Marriott Debuts Its Newest Brand and Wyndham Debuts New Initiatives
Marriott International, Inc. announced the global launch of its new collection brand for the midscale and upscale lodging segments - Series by Marriott. Meanwhile, Wyndham had a flurry of announcements at its customer conference.
The DJIA was down a point, the Nasdaq was up 53, the S&P 500 was down 3 points and the 10-year treasury yield was down .04 to 4.55%. Lodging stocks were modestly higher. BHR was the big mover, up 5% on the day.
On the negative side of the Easter calendar shift, the U.S. hotel industry reported mixed performance results year over year, according to April 2025 data from CoStar. April 2025 (percentage change from April 2024): Occupancy: 63.9% (-1.9%) ADR: $161.28 (+1.8%) RevPAR: $103.11 (-0.1%). Among the Top 25 Markets, the highest occupancy level was seen in New York (+0.5% to 84.8%). Markets with the lowest occupancy for the month included Detroit (-2.3% to 57.4%) and Minneapolis(+2.7% to 60.9%). The highest gains across the metrics were seen in San Francisco/San Mateo: Occupancy (+14.0% to 69.6%), ADR (+20.5% to $227.44), and RevPAR (+37.45 to $158.36). The Top 25 Markets in aggregate showed higher occupancy than all other markets as well as a lower year-over-year decline (-1.3% vs. -2.3%).
STR/CoStar reported U.S. hotel data for the week ended May 17. U.S. Hotel RevPAR was up 0.9%, with rates up 1.3% and occupancy down -0.4%, year over year. Group RevPAR was down -2.2%.
Apple Hospitality announced its Board of Directors approved an extension until July 2026 of the company's existing share repurchase program. The extended program allows for the repurchase of up to $262.6 million of the company's common shares.
Ryman Hospitality Properties said its underwritten public offering was upsized to 2,990,000 shares, sold at a price of $96.20 per share. That includes 390,000 shares sold following the quick exercise of the underwriters' overallotment option. The net proceeds of around $275 million will be used to fund a portion of the $865 million purchase price of the pending acquisition of the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in Phoenix, AZ. The balance will be funded with cash on hand and a private placement of $626 million senior notes due 2033.
Tru by Hilton unveiled a refreshed prototype, featuring purposeful changes designed to update comfort, flexibility, and the overall guest experience. Enhancements to guestrooms include a redesigned mobile rolling desk, improved lighting, and updated furnishings. The lobby now has new soft seating and high-back chairs. A redesigned media wall brings Tru's lobby games front and center, encouraging play and interaction. On every guest floor, the addition of a heat and cool station near the elevator gives travelers access to microwaves, ice machines, and water bottle refill stations. As Tru by Hilton celebrates the opening of its 300th hotel, the brand is continuing its strategic growth around the world. Recent and upcoming highlights include: Tru by Hilton Houston Downtown Convention Center, opening in March 2025. Tru by Hilton Hanoi Station, opening April 2025 in Vietnam. Tru by Hilton Montreal Centre-Ville, opening in the summer of 2025 in Canada; and Tru by Hilton Saltillo, opening in the summer of 2025 in Mexico.
Wyndham officially kicked off its 2025 Global Conference in Las Vegas and unveiled new initiatives to drive owner success and strengthen hotel performance. Anchored by its OwnerFirst approach, Wyndham is redefining hotel ownership through bold advancements across technology, sourcing, loyalty, and marketing. Some of the initiatives announced include: New best-in-class technology building on its best-in-class tech stack, the newly launched Wyndham Connect PLUS, which enhances Wyndham's existing guest engagement platform by further embedding AI across the guest journey. Simplified sourcing solutions - great guest experiences start with well-run operations and Wyndham is investing in both. That includes Wyndham Marketplace, a new hotel shopping platform, that, when combined with the new Wyndham PriceIQ, makes it faster and easier for owners to find, compare, and purchase brand-approved products at deeply negotiated rates. Meanwhile, a new partnership with sbe's Everybody Eats food and beverage solution is helping hotel owners offer chef-driven, restaurant-quality offerings without the need for extensive equipment or large back-of-house operations. Through a partnership with HUB International, Wyndham franchisees now have access to transparent and tailored solutions designed to ensure compliance with Wyndham brand standards, improve coverage, and lower costs. Wyndham Rewards is taking member benefits to the next level with the launch of Wyndham Rewards Experiences. Leveraging partnerships with world-renowned sports and entertainment brands, members can now use their points to bid on premier live events as well as unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Wyndham Rewards members will also soon have access to new dining perks, thanks to an industry-first partnership between Wyndham and Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar. Marketing that meets guests where they are capitalizing on the power of its unparalleled portfolio, Wyndham is also taking steps to help capture more demand at lower costs for its thousands of franchisees. This summer, the company will launch a bold new portfolio-wide marketing campaign: Where There's a Wyndham, There's a Way. Uniting for the first time, both Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and Wyndham Rewards under one singular identity, the campaign brings to life Wyndham's mission of Making Hotel Travel Possible for All.
A new 93-room Hilton Garden Inn has opened in downtown Dayton, Ohio, attached to the historic Dayton Arcade. While the actual grand opening for the hotel isn't slated until sometime in June, the North Arcade, which will feature shopping, restaurants, and more, will be having its grand opening on June 6.
1 Hotels announced the opening of 1 Hotel Seattle. Set in Seattle's South Lake Union neighborhood, the hotel offers 153 guestrooms including 45 suites, a signature restaurant, café and bar, and six designed event spaces.
Populus Hotels announced that Populus Seattle is now open in the historic Pioneer Square. Created by Urban Villages and brought to life in collaboration with Aparium Hotel Group, the 120-room boutique hotel offers multiple dining venues and Pioneer Square's first and only rooftop bar, and two flexible meeting and event spaces.
Daly Seven announced the development of a new Holiday Inn Express & Suites and an adjacent restaurant out parcel in Lynchburg/Campbell County, Virginia. The 113-room hotel is currently under construction. The new hotel replaces the existing Holiday Inn Express on Seminole Avenue and is scheduled to open in Fall 2026.
Bradley, Illinois, will see the construction of a new 73-suite Staybridge Hotel, and the project is anticipated to carry with it a development cost of $14-$15 million. The complex will share an indoor walkway with the neighboring 92-unit Holiday Inn Express & Suites, as both sites will be owned and operated by Dr. Sanjay Patel. According to Patel, the two hotels would share common areas such as the front desk and the pool.
Kalahari Resorts & Conventions has launched the Kalahari Adventure Collection property tier defined by 'distinctive, experience-driven accommodations,' as the company describes them. The first destination under this banner is now underway in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, with a mix of elevated treehouses, lakefront cabins, and villas, set to open in 2026 in the woods neighboring Kalahari's flagship resort. Additionally, Daylene's Supper Club, a 10,000-square-foot restaurant and another key portion of the project, broke ground on May 19.
Sojourn Lodging, a new boutique tiny house hotel concept, is now open in Sevierville, Tennessee. The resort includes a variety of onsite amenities, including a pickleball court, community fire pits, walking trails, indoor gathering space at the Welcome Center, and a mountain observation deck.
San Antonio's La Cantera Resorts has revealed a $40 million guestroom makeover. The interior renovations took 11 months to complete and include all 496 guestrooms and 34 private villas. Still to come is The Calera, a new 5,600 square foot weddings and events venue modeled after the King Ranch main house. According to a resort rep, construction is currently slated to finish in the fall.
Field & Stream Lodge Co. announced the opening of its flagship property: Field & Stream Bozeman. The 179-room lodge offers an indoor pool, an outdoor hot tub, a landscaped courtyard, the Supply Shop, two distinct restaurant and bar concepts, and The Summit Room, a 3,600 square foot private event space. Field & Stream Bozeman was designed by AJ Capital Partners, drawing inspiration from Bozeman, Montana's rugged natural beauty.
Hershler Hospitality announced the sale of the Shaw House, a historic 7-room inn located in Ferndale, California. The seller was a private individual; the buyers were two private individuals.
Global Highlights
Marriott International, Inc. announced the global launch of its new collection brand for the midscale and upscale lodging segments - Series by Marriott - as the company continues to expand its lodging offerings around the world. Series by Marriott marks its initial launch through a founding deal with Concept Hospitality Private Limited (CHPL) in India, a key growth market for Marriott. Under the strategic agreement between CHPL and Marriott, CHPL's flagship brands The Fern, The Fern Residency, and The Fern Habitat will affiliate with Series by Marriott on an exclusive basis across India and Marriott will make a small equity investment in CHPL. The Fern portfolio is currently comprised of 84 open properties and 31 executed pipeline deals, totaling 115 properties and approximately 8,000 rooms. Fern properties are expected to join Marriott's portfolio in India over time following discussions with the third-party hotel owners and execution of long-term franchise agreements with those owners. For more context, see Skift's story.
Personnel News
JLL's Hotels & Hospitality Group announced Wyatt Krapf has joined the firm as a Senior Director in Tampa, Florida. As part of JLL's Debt Advisory team, Krapf will specialize in hotel debt and equity placement transactions throughout North America, in addition to debt coverage across all asset classes in Central Florida. Krapf brings over a decade of experience. His career includes six years with HFF, three years with Berkadia, and two years with Hodges Ward Elliott.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Bloomberg
25 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
Stocks Hit Highest Since February on Jobs Surprise
Bloomberg Television brings you the latest news and analysis leading up to the final minutes and seconds before and after the closing bell on Wall Street. Today's guests are Bloomberg Television brings you the latest news and analysis leading up to the final minutes and seconds before and after the closing bell on Wall Street. Today's guests are Katie Nixon, Northern Trust, Betsey Stevenson, University of Michigan, Dan Dolev, Mizuho, Rashad Bilal & Troy Millings, Earn Your Leisure, Matthew Griffin, Bloomberg News, Barry Bannister, Stifel, Jess Menton, Bloomberg News, Ed Ludlow, Bloomberg News, Stacy Rasgon, Bernstein Research, Frances Katzen, Douglas Elliman, Brett Winton, Ark Invest, Tony Zaccario, Stretch Zone, Nicole Camarre, 43North. (Source: Bloomberg)
Washington Post
28 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Federal judge approves $2.8B settlement, paving way for US colleges to pay athletes millions
A federal judge signed off on arguably the biggest change in the history of college sports on Friday, clearing the way for schools to begin paying their athletes millions of dollars as soon as next month as the multibillion-dollar industry shreds the last vestiges of the amateur model that defined it for more than a century.
New York Times
34 minutes ago
- New York Times
Historic House v. NCAA settlement gets final approval, allowing schools to pay college athletes
By Ralph D. Russo, Stewart Mandel and Justin Williams A federal judge Friday granted final approval of the House v. NCAA settlement, a watershed agreement in college sports that permits schools to directly pay college athletes for the first time. The settlement, which resolves a trio of antitrust cases against the NCAA and its most powerful conferences, establishes a new 10-year revenue sharing model in college sports, with athletic departments able to distribute roughly $20.5 million in name, image and likeness (NIL) revenue to athletes over the 2025-26 season. Previously, athletes could earn NIL compensation only with outside parties, including school-affiliated donor collectives that have become instrumental in teams' recruiting. Advertisement The NCAA and the power conferences (ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-12 and SEC), as defendants in the settlement, also agree to pay nearly $2.8 billion in damages to Division I athletes who were not allowed to sign NIL deals, dating back to 2016. The damages will be paid out over 10 years, with most of the money expected to go to former power-conference football and men's basketball players. Universities can begin directly sharing revenue with college athletes starting July 1. Judge Claudia Wilken of the Northern District of California, who previously ruled against the NCAA in the O'Bannon and Alston cases, granted approval roughly a year after parties agreed to settlement terms and nearly two months after a final approval hearing on April 7, where Wilken heard testimony from more than a dozen objectors. Lawyers for both the plaintiffs and defendants noted that the number of objections and opt-outs in the settlement represent a tiny fraction of the nearly 400,000 athletes in the certified class. However, some of those objectors delayed approval, largely citing the settlement's new roster limits. These limits, which replace sport-by-sport scholarship limits, cap the maximum roster size per team while allowing for every roster spot to receive a scholarship. Schools can offer scholarship funds — partial or full — as they see fit, which creates more potential opportunities. But as schools preemptively prepared to comply with those new limits, they removed roster spots for thousands of walk-ons, particularly in football, and partial scholarship athletes in non-revenue sports. In late April, Wilken offered an ultimatum, instructing the settlement parties to revise the terms in a way that mitigated any lost roster spots as a result of schools preparing for the new roster limits, or she would deny the whole agreement. Settlement lawyers responded with an amendment that allows for voluntary 'grandfathering' of any athletes who lost roster spots as a result of the roster limits, a status that will follow those athletes through the remainder of their eligibility, whether they return to their original school or transfer elsewhere. Advertisement The initial House v. NCAA case — brought by plaintiffs Grant House, a former Arizona State swimmer, and Sedona Prince, then an Oregon women's basketball player — was filed in June 2020. It challenged NCAA policy at the time that prohibited athletes from being compensated for the commercial use of their NIL rights or from sharing in the revenue generated from NCAA and conference television contracts. The case was later consolidated with two similar suits, Carter v. NCAA and Hubbard v. NCAA. The cases had not gone to trial. The NCAA and Power 5 conferences, fearful a verdict might result in much higher damages, agreed to a settlement in May 2024. Wilken granted preliminary approval in October 2024. The NCAA's traditional amateurism model, in which athletes could not receive any compensation beyond a scholarship, began to crumble in 2014 when Wilken ruled against the NCAA in a suit brought by former UCLA star Ed O'Bannon, who objected to his image being used in an EA Sports video game without his permission. Wilken ruled for the plaintiffs, but after an appeals court struck part of her decision, the only tangible effect was that schools began offering cost-of-attendance stipends. The next major case, Alston v. NCAA, made it to the Supreme Court, where the justices ruled 9-0 against the NCAA. Often mischaracterized as a case about NIL, Alston's main impact was that it allowed schools to provide athletes $5,980 a year in academic expenses. However, the lopsided decision left the NCAA vulnerable to additional legal challenges regarding rules that limited compensation, and it was delivered on June 21, 2021, nine days before numerous state laws allowing NIL payments were set to go into effect. The NCAA quickly scrapped most of its intended restrictions on NIL. In the years since, many athletes have entered into deals with local companies and struck lucrative endorsement deals with national brands like Gatorade and New Balance, as intended. But a far more common practice involves boosters using purported NIL deals to lure recruits or players from the transfer portal to their favorite school. The NCAA's enforcement division initially sought to punish schools that used NIL as a form of 'pay for play' or recruiting inducement, but when the University of Tennessee came under fire in early 2024, the state's attorney general sued, and a judge issued an injunction prohibiting the NCAA from enforcing those rules. Advertisement The amount of money being spent in the NIL arena has skyrocketed since 2021. Last year, Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork said the Buckeyes football team — which later won the national championship — was earning $20 million in NIL. CBS Sports recently reported that a number of men's basketball rosters have already topped $10 million for next season. To this point, collectives supporting specific schools have ruled the market, but administrators are hoping the House settlement will curtail that influence. In addition to schools being allowed to make NIL deals themselves, the new model also requires all outside NIL deals of more than $600 to go through a clearinghouse that will determine whether the payments are for a valid business purpose and reflect fair market value. Meanwhile, the settlement establishes an enforcement arm that will penalize schools that go over the $20.5 million cap. All of this will be overseen by the newly established regulatory body, called the College Sports Commission, which is in the process of shifting considerable oversight and control of college sports away from the NCAA and to the power conferences. The NCAA's Division I Board of Directors recently approved a series of proposals, pending settlement approval, that will strike 153 rules from the association's handbook and clear the way for the settlement terms to be implemented. The settlement represents a significant shift in college sports, but it will not mark the end of the NCAA's legal challenges. Among numerous ongoing cases, Johnson v. NCAA was filed in 2019 in Pennsylvania and seeks to have athletes classified as employees who are entitled to minimum wage compensation. The NCAA's efforts to dismiss the case have thus far been denied. Revenue sharing and third-party NIL constraints could also invite additional lawsuits on the basis of Title IX, antitrust violations and conflicts with state laws. NCAA and power conference stakeholders continue to pursue antitrust exemptions in the form of Congressional intervention, in hopes of codifying the settlement and its effectiveness moving forward. President Donald Trump has explored a new commission focused on the issues facing college sports, led by former Alabama head coach Nick Saban and billionaire Texas Tech board chair Cody Campbell, though it is paused as members of Congress pursue legislation.
