Newmark Arranges $172.5M Acquisition Financing for The Ben, Autograph Collection
Newmark arranged a $172.5 million acquisition loan for The Ben, Autograph Collection, a 208‑key luxury hotel in West Palm Beach, on behalf of Related Ross. The financing was supplied by Nomura and led by Newmark’s senior debt team. The Ben, delivered in 2020, is the only waterfront hotel in the city and features extensive meeting space and a rooftop venue. West Palm Beach’s hospitality market is seeing RevPAR growth over 11% YoY, with further gains expected.
Hunter Conference to Honor Glade M. Knight
The Hunter Conference has named Glade M. Knight, founder and executive chairman of Apple Hospitality REIT, as its 2026 Award for Excellence and Inspiration recipient. The honor recognizes Knight’s 25‑plus years of shaping the modern hotel REIT model and building...
HB Exclusive: Q&A with Klaus Kohlmayr Before ITB
In a pre‑ITB interview, IDeaS chief evangelist Klaus Kohlmayr warned that 2026 is a volatile year for hoteliers, with cost pressures, labor shortages and geopolitical shocks disrupting booking patterns. He emphasized that artificial intelligence has moved from a buzzword to...
Bayview Funds $66.3M in Loans for New Moxy in Silicon Valley
Bayview PACE closed a $30.2 million C‑PACE loan and a $36.1 million construction loan, totaling $66.3 million, to fund the new Moxy Menlo Park hotel in Silicon Valley. The 163‑room, 120,059‑sq‑ft, seven‑story property will open in January 2028 and features upscale amenities, including a...
Stayntouch Launches AI-Powered Guest Messaging
Stayntouch introduced an AI‑powered guest messaging tool embedded within its property management system, debuting at ITB Berlin. The solution consolidates SMS, WhatsApp, Booking.com, Expedia and Airbnb chats into a single inbox, adds real‑time language translation, and automates routine requests. It...
Storie Co., GBX Group Acquire Two Colorado Properties
Storie Co., together with GBX Group, has purchased the Trailhead Lodge Rocky Mountains and The Outpost Rocky Mountains properties in Estes Park, Colorado. The duo engaged Leisure Hotels & Resorts to manage operations and rebranded the assets under their historic...
Hotel Arboretum in DC to Rebrand to City Express by Marriott
PM Hotel Group announced that the independent Hotel Arboretum in Northeast Washington, DC will rebrand as City Express by Marriott Washington, DC Northeast, owned by Rocks Hospitality. The transition aligns the property with Marriott’s global distribution network and the Marriott...
Mistakes Sellers Make
Hotel owners who postpone selling often pay a hidden price as risk, competition, and operating costs climb. The article outlines four common mistakes: waiting for a perfect market, treating PIP and CapEx as background items, fixating on headline price, and...
Mews Named Official PMS of AAHOA
AAHOA has appointed Mews as its official property management system, granting members exclusive pricing, rapid onboarding, and access to Mews’ revenue‑management tools. The partnership aims to help economy and mid‑scale hotel owners cut costs and boost profitability amid rising expenses....
Hapi Launches Folio Finder
Hapi has launched Folio Finder, a standard API that lets hotel brands and hospitality tech providers instantly search and retrieve guest folios and invoice details across multiple property‑management systems. The tool tackles fragmented billing data by delivering real‑time access without...
Wyndham Enhances Group Travel Platform
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has upgraded its group direct‑booking platform, powered by Groups360, adding real‑time visibility, customizable booking pages, and seamless integration with hotel systems. The enhancements let planners manage reservations, rates, rewards and early/late stays from a single dashboard,...
Paul Eckert Named Trailborn Hotels & Resorts COO
Trailborn Hotels & Resorts announced the appointment of Paul Eckert as chief operating officer as the brand accelerates its national rollout. Eckert will oversee operations for the expanding portfolio, including upcoming properties in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and Mendocino, California. He...
How Hotels Are Reinventing F&B for Profit and Growth
Hotels are overhauling their food and beverage operations to become a primary profit center. By leveraging data analytics, direct sourcing, and kitchen automation, they are cutting waste and procurement costs while enhancing guest experiences. The shift also emphasizes community‑focused concepts...
Spotlight Series: Outrigger Hospitality Group
Outrigger Hospitality Group’s president and CEO Jeff Wagoner highlighted the critical role of leadership in navigating today’s volatile hospitality landscape. He emphasized the brand’s commitment to authenticity, arguing that genuine guest experiences drive loyalty and revenue. Wagoner also detailed the company’s...
Hersha Hotels and Resorts Acquires The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa
Hersha Hotels and Resorts has completed the acquisition of The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa, a 403‑room urban resort situated on 299 acres of Hutchinson Island. The property boasts an 18‑hole championship golf course, a full‑service spa, and...
Operto Unveils Coordinated AI Team Operto ONE
Operto has introduced Operto ONE, a coordinated AI platform that deploys three specialized teams—distribution, front‑of‑house, and back‑of‑house—across independent hotels. The system comprises seven agents that draw from a shared AI Hub, providing real‑time analysis, recommendations, and supervised actions. A built‑in...
Voco Times Square – Broadway Debuts
IHG’s voco brand has opened its largest American property, voco Times Square – Broadway, a 32‑story hotel with 419 rooms in Midtown Manhattan. The hotel draws on Prohibition‑era speakeasy aesthetics while offering modern comforts, including the only rooftop venue in...
Ashford Trust to Sell New Mexico and Florida Hotels for $153.5M
Ashford Hospitality Trust entered definitive agreements to sell two hotels—La Posada de Santa Fe in New Mexico for $57.5 million and Hilton St. Petersburg Bayfront in Florida for $96 million—totaling $153.5 million. The transactions, slated to close in March, are part of a broader...
Spotlight Series: Jacaruso Enterprises
Jacaruso Enterprises, featured in Hotel Business’s Spotlight Series, is redefining hotel sales operations through AI‑enabled solutions. VP of Bold Moves, April Eskelson, explained how the company’s Lead Shark platform equips hotel partners with real‑time business intelligence. She highlighted AI tools...
It’s Personal Stories Launches New Website
It’s Personal Stories, a hospitality leadership podcast founded in 2022, has launched a redesigned website that consolidates nearly 300 interviews with global hospitality leaders. The new platform offers a searchable archive by guest name, title, company, and thematic categories, with...
Colicchio Consulting Launches Culinary Hub in Cambridge, MA
Colicchio Consulting has opened Eastern Edge, an 11,000‑square‑foot, all‑electric culinary and community hub in Cambridge’s Kendall Square adjacent to MIT. The 275‑seat venue hosts nine local food vendors, two bars, and flexible event space, operated by the Gather Group with...
Web Exclusive: Hilton Los Angeles Airport Guestrooms Land a Makeover
Hilton Los Angeles Airport is investing $50 million to renovate its 1,234‑room property ahead of a wave of global sporting events, including the FIFA World Cup, Super Bowl and Olympic Games. The phased redesign, set to finish next month, converts all...
Web Exclusive: The Compton Finds Its Footing in the Ozarks
Practice Hospitality’s founder Bashar Wali unveiled The Compton, a 142‑room independent lifestyle hotel on Bentonville’s historic Square, designed to feel native to the Ozarks. The property blends biophilic architecture, local art and folklore, and a cycling‑centric service model that includes...
Use Our Business to Grow Your Business
Hotel Business urges hospitality suppliers to leverage B2B media for growth. The editorial stresses that strategic placement in trusted trade publications delivers audience alignment, authority, and lasting brand equity, especially during economic uncertainty. It argues that visibility in reputable outlets...
DKN Hotels Opens SpringHill Suites in Oxnard, CA
DKN Hotels has launched the SpringHill Suites by Marriott Ventura Oxnard, a 121‑suite extended‑stay hotel in Oxnard, California. The property sits within walking distance of The Collection RiverPark and a short drive from downtown, beaches, and Channel Islands National Park....
GHIG JV Approved for All-Electric Hotel in Boston’s Seaport District
Global Hospitality Investment Group (GHIG) and a partner have secured Boston Zoning Commission approval for a new all‑electric hotel on Anchor Street in the Seaport District. The 438‑room, 160,000‑sq‑ft property will join the existing Aloft and Element hotels, completing a...
Ashford Sells Two Embassy Suites in Texas
Ashford Hospitality Trust has sold its two Texas Embassy Suites properties – the Austin Arboretum and the Houston Near The Galleria – in a single transaction brokered by Hunter Advisors. Both six‑story, 150‑suite hotels were built in 1998 and feature...
Hot Off the Press — February 2026
Hotel Business released its February 2026 issue, featuring a cover story on Preferred Hotels & Resorts and a detailed look at the Waterford Hotel Group’s merger with Maverick Hotels & Restaurants. The issue also includes an exclusive interview with new...
Modest Lift in RevPAR Forecasted for World Cup Months
The revised U.S. hotel outlook from CoStar and Tourism Economics projects a 1.7% RevPAR increase during the World Cup months of June and July 2026. This modest lift contributes to an overall 0.6% RevPAR growth for the year, up from...
Sean M. Dell’Orto Named Park Hotels & Resorts COO
Park Hotels & Resorts announced that Sean M. Dell’Orto will serve as chief operating officer while continuing as executive vice president, chief financial officer and treasurer. Dell’Orto has held the CFO and treasurer positions since the company’s 2017 spin‑off from...
StepStone Hospitality Promotes Kristina Randorf
StepStone Hospitality has promoted Kristina Randorf to senior vice president of revenue management, where she will steer enterprise revenue management, strategic analytics, and innovation. Randorf joined the firm in 2017 as an on‑property revenue manager and progressed through area, regional,...
Extreme Hospitality Adds The Franklin on Rittenhouse to Portfolio
Extreme Hospitality has incorporated The Franklin on Rittenhouse, a 20‑room boutique lifestyle hotel in Center City Philadelphia, into its managed portfolio. The property boasts individually decorated guestrooms and a Prohibition‑themed speakeasy, the Franklin Mortgage & Investment Company, reflecting a rebellious...
Choice Hotels Reports $369.9M Net Income in 2025
Choice Hotels International posted a record $369.9 million net income for 2025, accompanied by an all‑time adjusted EBITDA of $625.6 million. The company added 440 new hotels, with international openings surging 82% and net rooms expanding 12.5% worldwide. U.S. extended‑stay...
Report: 2025 Demand Slowed as Operators Protected Profit
U.S. hotels ended 2025 with weaker demand, as RevPAR dropped 9.6% in Q4 and fell 6.3% year‑over‑year, while ADR slipped only 0.9% quarter‑over‑quarter. Despite the revenue dip, GOP margin improved to 38.3% for the full year, reflecting tighter labor discipline...
Highline Hospitality Partners Acquires Pittsburgh Marriott North
Highline Hospitality Partners (HHP) has acquired the Pittsburgh Marriott North in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania, marking its 17th hotel purchase and first in the state. The 298‑room property will be managed by Avion Hospitality, continuing a strategic partnership. HHP plans targeted...
MXR Hospitality Names Brent McDowell CEO, Eric Watts President
MXR Hospitality, a joint venture between RREAF Holdings and Phillip McNeill Sr., announced Brent McDowell as its inaugural CEO and Eric Watts as its inaugural president. McDowell brings nearly three decades of hospitality experience, most recently as COO of McNeill Hotel Company,...
Home2 Suites Tampa Brandon Trades
Berkadia facilitated the sale of the 125‑key Home2 Suites Tampa Brandon to AAM 15 Management LLC, a Massachusetts‑based hospitality operator. The hotel, built in 2018 with institutional‑grade construction, consistently leads its submarket in occupancy and average daily rate. AAM’s CEO...
Apiary Hotel Belleview Station Opens in South Denver
Apiary Hotel Belleview Station, a 175‑room Residence Inn by Marriott, opened in South Denver’s Belleview Station neighborhood. The all‑suite property blends extended‑stay comfort with boutique design, featuring bee‑inspired décor, a multi‑sided fireplace lobby, and a complimentary hot breakfast. Adjacent Apiary...
Davidson Hospitality Group Reorganizes Commercial Services Team
Davidson Hospitality Group has reshaped its commercial services by promoting Patrick Broderick and Harry Carr to newly created senior vice‑president roles overseeing commercial optimization, while appointing Kathryn Collins as vice‑president of marketing. The reorganization consolidates sales, revenue management and marketing...
Nicole Brizan Joins Donohoe Hospitality Services
Donohoe Hospitality Services has appointed Nicole Brizan as vice president of finance and accounting, tasking her with steering corporate and property‑level financial strategy for its hotel portfolio. Brizan brings more than two decades of hospitality accounting experience, most recently as...
ESA Opens Select Suites Property in Sterling, CO
Extended Stay America (ESA) opened a new Select Suites property in Sterling, Colorado, adding a two‑story, 104‑room hotel to its portfolio. The property offers full kitchens, on‑site laundry, complimentary Wi‑Fi, an indoor pool, and a recreation room with games for...
Concord Hospitality Promotes Three Executives to Senior Roles
Concord Hospitality announced the promotion of three senior executives: Joe Trumfio to senior vice president of investment operations, compliance and reporting; Cathryn Andrews to senior vice president of hotel accounting; and Alex Langston to senior director of risk management. Trumfio’s newly...
Hyatt Names Mark Hoplamazian Chairman
Hyatt Hotels Corp appointed its president and chief executive, Mark Hoplamazian, as chairman, replacing retiring executive chairman Thomas Pritzker, who has guided the company since 2004. Hoplamazian, who has led Hyatt for nearly two decades, oversaw the brand’s asset‑light expansion...
AWH Partners Acquires Hotel Trio Healdsburg for $38M
AWH Partners has purchased the 122‑key Hotel Trio Healdsburg for $38 million, equating to $311,475 per key—significantly below the estimated $500,000 replacement cost in Sonoma County. The all‑suite, Marriott‑branded property is the only Residence Inn in northern Sonoma and the second‑largest hotel...
Hihotels Adds Three Properties
Hospitality International’s hihotels brand announced the conversion of three independent hotels into its franchise network. The additions include a 45‑room Scottish Inns & Suites in Vinton, Louisiana, a 41‑room Scottish Inns & Suites in Kingwood, Texas, and a 48‑room Red...
Stayntouch Partners with Regency Hotel Management
Stayntouch has signed a partnership with Regency Hotel Management to roll out its cloud‑based property management system across 27 independent Regency hotels. After a seven‑month evaluation, Regency chose Stayntouch for its mobile‑first, tablet‑driven platform, enabling properties to go live in...
Hyatt Reveals Plans for Andaz Heber Valley
Hyatt Hotels announced the Andaz Heber Valley, its first mountain‑focused Andaz property, slated for a January 2029 opening in Utah’s Heber Valley. The 85‑room hotel will sit within The Slope, a mixed‑use lifestyle community that also includes 62 condominiums and...
Jacaruso Launches Lead Shark
Jacaruso Enterprises unveiled Lead Shark, an AI‑driven SaaS platform tailored for hotel sales teams. The tool consolidates prospecting, verified contact intelligence, market data and competitor analysis to accelerate outreach. Built on two decades of hotel sales experience, it serves both...
The Year Ahead: 2026 Cybersecurity Predictions for the Hotel Industry
Hospitality cyber risk escalates in 2026 as AI-driven phishing, ransomware‑as‑a‑service, and deepfake fraud target increasingly connected hotel environments. Regulatory pressure intensifies with the EU’s NIS2 directive and Cyber Resilience Act, forcing global compliance and tighter insurance terms. Smart‑room IoT devices...
Northshore Development Buys Hilton in Baton Rouge for $40.5M
Orlando-based Northshore Development has acquired the Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center, a 291‑room riverfront hotel, for $40.5 million. The deal, brokered by Marcus & Millichap, took a year to close and involved several stakeholders. The new owners intend to reposition the...