A truly accessible hotel in Texas, Hilton’s 'Lion King' Suite on Broadway and other hotel news you might have missed

30.08.2024 - 20:12 / thepointsguy.com

Don't ask me how, but August is leaving and September is knocking — and while there are technically still a few weeks of summer left, I'm already dreading its end. This summer has been a good one for me, full of travel, friends and family. This month has been full of hotel news, too, including a few exciting things you might have missed.

Late in August, Hyatt announced its plans to buy the hip Standard International hotel brand for a cool $335 million. Marriott also made waves with the announcement the company will be rolling out a partnership with Sonder, a short-term rental company that offers apartment-style stays in major cities.

We also saw the opening of two different hotels on our list of the most exciting hotel openings of 2024: the St. Regis Longboat Key Resort in Florida and the Graduate Princeton in New Jersey.

Folks heading to Australia — the state of South Australia, specifically — can finally cash in Marriott Bonvoy points for a hotel stay, as the first Marriott in the state has opened in Adelaide. Set in the 150-year-old Adelaide General Post Office building (along with a shiny new tower), the hotel has 285 rooms, including 12 suites, plus a restaurant and bar and even an indoor swimming pool. The hotel marks the 600th Marriott International property in Asia-Pacific (excluding China), with another 400 in the pipeline.

"The Lion King" has long been one of the most loved shows on Broadway. Now, fans of the musical can spend the night in an immersive suite decked out from top to bottom in a "Lion King"-themed design and memorabilia from the show, like fabrics used on stage and drawings of various costumes.

Designed by Devin Sparkles Design, "The Lion King's" Royal Suite is part of a larger package that also includes two drinks (either a Hakuna Manhattan or a Serengeti Sunrise mocktail), a wake-up call from Rafiki (played by Tshidi Manye), Simba-themed s'mores, gifts inspired by the show, breakfast at the hotel and access to special rates for premium seating at "The Lion King" on Broadway.

Rates for the suite start from $500 per night and can be booked online by emailing [email protected] or by calling (212) 913-9488.

Good news for IHG loyalists who love the thrills and entertainment of Orlando! The city is getting an InterContinental hotel. Set to open in 2028, the InterContinental Orlando will have 700 rooms, five restaurants and bars, a 15,000-square-foot wellness area and a Club InterContinental Lounge, all found on International Drive and near the major theme parks.

Orlando has a lot to look forward to over the next few years, starting with the opening of the new Epic Universe theme park and the Universal Helios Grand Hotel, which will have a dedicated entrance into the park.