IHG Hotels & Resorts announced the introduction of its premium collection brand Noted Collection to Japan with two hotels in Tokyo. The Shinjuku property is a 207-key conversion with SC Capital Partners, opening in 2027; the Ginza property is an 81-key new-build with An Consulting, opening in 2029 and bringing IHG to Ginza for the first time. Noted Collection launched this year as IHG's 21st brand.
The 2026 China Hotel Group and Brand Development Report was jointly released by the China Hotel Association, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Shanghai Yingdie Enterprise Management Consulting and Trip.com Group. As of 31 December 2025, China had 106,300 chain hotels with about 7.8318 million rooms, up 10.74% year on year, while the top 10 groups held a 59.38% room market share. Upscale brands led growth with a 14.96% room increase. The report also reviews the China brand portfolios of IHG, Marriott and Hilton, and notes dense capital-market and strategic consolidation activity among leading groups in 2025.
The five-star Hard Rock Hotel Malta officially opened this month with Hard Rock's signature guitar-smashing ceremony at St. George's Bay, marking the brand's first entry into Malta. About 20 minutes' drive from UNESCO World Heritage site Valletta, the hotel has 397 rooms, 11 pools, more than 10 dining and bar venues, nearly 4,000 square metres of Rock Spa and Body Rock fitness space, and a 466-square-metre ballroom. The project brought EUR 350 million in direct investment to Malta's tourism sector and created hundreds of jobs.
Meadin Research released its August 2026 Global Hotel Brand Communication Report for Greater China. The TOP10 index averaged 500.29, TOP100 266.153, and TOP200 214.312. IHG occupied four of the top five spots, with Holiday Inn posting 12.65% month-on-month index growth, the highest among top ten brands. Market trends show extended-stay demand surging: Fliggy's domestic hotel room nights grew 66% year-on-year, while Ctrip's share of guests staying 2+ nights rose from 38% to 64%. Upscale hotel orders in county towns reached 23% share, and booking demand near universities grew significantly in late August.
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts on Monday launched Dolce Nova, a boutique upper-upscale extension of its meetings and events-focused Dolce Hotels & Resorts brand. It is the first brand concept to originate from Wyndham's EMEA team; the company has acquired 20 of its 25 brands. Dolce Hotels & Resorts, acquired in 2015, has a typical footprint of 200 to 400 rooms and is primarily known for conferences and corporate events. Dolce Nova targets a new consumer base.
Westin, a premium brand under Marriott, operates 30+ hotels in nearly 30 Chinese cities, focusing on wellness lifestyle. It ranks 10th in Meadin MBI international high-end list and 17th in global brand value 50. New hotels opened in Changsha and Yichang in 2025, with Xiamen Nanyang Westin expected in 2026.