England

Choice Hotels has urged Wyndham Hotels to consider a merger, but Wyndham has firmly declined any interest in the proposal. The chairman of Wyndham revealed they almost acquired Choice Hotels 20 years ago. The U.S. construction pipeline shows growth, with over 5,700 projects and 672,000 rooms, driven by a strong upper midscale chain scale presence. Renovation and conversion projects are on the rise, and new hotel openings are expected to increase in the coming years. Several hotel and resort projects are underway, including Westin Washington, DC Downtown, Opry Entertainment Group's renovation in Austin, Four Seasons expanding its Private Retreats collection, and Tommy Bahama's debut resort in California. Additionally, new developments in Florida, Rhode Island, and Indiana are on the horizon.

JP Morgan expects strong international performance in 3Q23 RevPAR, net rooms, and pipeline growth, particularly driven by ADR gains. Truist discusses potential challenges and concerns in the Choice Hotels and Wyndham Hotels deal, including antitrust issues and franchisee resistance. US hotel industry reports a modest 0.8% YoY increase in RevPAR, with ADR compensating for soft occupancy; group RevPAR up 0.9% for the week ending 10/14.

Choice Hotels made an offer to acquire Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, which was rejected. The situation may lead to a proxy fight. Marriott and MGM's partnership launch delayed to early 2024 due to a cyber attack on MGM and the complexity of the integration, which includes the creation of the MGM Collection with Marriott Bonvoy. Hyatt introduces the Wellbeing Collective, offering tailored wellbeing experiences at 30+ hotels globally, with plans to expand in 2024.

Morgan Stanley adjusted price targets for several hotel companies, maintaining Overweight ratings for Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott, and Wyndham, but lowered the price target for Park Hotels. They also raised the price target for Choice Hotels and maintained an Underweight rating on Pebblebrook Hotel Trust. Marcus Hotels & Resorts' new Chief Investment Officer, Tiffany Leadbetter Donato, aims to expand the company's hotel portfolio beyond the Midwest for greater geographic and customer diversity. Hotel del Coronado, part of Curio Collection by Hilton, is investing over $160 million to restore and revitalize its historic Victorian building in Coronado, California, with a target completion date in Spring 2025.

Baird provides insights into investor sentiment and expectations for 2024 RevPAR growth among hotel brands. Several hotel renovation and construction projects are announced, including a new Westin Resort in Cocoa Beach, Florida, and a Ritz Carlton Residences in Lake Woodlands, Texas. Multiple hotel acquisitions and developments are highlighted, such as the Kastrati Group's acquisition of SLS Brickell in Miami and IHG Hotels & Resorts introducing the Kimpton brand in Portugal with Kimpton Algarve Sao Rafael Atlantico.

Stock market indices showed gains on Friday, with DJIA up by 288 points, Nasdaq up by 212 points, and S&P 500 up by 50 points, while the 10-year treasury yield increased to 4.78%. San Francisco saw a significant increase in weekday occupancy, and STR reported a 66.3% occupancy rate for US hotels in September 2023. Several new hotels and renovations were announced, including Aloft Hotel near Fort Lauderdale, Residence Inn in Vail, and the Union Station Nashville Yards.

Wedbush initiated coverage on lodging REITs, with Ryman Hospitality and Host Hotels receiving Outperform ratings and price targets of $94 and $19, respectively. Park Hotels and Pebblebrook Hotel Trust were initiated with Neutral ratings and price targets of $13 and $14, respectively. Keybanc downgraded Airbnb's rating to Sector Weight from Overweight. A report by Morning Consult indicates that the "revenge travel" trend may be declining, with travel intentions increasing in some countries but declining in others, particularly in Europe. China is experiencing a significant surge in travel, driven by pent-up demand.

CNBC discusses the repercussions of New York City's crackdown on Airbnb, suggesting that hotels will benefit from higher prices during the holiday season due to Airbnb's cancellation of bookings after December 1. Legacy Development & Management acquired the Albuquerque Marriott Pyramid North and plans a $22 million, two-year renovation, including room upgrades, new amenities, and exterior improvements. Various new hotel development projects are underway, including a Marriott Westin at the Indianapolis International Airport, a Hilton-branded hotel in Decatur, Georgia, a Four Seasons Hotel & Residences in Jacksonville, Florida, and a $2 billion theme park called American Heartland in Vinita, Oklahoma.

DJIA fell 169 points in August; Nasdaq rose 16; S&P 500 down 7. Travel intent increases: 21.8% plan foreign trips, 45.9% plan vacations. Hotel developments: New AC Hotel in Lansing, Sheraton San Diego rebranded as Sheraton Resort & Marina, TRS Coral Hotel added to Wyndham's Registry Collection. Upcoming: Highgate manages Hilton Garden Inn Kauai, IHG's Atwell Suites in Henderson and Fort Worth, proposed dual-tower project near Austin Convention Center.

MAR and HLT lodging stocks hit new highs, while several stock targets and ratings were adjusted. Q2 2023 shows a total construction pipeline of 552 projects/88,477 rooms in Latin America. Mexico leads with 213 projects/33,853 rooms. Marriott International dominates the franchise scene with 116 projects/18,733 rooms. Project MidX Studios is renamed StudioRes by MAR for the US and Canada market.