection property following a renovation.

“We believe this is an amazing opportunity to grow with two of our brands in the second most-visited city in the world and home to the 2024 Olympics,” said Dillip Rajakarier, CEO of Minor Hotels.

The three Paris hotels will join Minor Hotels’ six properties across France in Marseille, Lyon, Toulouse and Nice.

Outside France, other recent openings from NH brands include NH Collection Milano CityLife in Italy, and NH Collection Frankfurt Spin Tower in Germany.

"Our team has been searching for the right opportunities in this key market for some time, so we are pleased to announce that, together with Swiss Life AM, Minor Hotels will arrive in Paris not with one but with three hotels," said Rajakarier.