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1. KKR finances private equity firm's EasyHotels buy
Global investment firm KKR reports that its funds provided approximately €300 million ($349.6 million) in whole loan financing to EPISO 6, a fund managed by Tristan Capital Partners, to support its acquisition of hotel operator EasyHotel.
Private equity real estate firm Tristan Capital Partners bought EasyHotel in June 2025 in a deal valued at more than €400 million.
“The easyHotel portfolio combines broad geographic diversification with a proven model in one of the most resilient segments of the hospitality industry,” said Ali Imraan, head of European real estate credit at KKR.
2. 103-year-old San Francisco hotel to reopen
The Huntington Hotel located at the top of Nob Hill in San Francisco is set to reopen in 2026 after being closed for a few years, SF Gate reports. The local landmark originally opened in 1922 as a residential building before converting to a hotel two years later.
The hotel became known as a hotspot for celebrities visiting the city, including actress Lauren Bacall, writer Truman Capote and Princess Margaret.
The hotel closed in 2020 after former owner Woodridge Capital defaulted on its $56.2 million mortgage. Flynn Properties and Highgate bought the hotel in March 2023 and started renovating it in 2024.
3. Hotel brands seeking growth sought out partnerships
Multiple hotel brand companies have turned to partnering with other hospitality companies as a way to increase their rooms growth numbers, reports CoStar News Hotels' Sean McCracken. Analysts speculated this drive for growth is what led to Marriott International striking a license agreement with the now failed Sonder Holdings despite the company's red flags.
Among the notable partnerships in the industry are Hilton's pairing up with Small Luxury Hotels of the World, which added 500 properties to Hilton's loyalty platform in September. Marriott has had a successful relationship with MGM Resorts International, bolstering the brand's presence in Las Vegas and giving MGM Resorts access to Marriott's Bonvoy loyalty members. In 2024, Hyatt Hotels Corp. partnered with Under Canvas to grow its footprint in the outdoors.
4. Federal government waives Southwest Airlines' remaining fine
The Trump administration will not require Southwest Airlines to make its final $11 million payment related to the 2022 incident that left more than 2 million passengers stranded around the holidays, CNN reports. The federal government levied a $140 million fine against the airline in 2023.
The airline's internal systems experienced "10-day schedule meltdown" that resulted in 17,000 canceled flights in the days before and after New Year's.
The U.S. Department of Transportation cited Southwest's internal investment and improvements as the reasoning behind waiving the remainder of the fine.
5. Winter storms in US disrupt weekend travel
Winter storms over the weekend upset flight plans across the U.S., NBC News reports. Snowy weather stretched from the Rockies to the northern Plains to the Great Lakes region and into the Northeast.
Flight tracker FlightAware reported more than 7,060 flights experienced delays as of Sunday afternoon. There were 591 cancelations.