A review of 224,171 guest reviews from 1,819 hotels across 14 FIFA World Cup host cities found that hotel reputation generally improved during the tournament. U.S. hotels saw their Global Review Index rise 0.16 percentage points, while Mexico recorded a 0.45-point increase. Mexico also posted a sharp 9.27-point improvement in food and beverage scores. In the U.S., service, value, rooms, and food and beverage all improved, although guests became more critical of value, Wi-Fi, security, and accessibility in written comments. Read more

Hyatt is expanding its Essentials Portfolio with new and upcoming properties across the East Coast, South, Gulf Coast, West, and Hawaii. The portfolio now exceeds 700 hotels across seven brands, including Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Hyatt Studios, Hyatt Select, Caption by Hyatt, and Unscripted by Hyatt. New properties range from extended-stay hotels in smaller communities to beachfront locations and hotels in major regional business centers. The expansion gives Hyatt greater coverage in markets outside the largest U.S. cities while adding more options for World of Hyatt members. Read more.

Travel + Leisure Co. and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts are expanding their partnership to develop and operate hotels under the Sports Illustrated Resorts brand. The new model will allow developers to build standalone hotels or combine them with vacation ownership and residential components. Sports Illustrated Resorts Nashville is already operating, while projects are underway in Chicago, Baton Rouge, and Tuscaloosa. The partnership gives the sports-focused brand access to Wyndham's distribution, loyalty, marketing, and development infrastructure as it moves further into traditional hospitality. Read more.

Peel Hotels has sold the four-star, 89-bedroom Caledonian Hotel in Newcastle upon Tyne to local property developer Rajeev “Sunny” Saggar. The acquisition marks Saggar's first move into hospitality, with plans to invest £2 million in the property over the coming years. The Phoenix Bar & Restaurant is part of the hotel, and the new owner plans to retain the existing management and staff. The sale is part of Peel Hotels' broader divestment strategy as founder Robert Peel prepares for retirement. Read more

New York is gaining attention in this year's Halloween travel rankings, with the state's historic hotels, ghost tours, and other spooky attractions drawing seasonal interest. Historic Hotels of America has also included several New York properties in its 2026 list of the country's most haunted hotels. The properties use their histories and local legends to create experiences ranging from ghost tours to themed packages and special events. For hotels with distinctive histories, the Halloween season offers another way to turn heritage and storytelling into a reason to visit. Read more

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