2026/06/08 – 2026/06/21
Special Briefing
- World Cup Kickoff Fails to Fill U.S. Hotels: The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off on June 11, and hotel booking trends across North America’s 16 host cities diverged sharply by country. According to CoStar data, New York posted the highest U.S. booking rate at just 57% for the June 13 match date, while Mexico City and Guadalajara recorded far higher rates of 61% and 73%, respectively. The American Hotel & Lodging Association reported that 70% of hotels in Dallas and Houston, and 90% in Kansas City, saw booking pace fall below expectations. CoStar characterized the tournament as “more of a rate event than an occupancy event.”
Korea
- South Korea Raises Penalty for Hotel Price Gouging to 30-Point Grade Deduction: South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism revised its hotel grading evaluation standards, raising the point deduction for confirmed overcharging from 10 to 30 points. With only a 100-point gap between five-star and four-star thresholds out of a 1,000-point maximum, a single violation could now be enough to push a hotel down a tier. The revision followed controversy over price gouging by some lodging establishments during BTS’s recent Busan concerts, and also introduced more detailed evaluation criteria for room furniture, amenities, and bedding.
APAC
- AB Capital Acquires Two Hotels in Japan’s Kanagawa Prefecture: Hong Kong-based AB Capital, through AB Capital Fund II, acquired two hotels in Japan’s Kanagawa Prefecture: the 263-key 3S Hotel Atsugi and the 138-key 3S Hotel Hiratsuka. Both properties are connected to Greater Tokyo rail lines and were renovated under the “Shonan Sauna & Stay” wellness concept between 2021 and 2024. The acquisition brings AB Capital’s Japan hotel portfolio to 14 assets; the purchase price was not disclosed.
- Philippine REIT MREIT Acquires 737-Key Manila Hotel: Philippine REIT MREIT, sponsored by Megaworld, entered the hospitality asset class for the first time by acquiring the 737-key Holiday Inn Express Manila Newport World Resorts. The deal forms part of a larger package acquisition of 12 assets from Megaworld, Travellers International Hotel Group, and Southwoods Mall, among others, as MREIT diversifies its portfolio.
Americas
- Braemar to Sell Three Luxury Hotels: Braemar Hotels & Resorts agreed to sell three luxury hotels — the Ritz-Carlton Sarasota, Hotel Yountville, and Bardessono Hotel and Spa — for a combined $437.5 million. The sale comes as Braemar ends its advisory relationship with Ashford and transitions to a self-managed REIT, with the buyers comprising multiple entities including BRDO Property, YNTV Property, and 1776 Sarasota Associates.
- BDT & MSD Partners Acquires Former Washington, D.C. Post Office Building: The U.S. General Services Administration sold the former Main Post Office Building in Washington, D.C. to BDT & MSD Partners for $80 million. The 263-key property currently operates as the Waldorf Astoria Washington DC, and the deal converted a leasehold the buyers had held since a 2024 foreclosure into full fee-simple ownership. Hilton will continue operating the property under the Waldorf Astoria brand following the sale.
Europe
- ADIA Acquires citizenM Roma Isola Tiberina: The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, through French asset manager Petra AM, acquired the 162-key citizenM Roma Isola Tiberina in Rome’s Trastevere district for approximately €70–80 million. Another Star, which originally developed and later sold the citizenM brand, will continue operating the hotel under a franchise agreement. The deal extends a broader trend of Middle Eastern sovereign wealth fund investment in European urban hotels.
- Extendam and Redcliffe Capital Acquire Santorini’s Radisson Blu Zaffron Resort: French private equity firm Extendam and London-based Redcliffe Capital acquired the 103-key, five-star Radisson Blu Zaffron Resort on Santorini’s Kamari beach from Greek conglomerate Fais Group for €28.3 million. The resort sits in one of Santorini’s signature beachfront villages, and the buyers plan to pursue repositioning to enhance the asset’s value.
