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ANOTHER ASIAN AMERICAN developer has signed on to build two properties under Choice Hotels International's upscale Cambria brand. VRL Hotels, led by Victor Patel as president, has signed on to build a Cambria in Gatlinburg and another in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The 140-room Cambria Hotel Gatlinburg hotel is expected to open in 2022. It will feature a rooftop bar and restaurant overlooking the tourist town in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Local attractions include Ober Gatlinburg ski resort, the Gatlinburg SkyLift, which carries passengers 1,800 feet up to the top of Crockett Mountain, and the Gatlinburg Space Needle. Also nearby are Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies and Haunted Adventure, the Rocky Top Sports complex, several bourbon distilleries, breweries and wineries and the Gatlinburg Convention Center. The 140-room Cambria Hotel Pigeon Forge is expected to open in 2024. Nearby attractions include Dollywood amusement park, the Southern Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame and Museum, the LeConte Center at Pigeon Forge, Titanic Museum Attraction, NASCAR SpeedPark Smoky Mountains and seasonal outdoor events throughout the year, such as Winterfest. Both hotels will have multi-function meeting and event spaces and fitness centers among other amenities.

Cambria Hotel Waco University Riverfront in Waco, Texas, owned by KB Hotels led by Kiran "Kenny" Bhakta as founder and CEO, is now open. It is the ninth Cambria Hotel in the southwest. The new 4-story, 130-room property joins Cambria's Austin Downtown, Austin Uptown, Austin Airport, Houston Downtown, McAllen, Plano, Richardson and Southlake, Choice said in a statement. KB Hotels, led by Kiran "Kenny" Bhakta, a hotel development company in central Texas, is spearheading the development of this hotel. "With a rich history anchored by academia and agriculture, Texas is quickly becoming a hub for vacationers and business travelers alike," said Indy Adenaw, Choice's senior vice president and general manager for upscale. "We look forward to expanding Cambria's unique offerings and top-notch amenities to even more guests in the Lone Star State with the opening of the new Cambria Hotel Waco University Riverfront."

DRIVE-TO DESTINATIONS, such as beach towns, have seen steadily rising occupancy this summer as people seek to escape the restrictions of life in the COVID-19 pandemic. That is driving a wave of developments of Choice Hotels International's upscale Cambria brand around the country, including Cambria Hotel Ocean City - Bayfront in Ocean City, Maryland, developed by Mihir Wankawala of The Wankawala Organization. The eight-story, 137-room Cambria Ocean City - Bayfront, the fourth Cambria in the state, is near the city's Boardwalk and the Inlet event forums as well as other attractions like the Outlets Ocean City shopping center, Splash Mountain Water Park and Northside Park. Wankawala, who partnered with Tauhid Islam of PiNNacle Hospitality Group on the hotel, said he has confidence in the market despite the current pandemic related downturn. Work on the hotel had just been completed when the pandemic hit.

The Cambria Hotel Savannah Downtown Historic District is now open in Savannah, Georgia. It was developed by HOS Management Group, led by Kurt Patel and Anil Patel as co-founders and chairmen, and is the first Cambria in Georgia. The 6-story, 101-room hotel is in the city's National Historic Landmark District, according to Cambria. It is near the Savannah Civic Center, the SCAD Museum and Forsyth Park, as well as several top area employers, including Georgia Ports Authority, Gulfstream, Hunter Army Airfield, St. Joseph's Hospital and Mitsubishi Hitachi Power System's North American headquarters. Amenities include meeting and event spaces and a fitness center.

DALLAS-BASED INVESTMENT firm NewcrestImage has acquired Cambria Hotel Southlake DFW in Southlake, Texas, the company said in a statement. The company took over operations at the 175-room upscale hotel and the management will be provided by Aimbridge Hospitality. In January, NewcrestImage and Aimbridge contracted for Aimbridge for management services and NewcrestImage became a minority shareholder in the management company. "The Cambria Hotel Southlake DFW is a vibrant, contemporary hotel strategically located to attract both business and leisure travelers. We look forward to taking the hotel to new levels of performance, both for guests and for our investors," said Mehul Patel, managing partner and CEO of NewcrestImage.

CHOICE HOTELS INTERNATIONAL recently relaunched Radisson Individuals in the Americas as an upper-upscale soft brand targeting full-service, boutique and independent hotels. This is the first time the brand is offered to owners since Choice's 2022 acquisition of Radisson Hotels Americas. The launch marks the company's expansion into the upscale and upper-upscale segments, Choice said in a statement. "Choice is a different company today than we were just a few years ago," said Patrick Pacious, Choice's president and CEO. "We've seen strong interest in our upscale and upper-upscale brands, including Radisson, Radisson Blu, Radisson Red, Ascend Hotel Collection and Cambria. This reflects the strategic investments we've made to provide value to developers looking to grow in these segments." Radisson Individuals is one of the fastest-growing soft brands globally, with more than 30 properties opened since 2020, including 15 franchised by Choice in the Americas, the statement said.

CHOICE HOTELS INTERNATIONAL is working with Westgate Resorts to make 21 properties bookable on choicehotels.com, with reservations available using Choice Privileges points. The hotels will join Choice's upscale portfolio, including Radisson, Cambria and Ascend Hotel Collection. Westgate amenities include Treasure Cove Water Park at Westgate Lakes Resort & Spa in Orlando, horseback rides at Westgate River Ranch Resort & Rodeo in River Ranch, Florida, and ski-in, ski-out access at Westgate Park City Resort & Spa in Park City, Utah, the companies said in a joint statement. "We're excited to collaborate with Westgate Resorts, offering travelers and more than 68 million Choice Privileges members a broad range of hotel options," said Noha Abdalla, Choice's chief marketing officer. "The addition of these properties strengthens our commitment to diverse travel experiences, while providing members more ways to use their points and maximize rewards."