IHG has signed Garner Hotel Jim Corbett with United Hospitality Management (UHM) India, Garner's sixth signing in India. Located in Ramnagar, Uttarakhand, near Jim Corbett National Park, the 50-key hotel will be owned by Victorian Corporation and managed by UHM India, with opening scheduled for Q2 2027. Garner has reached 100 open hotels worldwide since its 2023 launch.
IHG signed a two-hotel portfolio agreement with King Park Hotel Sdn. Bhd, launching its franchise model and midscale conversion brand Garner in Malaysia for the first time. The 202-room Garner Hotel Kota Kinabalu will be rebranded from King Park Hotel Kota Kinabalu, with 106 rooms opening in 2027 and 96 more in a second phase in 2029; the 140-room Holiday Inn Express Tawau will open in 2028 after refurbishment, becoming IHG's first hotel in Tawau.
Hilton announced the signing of 10 Spark by Hilton hotels across England and Wales, adding 672 rooms, under a strategic agreement with UK owner-operator AG Hotels Group. The properties span Cardiff, Coventry, Derby, Doncaster, Hull, Peterborough, Runcorn, Sunderland, Wakefield and Washington, with openings expected between late 2026 and 2028. Most sit near employment centres, transport hubs and logistics corridors. Hilton also signed with SMAR Hotels Ltd for Scotland's first Spark by Hilton in Dunfermline. Globally, Spark now has over 275 open hotels and more than 200 in the pipeline.
Hilton announced accelerated growth in Ireland with the signing of DoubleTree by Hilton Ashbourne, marking the brand's debut in the Republic of Ireland. The 156-room hotel is expected to open in early 2027. Recent milestones include the European debut of Home2 Suites in Dublin and the signing of Cork City Centre, Tapestry Collection. Expansion is expected to create over 150 jobs.