Embassy Suites by Hilton

Hyatt Buys Boutique Booking Platform

JP Morgan upgraded their rating on Accor to Neutral from Underweight with a price target of €30, up from €24.50. Hyatt Hotels Corporation  and  Mr & Mrs Smith  announced an agreement for a Hyatt affiliate to acquire Mr & Mrs Smith, a platform offering direct booking access to boutique hotels.

U.S. Interest Rate Increase Pushes Lodging Stocks Lower

STR gave U.S. lodging data for the week ended 3/18. US hotel RevPAR rose 10.4% year over year. When compared with the same week in 2019, US hotel RevPAR was up 20.8%. We can’t tell if the markets genuinely hate U.S. Fed Chief Jerome Powell or if the guy should just have a stand-in for his press conferences. Redburn Partners lowered its rating on InterContinental Hotels Group to Sell. UBS Group downgraded shares of Melia Hotels International from a Buy rating to a Sell rating.

Red Roof to Add 50 Properties This Year

Red Roof will open 50 properties, new builds and conversions , in 2023, representing 60% year-on-year growth. The Greater Las Vegas Short-Term Rental Association wants the Supreme Court to rule on the constitutionality of short-term rental regulations in Clark County, Nevada. The newly minted penny stocks, VCSA and SOND, both traded down to new lows, dropping another -4% and -7% respectively. SLNA hit a new low, down another -7%.

Raines Buys HP Hotels, Hilton to Expand in France

Raines announced they acquired HP Hotels , a full-service, third party hotel management company. Raines said this will result in operational expansion throughout the Southeast and Southwestern U.S. The Courtyard by Marriott Long Beach Downtown announced the addition of two Topgolf Swing Suites at their 216-room hotel. Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa , in Atlantic City, New Jersey , is embarking on a $55 million redesign and rebranding of The Water Club, in time for the resort’s twentieth anniversary.

Biden's New Budget Triggers Equity Market Drops

Baird lowered their price target on Wyndham Hotels & Resorts to $86 from $88 while maintaining their Outperform rating. Barclays cut their rating on Hyatt Hotels to Equal Weight from Overweight. They cut their price target to $125 from $130. They upped Hilton to an Overweight rating from Equal Weight. Travel + Leisure Co . announced their upped their quarterly dividend per share to $0.45 per share from $0.40.

Four Seasons Opening Private Retreats Collection in Los Cabos

Morgan Stanley changed price targets on its covered hotel companies . Hilton’s PT was lowered to $167 from $171, while Wyndham’s PT was upped to $90 from $87. Chatham Lodging Trust announced they repaid in full three mortgages with outstanding principal of $73.3 million and a weighted average interest rate of 8%. Four Seasons Resort and Residences Los Cabos at Costa Palmas will begin taking reservations for its ultra-luxury Private Retreats collection soon.

ALIS Hotel Conference Preview

Jefferies gave their ALIS Conference preview saying they anticipate the lodging management teams will provide incremental color on the trajectory of lodging in a variety of economic scenarios. Marriott International, Inc. announced the company’s deal signings accelerated again in 2022 . The company signed a total of 726 management and franchise agreements. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is setting its sights on a continued expansion in 2023 , following a banner year that saw the company cap multiple milestones and accomplishments across the globe.

Hotels Change Hands, Brands Enter New Markets

Lodging stocks were mostly lower. VCSA was down -12%, SOND was down -8% but MCG was up 5% on a new Buy rating. Northland Capital Markets initiated coverage on Selina Hospitality Group with an Outperform rating and $4.50 target price. The scheduled auction of the downtown Hilton Hotel Minneapolis , previously slated for Friday, has been postponed.

Ryman Hospitality Ends Year on High Note

Yesterday, Pebblebrook Hotel Trust lowered guidance for 4Q results and shook up the industry a bit. Today, Ryman Hospitality did the opposite. Lodging stocks were mostly lower with a long list of new lows, many of them REITs. New lows were set by PEB, PK, AHT, SHO, XHR, ABNB and VCSA Marriott International announced that long-time executive Stephanie Linnartz is leaving the company, effective February 24, 2023.

Tokyo and Bangkok Tourism Numbers Are Rebounding

STR reported China hotel RevPAR for the week ended December 17. Hotel RevPAR was down -1.1% year over year for the week. Japan National Tourism Organization said visitor arrivals rose to close to one million in November. This was the first full month after the country ended their Covid-19 curbs. The Tourism Authority of Thailand is predicting the number of foreign tourists visiting Thailand will be more than 18 million last year.