Hotel Openings

🏨 In Arlington, Texas, Valencia Hotel Group partners with Division Hotel Management LLC to transform the former Caravan Motel into Caravan Court, opening in 2026 with 145 rooms, 7 suites, and a preserved 1960s Caravan Motor Hotel sign. Marriott celebrates its 9,000th property, The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort, boasting 168 rooms, 26 suites, and 69 residences in Longboat Key, Fla. U.S. hotel performance sees mixed year-over-year (YOY) stats with occupancy at 66.9%, ADR at $156.35, and RevPAR at $104.54. Houston leads with occupancy up 34.3%, ADR up 14.5%, and RevPAR up 53.8%. Pennyweight Hotel Boston, Curio Collection by Hilton, with 112 rooms, set to open this month in Boston’s West End.

📈 Louisville, Kentucky, saw a 94.9% YOY event volume growth, ranking in the top five secondary markets for the fifth time this year. It averaged 4,935 square feet and 119 attendees for events. Philadelphia led the top 25 markets with a 27.7% growth in July, driven by a National Education Association event. Secondary markets grew by 6.9% on average, surpassing the top 25 markets' 3.6%. Denver, Las Vegas, Nashville, and Phoenix also reported significant growth in event volumes, ranging from 12.8% to 27.2%.

🏡 Extended Stay America announced the opening of the Extended Stay America Premier Suites Portland North in Portland, Oregon, developed by Trimark-University Housing IV and managed by Ark Hospitality. The three-story, 146-room property offers WiFi, complimentary breakfast, a fitness center, and kitchens equipped with full-size refrigerators, microwaves, and stovetops. Located near Portland International Airport and Tri-Met Delta Park Rail Station, the hotel caters to the increasing demand for extended stay options in the region. Mark Williams highlighted the property's conversion to support extended stays. Al Jiwani plans to add more ESA locations in the future.

🌈 In 2025, Universal Orlando Resort will open the 500-room Universal Helios Grand Hotel, a Mediterranean-inspired Loews hotel, at Universal Epic Universe. The hotel will feature a dedicated theme park entrance, entertainment-themed rooms like the How to Train Your Dragon Kids’ Suites, three dining venues, a rooftop lounge with 360-degree views, a zero-entry pool with underwater speakers, and Early Park Admission benefits. Universal Epic Universe will also include multi-sensory environments with five themed worlds. This will bring Universal Orlando's hotel count to 11, totaling 11,000 rooms.

🏠 Choice Hotels International, Inc. is breaking ground on three new Everhome Suites in San Antonio, Texas; Bowling Green, Kentucky; and Wichita, Kansas, developed with Highside Companies. The extended-stay demand is double the supply, with four Everhome Suites open, 65 in the pipeline, over 20 under construction, and more than 15 set to open within the next 12 months. The Everhome Suites Bowling Green, San Antonio, and Wichita will offer 115, 115, and 123 rooms, respectively, and are expected to open in November 2025 and fall of 2025. Amenities include full kitchens, spa-style bathrooms, pet-friendly options, and 24/7 markets and fitness centers.

🏨 NH Hotels to open NH Maldives Kuda Rah Resort on September 1 in South Ari Atoll, Maldives, featuring 51 suites and villas, 25 minutes from Male by seaplane. ECHO Suites by Wyndham launches second U.S. location in Plano, Texas, with plans for 25 more. Hotel Engadinerhof in Pontresina, Switzerland, acquired by Lang & Schwander, to undergo renovations until 2026. Driftwood Capital provides $12.1M loan for refinancing 714-key, five-hotel portfolio in Utah, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Texas.

🏨 Marriott to boost inventory by over 9,000 rooms by end of 2024, with 1,500+ future rooms. New "Sonder by Marriott Bonvoy" collection targets younger travelers, offers apartment-style and boutique hotels in cities. Partnership includes Marriott earning royalty from Sonder's room revenue.

🏡 The George Hotel, a boutique property in Georgetown's Hammock Coast, South Carolina, housed in the former Georgetown Times building, opened in May 2024. It's the first hotel on historic Front Street in over 50 years and The Indigo Road's first in South Carolina. The hotel features 18th- and 19th-century architectural design, 42 water-facing guestrooms with 50-inch Samsung smart TVs, Malin + Goetz products, and Bellino linens. It includes a seafood restaurant, outdoor bar, and event spaces like The Indigo Room. Owned by Winya Properties and operated by The Indigo Road, it has 56 rooms.

🥞 Milkshake Concepts, founded in 2015 in Dallas, operates eight brands, with Serious Eats most recently opening Aug. 2 in Grand Prairie. Vidorra, launched in 2018, aims to open 10 locations by 2026, including a Nashville venue post-Grapevine launch. Currently, there are Vidorra locations in Dallas' Deep Ellum, Addison, and Grand Prairie, with Rockwall and Grapevine next. CEO Imran Sheikh cites a multisensory experience for Vidorra's success, planning a total of nine DFW locations by 2026, while also considering expansion into Houston, Austin, Denver, and Phoenix/Scottsdale.