Luke Martin

Luke Martin is Skift’s UK-based Jr. Hospitality Reporter, covering the dynamic world of hotels. Prior to joining Skift, Luke worked at GlobalData, where he covered a wide range of industries including hospitality, automotive, retail, and packaging.

Hotels

Mandarin Oriental to Go Private in Deal Valued at $4.2 Billion

Mandarin Oriental is being taken private by its majority shareholder as part of a broader reset. The company is cutting real estate, revamping its brand, and aiming to scale more quickly.

Luke Martin | 8 months ago

Hotels

Premier Inn Hit by Flat UK Demand, Cuts Outlook for Germany

Whitbread’s push for efficiency is easing the hit from weaker demand, but not enough to stop profits from slipping.

Luke Martin | 8 months ago

Hotels

Meliá to Manage Lionel Messi’s Boutique Hotels

For football icon Lionel Messi, the partnership allows his hotel brand to scale without the burden of direct management. For Meliá, there's a potential to turn athlete branding into long-term global growth.

Luke Martin | 8 months ago

Hotels

Numa Launches Premium Hotel Brand for Europe’s Cities

Numa specializes in a stripped-down model of apartment-style hotels. That may work in the mid-market. But as it moves upscale with its new brand, Native by Numa, can it appeal to premium guests who may expect more?

Luke Martin | 8 months ago

Hotels

Wyndham’s Global Playbook: Core Markets Plus Bets on ‘The Next Big Thing’

Wyndham's got a side hustle in what you might call frontier markets. While rivals crowd familiar ground, it's planting flags in the Caucasus and Central Asia, and chasing gaps in branded residential.

Luke Martin | 8 months ago

Hotels

Marriott CFO Explains Why Conversions Now Fuel European Growth

Marriott is pivoting hard to hotel conversions across Europe as tight credit squeezes new-build economics. It has been adding conversion-friendly brands and relaxing standards for operators to be more locally relevant.

Luke Martin | 8 months ago

Hotels

Marriott Launches Outdoor Platform and Soft Brand to Target Adventure Travelers

Marriott isn’t just adding cabins and glamping. The hotel giant believes that turning a patchwork of non-hotel offerings into a structured platform and brand will deepen guest loyalty.

Luke Martin | 8 months ago

Hotels

Ruby Hotels’ U.S. Launch Will Test IHG’s Lifestyle Strategy

IHG's newsest brand, Ruby, has a track record in Europe, but in the U.S., it’s starting from scratch.

Luke Martin | 9 months ago

Hotels

Luxury Travel Innovators Neil Jacobs and Alexandra Walterspiel – Full Video

Luxury innovators Neil Jacobs (the former Six Senses CEO) and Alexandra Walterspiel (CEO of Sensei) slammed cookie-cutter hotels and resorts. They championed instead one-to-one service that reflects traveler values over egos.

Luke Martin | 9 months ago

Hotels

IHG CEO Elie Maalouf at Skift Global Forum – Full Video

IHG CEO Elie Maalouf discussed his growth strategy, focusing on Asia and Middle East expansion, luxury travel trends, and other key efforts.

Luke Martin | 9 months ago