Kimpton in Mexico City, Hilton in Greece, Hyatt’s Victoria Falls Comeback, and More Hotel News

A packed week of hotel news featured a wave of boutique and luxury openings across Mexico, Greece, London, Vermont, and Kenya, plus fresh signings in Zimbabwe and Thessaloniki, along with new restrictions on one of Hyatt’s most valuable loyalty perks.

Here’s a look at the hotel industry news you may have missed.

Hotel Openings

Kimpton El Castelar Polanco, Mexico City

Kimpton has opened its newest Mexico City property in the Polanquito neighborhood, inside the historic 1940 Roel Building, designed by Art Nouveau architect Francisco J. Serrano. The 34-room Kimpton El Castelar Polanco features locally sourced furniture, local art, a rooftop pool, complimentary bikes, and Kimpton’s signature nightly Social Hour with complimentary drinks.

Rates start at $464. Redemptions with IHG One Rewards points aren’t available yet.

Hyatt Regency London Olympia

Hyatt opened its fifth Hyatt Regency in London, set in the $1.74 billion Olympia district directly across from Kensington Olympia station. The 204-room Hyatt Regency London Olympia has Art Deco touches, nods to the venue’s circus history, 3 dining venues, and 3 meeting rooms.

Nights start at $310 or 15,000 World of Hyatt points for this Category 5 property.

JW Marriott Mount Kenya Rhino Reserve Safari Camp

Marriott opened the wellness-focused JW Marriott Mount Kenya Rhino Reserve Safari Camp in Kenya’s 45,000-acre Solio Game Reserve, one of Africa’s largest rhino conservation areas. The 19-tented-suite property includes private plunge pools, a spa, guided safaris, and visits to the on-site rhino orphanage.

Nightly rates start at $1,499 per person, all-inclusive, or 226,000 Marriott Bonvoy points for 2 people.

Hilton Chania Old Town Resort & Spa

Hilton‘s flagship brand has returned to Greece with the 85-room Hilton Chania Old Town Resort & Spa on Crete, near Chania’s Old Town and 20 minutes from the airport. Every room includes a private balcony with a heated pool, and the property adds a rooftop infinity pool, an L’Occitane spa, and Greece’s first Fauchon Café Pâtisserie.

Prices start at $227 or 67,000 Hilton Honors points per night.

The Harborvale, Autograph Collection

Burlington, Vermont’s first lakeside luxury hotel, has opened on Lake Champlain with 161 rooms. The Harborvale, Autograph Collection, has a lake-facing bar called The Great Room and more than 3,000 square feet of event space across three venues. Developed by Westport Hospitality, the team behind Hotel Vermont, the dog-friendly property partners with local groups including the Community Sailing Center on guest programming.

Nights start at $174 or 53,000 Marriott Bonvoy points.

Hotel Palacio Bellas Artes, Curio Collection by Hilton

A former cinema built in 1914 in San Sebastián — in northeastern Spain — that was designed by architect Ramón Cortázar has reopened as an 81-room hotel after a full restoration of its dome and façade. The Hotel Palacio Bellas Artes houses Lotu, a restaurant from Mugaritz chef Andoni Luis Aduriz, and leans into its cinema history in the design.

Nightly rates start at $178 or 66,000 Hilton points.

Future Hotel Announcements

Grand Hyatt Victoria Falls The Kingdom (2027)

Hyatt will convert a 1966 property near Victoria Falls into a 245-room Grand Hyatt after an extensive renovation. It will become Zimbabwe’s second Hyatt-branded hotel, located a 5-minute walk from the falls’ rainforest entrance, with 3 dining venues and a spa.

Hilton Thessaloniki (2029)

Hilton has signed its first hotel in Thessaloniki, Greece’s second-largest city, as part of a broader redevelopment of the historic FIX brewery district. The 184-room hotel will span a new building and a restored heritage structure, with 2 restaurants, 2 bars, and a rooftop pool overlooking the city and sea.

Other Industry News

• IHG surpassed 200 open hotels in Canada, with nearly 40 more in the pipeline, including 6 openings planned this year and debuts for its voco and Garner brands.
• IHG has ended email customer support for IHG One Rewards members, directing them instead to phone, fax, or its chatbot.
• Hyatt has added the Grand Hyatt Grand Cayman and Alila Napa Valley to its growing list of hotels excluded from Suite Upgrade Awards — the perk that lets members confirm a suite upgrade in advance, as noticed by Loyalty Lobby.

Final Thoughts

This week’s news showcased distinctive properties, from a converted cinema in Spain to a rhino reserve camp in Kenya, while Hilton and Hyatt kept building out their long-term global pipelines, and Hyatt chipped away at one of its most useful loyalty benefits.