The World’s Southernmost Property Opens in Chile, IHG’s European Growth, and Other Hotel News

This week saw the arrival of the southernmost hotel in the world, though there’s a major catch. Also, IHG achieved a milestone in Europe, and Hilton’s eyeing a big expansion in the Nordics.

Here’s everything you need to know from this week in the hotel industry.

Hotel Openings

The Cormorant at 55 South

Silversea, a luxury cruise line owned by Royal Caribbean, has opened what it says is the world’s southernmost hotel in Puerto Williams, Chile. The catch is that not just anyone can book a room at The Cormorant at 55 South. The only way you can stay at this new property is if you book an Antarctica Fly Cruise itinerary.

With these journeys, Silversea flies the passengers from Santiago (SCL), Chile, to Puerto Williams, where they’ll spend a night before flying the next day to Antarctica. There, they’ll sail around the continent and make stops at places such as King George Island and the South Shetland Islands, in addition to South Georgia and the Falkland Islands on some itineraries.

The opening of The Cormorant is a move designed to allow cruisers to see the top sights in and around Antarctica while reducing the time spent sailing through the Drake Passage, which is notoriously rough.

IHG Passes 1,000 European Properties With Key Openings

This week, IHG Hotels & Resorts announced that it has more than 1,000 open hotels across Europe, fueled by a burst of growth that brought 210 openings in just 3 years.

Recently, the chain has opened a trio of notable European properties, including The Hari London, Vignette Collection, which recently joined the IHG One Rewards program; Ruby Lilou Hotel Marseille, the brand’s debut in France; and Crowne Plaza Vienna, which shows off the brand’s next evolution in the Austrian capital’s trendy Margareten neighborhood.

Upcoming Hotels

Hilton Hotels & Resorts Scanport (Copenhagen)

Hilton will open a 284-room flagship property near Copenhagen Airport (CPH) in 2029. This new property is part of a much larger deal between Hilton and Scandic Hotels Group, the largest hotel chain in the Nordics, to expand its presence in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden in the coming years.

The 2 chains are also planning a loyalty partnership with reciprocal benefits for Hilton Honors and Scandic Friends members, though details have not been shared yet.

Other Industry News

Kimpton Launches a Food-and-Beverage Focused Platform

Kimpton, an IHG brand, has introduced The Curious Palate by Kimpton, a new program available at Kimpton properties worldwide, which celebrates the brand’s historic connection to cuisine. Participating guests can expect food-centric experiences that extend beyond restaurants and bars, including curated social events, experiential dinners, and nightcaps designed by hotel bartenders.

Events are ongoing or will start soon at a number of properties worldwide, including Kimpton Fitzroy London, Kimpton Mirador Pacific Grove, Kimpton Surfcomber Miami, and more.

Accor Decreases Minimum Number of Points Required for Award Stays in France

ALL – Accor Live Limitless has made a small change to how it treats award stays. Previously, members had to have at least 2,000 points in their account to make an award booking at French properties, 1,000 for other locations worldwide, and just 500 for Greater China hotels.

Now, it’s brought France in line with the majority of the rest of the world, requiring members to have just 1,000 points in their accounts to unlock redemptions. The 500-point threshold remains in place for Greater China, which Accor says includes Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Mongolia, and Taiwan.

This is a small but positive change for members, who can redeem points for discounts on the room rate. Redeeming 1,000 points nets a €20 discount — helpful for members with small balances who still want to use their points for stays.

Final Thoughts

There’s never a dull moment in the world of hotels. This week brought plenty to get excited about, even if we can’t book a stay at the southernmost property on the planet without booking a specific Antarctic trip.

As always, we’ll be back next week with more.