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The Staybridge Suites in Duluth, Georgia, is now open. The hotel, owned and operated by Duluth Capital Investments led by Sonial Patel as principal, is the first Staybridge Suites in the country using the brand's new "Next Generation 7.0" design that incorporates elements to protect against COVID-19. The 99-room, 5-story hotel has more open room in its public spaces for social distancing, which is strictly enforced. It features no contact check in / check out, as well as extensive disinfecting as part of InterContinental Hotel Group's "Clean Promise" program, including completely cleaning each suite with an electrostatic sprayer. Guests select their housekeeping schedule to further avoid contact.

SureStay Hotel by Best Western Fort Pierce is open in Fort Pierce, Florida, after a renovation. It is owned by the Satya Group led by Sachit Patel as president. The 72-room hotel is near Heathcote Botanical Gardens, Fort Pierce Beach and St. Lucie County Aquarium. Amenities include an outdoor pool with hot tub. The renovation included all-new flat-screen televisions, bedding, furniture, carpet, and lighting fixtures. "We are proud to be one of the newest hotels in a brand that has already seen such impressive fast-paced growth," said Sonny Patel, General Manager of the SureStay Hotel by Best Western Fort Pierce. "We're excited for our guests to experience this fast-growing brand."

CHARLOTTE-BASED MAYA HOTELS has acquired two Hampton Inn hotels in North Carolina and South Carolina. The two Hampton Inns boast a total of 210 guest rooms and are Maya Hotels' second and third acquisitions over the last six months, the company said in a statement. The hotels are the 100-room Hampton Inn & Suites Charlotte-Arrowood Road in Charlotte, North Carolina, and the 110-room Hampton Inn Columbia Northeast-Fort Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina. Maya Hotels, led by JD Deva as CEO, acquired the hotels on March 11. The Charlotte property is near Carowinds Amusement Park and Charlotte Douglas International Airport. The Columbia hotel is near U.S. Army Fort Jackson the University of South Carolina and downtown Columbia. Amenities at each hotel include outdoor pools, fitness centers, meeting spaces, and business centers. "We are excited to acquire these two top-branded assets at a discount to replacement cost," said Krishna Deva, vice president of Maya Hotels. "Charlotte and Columbia have historically been top markets for us, and we are thrilled to grow our presence in these two cities with such a strong brand affiliation." The acquired hotels complement Maya Hotels' existing footprint and will increase the current operating synergies the company has across North Carolina and South Carolina regions. The hotels will be renovated and managed by Maya Hotels. "We are so happy to continue growing our relationships with the Charlotte and Columbia communities, as well as with Hilton. We are also thankful to each of our investors and banking partners," said Deva. "The success of this transaction is a testament to our track record in the hospitality industry and our ability to adapt quickly in a rapidly changing lending environment. We look forward to bringing out the full potential of each of these properties with our hands-on management approach and the completion of major renovations at each property."

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CHIP ROGERS, PRESIDENT and CEO of American Hotel & Lodging Association, is joining the cast of a magazine-style television series "Hotels ByDesign." The program's host Mike Chapman will showcase up to 35 hotels across the U.S. throughout its four half-hour episodes. Rogers will be part of a panel of architectural, innovation and industry experts who will discuss key design aspects of various hotels, AHLA said in a statement. "Hotels are at the cutting edge of informed design, as brands and hotel companies are constantly evolving to meet the changing needs of guests," Rogers said. "I'm excited to work with Hotels ByDesign to showcase the beauty and ingenuity of our industry." "It is with great pleasure that we turn our design lens towards hotels and vacation experiences," said Chapman, who also serves as the series' executive producer. "ByDesign continues the design conversation in front of a mainstream American and international audience, celebrating, commentating, and educating on excellent design. We are excited to be collaborating with the AHLA as we embark on new adventures - broadening our audience and telling exceptional design stories together."

SAI LLC, LED by president Rajesh "Raj" Bhagia, recently won the 2023 Hilton Americas Development Award for New Build - Tru by Hilton in Brooklyn, New York. The 101-room Tru by Hilton Brooklyn, which opened in March, marked the brand's debut in New York city. The Hilton Development team selected 52 winners based on criteria such as quality of hotels developed and in operation, commitment to quality of projects, impact on local community and early adoption of newer brands, Hilton said in a statement. Along with the Development Awards by Brand, categories included Lifetime Achievement Award, New Developer of the Year, Conversion Developer of the Year, Multi-Brand Developer of the Year, Multi-Brand Deal of the Year and Developer of the Year by Category. "We are thrilled to celebrate our owner and development partners who are the recipients of the 2023 Americas Development Award," said Danny Hughes, Hilton's president for the Americas. "Over the last year, we've seen travel continue to grow across the Americas, creating even more opportunities for our partners to welcome guests to their hotels in exciting destinations across every corner of the region. From our legacy properties to our new developments, we are excited to see this continued growth and add even more exceptional hotels to our portfolio."

VISION HOSPITALITY GROUP, led by Mitch Patel as president and CEO, recently broke ground on a dual-branded Home2 Suites and Tru by Hilton in Cleveland, Tennessee. The upcoming development, slated for completion in mid to late 2025, will comprise a combined total of 140 keys across five stories. The project will include 768 square feet of flexible meeting space and an outdoor pool, Vision Hospitality said in a statement. "We are thrilled to continue to strengthen our partnership with Hilton by expanding our portfolio with the addition of these two thriving brands and grow in a city that means so much to us," said Patel. "This development reflects our commitment to hospitality excellence and our dedication to providing our guests with exceptional service and experiences." Founded a quarter century ago, Chattanooga, Tennessee-based Vision Hospitality Group manages more than 4,500 rooms across 40+ hotels in nine states.

Extended Stay America Premier Suites Duncan, located in Duncan, South Carolina, is now open. VMV Capital, led by Viren Patel as president, Mike Bhula as COO and Vinny Patel as CEO, developed and will manage the four-floor, 88-room property, ESA said in a statement. "We are excited to welcome the Extended Stay America Premier Suites Duncan," said Mark Williams, ESA's managing director for franchise development. "By expanding our footprint to this thriving area, we can meet the growing demand for extended-stay lodging, providing guests with the amenities and essential services to stay productive as they are away from home. As the extended-stay segment leader, it is our pleasure to work with companies like VMV Capital who invest in their communities to provide long-term accommodations and help us continue to meet the growing demand for extended-stay lodging." The property is located four miles from the Tyger River Sports Complex and Upward Star Center, the statement added. It is also near Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport, BMW Manufacturing, Wofford College, USC Upstate, Converse College, Draxlmaier Group, Benteler Automotive and the Tyger River Industrial Park.

Sudhakar Veluru is now the executive vice president and chief information technology officer at Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts. Prior to this role, he served as the chief technology officer at MGM Resorts International, spearheading digital transformation initiatives that enhanced access to e-commerce, customer loyalty programs, and casino games across mobile and online platforms, Four Seasons said in a statement. Before joining MGM, Veluru held various senior leadership positions at The Walt Disney Co. He will report to Alejandro Reynal, Four Seasons' president and CEO. "We are excited to welcome Sudhakar at this important time in Four Seasons information technology transformation," said Reynal. "Sudhakar's extensive experience in technology and IT innovation will be instrumental in shaping our digital-first future, further enhancing the guest, resident and employee experience across our growing global portfolio of luxury properties."

IHG HOTELS & RESORTS recently introduced new prototype options for its three suites brands - Staybridge Suites, Candlewood Suites, and Atwell Suites - focusing on space and efficiency while maintaining key features from current designs. These prototypes are scheduled to be available by the second quarter of 2024, with the first properties featuring them expected to open as early as 2025, IHG said in a statement. Initially, the prototype designs will only be accessible to U.S. properties, with the possibility of future adoption in Canada, the Caribbean, and Latin America. "IHG continues to build on our nearly three decades of leadership in the extended-stay and suites space by evolving our prototype designs to increase owner value while offering the spaces and amenities short- and long-term travelers value most," said Kevin Schramm, IHG's senior vice president for development, mainstream brands, U.S. and Canada. "Our new concepts reflect guest and owner feedback, and enable new and existing owners to deliver our modern suite experiences-in various forms-to more markets without compromising consistency or quality."

FRENCH HOTEL CHAIN B&B Hotels launched its U.S. expansion with the opening of its first property in Orlando, Florida. The 218-room hotel, located near Universal Studios, will be followed by additional hotels in Miami and Jacksonville, Florida. The mid-scale brand plans to establish 400 hotels across the U.S. within the next 10 years, representing $4 billion in real estate value, B&B Hotels said in a statement. "We are thrilled to bring B&B HOTELS to the United States and to offer travelers affordable high-quality accommodations," said Valerio Duchini, B&B Hotels' U.S. CEO. "We're also eager to engage with real estate investors here who share our vision for growth. Drawing from our success in Europe, we aim to establish ourselves as a prominent player in the U.S. market." B&B Hotels rebrands existing properties and constructs new ones, the company said. Batipart, a private equity firm based in Luxembourg, partnered with B&B Hotels for the Orlando property, with plans to renovate the hotel to improve the guest experience.

ARIZONA-BASED BWH Hotels, known for brands like Best Western Hotels & Resorts, plans to expand into South Asia by introducing WorldHotels to markets including India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. BWH Hotels, the company that acquired WorldHotels in 2019, is now established in South Asia through Sorrel Hospitality, the master franchisee based in New Delhi. According to Indian media reports, Sorrel Hospitality will extend its presence into Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. The company expects to have around 51 hotels by the end of 2024, including 3,000 rooms once the pipeline becomes operational. All these hotels are signed in these three markets, with an additional six hotels in the India market, the report in the Economic Times said. Larry Cuculic, president and CEO of BWH Hotels, expressed the company's commitment to strengthening its presence in India and raising standards in accommodation and guest satisfaction.

FIVE PROPERTIES IN the hihotels by Hospitality International portfolio have won the brand's 2023 awards for meeting and exceeding the company's standards of operations. All are Asian American owned. The hihotels 2023 winners are: President's Award - Scottish Inns & Suites in Hitchcock, Texas, owned by Nareshkumar Patel and Tejal Patel. Given to a franchisee who has been loyal to hihotels by Hospitality International, consistently demonstrated a willingness to accept positive change within the hotel industry, and received positive communication from their guests. Gander Award - Red Carpet Inn in Rochester, Minnesota, owned by Veena Patel. Given to a franchisee who embraces their local community in offering sponsorship for local events or teams, participates in charitable events, or embraces the needs of the local community. Named after Gander the service dog from Operation Fetch, a non-profit that performs planned acts of community kindness to further appreciation, education and awareness about service dogs PTSD, and dogs for visible and invisible wounds.

STARWOOD CAPITAL GROUP, a US-based private equity firm, recently purchased10 Radisson Blu Edwardian properties in London, totaling 2,053 rooms, from Edwardian Hotels London, a U.K. hospitality group with Jasminder Singh as chairman. The financial details of the deal remain undisclosed, but a Bloomberg report estimated the transaction at around $1 billion (£800 million). Edwardian Group will continue to manage the portfolio during a transitional period, the company said in a statement. Edwardian Hotels London will retain operational control and continue managing The Londoner Leicester Square, launched in September 2021, along with its two Radisson Collection hotels-The May Fair in Mayfair and The Edwardian Manchester in Manchester. Jasminder Singh is chairman of Edwardian Group. "Following the successful launch of The Londoner and a period of strong trading across the portfolio, this sale represents an opportunity to refocus the group and position it for its next chapter," said Inderneel Singh, CEO of Edwardian Group and son of Jasminder Singh. "Our three landmark properties - The Londoner, The May Fair Hotel, and The Edwardian Manchester - are perfect showcases of our vision for the future, and we remain committed to investing in and delivering distinctive experiences for guests in high-end, purpose-built, city-centre hotels."

IN ITS LATEST drive to convince Wyndham Hotels & Resorts stakeholders to accept its proposed acquisition of the company, Choice Hotels International has released a detailed presentation accusing Wyndham of making misleading statements regarding the antitrust aspects of the deal. The specific accusations include that Wyndham is manipulating data on how the hotel industry works, the competition a Choice-Wyndham combination would face and the benefits of the merger for franchisees. Choice filed the presentation with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and is also available at CreateValueWithChoice.com, the company said in a statement. Choice's presentation was released nearly three weeks after Wyndham's latest statement in which it said Choice was not being forthcoming with Wyndham shareholders regarding its offer. "We are disappointed Wyndham is pushing this disinformation campaign. Their take on the antitrust risk on our proposed combination is misleading and further reflects the board's apparent entrenchment," said Patrick Pacious, Choice's president and CEO. "Wyndham's characterization of the lodging industry's competitive landscape and relevant regulatory criteria is incorrect. Our pro-competitive combination is well positioned to obtain approval, and we remain committed to completing it for the benefit of both companies' franchisees, shareholders and guests."

BPR PROPERTIES HAS selected LBA Hospitality to assume full management responsibilities for its complete portfolio of hotels. The company's 16 hotels are already managed by the Alabama-based hospitality management firm, with six properties added in the last three months. BPR is led by Birju Patel as president and CEO Bhupen Patel. "Making the decision to transition to third-party management was not an easy one," said Bhupen Patel. "However, when considering LBA Hospitality's associate-focused culture, commitment to training and their demonstrated development of leaders, the choice to have them assume full management responsibilities for our properties was an easy one. Their well-established partnership with us, continuous focus on associate retention and education, and dedication to delivering exceptional guest experiences align perfectly with our values. This transition will allow our team to shift our focus towards new hotel development and enhancing our existing properties."

SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY, LED by Nikesh Shah as president, recently broke ground on the first Extended Stay America Select Suites prototype in Wildwood, Florida. The 124-room, 4-story property is slated to open in early 2025, Extended Stay America said in a statement. "As the extended-stay segment leader, we are excited to unveil the Extended Stay America Select Suites prototype as we begin construction on the first property," said Mark Williams, ESA's managing director of franchise development. "The new construction prototype represents the next phase in the strategic growth of our economy extended-stay brand." The Extended Stay America Select Suites prototype aims to provide efficiency and practicality for longer-stay guests, the statement said. The property, spanning slightly over 50,000 square feet and constructed on 1.75 acres, includes apartment-like suites with full kitchens and on-site laundry.

Best Western North Side Inn in Wichita Falls and Best Western SeaWorld San Antonio are now open in Texas. The North Side Inn, owned by Nitin Chanana, offers 94 guestrooms, while the San Antonio property, owned by Aman Patel, features 70 guestrooms and 12 suites, Best Western said in a statement. "After a complete renovation, we are excited to welcome guests to our hotel, with recent updates that keep both leisure and business travelers in mind," said Harry Patel, Best Western North Side Inn's general manager. "With our convenient location that provides quick access to the best of Wichita Falls, the Best Western North Side Inn offers something for everyone." The North Side Inn features a fitness center, a meeting room for up to 25 people, business center services, and an outdoor lounge, Best Western said. The hotel is located near Sheppard Air Force Base, downtown Wichita Falls, the Wichita Falls Multi-Purpose Event Center, and Midwestern State University.

THE AMERICAN HOTEL & Lodging Association and Procure Impact, a B2B marketplace supporting marginalized communities, have introduced the "Dignity of Work Pledge" aiming to provide 100,000 paid employment hours for overlooked populations. Hospitality firms such as Davidson Hospitality Group, Pyramid Global Hospitality, Sage Hospitality Group, CoralTree Hospitality, Atrium Hospitality, Pacific Hospitality Group, Modus Hotels, and 21c Museum Hotels have committed to this initiative. Together, these hotels manage over 110,000 rooms nationwide, AHLA said in a statement. Procure Impact's B2B marketplace offers companies the chance to source responsibly and fulfill social impact objectives. "We believe the hospitality sector is uniquely positioned to harness its purchasing power to create unique and meaningful guest experiences and change millions of lives in the process," said Lauren McCann, Procure Impact's founder and CEO. "We are excited to partner with so many pioneers in hospitality who are building spaces and places grounded in belonging and purpose through the products that they feature and purchase."

The Best Western Plus Heritage Rail Inn & Suites is now open in York, Pennsylvania. The hotel, owned by Sagar Shah and his family, recently completed a $3 million renovation. It features 73 rooms and 55 suites, along with amenities such as retro games, a fitness center, a yoga and wellness room, a business center and a meeting room, Best Western said in a statement. "Following a top-to-bottom renovation, we are excited to welcome guests to our reimagined hotel," said Shah. "The redesigned property pays homage to the rich history of York, Pennsylvania, while also providing the modern comforts and conveniences for which the Best Western brand is known." The property is situated near the Colonial Courthouse, Appell Center for the Performing Arts, and York County Historical Center, the statement added, noting that a new lobby bar, The Heritage Rail Tavern, will open soon.