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1. New York City mayor bans hidden hotel fees
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has announced a city-wide prohibition on destination fees and resort fees at hotels, The Gothamist reports.
Mamdami said at a press conference that this move is an example of his administration's focus on bringing costs down and ensuring the city is "defined by costs that come down, by businesses that give you what you paid for and by the city government that New Yorkers know is actually fighting for them.”
The rules extend past the city limits, according to the news outlet, targeting "not only hotels in New York City but all hotels that advertise prices to New Yorkers, including businesses located outside the city." Hotels must also disclose credit card fees and deposits.
2. Markets jump after Greenland tensions ease
Stock markets responded positively to the feeling that U.S. President Donald Trump was backing off a hardline stance on taking control of Greenland, CNBC reports.
While previously stating the Denmark-owned territory must be owned by the U.S., Trump seemed to indicate a willingness to accept a deal that allows the U.S. and NATO to cooperate on a missile defense plan involving Greenland.
This, combined with Trump backing off tariff threats, pushed up stock indexes broadly.
"The Dow Jones Industrial Average traded 348 points higher, or 0.7%," the news outlet reports. "The S&P 500 climbed 0.6%, and the Nasdaq Composite advanced 0.9%."
3. Wall Street analysts pin '26 hopes on easier comps
The general sentiment of 2026 being "less bad" than 2025 for hotels in Wall Street's eyes is buoyed by easier year-over-year comparisons, according to analysts who cover publicly traded hotel companies.
"Our outlook is things are less bad; the backdrop should be better," said Michael Bellisario, senior research analyst at Baird Capital. "That makes for a relatively good setup, especially in the first half" of the year.
Truist managing director of lodging and leisure equity research C. Patrick Scholes said part of the relative optimism is based on the hope that there are fewer major disruptions.
"This all is predicated on no further government shutdowns," he said. "Who knows what's going to come from Pennsylvania Avenue. That's the big risk here. But what's on the books now is pretty strong. It's actually really strong, right now."
4. Loews announce new-build hotel in Arlington, Texas
Officials with Loews Hotels & Co have announced plans for a 507-room Americana by Loews Hotels hotel to be built in the Arlington, Texas, entertainment district, replacing an existing Sheraton hotel there.
The property will also include 83,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space.
Construction is expected to start in June.
5. Wyndham adds four casino-resorts with Choctaw Nation partnership
Wyndham will rebrand four Choctaw Casino & Resorts properties with nearly 2,000 rooms in Oklahoma, CoStar News' Bryan Wroten reports.
The largest hotel involved in the deal is the Choctaw Casino & Resort-Durant, which will join the Wyndham Grand brand. Three more properties owned and managed by the Choctaw Nation will join the Trademark Collection by Wyndham.