Dennis Nessler - 10 Minutes News for Hoteliers - Page 3

3 min

Red Roof Looks to Reach New Heights With Redesigned Prototype, Partnerships

🏡 Red Roof held its 2024 Brand Conference, revealing a new hotel prototype, partnerships, and team expansion. The company, with a 51-year history, recently surpassed 700 hotels. President Zack Gharib introduced the new 80-room, scalable prototype with development costs of $84,000-$105,000 per key, excluding land. A focus on cost and aggressive expansion includes 35 pipeline hotels and 15 projected openings by year-end across Red Roof Inn, Red Roof Plus+, The Red Collection, and HomeTowne Studios. Partnerships with Sojern and integration of HotelKey's management system aim to enhance guest experience. Leadership team strengthened with CFO Tara Henderson and general counsel Gerrod Bede.

7 min

Circle of Success: New Stonebridge CEO Smith Looks to Build on Solid Foundation

🏨 Rob Smith, with 30 years of experience, became President/CEO of Stonebridge Companies in July, succeeding founder Navin Dimond (1991). Stonebridge, a Denver-based hotel operator, recently doubled its portfolio to roughly 160 hotels through the acquisition of Real Hospitality in May. They manage properties across the U.S. for 61 owners and have an ownership entity with 15 assets. Smith's vision includes being a leading third-party operator, focusing on accountability, excellence, and diversified growth. Prior acquisitions included a 1,200-key, five-hotel portfolio and expansion into new markets such as Phoenix, North Carolina, and Georgia.

7 min

5 Brands to Watch: Extended Stay, Mid-Market Flags Drive Hot Product Pipelines for Franchisors

💰 Major franchise companies roll out new brands targeting growth and consumer loyalty, with five notable launches in the past 24 months. The extended-stay segment outperforms, leading to the introduction of ECHO Suites by Wyndham, Hyatt Studios, and StudioRes by Marriott. Hilton's Spark brand, launched January 2023, has 43 open hotels and over 100 expected by year-end. IHG's Garner hotels, debuted September 2023, opened four properties with 12 in the pipeline and global expansion planned. ECHO's first hotel opened in 2022 in Spartanburg, South Carolina, with 270 deals signed. Marriott's StudioRes broke ground in Fort Myers, Florida, with a spring 2025 opening expected.

3 min

Full Circle: New Products, Strategies Ramp Up Recycling Efforts

💧 PM Hotel Group released their sixth annual sustainability report; President Joe Bojanowski noted sustainability now directly drives profit margins. CoralTree Hospitality invested in biodigesters, which convert food waste to water or dirt, and plans to eliminate plastics at Terranea Resort within 30-60 days, switching to aluminum. Parkside Hotel & Spa in Victoria, BC, achieved carbon neutrality in 2019 and focuses on comprehensive compost systems, purchasing decisions, and water conservation, including using rainwater for irrigation.

3 min

Getting the Right Certification

🌳 Mike Shutts, VP at CoralTree Hospitality, and Trina White, GM at Parkside Hotels & Resorts, highlight the importance of green certification for hotels. Parkside achieved a 94% waste diversion rate, surpassing its previous pre-COVID high of over 80%. Since 2016, a third party conducts audits, directly verifying with waste and recycling companies. Shutts endorses Green Key Global, which assesses hotels on sustainable management and impacts on the environment, culture, and socioeconomics, offering tools and guidance to reduce consumption and costs.

2 min

Best Practice: Getting The Word Out On Green Efforts

🎁 Mike Shutts of CoralTree Hospitality emphasizes education for employees on sustainability to inform guests accurately. Trina White of Parkside Hotel & Spa cites a $30 discount for guests booking seven days in advance and opting out of housekeeping to promote sustainability. Subtle guest communications, like tent cards for zero waste, prove effective. Sustainability attracts and retains young talent, says Joe Bojanowski of PM Hotel Group, mentioning tree planting activities for employee involvement.

3 min

Marriott Veteran Jacobs Rounds Out New Leadership Team at Aimbridge

📌 Eric Jacobs appointed as Aimbridge Hospitality's Chief Global Growth Officer, succeeding Allison Reid since July 2022. CEO Craig Smith, joined March after a role at Marriott, teams with Jacobs and Executive Chairman Steve Joyce, also ex-Marriott, targeting the company's expansion. Aimbridge, based in Dallas, Texas, manages around 1,500 global properties. Jacobs, with 35 years in hospitality, previously added 2,400 hotels and 264,000 rooms to Marriott. Aimbridge focuses on Latin America, Europe, and Asia for growth, and maintains a hands-on approach with owners, emphasizing operational leadership despite corporate restructurings, the latest in February creating a dedicated owner relations team. Jacobs aims to build on Aimbridge's pillars in the coming six to eight months.

3 min

Aligned Hospitality Carves Niche Within Third-Party Management Ranks

🏨 Aligned Hospitality Management, founded in 2021, recently acquired its 26th property, the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Globe in Globe, Arizona. The Tucson-based company, led by CEO Bryan Tubaugh and President Helinda Lizarraga, has exceeded its 10-year expansion plan in just three years. Initially focused on properties in Colorado and Arizona, they expanded into California with the M Solvang Gardens. The team's growth has been fueled largely by word of mouth and is known for a hands-on operational approach, emphasizing line-level experience. The portfolio is diverse, including the 204-key DoubleTree, with future growth targeting midscale, upper midscale, and boutique properties, potentially moving towards larger portfolio deals and acquisitions within the next five years.

4 min

Hands-On Service Helps Drive Performance for Franchise Owners

📌 Amit Patel, managing partner of Rama Papermill Hotels based in Knoxville, TN, expanded his portfolio in 2023 with two Extended Stay America (ESA) properties. He praised ESA's hands-on service and cited a positive conversion experience of a 120-room property in Bristol, Virginia, which opened in August 2023. The renovation included a revamped lobby, guestrooms, and the addition of kitchens. Post-renovation, occupancy rose from over 30% to approximately 75%. Patel also took over a 72-room ESA in Knoxville, Tennessee, with a post-ownership occupancy rate above 90%. Patel is planning another ESA property in Knoxville and aims to grow with the ESA brand.

5 min

Getting an Upgrade: Wyndham Taps Strickland as Chief Commercial Officer to Help Usher in New Tech Era

🏨 Scott Strickland appointed as Wyndham Hotels & Resorts' chief commercial officer in April. Managed $275 million in company investments over five years. Wyndham migrated 5,000+ hotels to Sabre Hospitality's SynXis Property Hub PMS, completing 550 hotel transitions in a month, nearly a year ahead of schedule. Wyndham Connect, powered by Canary technologies, offers AI-driven messaging and upselling solutions. Franchisees report $1,200-$1,400 monthly revenue from early check-ins/late check-outs. Digital tipping averages $9.20 per tip. Wyndham also focuses on EV charging stations and OTA commission payment reconciliation, saving franchisees $600-$6,000 monthly.

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