InterContinental Taipei Opens, Accor Enters Finland, Marriott Tests Upgrade Lists, and More Hotel News

Updated: October 17, 2026, 1:00pm CDT

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Table of Contents

Hotel Openings
Upcoming Hotels
Hotel Industry News
Final Thoughts

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This week, an IHG flagship property debuted in Taiwan, a troubled St. Louis hotel returned to Hyatt, and Accor arrived in Finland. Plus, Marriott’s testing a feature that shows elites their upgrade chances, and Expedia faces a new antitrust lawsuit.

Here’s what you may have missed in hotel news this week.

Hotel Openings

InterContinental Taipei

IHG opened the 347-room InterContinental Taipei, becoming the brand’s flagship property. It’s in the Taipei Dome complex in Xinyi District.

The hotel has 7 dining options, an indoor pool, a fitness center, and the Club InterContinental lounge. Some rooms face the Taipei 101 tower, and residential-style suites are available with a full kitchen and in-suite laundry.

Prices start at $360 or 66,000 IHG One Rewards points.

Hyatt Centric Downtown St. Louis

The former Last Hotel reopened on October 15 as Hyatt Centric Downtown St. Louis after a $4 million renovation. New owners purchased the shuttered 142-room property for $14 million back in March.

This isn’t the property’s first time with Hyatt. It joined The Unbound Collection in June 2020, then left in May 2021. The hotel closed abruptly in March 2025 while in receivership.

Nights start at $135 or 8,000 World of Hyatt points.

Upcoming Hotels

Mereshi Safari Camp Serengeti, Autograph Collection, Tanzania (November 2026)

Marriott’s next African safari property will open next month. The Mereshi Safari Camp Serengeti, Autograph Collection, is near the Fort Ikoma gate of Serengeti National Park. This all-inclusive camp has 18 elevated tented suites, each offering a king bed, a separate living room, and an outdoor fireplace. Guests enjoy 2 shared game drives and guided walking safaris twice per day, plus a pool, fitness center, and spa.

Mereshi Safari Camp Serengeti, Autograph Collection lounge — The camp’s lounge. Image Credit: Marriott

Rates in 2027 start at $1,325 per night. Points bookings aren’t available yet, but an opening promotion offers 25,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points.

Millennium Hotels and Resorts is taking reservations for the 263-room M Social Hotel Sunnyvale, becoming the brand’s first West Coast property. It should open in mid-December. Guests will find self-service check-in kiosks and robotic service assistants here, as well as a rooftop beehive.

Nightly rates start at $239, and stays earn MyMillennium points.

ibis Styles Helsinki Helka, Finland (Late 2027)

Accor has signed its first hotel in Finland. The 157-room Hotel Helka in Helsinki has welcomed guests since 1928, and it’s becoming the ibis Styles Helsinki Helka. The YWCA of Finland still owns the building, and its hotel division will continue running the property. Guests will be able to earn and redeem ALL – Accor Live Limitless points here.

Crowne Plaza New Cairo, Egypt (2031)

IHG signed a 250-key Crowne Plaza in New Cairo’s Sixth Settlement, planned for an opening in the first quarter of 2031. Hotel plans include 4 dining options, 6 meeting and event spaces, a pool, and a spa. IHG already operates 10 hotels in Egypt and has 28 more in the pipeline.

Hotel Industry News

Marriott Tests Showing Elites Their Upgrade Position

Reports online this week showed that Marriott is testing a feature to show how many complimentary upgrades are available for a stay, along with the elite member’s position on the upgrade list. Under this system, members should be notified 1 day before arrival if an upgrade is confirmed. Using Marriott Nightly Upgrade Awards takes priority and isn’t reflected in the numbers.

Expedia Hit With Antitrust Lawsuit

Andrews v. Expedia Group was filed in Seattle, alleging that Expedia’s rate parity rules inflate hotel prices across booking channels, including hotels’ own websites. The complaint says Expedia handles 78% of U.S. hotel booking dollars through online travel agencies (OTAs), and claims prices are inflated by 15% to 30%.

Vignette Collection Grows in Greater China

IHG‘s luxury-focused Vignette Collection has added hotels in Beidaihe, Chengdu, Chongqing, Qiandao Lake, Sanya, and Shanghai, as well as The Hari Hong Kong.

Final Thoughts

A busy week was led by the debut of the InterContinental Taipei and Accor’s long-awaited move into Finland. Elsewhere, Marriott is adding another safari camp to its growing list while also toying with the idea of showing elite members their realistic chances of getting a complimentary room upgrade.