Travel Market Insights
KE Hotels buys The Queen Hotel Cheltenham
UK: Hospitality group KE Hotels has acquired The Queen Hotel Cheltenham from Sutton Hotel Collection, marking its fifth owned property in the UK.
The 84-bedroom hotel is housed in a Grade II-listed building in the centre of Cheltenham. Built in the 1800s, it sits on a 1.13-acre site overlooking Imperial Square.
Josh Watts, chief operating officer at KE Hotels said: “We’re delighted to welcome The Queens Hotel Cheltenham into the KE Hotels portfolio. To own a hotel of such historic standing in the centre of one of the UK’s most iconic spa towns is a real privilege. We’re excited to work alongside a fantastic onsite team to build on the hotel’s heritage and deliver an exceptional guest experience.”
Anil Khanna, managing director of KE Hotels said: “This is an exciting time for KE Hotels as we continue to build momentum in our growth strategy. The addition of The Queens Hotel Cheltenham not only strengthens our owned portfolio but also reflects our long-term vision of acquiring and managing distinctive properties in strategic UK destinations. We’re incredibly proud of the progress we’ve made and the team that’s driving it forward.”
Savills acted on behalf of Sutton Hotel Collection in the deal. James Greenslade, director at Savills hotels capital markets, said: “The Queens Hotel offers significant value-add potential, including lapsed planning consent for a four-storey extension with function rooms and 17 additional bedrooms.
“The sale of this property mirrors the uptick in single asset transactions we are seeing in the market, with single asset transactions totalling £1.35 billion in H1 2025, marking an 8.4 per cent year-on-year increase and 1.7 per cent above the 10-year H1 average of £1.33 billion. We wish KE Hotels every success with their new venture.”
In addition to the Queen Hotel Cheltenham, KE Hotels owns the Hotel Indigo Newcastle, Lindon Lodge Oxford, Moxy Manchester and a collection of eight hotels in California.
It also manages Hampton by Hilton hotels in Birmingham, Newcastle and Sheffield.
Highlights:
• KE Hotels has acquired The Queen Hotel Cheltenham from Sutton Hotel Collection, marking its fifth UK property.
• The 84-bedroom hotel is located in a Grade II-listed building in Cheltenham’s town centre.
• Built in the 1800s, the property overlooks Imperial Square on a 1.13-acre site.
Key Points
- Delta Air Lines clarified it does not use AI to set individualized airfares based on personal data, following criticism from lawmakers.
- The airline uses AI, via a partnership with Fetcherr, to assist in dynamic pricing for a growing portion of its domestic flights, but claims all fares are determined by market dynamics and are publicly available.
- Lawmakers and officials have expressed concerns about potential predatory or ‘surveillance’ pricing, prompting Delta to stress its commitment to fair, competitive pricing and data privacy.
Summary
Delta Air Lines has publicly stated that it does not use AI to set individualized prices based on personal customer data, responding to recent criticism and inquiries from U.S. lawmakers. The airline acknowledged using AI technology, through a partnership with Fetcherr, to assist analysts in setting fares for a portion of its domestic flights, with plans to expand this use. However, Delta emphasized that fares are determined by market competition, not personal data, and all prices are transparently published, aiming to dispel concerns about privacy and potential predatory pricing.
Some of the world’s largest hotel companies saw their earnings dented by currency swings in the first half of 2025, as euro and baht-reporting groups absorbed losses while U.S.-based chains appeared largely insulated from the volatility.
Accor, Meliá Hotels, and Minor International all reported currency-related losses that offset solid operational performance. Meanwhile, U.S.-based Hilton and Wyndham, which report in dollars, did not mention foreign exchange impacts in their earnings calls and appeared shielded from the same pressures.
The U.S. dollar index dropped 10.8% in the first half of 2025 following the Trump administration’s April tariffs and public clashes with the Federal Reserve. The resulting investor pullback caused the dollar to weaken sharply against the euro, baht, and other currencies.
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