Choice Hotels Unveils Renovations for Radisson and Radisson Blu
Skift Take
The DJIA rose 57 points while Nasdaq was up 5, the S&P 500 rose 14 points, and the 10-year treasury yield was down .06 to 4.22%. Lodging stocks were mixed. HLT traded up to a new high, and the big winner today was VCSA, which was up 23%.
In observance of the Juneteenth holiday, there will be no Daily Lodging Report on Wednesday, June 19th.
CBRE released its U.S. Hotels State of the Union June 2024 Edition. Regarding the economy, CBRE stated the upside to GDP fails to catalyze incremental demand. Between 3Q23 and 2Q24, CBRE positively revised its 2024 GDP forecast from 0.4% to 2.3%, +190bps. Over the same period, CBRE lowered its hotel demand growth forecast from +1.9% to +0.9%, -100bps. The burndown of COVID savings and increasing credit levels are headwinds. Credit card borrowings are now above pre-pandemic levels, and leverage is increasing. Stabilizing interest rates and maturities drive loan issuance. Total loans originated in April 2024 increased 2.5x y/y from $0.4 billion to $1 billion, and the number of loans increased a little less than two-fold from 23 to 40. Neutralizing the Easter shift, March and April RevPAR combined declined by 1%. TSA throughput increased 7.7% year-over-year in May. Growth in short-term rental demand took a breather in April due to the Easter shift. Weak Q1 caused CBRE to reduce the 2024 RevPAR growth forecast from 3% to 2%. CBRE expects 2024 RevPAR to be bolstered by a 0.2% increase in occupancy and a 1.7% increase in ADR, driven primarily by growth in group, business transient and international travel. Urban and airport locations are expected to outperform in 2024. Looking at March and April combined, outbound international travel was 117% of 2019 levels compared to inbound visitation of 86%. While still improving from a year ago, inbound travel from Japan and China has been leveling off at ~50% of 2019 since August 2023. March marks the second straight year of GOP margin contraction. Total revenue declined by 1.0% in March, and a contraction of 0.6 p.p. margins resulted in a 2.6% decrease in GOP dollars.
Choice Hotels International Inc. is rolling out a refresh of its Radisson and Radisson Blu brands as it aims to beef up its upscale hospitality offerings. Choice says the renovations will balance contemporary with classic finishes, more casual luxury guestrooms, and personalized service. Designs for its upper-upscale Blu brand will feature a return to its Scandinavian roots, with a cleaner, more minimalist style touched with natural tones and outfitted with amenities including a dry vanity, optimized lighting and a full-size wardrobe closet. The company has more than 50 U.S. hotels in its pipeline for conversion into the refreshed Radisson brand and another three in Chicago, Minneapolis, and Fargo, North Dakota in the Radisson Blu pipeline.
A public-private downtown hotel and conference center development, in Kokomo, Indiana is now slated for summer groundbreaking and a summer 2026 opening, according to city and Greater Kokomo Economic Development Alliance officials. The development includes a three-floor, 55,000 square foot conference center and an adjoining hotel developed by SSG Hotels to be built in downtown. The hotel, which will be connected to the conference center via a pedestrian bridge, is mostly privately funded and will be a five-story, 108-room Hilton Garden Inn.
The Moxy Santa Barbara has opened. Andrew Firestone, former star of The Bachelor and founder of StonePark Capital and his partner Jess Parkerannounced the opening in downtown Santa Barbara in southern California. Moxy Santa Barbara features 31 guest rooms, Bar Moxy, an outdoor pool, social space and a 24 hour marketplace. The hotel is managed by Azul Hospitality Group.
Crestline Hotels & Resorts, LLC has been selected to manage the Hotel Indigo Asheville Downtown in Asheville, North Carolina. The newly renovated hotel features 116 guestrooms and suites, a restaurant and bar, fitness center and onsite valet parking.
Club Wyndham is hoping to help travelers beat the heat with a new Antarctica-inspired suite. It’s located at the Club Wyndham Bonnet Creek resort in Orlando, Florida, near SeaWorld Orlando. The suite features a carved-out ice façade at the front door, a fully equipped kitchen, separate living and dining areas, Antarctica-themed games, a life-sized plush penguin and projections of snow flurries and reflective water effects across the walls.
A 100-room Comfort Inn in the Glenmont hamlet of Bethlehem, New York sold for $7.3 million. Mike Fansiwala of MRFANSI Inc. sold the hotel to Shiv Baba LLC. Fansiwala is holding the $6 million mortgage for the new owner.
Hotel Equities announced The Quincy Hotel in Washington, D.C. will be rebranded to become part of Choice Hotels International’s Ascend Hotel Collection, marking the first Ascend Hotel Collection property in the nation’s capital. The hotel is owned by an affiliate of UIP and will be operated by HE. As part of this rebranding, The Quincy Hotel, Ascend Hotel Collection, will undergo renovations to enhance the guest experience, including updates to the lobby, front desk, market/pantry, meeting space and guestrooms.
Hotel Lex, in Lexington, Kentucky, celebrated its grand opening. The new lodging option will double as a hotel and conference center and will house a new restaurant that will feature live music.
PRG Hospitality Group introduced its newly re-imagined parent brand, Common Thread Hotels, which will replace the PRG moniker across all facets of sales, marketing, branding and corporate relations. Common Thread, the company’s new identity, has been brought to life with a new portfolio website, branding, and messaging designed to cohesively represent their vision of contemporary, design-centric boutique hospitality. All the hotels, including the brand’s current collection within California and any new future openings, will be branded under the Common Thread Hotels umbrella, alongside its on-property collection of signature restaurants and spas.
Estero Island, in Fort Myers Beach, Florida, is set to see another major redevelopment project as the Town Council approved the Myerside Resort. Located next to the Fort Myers Beach Public Library and adjacent to the Beach School, the four-story development will feature 45 hotel rooms, a restaurant, and retail space on the first floor. Roland Weinmann and Beverly Milligan, owners of the Myerside Resort, plan to break ground on the project in late 2026.
LuxUrban Hotels’ CEO sent a letter to shareholders, trying to assure them that everything is fine and they are stabilizing the operations. Meanwhile, the company filed an 8K with the SEC, saying they are on the way to being delisted from Nasdaq because their share price has been under $1 bid for more than 30 days. LUXH has 180 calendar days to regain compliance, getting the bid price of the stock at least $1 for at least 10 consecutive trading days.
Hunter Hotel Advisors announced the sale of three Metro Atlanta hotels on behalf of Ashford Hospitality Trust. Baywood Hotels acquired the 85-key Hampton Inn Lawrenceville, with Pulse Hotel Group acquiring the 86-key Fairfield Inn and Suites and the 90-key SpringHill Suites Atlanta Kennesaw. Hunter Hotel Advisors represented the seller.
Meyer Jabara Hotels is taking on the role of technology support, help desk and implementation for its portfolio of 32 hotels plus any other properties needing I.T. assistance on a project basis. With the goal of enabling guests and staff to communicate at the speed of business or faster, the hotel owner and third-party manager will design, procure, install, certify and monitor each property’s network infrastructure. In addition, MJH will work to ensure the highest levels of cyber security and provide data backup/recovery and helpdesk support.
Accor, in partnership with Terres de Legendes, announced the signing of a new hotel development, The Whimsy Hotel & Spa Saint-Martin – McGallery Collection. Located in the heart of Saint-Martin, it will be the first MGallery hotel to open in the Caribbean. The project will encompass 165 hotel rooms, including 40 suites; a restaurant; three bars; a spa with four treatment rooms; a fitness center; and a 250 square meter MICE facility.
Personnel Move
Iconic Luxury Hotels has promoted Francisco Macedo, currently General Manager of Cliveden House, and Group Operations Director of Iconic Luxury Hotels, to the newly created role of Senior Vice President Asset Management, Iconic Luxury Hotels – International. Iconic Luxury Hotels, part of L+R Hotels, has an extensive portfolio of more than 115 hotels, with 23,000 bedrooms across the U.K., Europe, the U.S. and the Caribbean.
Europe Highlights
IHG Hotels & Resorts signed nine hotels across Portugal, adding 976 rooms to the country’s growing and strong pipeline. The signings cover two IHG brand collections, luxury and lifestyle. Essentials Collection signings include Holiday Inn Express & Suites Lisbon – Amoreiras, owned by Real Hotels Group. The 192-room converted hotel is set to open towards the beginning of 2025. Holiday Inn Express & Suites Portimao, the 60-room hotel, is owned by Harland & Poston Group and is expected to welcome guests in the first half of 2025. The 91-room Holiday Inn Express Porto-Boavista is set to open in the second half of 2024 and is in collaboration with Mercan Properties. Holiday Inn Express Evora, set to open in the second half of 2024, the 76-room hotel has also been signed with Mercan Properties. Holiday Inn Braga, owned by Soliteight Hotel Projects S.A., the 114-room hotel will be the first IHG property in their portfolio when it opens in the second half of 2024. Holiday Inn Beja, also owned by Mercan Properties, the 95-room hotel is set to open in the second half of 2024. Luxury & Lifestyle Collection signings include the 141-room Kimpton Lisbon, the first Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants-branded property in Lisbon that is set to open in early 2026 and is the eighth property in partnership with Real Hotels Group. Hotel Indigo Albufeira, signed with Mercan Properties, the 80-room development will open in mid-2025. Hotel Indigo Faro, the 127-room hotel, is also signed with Mercan Properties and is set to open in late 2026.
Hilton announced the opening of two hotels, DUO Hotel Lisbon, Curio Collection by Hilton and DoubleTree by Hilton Lagoa Azores, as the company expands its portfolio in Portugal. DUO Hotel Lisbon, Curio Collection by Hilton features 75 guestrooms, exceptional culinary experiences, and a lush urban courtyard perfect for private events. Set on the island of Sao Miguel in the Azores, DoubleTree by Hilton Lagoa Azores marks Hilton’s debut in the region. The property offers 101 rooms and suites, a restaurant and bar, a rooftop bar, pool and a wellness space.
Hilton also announced a franchise agreement with Bohemian Hotel ehf to open Akureyri Skald Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton, in the northern Icelandic countryside, as well as a stunning new property in Iceland’s capital city, Reykjavik. Akureyri Skald Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton will open its doors in summer 2025. The property will offer 70 guestrooms, a lounge and lobby bar, an all-day restaurant with an outdoor courtyard, and an innovative social club concept. A second property located in Brietartun, Reykjavik is slated to open in spring 2026 with 170 guestrooms.
Riu Plaza The Gresham Dublin in Ireland, part of the RIU Hotels & Resorts chain, has completed a comprehensive renovation. The hotel now has 404 fully refurbished rooms, including 16 newly added ones. It also has the Writer’s Lounge bar, two restaurants, 11 meeting and conference rooms, a fitness center and more.
Prima Asset Management has acquired the freehold of Prime Hotel, which is located in the Paddington area in London. Financial details of the transaction remain undisclosed. The acquisition is part of the company’s aim to enhance its presence across the UK through the VCC Investment Fund managed by First Degree Global Asset Management. Funded by OakNorth Bank and in collaboration with property operator and developer Capilon Group, Prime Hotel is poised for a revamp. This overhaul would increase the number of rooms from 68 to more than 80, with an anticipated end value of $51.73M. The refurbishment aims to enhance the hotel’s offerings while preserving its original Georgian architecture.