Check - In October 2025
Written By
Of Counsel
UK
I am a member of the Real Estate Group at Bird & Bird. I have many years' experience in real estate transactions and I also lead Bird & Bird's international Hotels, Hospitality and Leisure team, specialising in the acquisition, development and disposal of all types of hotels, from budget to luxury and in the negotiation of hotel management agreements.
Helping you stay up to date with the latest news, trends and hot topics in the international Hotels, Hospitality & Leisure sector.
We are delighted to share the October 2025 edition of Check-In, Bird & Bird's newsletter for hotel, hospitality & leisure businesses.
This edition brings the latest in our regular features HMA Bites (which explores the role of side letters in hotel management agreements) and Employment Corner (with commentary on AI implementation, whistleblowing detriment and the evolving HR landscape). We also spotlight regulatory developments in Spain’s tourist rental market, new media licensing rules in the UAE and VAT rulings in Germany – as well as the “disappearing wardrobe” trend in hotel design!
We are especially pleased to welcome several new members to our international Hotels, Hospitality & Leisure team. Partner Simon Price joins us in London, bringing deep expertise in corporate real estate and hospitality transactions, while Partner Andrew MacGeoch, along with Counsel Leanne Sim and Senior Associate Sharonrose Tan strengthen our offering in Singapore and across APAC.
On 26 November we are co-hosting our next webinar with HVS, AlixPartners and EP Business in Hospitality on the topic of ‘Hotel Branded Residences – Hype or the New Normal?’. We have an excellent line-up of speakers and panellists and hope you can join us. Details and registration link are included below.
Please get in touch if you would like to discuss any of the matters covered by these articles, or visit our webpage for more information about Bird & Bird's Hotels, Hospitality & Leisure team.
HMA Bites
HMA Bites: Side Letter
Welcome to HMA Bites - our regular column in Check-In where we take a look at an issue relating to hotel management agreements ("HMAs") and provide insight, tips and advice based on our experience in practice.
In this edition, we shine a light on one of the more discreet aspects of HMA negotiations: the use of side letters. From special termination rights to priority returns and “virtual” FF&E reserves, we take a look at the types of concessions that might be tucked away in a side letter, and the circumstances in which they tend to surface.
Author: Simon Price
Industry Trends
The Disappearing Wardrobe
Author: Patrick Jones
Employment Corner
In each edition of Check-In we explore the latest developments in Employment law and their importance to the Hotel, Hospitality & Leisure sector. In this edition, we will look at:
- Horizon Scanning: Are you prepared for the evolving HR landscape?
- Feature articles:
- All you need to know about AI implementation in Europe
- Luke, I am your whistleblower: An analysis of pop-culture references and whistleblowing detriment
- UK case updates
- Update on the Employment Rights Bill and Autumn 2025 consultations
- International update: EU Pay Transparency Directive
Authors: Alison Dixon & Olivia Baxendale
Regulatory
Spain: New regulations in the tourist rental market and potential impact on the hotel sector
Spain is rolling out stricter regulations on tourist rentals, particularly in city centres and historic districts. From national licensing requirements to regional caps and local zoning plans, these changes are reshaping how and where short-term rentals can operate. With platforms like Airbnb already removing thousands of listings, hotels may find themselves facing less competition and new opportunities in key urban markets.
Author: Laura Sánchez
Advertising & Marketing
UAE Media Law: What hotel marketers need to know when engaging influencers to produce social media content
Hotels promoting their brand in the UAE through influencer campaigns or social media content should be aware of new media licensing rules that came into effect in May 2025. Under Cabinet Resolution No. 42, anyone producing promotional content, including influencers and marketing agencies, must now hold the appropriate media licence, regardless of whether the content is paid or organic. With financial penalties for non-compliance and growing scrutiny of digital advertising, hotels are being urged to review their contracts and compliance processes. These changes could have a significant impact on how hospitality brands engage with audiences online.
Authors: Alex Agababian, Eddie Chiu & Saarah Badr
VAT
VAT: More expensive than solo? Why the German Federal Fiscal Court is scrutinising the VAT rules on economy menus in F&B services
Two recent rulings from the German Federal Fiscal Court are prompting renewed attention to how VAT is calculated on bundled food and beverage offerings. The court rejected alternative pricing methods used by fast-food operators, reinforcing the need for clear, economically sound allocation standards. With tax auditors likely to revisit menu pricing practices, businesses in the F&B sector, from system caterers to snack bars, should take note. This article breaks down what the rulings mean in practice and why documentation is now more important than ever.
Authors: Thomas Schmidt & Michael Brüggemann
News & Events
We welcome Simon Price to our Hotels, Hospitality & Leisure team in London
We are pleased to welcome Simon Price as a Real Estate Partner in our London office, joining our Hotels, Hospitality & Leisure team.
Simon brings extensive experience in corporate real estate, with a particular focus on the hospitality sector. His practice includes advising on investment platforms, joint ventures, acquisitions and disposals, development projects and high-profile lettings. He has worked with investors, developers and funders on global hotel and branded residence transactions, as well as operator and franchise agreements.
Simon joins us from Mayer Brown, where he was Global Head of Hospitality. His arrival strengthens our real estate and hospitality capabilities in London and internationally.
Simon says: “I’m delighted to join a firm with such a strong sector focus on hospitality and to benefit from Bird & Bird’s international platform and brand.”
Strengthening our Hotels, Hospitality & Leisure Presence in Singapore
We are delighted to welcome Andrew MacGeoch as a partner in our Singapore office, alongside Counsel Leanne Sim and Senior Associate Sharonrose Tan. Andrew joins as APAC co-head of Hotels, Hospitality & Leisure, bringing over 30 years of experience advising developers, owners, institutional investors, governments and statutory corporations across Asia.
Andrew’s practice spans infrastructure and mixed-use developments, with a particular focus on hospitality projects and integrated resorts. He has acted on transactions involving more than 50 hotel and lodging brands, and regularly advises on joint ventures, project concession and development agreements, facilities management, leases and related contracts.
Leanne and Sharonrose bring complementary expertise in real estate and hospitality, further strengthening our multidisciplinary offering across the lifecycle of hospitality assets.
Andrew says: “Asia’s hotel sector is bouncing back post-Covid, with growth in M&A, asset conversions, franchising and branded residences. Bird & Bird’s strong international platform creates exciting opportunities to connect the dots with Asia.”
Webinar: Hotel Branded Residences – Hype or the New Normal?
Wednesday 26 November, 9:00-10:30
Bird & Bird, together with our friends at HVS, AlixPartners and EP Business in Hospitality, are delighted to present our next webinar on the increasingly topical subject of Hotel Branded Residences – Hype or the New Normal?
Our webinar will begin with a presentation by Chris Graham, founder and managing director of Graham Associates, a leading specialist in international luxury residential real estate. Chris will set the scene and share insights into the evolution and performance of branded residences. Simon Price, Partner at Bird & Bird, will then explore the key legal considerations developers and operators must address.
A panel discussion will follow, moderated by Karen Friebe, Head of Hotels, Hospitality & Leisure at Bird & Bird. Our panellists will include:
- Ina Plunien – Cedar Capital Partners
- James Price – Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts
- Jaidev Menezes – Marriott International
- Mohith Sondhi – OakNorth
- Aoife Roche – STR
Our team heads to Madrid for AOHIS 2026
Members of our Hotels, Hospitality & Leisure team will be attending the Atlantic Ocean Hotel Investors’ Summit (AOHIS) in Madrid on Monday 19th and Tuesday 20th January 2026. The summit brings together leading voices from across the European and Atlantic hospitality investment landscape to explore the sector’s evolving dynamics, from branded residences and platform deals to alternative lending and operating models.
Simon Price (Partner, London) will be moderating a panel session titled “Is transparency in HMA arrangements coming back – or is it ever further away?” on Tuesday 20th January. He will be joined at the conference by Conchita Sainz from our Madrid office and James Fowler from our London office.
If you’re attending AOHIS and would like to connect with our team, please do get in touch.
Learn more about the event here
