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3H GROUP INC., led by Hiren Desai as president and CEO, broke ground on Caption by Hyatt Chattanooga, Hyatt Hotels Corp.'s inaugural launch of the brand in Tennessee. The upscale 123-room hotel, developed under a franchise agreement, is set to open in early 2026. The company is developing a Hyatt Studios hotel in Mobile, Alabama, slated to open in early 2025. "Our decision to continue our collaboration with Hyatt stems from their unwavering commitment to understanding the needs of both owners and guests," said Desai, also the owner of the Chattanooga property. "Caption by Hyatt is an innovative brand, and that approach, coupled with its flexible design and focus on guest experience makes it an attractive addition to our portfolio. We're excited to bring the vibrant energy of the first Caption by Hyatt hotel to our hometown of Chattanooga and look forward to enriching the local hospitality landscape."

U.S. EXTENDED-STAY HOTEL occupancy declined across 59 MSAs in 2023 compared to 2019, primarily due to significant ADR growth over the past three years, according to The Highland Group. Additionally, extended-stay hotel RevPAR surged in more than 80 percent of MSAs, with ten of them, including four major hotel markets, experiencing gains exceeding 10 percent. Despite an 8 percent increase in the number of extended-stay hotel rooms under construction in the 100 largest MSAs over the past year, the figures remain below pre-pandemic levels, the report said. The resurgence in occupancy was notably led by smaller markets, where strong ADR increases and supply expansion played pivotal roles in driving the lowest occupancy recovery indices for MSAs in 2023.

JUST OVER ONE year ago, Marriott International severed its support for AAHOA over the association's 12 Points of Fair Franchising and support for franchise reform legislation in New Jersey. At AAHOA's 35th Annual Convention & Trade Show this year in Orlando, Marriott came back, albeit with its status remaining unclear. Also, AAHOA made alterations to the 12 Points aimed at providing more protection for members in the event of the franchiser's acquisition by another company. Also at AAHOACON24, Miraj Patel became the youngest chairman in the history of the association, Pinal Patel became its new secretary and immediate Past Chairman Bharat Patel and AAHOA President & CEO Laura Lee Blake spoke on how the history of the association led to its success.

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.

The Extended Stay America Suites in Baytown, Texas, owned by Wayside Investment Group led by Miraj Patel as president, has reopened following renovations. Work done on the three-story, 82-room property included upgrades to guestrooms, public spaces, a refinished exterior, and new signage, with the aim of providing more current amenities and services to long-term guests, Wayside said in a statement. "We are thrilled to partner with Extended Stay America for the reopening of our Baytown property, replicating the current prototype in a comprehensive renovation that highlights our commitment to enhancing guest experiences and adding value through asset repositioning," said Patel. The property is near Space Center Houston, Pirates Bay Waterpark, Baytown Nature Center and The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Wayside said.

HYATT HOTELS CORP. reported $26 million in net income for the fourth quarter of 2023 and $220 million for the year. Comparable system-wide RevPAR grew by 9.1 percent during the same period and 17 percent for the full year of 2023, outperforming figures from 2022 and exceeding the previous full-year outlook. Adjusted net income reached $68 million in Q4 and $276 million for full-year 2023, Hyatt said in a statement. "The fourth quarter marks the completion of a transformative year and demonstrates the progress towards our strategic vision and earnings evolution," said Mark Hoplamazian, Hyatt's president and CEO. "RevPAR growth exceeded the high end of our guidance range and we had industry-leading net rooms growth for the seventh consecutive year. This led to a record level of fees and the highest free cash flow in Hyatt's history. We returned $500 million to our shareholders and achieved an asset-light earnings mix of approximately 76 percent for the full year, a testament to the successful execution of our strategy."

INTEGRITY INTERNATIONAL GROUP, led by Tony Matharu, has acquired two properties in London: Atlas House and Crescent buildings. Atlas House, a Grade II-listed building, is situated at the junction of King Street, Queen Street, and Cheapside, while the Crescent is located adjacent to Tower Suites by Blue Orchid Hotels. Both Atlas House and the Crescent will join the Blue Orchid Hospitality brand, part of Integrity, Integrity said in a statement. Meanwhile, the company recently restructured its Garage Hotels Group, the statement said. "The recent acquisition of Atlas House and the Crescent portfolio demonstrates our continued commitment to invest in and breathe new life into London property, particularly those buildings at the end of their previous lives, ensuring that London remains the best place to live, work, visit, and invest," Matharu said. "The team at Integrity International Group has unrivalled expertise in ac

MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL RECENTLY picked the Agilysys point-of-sale platform, InfoGenesis, as an option for its hotels throughout the U.S. and Canada. Marriott's luxury, premium and select tiers hotels in both countries can now use the platform for guest-facing and staff-facing operations in F&B, retail and activity centers at each property. Agilysys is led by CEO Ramesh Srinivasan. InfoGenesis consolidates guest and staff purchasing transactions onto a single comprehensive cloud platform tailored for the hospitality industry, Agilysis said in a statement. InfoGenesis POS integrates with Marriott property management systems, furnishing front desk operators with detailed POS transactional information aimed at enhancing operational efficiency. "Marriott International is a globally admired organization and we look forward to offering properties across the U.S. and Canada the opportunity to leverage our enterprise-grade InfoGenesis omnichannel point-of-sale technology platform," said Srinivasan.

SAK DEVELOPERS RECENTLY acquired Staybridge Suites Tysons-McLean in Tysons-McLean, Virginia for an undisclosed amount. SAK is led by founding partners Waheed Ashiq, Vipul Kapila, and Khurram Sindhu. Hunter Hotel Advisors facilitated the sale of the 142-key, 5-story property. The hotel in downtown McLean is near Tysons Corner with numerous corporate demand generators and major government agencies, Hunter said in a statement. David Perrin, senior vice president of Hunter, represented the institutional seller.

SAVANNAH-BASED IMAGE Hotels recently acquired the Courtyard by Marriott North Charleston Airport/Coliseum in South Carolina. The hotel development and management company, which was founded in 1978, is led by Jay Patel as chairman and CEO and Kal Patel as president and COO. "We are thrilled to add the Courtyard by Marriott in North Charleston to our growing portfolio and to expand our footprint into South Carolina," said Kal Patel. "We expect the hotel to appeal to travelers coming to Charleston seeking a popular brand with modern amenities." The hotel, near Charleston International Airport, provides access to the North Charleston Coliseum and Performing Arts Center, Charleston Tanger Outlets, Charleston Area Convention Center, South Carolina Aquarium, and various shopping, dining, and entertainment options, Image Hotels said in a statement.

PEACHTREE GROUP AIMS to expand its film financing division, Peachtree Media Partners, recently premiering its financed film "The Surfer," starring Nicholas Cage, at Cannes Film Festival. The company already financed nearly a dozen films, with investments ranging from $5 million to $50 million. Peachtree Media Partners is led by Joshua Harris as its managing partner. The firm has a more than $10 billion investment track record and targets mispriced risk in traditional opportunities, including TV and film financing, Peachtree said in a statement. "Our increased activity in movie and television financing represents a natural progression of our capabilities and interests," said Greg Friedman, Peachtree's managing principal and CEO. "We recognize the unique challenges and opportunities within the entertainment industry, especially in an era where content creation is rapidly evolving. We aim to support producers and creators with tailored financial solutions that align with their vision and project needs."

Lisa Jordan is the new vice president of marketing at Red Roof. She will lead the development and execution of the company's marketing and digital strategies to drive business growth. Jordan joined the company in 2021 and led the integrated digital marketing team, working on the company's web, advertising, and social media platforms. Jordan played a role in enhancing redroof.com and collaborated across communication, sales, revenue management, and operations to elevate the customer experience and boost revenue, Red Roof said in a statement. "Lisa is a powerful asset on our leadership team and a secret weapon in our marketing mix," said Marina MacDonald, Red Roof's chief marketing officer. "Her promotion is right for the company and a reflection of the value she brings to this critical function, and I know that she will succeed in her new role."

LAS VEGAS SAW 18.5 percent year-over-year growth in group business this May, while Oahu Island, Hawaii, ranked second with a 17.9 percent year over year increase, according to Knowland. The average meeting space in the top 25 markets was 3,615 square feet, compared to 3,625 square feet in secondary markets. The top 25 markets averaged 128 attendees, while secondary markets had 127 attendees, Knowland said. Las Vegas led the top 25 U.S. markets in meeting growth in May, with an average space of 7,803 square feet and 287 attendees, the report said. Key drivers included technology events like the Electronic Distributor Show and national associations such as the International Council of Shopping Centers.