ECHO SUITES OPENS FIRST LOCATION: Wyndham has announced the launch of its inaugural ECHO Suites-branded hotel. The ECHO Suites Spartanburg in Spartanburg, S.C. features suites with kitchens, as well as free WiFi, smart TVs and EV charging stations. Announced in 2022, ECHO Suites is Wyndham’s 24th brand and the lodging company’s strategy to tap into the popularity of the extended-stay segment. The opening marks a milestone for ECHO Suites, which has grown its development pipeline to around 270 hotels totaling more than 33,000 rooms in the U.S. and Canada. The brand is expected to open in Texas and Virginia later this year. The new-build, 124-room ECHO Suites prototype requires less than 2 acres of land and spans 50,000 square feet. Hotels offer rooms, comprising single- and two-queen studio suites with kitchens, along with a lobby, fitness center and laundry facilities.
DRIFTWOOD EXPANDS INTO KENTUCKY: Driftwood Hospitality Management has ventured into the Kentucky market with the management assignment for the new Canopy by Hilton Downtown Louisville. The $75 million, 168-room hotel is situated in the city’s historic district and is scheduled to complete construction in the fourth quarter. The hotel will be developed by New York-based Zyyo, which bought the site in 2020, and Minnesota-based TruVine Companies. Zyyo is also serving as the property’s architect and construction manager, with Bellé Noble Entertainment Group serving as the hotel’s food & beverage operator. The hotel will offer multiple dining venues, a fitness center with a juice bar and over 5,100 square feet of meeting space. Driftwood’s portfolio currently includes more than 80 hotels totaling 15,000 rooms across North America, Latin America and the Caribbean.
PROTEA HOTELS OPENS TWO HOTELS: Celebrating its 40th anniversary, Protea Hotels by Marriott has expanded its portfolio with two openings in Angola and South Africa. With these two openings — Protea by Marriott Luanda and Protea by Marriott Pretoria Hatfield — Protea Hotels by Marriott has over 60 hotels across South Africa and eight more African countries. Protea by Marriott Luanda marks the brand’s arrival in Angola. Sitting between the city center of Luanda and Talatona, the hotel offers 84 rooms, an all-day dining restaurant, a rooftop bar, a gym and an outdoor pool with a waterfall. Located in Hatfield, Protea by Marriott Pretoria Hatfield has 203 rooms, a restaurant and bar and five conference venues.
ROTANA ADDS TO EGPTIAN MANAGEMENT PORTFOLIO: Hotel management company Rotana has expanded its footprint in Egypt with the opening of the Palma Bay Rotana Resort, in New Alamein. The addition brings up Rotana’s Egyptian portfolio to 702 keys. Located at Marina 5, the luxury resort features 176 rooms, including one-, two and three-bedroom suites. The hotel includes a wellness center, gym, three outdoor pools, padel and tennis courts, six dining venues and meeting space, that can accommodate up to 30 guests. Currently, Rotana operates 77 hotels across the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe and Turkey, with a pipeline of 9,830 keys under six brands.
