David Eisen - 10 Minutes News for Hoteliers - Page 6

The right brain of Left Lane: A real estate firm you may not have heard of is bringing the noise

📈 Left Lane Development, founded during the pandemic by four Colgate University graduates, capitalizes on the downturn by acquiring and converting Class B office spaces in secondary markets like Austin and Tampa. By 2024, Hotel Bardo in Savannah opened, leading in market rates and RevPAR. Future projects include a 221-room hotel in Savannah, a luxury hotel in Pittsburgh's Gulf Tower by 2026, and a Bardo in Providence. They prioritize iconic facades for tax credits and employ a proprietary CMBS model.

2 min

Brookfield deals for European arm of Generator

💰 Brookfield Asset Management is acquiring Generator’s European arm for €780 million from Queensgate Investments. Excluded are Generator’s U.S. properties and the Freehand Hotels brand. Generator manages 13 European properties, including locations in London and Paris. In 2017, Queensgate bought Generator for €450 million, adding Freehand Hotels in 2019 for $400 million. Hotel investment in Europe surged by 62% in 2024 to €17.4 billion. Brookfield, managing over $1 trillion, raised $25 billion in 2025's first quarter.

IHG strikes deal for first Even Hotel in Middle East

🏦 IHG Hotels & Resorts signed an agreement for Even Hotel Dammam, set to open in 2029—the first Even brand in the Middle East, situated in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. The 300-room hotel, developed in partnership with Marassi Al Bahr Development Company (Al Khaldi Holding), will be at the King Abdullah Civic Center. Even Hotels launched in 2012, offering wellness zones and has 37 hotels globally, with 13 in Mainland China. Even Hotel Dammam will feature biophilic design, wellness zones, Athletic Studio, Soul Studio, and a spa, aligning with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. IHG manages 45 hotels and plans 47 more in Saudi Arabia within 3-5 years.

8 min

Running a successful hotel is predicated on a lot of things. The PMS is pivotal.

💻 "2001: A Space Odyssey," a film 57 years old, features HAL, an AI controlling spacecraft systems. Property Management Systems (PMS) centralize hotel operations similar to HAL. Remington Hospitality prefers PMSs with connectivity and data access. Charlestowne Hotels seeks scalability and flexibility. Sage Hospitality values vendor partnership quality. Mews, founded in 2012, now has over 5,000 customers and integrates with 1,000+ tech partners. Stayntouch's PMS offers comprehensive automation, training in two days, and a built-in upselling tool. Oracle Hospitality's OPERA Cloud PMS serves major brands like Marriott and Wyndham. Cloudbeds, with 650+ employees in 40+ countries, prioritizes user experience and workflow automation. Maestro's PMS focuses on customer support and property-specific customization. OTA Sync, an emerging PMS, emphasizes simplicity, strength, and leveraging AI for future enhancements.

6 min

The president of Donohoe Hospitality has had a remarkable career. One forged from tragedy.

🚢 Thomas Penny, president of Donohoe Hospitality, named his boat "Brother’s Keeper" in Annapolis, MD. He started his career at 17 as a dishwasher making $4.25/hour and became the food and beverage director at 18. Penny joined Donohoe in Bethesda, MD, at 21 and became its president in 2017. The company manages 16 hotels, primarily in the DMV (D.C., Maryland, Virginia) area, and is expanding in Las Vegas with a dual-brand Hyatt partnership. In Reston, VA, Donohoe opened a dual-branded AC Hotel and Residence Inn, part of a 4.8-million-square-foot project. D.C. average daily rates have exceeded $200 in March 2025. Penny carries on his great grandfather's legacy, who worked on the Twin Bridges Marriott, opened in 1957. Donohoe is committed to diversity, with inclusive senior leadership representing various backgrounds.

4 min

To your health: Hilton’s wellness leader on what travelers are looking for on vacation and why health is top of mind

🏠 Hilton's "2025 Trends Report" signals an increase in travelers seeking wellness on vacation. Jessica Shea, VP of wellness at Hilton, emphasizes the economic opportunity and responsibility to cater to health-conscious guests. Hilton works with sleep expert Dr. Rebecca Robbins to optimize guest sleep experiences and introduces stress-reducing hotel features. Fitness centers are standard across all Hilton brands, with luxury properties offering advanced amenities. Wellness offerings at Hilton are revenue drivers, impacting rates and driving demand, especially in lifestyle and luxury segments. Hilton has retail partnerships with wellness brands like Lululemon and Alo, and collaborations with Peloton and Calm. Wellness initiatives are being integrated with the Hilton Honors program.

In the luxury hotel space, being unique means being singular throughout

🍷 Distinguishing lifestyle and luxury hotels includes prioritizing F&B. A recent LinkedIn post about additive-free tequila brands like G4, Wild Common, and Tapatio highlighted the issue with hotels stocking common spirits. The argument suggests hotels should offer authentic, unique spirits with taste and story, despite financial barriers from distributor influence and profitability challenges in hotel F&B. Innovative solutions include signature menus with local and small-brand spirits, and staff training to educate guests on unique beverage options.

1 min

HOTELS Magazine May/June digital edition is live

📱 HOTELS Magazine's May/June digital edition explores lodging loyalty programs, provides insights from AAHOA and Hunter hospitality conferences, and highlights a new Waldorf Astoria development in Texas. It also features Sean Hehir, CEO of Trinity Investments, discusses wellness trends led by Hilton, and showcases six influential PMS providers in hotel tech. Additionally, the resurgence of banqueting in the F&B sector is covered. Read the latest trends and developments in the hospitality industry now.

4 min

January and February performance for Marriott was strong. Then came March.

🏨 Marriott International reported Q1 2025 earnings, with a March slump leading to a lower full-year RevPAR growth forecast by 50 basis points. US government travel decreased, causing a 10% YoY decline in US government RevPAR. Global RevPAR is expected to rise 1.5% to 2.5% in Q2 and 1.5% to 3.5% for the full year. Despite this, Q1 2025 RevPAR increased by 4.1%, with 3.3% growth in the US & Canada and 5.9% internationally. Marriott added 12,200 net rooms in Q1, a 4.6% growth from Q1 2024, and has a pipeline of 3,800 properties and over 587,000 rooms, up 7.4% YoY. The company acquired citizenM for $355 million, contributing to a 5% net room growth target. Cost-cutting measures are set to save $80-90 million annually from 2025, with Q1 G&A costs down 6% YoY. Marriott Bonvoy membership reached nearly 237 million by March end.

Hotel Equities and Springboard Hospitality merge

🏨 Hotel Equities and Springboard Hospitality merged effective May 1, with Ben Rafter as CEO and Brad Rahinsky as chairman. The combined entity operates over 250 hotels across the U.S., Canada, Caribbean, and Latin America. Hotel Equities manages nearly 200 hotels, while Springboard Hospitality oversees 51 properties. The merger aims for revenue generation, technology innovation, and providing long-term value. Al Smith becomes COO; Rob Robinson is now president of Springboard Hospitality. Terms were not disclosed.

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