Hotel and Resort News and Notes for August 2025

While most big hotel news is covered by TMR and hosted on its Hotels and Resorts page, some smaller news bits deserve attention. Below you can find rolling hotel news bites from the last four weeks that travel advisors, industry professionals, and frequent travelers should know about.    

Arlo Williamsburg Appoints New General Manager 
Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino Hires New Hotel Manager 
B Ocean Resort Names New Director of Sales and Marketing 
Curator Adds Six Properties to Collection 
Four Seasons Resorts Lanai Appoints West Coast Leisure Sales Manager 
Grenada’s Spice Island Beach Resort Appoints New General Manager 
Hilton’s Tapestry Collection Debuts in Northern Ireland 
New General Manager at The Langham, Custom House, Bangkok 
New Restaurant, Leola, Opens at Baha Mar
Six Senses La Sagesse in Grenada Introduces Digital Detox Program 
The LINE DC Appoints New Director of Sales 
Wyndham Grand Barbados Appoints New Director of Sales and Marketing 

Mark O’Brien has been appointed as the new general manager of Arlo Williamsburg. He brings more than two decades of experience to the Brooklyn boutique hotel, having previously served in roles at The Maritime Hotel, Shinola Hotel in Detroit, and Ace Hotels in New York. 

Raymond Habibe has been appointed as the new hotel manager of Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino. Habibe was an inaugural member of the resort team when it first opened 30 years ago. He took on several roles at Marriott over the years and returned to the Aruba resort in 2015 as complex director of finance. 

B Ocean Resort, an oceanfront hotel in Fort Lauderdale, has rehired Michael Dutton as its director of sales and marketing. Dutton previously held the role from 2016 to 2018. He also has experience as area director of sales and marketing at two luxury hotels in the Benchmark Resorts & Hotels portfolio: Hotel Theodore and Hotel Max in Seattle, Washington. 

Curator Hotel & Resort Collection has added six independent properties to its growing portfolio. The new members are 11 North (Jacksonville Beach, Florida), Bellanca Hotel (Avalon, California), Heat Hotel (Lake Havasu City, Arizona), Tower23 Hotel (San Diego, California), Padre Hotel (Bakersfield, California), and Rambler Motel (Chula Vista, California). 

Brittany Thompson is the new west coast leisure sales manager at Four Seasons Resort Lanai in Lanai City, Hawaii. In her new role, Thompson is the key contact for travel agency partners in California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Hawaii. 

Spice Island Beach Resort in Grenada has appointed Sheldon Keens-Douglas as its new resort manager. Since January 2024, Keens-Douglas has been the resort’s commercial director. He brings 20 years of luxury hotel management, tourism marketing, and brand communications experience to the new role.

The Marcus Portrush, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, opened in early July, becoming the first Tapestry Collection-branded hotel in Northern Ireland. The property occupies a restored, landmark Victorian building, featuring 80 rooms and rich storytelling throughout its design and food and beverage concepts. 

Nick Downing has been named the general manager of The Langham, Custom House, Bangkok, a new riverside boutique hotel that is set to open in late 2026. Downing brings three decades of luxury hospitality experience across Southeast Asia, Australia and the Indian Ocean. He’s previously held leadership roles at Minor Hotel Group, W Retreat Koh Samui, and Per Aquum Hotels & Resorts. 

Leola, a new Italian restaurant concept, will debut at Grand Hyatt Baha Mar this fall. Under the director of acclaimed chef and restauranteur, Scott Conant, the venue will serve classic Italian cuisine with a contemporary flair in a family-friendly setting. 

Six Senses La Sagesse in Grenada has just introduced its new Digital Detox Program to help guests unplug, relax, and gain mental clarity by reconnecting with themselves and each other. Travelers can choose from four different options: Unplugged Meals, Unplugged Moments (excursions), Unplugged Rooms, and Unplugged Experiences (wellness offerings).  

The LINE DC Hotel has appointed Heidi Calhoun as its director of sales. She brings more than 20 years of hotel experience to the role, as well as knowledge of the LINE brand. Most recently she was director of sales and marketing at Timbri Hotel. 

Petra Roach has been named the director of sales and marketing at Wyndham Grand Barbados, Sam Lord’s Castle All-Inclusive Resort. The new role marks a transition in her career from the public to the private sector; she has an extensive background in tourism leadership and destination marketing.