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North America
Blackwells Withdraws Offer to Purchase Braemar Hotels
Blackwells Capital attempted to buy Braemar Hotels & Resorts, failed, and is now trying to elect four directors to BHR’s board despite owning a minimal amount of shares, facing opposition and legal action from BHR. -
North America
Wyndham Hotels’ Instant Group Booking Windows
Group bookings across the industry’s largest portfolio of economy and midscale hotels will soon take minutes, not days, thanks to Groups360 and the rapid rollout at over 5,600 Wyndham hotels. -
North America
Extended Stay America Announces 20% Growth in Its Franchise Portfolio
Extended Stay America announced its growth outlook through franchising, following the momentum from a strong year of milestones, including 20% growth of its franchise portfolio across its family of brands. -
North America
Truist Has Its Own Ideas About Choice’s Designs on Wyndham
Truist met with Wyndham and Choice franchisees who had strong opinions about the merger and broad frustrations about brand costs and property valuation in limited service today. -
North America
Global Hotel Rate Bubble Watch
A new report for 2023 shows 85% of markets with RevPAR higher than 2019. In terms of top-line performance, that means most markets have recovered from the significant declines caused by the pandemic. -
North America
Four Seasons Hotel and Condos Coming to Telluride
STR reported US lodging data for the week ended December 30. RevPAR was down -9.7% led by a -7.1% decline in occupancy. Speculators are questioning whether everyone is thinking the Fed is going to cut interest rates more than they really will. Real estate developers Fort Partners and Merrimac Ventures are building a Four Seasons hotel and condo resort in Telluride, Colorado . -
North America
Disney to Open Pixar-Themed Hotel
The DJIA rose 205 points while Nasdaq was up 122, the S&P 500 rose 31 points and the 10 year treasury yield was flat at 4.84%. Lodging stocks were higher. We did see another new low… -
North America
Puerto Vallarta Will Get an All-Inclusive by Marriott Bonvoy
Somm Hotel and Spa in Woodinville, Washington, part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection, is set to open in the summer of 2025 as part of a $700 million development. Home2 Suites by Hilton Houston/Katy in Texas completed renovations, featuring upgraded guestrooms and amenities. The Balbin Bros. Cigar Factory in Tampa, Florida, is undergoing transformation into a 70-room boutique hotel, aiming to open by March 2025 while preserving its historical value. -
Asia-Pacific
Many of Thailand’s Budget Hotels Are Struggling
China hotel RevPAR increased by 50.4% YoY, outperforming a 48.2% comparison and growing 19% compared to 2019, driven by strong recovery. Thai hotels, especially those with three stars or less, faced severe impact from interest rate hikes, uncertain tourism outlook, and competition, prompting calls for regulatory changes. New luxury hotels are opening in historic Japanese and Vietnamese destinations, while major hotel chains like Accor and Melia are expanding their portfolios in Singapore and Vietnam. Additionally, Meriton Suites is expanding luxury offerings across Australia. -
North America
Disney Opening First U.S.-Based Pixar-Themed Hotel
Hotel industry news: Renovations, expansions, and openings across various cities, states, and countries. Notable updates include the completion of a multi-million-dollar renovation at The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa in Georgia. Exciting developments include the opening of the first fully Pixar-themed hotel, Pixar Place Hotel, in Anaheim, California, and the debut of Six Senses Crans-Montana in Switzerland.