Accor and Corinthia Group have struck a deal that will fold Verdi Hotels — the upscale brand launched by IHI plc in 2024 — into Accor's Handwritten Collection. From November 2026, five Verdi properties will operate under the franchise, with two more expected to follow in Hungary and the Czech Republic.
The Handwritten Collection is Accor's home for characterful independents: hotels with a strong individual personality rather than a standardised template. Launched in 2023, it has already grown past 50 hotels across 22 countries, with 58 more in the pipeline. For Verdi, the appeal is scale — Accor's global distribution, marketing muscle and ALL loyalty programme, all without diluting the Corinthia Group's separate luxury ambitions. Corinthia CEO Simon Naudi was clear that the flagship Corinthia brand's own expansion remains fully independent; Verdi simply gains a bigger megaphone.
So where can you actually stay? Three of the initial five hotels are in Malta. Verdi Gżira Promenade sits on the Marsamxett Harbour seafront near the shopping district, convenient for both business and leisure trips. Verdi St. George's Bay Marina overlooks one of Malta's best-known bays in St Julian's, close to dining and nightlife with direct access to the coast. Verdi Dragonara, a rebrand of the former Vivaldi Hotel, is just past St Julian's busiest streets, looking out over the Dragonara headland — calmer, but still walkable to the action.
The other two spread further afield. Verdi Tunis Beach Resort occupies a Mediterranean spot on the Côtes de Carthage, pairing resort facilities with easy access to Tunisia's capital and its archaeological heavyweights. Verdi Santarém, meanwhile, puts you in a historic city north of Lisbon — a handy base for exploring Portugal's Ribatejo region, horse-country traditions included.
Why does this matter if you're booking a holiday? From late 2026 these hotels become part of Accor's ecosystem, so you'll be able to earn and spend ALL loyalty points at properties that keep an independent feel. If you like boutiques but want the reliability of a big network behind your booking, that combination is exactly what Handwritten Collection is selling. Keep an eye on rates during the transition period, and check whether the Malta properties suit your style — St Julian's is lively and central, while Gżira offers a more local slice of the harbourfront.
For Accor, it's another marker in a fast expansion of the collection; for Verdi, it's a route into new destinations with a global reservations engine behind it. Travellers get five refreshed addresses across the Mediterranean to add to the shortlist.
