Accor’s ultra-luxury Orient Express hotel brand is adding Rome to its modest stable of properties. Following a complete renovation, Orient Express Rome will take the site of the Grand Hotel de la Minerve, just footsteps away from the Pantheon. The Orient Express Rome is one of five hotels “under negotiation” for the brand, with other 5-star projects earmarked for London, Paris, Milan and Florence. Accor has visions for the Orient Express brand, which it bought into in 2017, to reach ten properties by 2030.

Accor is expanding its presence in the Philippines with the signing of Sofitel Cebu City, a 195-room luxury hotel that will debut in 2025.

Accor and Katara Hospitality haven’t wasted any time exploring additional opportunities after revealing a strategic partnership to evolve the Delano brand earlier this month. Maison Delano Paris is slated to open in an 18th century mansion at 4 Rue d’Anjou next year. It was the latest venture between the long-time allies, until now.This week the duo revealed a new agreement to develop a dual-hotel project in Qatar under Accor’s high-end Raffles and Fairmont brands.

Accor has unveiled plans to evolve the Delano brand through a partnership with Katara Hospitality.

Accor will introduce the bespoke Raffles Hotels & Resorts brand to Russia in around two years time.

Accor has bought out the remaining 50% stake in sbe from original founder Sam Nazarian. The French hospitality juggernaut acquired half of sbe and its brands (including Mondrian, Delano, SLS and Hyde hotels, as well as restaurants and nightlife brands Cleo, Fili’a or Carna by Dario Cecchini) in 2018.

Qantas and Accor have forged deeper bonds that will see mutual members of their loyalty programs be rewarded at every stage of their travel journey. Scheduled to launch mid-2021, it will be the first partnership of its kind between an airline and hospitality group in the Asia-Pacific region.

Accor has been selected as the hospitality group to operate a new designer hotel in Moscow under the SO/ Hotels & Resorts luxury lifestyle brand; SO/ Moscow.

Victoria’s Murray River region has welcomed the new 4.5 star hotel and apartment accommodation, The Sebel Yarrawonga.

Accor and sbe have announced that the Gold Coast will be the Australian launch pad their Mondrian hotel brand. The newbuild dual tower property, Mondrian Gold Coast, will consist of a hotel and branded residences, positioned on Queensland’s Burleigh Heads beachfront.

There are other significant city-centre post offices that have been turned into hotels – Perth’s COMO The Treasury, for instance, and even Washington DC’s Trump. But Sofitel Bayerpost in Munich, Germany, uniquely offers an alpine chalet experience into the bargain.