Whitbread blinked. Facing an activist investor and a widening gap between its market value and its property assets, Premier Inn's owner has opted for a sweeping reset.
The data is clear: food-led hotels only outperform when they're not competing with a vibrant local dining scene. Minor Hotels and a wave of other hotel groups will have to place their new culinary-themed brands carefully.
F&B is a major revenue driver for hotels. But it is likely that the boom from banqueting is overshadowing how room guests are no longer willing to pay through their nose when options are just a click away.
Death & Co., the cocktail establishment that helped ignite America's craft-cocktail renaissance, is rolling out a hotel brand. The goal is to make the bar the heart of the hotel, not just an afterthought.
Asia’s food culture, from hawker stalls to omakase counters, has always been vibrant. But it’s now also setting the pace for how food tourism might look globally in the years ahead.