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Hilton and Hallmark Launch Christmas-Themed Partnership

November 1st, 2023 at 4:58 PM EDT

Skift Take

  • Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc has entered into a partnership with Hallmark Channel to create Christmas-themed suites inspired by Hallmark’s “Countdown to Christmas” movies.
  • The Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas has completed phase one of a multimillion-dollar property-wide transformation. This includes a redesign of all 389 guestrooms and suites and upgrades to meeting and event spaces.
  • Margaritaville Resort Lake Tahoe, located in South Lake Tahoe, California, has announced its December 14th opening date. The transformation of the former Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel into a Margaritaville property cost over $70 million.

The DJIA was up 222 points, Nasdaq was up 210, the S&P 500 rose 44 points and the 10-year treasury yield was down .09 to 4.79%. Lodging stocks were mixed. HGV and CHH traded down to new lows. AHT was down -5%.

Xenia Hotels & Resorts reported an inline quarter. They slightly reduced their 4Q outlook. XHR repurchased 2.1 million common shares in the quarter for $25 million as well as an additional 0.9 million shares for $10 million since the quarter ended. XHR also repurchased $5 million of its 6.375% senior unsecured notes during 3Q.

DiamondRock Hospitality beat 3Q estimates, beating adjusted EBITDA by 6%. DRH did not repurchase any shares in the quarter.

STR released its U.S. Hotel Performance Review for September 2023. September 2023 Top-Line Metrics (percentage change from September 2022): Occupancy: 66.2% (-0.5%); ADR: $160.18 (+3.5%); and RevPAR: $106.07 (+2.9%). RevPAR growth accelerated, led by strong ADR increases. Key points of the Performance Review include: Total U.S. demand declined 0.2%, but Luxury, Upper Upscale, and Upper Midscale chains continued to improve demand relative to 2022. Growth in transient demand outpaced group with increases in transient weekend occupancy and declines in group weekend occupancy. Top 25 Market demand continued to climb year over year, despite a difficult comparison to 2022, as Yom Kippur tempered business travel into major markets late in the month. The number of rooms under construction continued to decline year over year, remaining below the medium-term average.

STR reported on US lodging data for the week ended 10/28. RevPAR was up 4.6% with rates up 3.9%. Group RevPAR was up 7.5%.

Commonwealth Lodging Management, LLC announced the addition of five new properties in Virginia, to its management portfolio in the past month. The hotels include the 136 room SpringHill Suites by Marriott Richmond North/Glen Allen; the 136-room Hampton by Hilton Richmond West/Innsbrook; The dual-branded, 243-room Sleep Inn and Quality Suites Norfolk Airport/Lake Wright; and the 141-room Holiday Inn Richmond West which is anticipated to open in March 2024.

The Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas announced the phase one completion of a multimillion dollar property-wide transformation which include a floor-to-ceiling redesign of all 389 guestrooms and suites; upgrades to all 15,000+ square feet of meeting and event space; and a new arrival experience with the complete redesign and relocation of the 23rd floor lobby and front desk to the ground floor. Phase two of the property-wide transformation is slated to begin in Spring 2024 and will include the introduction of the iconic Peacock Alley, a name synonymous with the Waldorf Astoria brand; as well as a forthcoming new bar concept.

Kerioth Corporation is proposing to build a more than $30 million, bayfront, six-story, 132-Homewood Suites by Hilton hotel on Gregory Street in Pensacola, Florida

Twin Bridge Hospitality has been appointed asset manager for two new hotels which opened October 12th in New York City: Home2 Suites by Hilton New York Times Square and Hampton Inn by Hilton New York Times Square, bringing the total number of properties currently managed to 17.

Bedrock announced Sage Hospitality Group as the operating partner of downtown Detroit’s Shinola Hotel, part of Sage Independent Hotel Collection. The 129-room property has six food and beverage concepts on-property from NoHo Hospitality and spacious special event venues. 

CBRE is soliciting offers to purchase the 92-room Tru by Hilton located in Cypress, Texas.

Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc has partnered with Hallmark Channel to provide travelers with Christmas-themed suites inspired by Hallmark’s “Countdown to Christmas” movies. Each of the Hilton Hotels & Resorts and Hallmark Channel suites will feature festive décor that is reflective of the property’s locale, as well as symbols from movies. 

My Place Hotels of America announced the opening of My Place Hotel – East Moline, IL. This marks the 69th opened and operating property nationally and the second property in the Quad Cities region. Golder Hospitality manages the upper-midscale extended-stay property. Designed following the Gen 2 My Place blueprint, the property features 64 guestrooms, an onsite laundry and a grab-and-go store. 

Margaritaville Resort Lake Tahoe, in South Lake Tahoe, California, announced its December 14th opening date. The process of converting the former Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel into a Margaritaville cost north of $70 million. 

The Prince William County Board of Supervisors voted to allow the development of a 100-room hotel, larger than what was initially approved, in Innovation Park, as part of the development of the entertainment and dining venue Farm Brew Live. In 2022, Patriot Properties Group purchased 5.65 acres of land, following an initial purchase of 3.5 acres in 2018, with the intent to develop a canning and distilling facility and a 60-room boutique hotel in Manassas, Virginia. The new hotel and distilling facility are part of a $25 million plan to expand Farm Brew Live. Two acres of the property will be assigned to NLT Hotels, LLC, to develop the hotel.

Owner Greg Hennes has put The Jennings Hotel in downtown Joseph, Oregon up for sale. The hotel will remain open as Hennes works with potential buyers. The asking price for the building currently stands at $3.2 million. The buyer would be purchasing a historic 10,200 square foot building which includes 14 hotel rooms upstairs, with a restaurant and retail space below.

The City of Topeka, Kansas stated the Topeka Development Corporation will officially retain ownership of Hotel Topeka at City Center. The hotel was purchased for just over $7.6 million. The Topeka Development Corporation was formed in mid-October to take ownership of the hotel, obtain the necessary licenses and insurance, and to contract with the management company to oversee day-to-day operations. The corporation has contracted with GF Hotels & Resorts, the current operator, to continue to operate the hotel.

Mumford Company completed the sale of the Days Inn Statesboro, Georgia. Mumford Company represented and affiliate of JMS Hospitality in the sale to Madhav Hospitality.

Kasa Living, Inc. announced the close of a $70 million Series C fundraise. Citi Ventures and FirstMark Capital led the all equity round with participation from new investors New York Life Ventures and Fireside Investments. All major existing investors including RET Ventures, Zigg Capital, and Ribbit Capital participated in the twice upsized and oversubscribed round. Jonathan Langer, a seasoned industry veteran with board experience at KKR Real Estate Finance Trust, Westin Hotels & Resorts and Hilton Hotels & Resorts, has joined Kasa’s Board of Directors. 

Personnel News

Choice Hotels hired Indy Adenaw as senior vice president and general manger, upscale brands to grow Choice’s upscale portfolio of eight brands. Joining Indy in helping to strengthen the brands for consumers and developers alike is Alexandra Coleman, vice president, upscale brand management, and Patrick Curran, director of food & beverage, upscale brands. Senior vice president, upscale development, Mark Shalala continues to lead development across the segment and is joined by Marissa Ballan, Choice’s new head of development for the Radisson Blu brand. Cambria also announced it broke ground on two additional properties in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in October 202, the Cambria Hotel Fort Worth and the Cambria Hotel Northlake, both expected to open in the Lone Star State in Summer 2025.

Dellisart LLC expanded their team with the addition of Jeffrey Rake as Regional Vice President of Business Development. Rake joins Dellisart from XBD and held previous positions with Marcus & Millichap and MMGY Global.

Europe Highlights

Trinity Investments announced it has established a London office as part of its global expansion. The move reflects Trinity’s long-term belief in the strength of the lodging sector and the growing opportunity in the European hotel real estate market. Trinity will target hospitality assets primarily in Western Europe, with an emphasis on the United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Switzerland, pairing its investment and asset management capabilities in the hospitality space with its deep institutional knowledge and relationships. 

Shiva Hotels and Managing Director and Founder Rishi Sachdev announced a new brand called Place III Hotels. Place III Hotels has three hotels in its luxury portfolio, the first was the 199-room The Bo Tree located in the Marylebone district of London. The other two Place III Hotels currently being developed are the 194-room Brickmakers Yard site in Central London’s Soho area, and the 143-room CTQ site in Holborn Viaduct. 

Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC is acquiring a 35% stake in Hotel Investment Partners in a deal valuing the company at over €4 billion. Owner Blackstone Group will retain the remaining interest in the hotel investment platform, which has 73 properties and nearly 22,000 rooms across Southern Europe.

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