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HURRICANE IAN PLOWED across Cuba and strengthened into a Category 4 storm Wednesday with its sites on central Florida, where it would kill more than 70 people before moving on to the Carolinas. Part of what made Ian so deadly was its unpredictability, as south Florida hotelier Jan Gautam witnessed. Gautam, president and CEO of IHRMC Hotels & Resorts in Orlando, said Ian hit with Category 1 force wind in the Kissimmee and Orlando area, damaging seven of his properties. That came as a surprise to many of his guests who had fled the Tampa area where Ian had been expected to hit. "This particular hurricane was supposed to hit Tampa Bay and we were not expecting it to come towards us in Orlando," Gautam said. "Suddenly, at the last moment the route was changed and most of the people from the Tampa area were staying in Orlando, so hotels in Orlando were completely full. These were the people who came from central Florida and we were actually beaten up badly."

NEW YORK LEADS the top 50 U.S. markets in hotel construction with 47 projects and 7,655 rooms currently underway, according to Lodging Econometrics. The city has a total of 78 projects and 13,549 rooms in its hotel construction pipeline, the 10th largest in the U.S. Projects set to start in the next 12 months include eight projects with 1,079 rooms, while early planning includes 23 projects with 4,815 rooms, according to LE's Q1 2024 Market Trend Report for New York, released before the NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference. Within the New York market, the three submarkets with the largest hotel construction pipelines are the New York City area (including Brooklyn East, the Bronx, and Staten Island) with 25 projects and 2,096 rooms, the report said. Similarly, the Midtown South area features 11 projects and 2,535 rooms, while the Midtown West/Times Square area has 10 projects and 4,131 rooms. Combined, these submarkets account for 59 percent of the projects and 65 percent of the rooms in the market's total construction pipeline.

The Best Western Plus Orlando East-UCF Area in Orlando opened May 3. It is owned by PRM Hotels led by Ishwar Naran as president and CEO. The newly renovated 70-room hotel is near the University of Central Florida and other local colleges, including Strayer University Orlando East Campus and Valencia College East Campus. Other local attractions include Central Florida Research Park, Orange County Convention Center, Addition Financial Arena and UCF's Bounce House. Amenities include an outdoor pool as well as a 400-square-foot boardroom and 600-square-foot conference room that can accommodate up to 10 and 50 people. "The Best Western Plus Orlando East-UCF Area is ideally situated for business and leisure travelers alike, conveniently located near many popular local attractions," said Ishwar Naran, president and CEO of PRM Hotels. "Our newest hotel also offers a host of amenities and provides the perfect location for families visiting students at UCF and other local colleges. We look forward to welcoming guests to our newly-renovated property in East Orlando and providing our visitors with the unmatched value and comfort they've come to expect with Best Western."

Red Roof Inn Stroudsburg in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, is now open. The owner, 100 Park Ave LLC, led by Urvish Shah, recently invested $500,000 in renovations for the 58-room property situated near the Pocono Mountains. The pet-friendly hotel is in Stroudsburg's entertainment district, close to Shawnee Mountain Ski Area, Camelback Ski Resort, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Lafayette College, Pocono International Raceway and Jack Frost Ski Resort. Lehigh Valley International Airport is nearby. Two other Red Roof properties recently opened: Red Roof Inn Charlotte-Airport in Charlotte, North Carolina, owned by Shree Shradhaa Saburi LLC, led by Kiran Patel, and Red Roof Inn Doswell-Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia, owned by SJ Hotel LLC, led by Nilang Maniarah.

Nearly six months after opening its doors, the Aloft Mooresville in Mooresville, North Carolina, made it official. Maya Hotels, led by co-founders J.D. Deva and Baldev Thakor, held its grand opening for the property on May 28. Local officials, including Mayor Miles Atkins, Mayor Pro Tem Lisa Qualls, Commissioner Thurman Houston, and Commissioner Gary West, attended the event at the 128-room hotel that actually opened in December. There was live music and special cocktails at the hotel bar. "Our first hotel in Mooresville was over 25 years ago and our belief in the potential of this area has not wavered since. The Aloft Mooresville is our fifth hotel investment in this town, and we could not be more excited," said Deva, CEO of Maya Hotels The hotel provided 50 new jobs for the area. "This celebration is the culmination of a very long and rewarding journey," said Thakor, vice president. "We feel that this brand is a perfectly unique addition to Mooresville, offering an upscale venue for guests and members of the community to have fun and unwind."

The Hyatt House Denver/Aurora is now open in Aurora, Colorado. It is owned by with Chattanooga based Vision Hospitality Group, led by Mitch Patel president and CEO, and BMC Investments Co., LLC. The 140-room extended-stay hotel is nearthe Anschutz Medical Campus, Children's Hospital Colorado, Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center, minutes from Buckley Air Force Base, Aurora Sports Park, Aurora Reservoir and it is 17 miles from Denver International Airport. Amenities include The Commons and the Outdoor Commons social gathering areas, a fitness center and more than 1,800 square feet of meeting space. Additional services including guest laundry and complimentary grocery shopping for extended-stay guests. The property will be managed by Humanist Hospitality, the hotel management division of Vision Hospitality. "We know our property compliments the businesses in the market along with travelers looking for a hotel in the Aurora area, whether they are staying for a few days or an extended time," said General Manager Deacon Cottrell.

HILTON'S EXTENDED-STAY Homewood Suites brand is getting a new look. The brand's new Prototype 10.0 includes a smaller footprint but with more rooms, as well as changes to guest suites and common spaces. The new prototype draws from design ideas implemented during a 2019 update implemented in open Homewood Suites hotels as part of the brand's 30-year anniversary. Prototype 10.0 features a site size reduction from 2.49 acres to 2.36 acres and building area reduction by more than 3,350 square feet while increasing the number of rooms from 121 to 131 suites. Another developer-oriented change is new F&B options aimed at increasing revenue. The suites have been modified so they can be booked individually or as connected groups. The fitness center has been reimagined and guest laundry rooms have been expanded. More common areas have been added inside and outside in the prototype. "We modernized the brand to appeal to the evolving needs of our guests, who are going to love the functionality and flexibility of the innovations, which are intended to make them feel both empowered and cared for, whether they're with us for an overnight trip or an extended stay," said Rick Colling, global head of Homewood Suites.

The Home2 Suites by Hilton Whitestown Indianapolis NW is now open in Whitestown, Indiana. It is owned by the Jetha Group with Sumeet Jetha as president of operations and managed by Hotel Equities. The 107-room hotel is near Grand Park Sports Campus, Indiana Motor Speedway, Amerisource Bergen, Indy Car Exchange and Indianapolis International Airport. Amenities include a combined laundry and fitness area, indoor pool and Digital Key check-in. During its opening weekend, Home2 Suites Whitestown Indianapolis donated all of its proceeds to So Big, an organization that provides assistance to women facing unexpected pregnancies. "We are excited to open our doors to travelers visiting metro Indianapolis and serving our community," said Keith Adkins, the hotel's general manager. "Whitestown and the surrounding area is a great place to visit and stay for a while with an abundance of amenities at your door step, including nearby shopping and dining."

NOBLE INVESTMENT GROUP has acquired two hotels in National Landing, a mixed-use development in Arlington, Virginia, near Washington, D.C. The acquisitions come days after the Atlanta-based company, led by Mit Shah as CEO bought two hotels in Savannah, Georgia. The hotels are the 162-room Hampton Inn & Suites National Landing and the 248-room Hilton Garden Inn National Landing. The neighborhoods of Crystal City, Pentagon City and Potomac Yard comprise the National Landing development, which includes of offices, residential, dining, retail, parks, bike paths, and walking trails. "National Landing is home to more than seventeen million square feet of office, a highly skilled workforce of more than 50,000 people, and an affluent residential population. Virginia's largest walkable downtown, National Landing, further benefits from billions of dollars in private and public investments," Noble said in a press release. "Most notably are the $2.5 billion Amazon HQ2 under development, which will create 25,000 new jobs in National Landing, and Virginia Tech's Innovation Campus, which is expected to drive a new era of technology for the greater Washington D.C. area."

The GLō Tulsa East Route 66 is now open in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the first of Best Western Hotels & Resorts' new-build boutique brand to open in the state. It is owned by Champion Hotels Group, led by founder Champak "Champ" Patel, and Jain Hotels led by CEO Jayesh Jain. The 70-room hotel is near the Tulsa Port of Catoosa and Tulsa International Airport. Other nearby attractions include the Tulsa Zoo, Oklahoma Aquarium, ONEOK Field, BOK Center, The Gathering Place, LaFortune Park, Rogers Point park and the Catoosa Activity Center. Hotel amenities include a meeting area and workspaces as well as a fitness center. "This hotel is the perfect addition to the Catoosa and Tulsa area," Patel said. "We are thrilled to introduce the GLō brand to Oklahoma," Jain said. "This property provides the ideal boutique look and feel with the modern amenities and service offerings today's travelers expect."

Stonehill CRE, the real estate arm of Stonehill, has finalized a $52 million senior loan agreement with Starpoint Properties to fund the construction of Lotus Point Apartments, a 245-unit multifamily development in Mesa, Arizona, within the Phoenix Metropolitan Statistical Area. The construction of this four-story building is scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2025, Stonehill said in a statement. "This investment mirrors our sought-after strategy - a quality property with an experienced sponsor in a growing market," said Taylor Pike, senior vice president at Stonehill CRE. "Phoenix stands as a strong job growth market due to diverse employment opportunities. Single-family home development has not kept pace, and with rising mortgage rates, well-located multifamily projects will remain in high demand." This 6-acre site, adjacent to a retail center and within walking distance of the metro light rail, will provide studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom units, along with amenities such as a fitness center, clubhouse, co-working area, pool, and parking options, Stonehill said.

MORE THAN A week after Hurricane Ian devastated parts of Florida, AAHOA is on the ground providing aid and training for members. Hoteliers in affected areas are now in the process of working with insurance companies to repair damages while also taking care of their communities' basic needs. On Sept. 28, Hurricane Ian brought massive flooding from its storm surge in Florida, where at least 119 people died as of Oct. 18, according to NPR. According to AAHOA, 65 percent of hotels in Florida are owned by its members. Rahul Patel, AAHOA's Florida director, owns five properties in the Fort Myers-Sarasota area. He was at his America's Best Value Inn in Fort Myers, Florida, during the hurricane.

ATLANTA-BASED EV Hotels, a new technology-centric hotel brand founded by Ken Patel, has partnered with Spanish firm CLERHP to construct a luxury resort in the new Larimar City & Resort project in Punta Cana, the Dominican Republic. The 400-room hotel will be built on an area of nearly eight acres, the company said in a statement. Larimar City & Resort will be on the Promenade on the Farrallón de Verón, which has a view of Punta Cana, said Leonardo Padron Hermes, CEO of Blacklions International Group, a company associated with CLERHP in the development of real estate projects in the Dominican Republic. The area includes restaurants, clubs, shops and an 18-hole golf course. "After many years of working behind the scenes to develop a hotel brand that both innovates and revolutionized the industry, it is truly rewarding to now see EV make an impact across the globe. And believe me, we are just getting started," Patel said. "Larimar City & Resort will be one of the best tourist attractions around the globe and our team at EV is excited to be part of this Smart-City. Growth doesn't come with a single action. It is the consequence of persistence, courage, and hard work. What we are accomplishing here is to create an experience that brings hospitality back and gives it life again. Innovation is a team sport."

FOUR HOTELS HAVE converted to the AmeriVu brand founded in 2015 by Wisconsin hotelier Nick Rai. Amerivu is now part of Atlanta-based Hospitality Lodging Systems. The 51-room AmeriVu Inn & Suites in Cisago City, Minnesota, is a conversion from a Comfort Inn. Nearby attractions include Bloom Lake Barn wedding venue, Wild Mountain Ski Area, Trollhaugen Outdoor Recreation Area, Cedar Lake Speedway and Somerset Amphitheater. Amenities include an indoor heated pool with hot tub and is ADA accessible. "In the post-COVID environment, hotel owners don't want to work hard to recover and rebound, just so they can send bigger checks to their brand," said Doug Collins, Chairman and CEO of HLS. "Instead, more owners are deciding to work smarter - by switching to a brand that keeps hard-earned money in their pocket." In 2017, Rai opened the 40-room AmeriVu Hotel in Cumberland, Wisconsin, the 42-room AmeriVu in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, and two other conversions.

VISION HOSPITALITY GROUP has broken ground on the upscale AC Hotel Atlanta Perimeter Center in Atlanta. The 156-room hotel is expected to open in 2021. Chattanooga, Tennessee-based Vision Hospitality is led by Mitch Patel, president and CEO. AC Hotel Atlanta Perimeter Center will feature the first rooftop bar in Atlanta's Perimeter Center area. The hotel's library will provide novels for guests and the AC Lounge will be available for work and social gatherings. The hotel also will display a curated collection of art. Nearby are Perimeter Center Mall and offices for State Farm, UPS, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution newspaper and Mercedes Benz USA. Vision Hospitality has 10 hotels in the Atlanta metro area, including the recently refinanced 115-room Marriott Courtyard Duluth Sugarloaf in Duluth, Georgia, and the SpringHill Suites Downtown Atlanta. "The concept behind the AC Hotel Atlanta Perimeter Center is simple but powerful - edit away the unnecessary to allow guests to focus on what is most important to them," Patel said. "I am especially excited to introduce the rooftop bar, which will feature expansive views of Perimeter Center, Buckhead and Midtown."

IHG HOTELS & Resorts hotel Crowne Plaza Atlanta Perimeter at Ravinia in Atlanta partnered with food waste management firm Goodr to rescue its surplus food, according to IHG. It will be the first IHG property to use the service. As part of the partnership, edible, unsold food from the location's restaurants and corporate dining events will now be donated to Goodr's local non-profit partners, according to IHG. It also supports IHG's Journey to Tomorrow, a 10-year responsible business plan, which includes combating food insecurity in communities around the world and minimizing food waste. "We're excited about our new partnership with Goodr to help do our part to combat the issue of food insecurity in the local Atlanta area," said Sharon Kilmartin, the Crowne Plaza's area general manager. "Together, we can help make a difference in the lives of many people in our community and we urge other hotels to do the same."

STR HAS UNVEILED the forward-looking component of its product "Forward STAR" in 104 new markets/submarkets across the U.S. and Canada. Forward STAR, which is presently live in 450 areas around the globe, allows hotel property and portfolio users to benchmark the next 365 days of occupancy on the books against the competition and market. "This launch represents our largest Forward STAR expansion to date and adds significant value to our overall benchmarking offering," said Amanda Hite, STR's president. "Adding to the historical data that drives so many operational decisions around the industry, this directly sourced forward data provides intel into where hotels can gain available business, adjust their approach to pricing, and implement actions around market events. When combining historical metrics, profitability data and these forward bookings insights, industry stakeholders are positioned to analyze performance from every angle." According to the statement, Forward STAR was launched in 17 of the country's 25 largest hotel markets, including Las Vegas, New York City, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Boston and Phoenix. More granular submarkets were added with the addition of central business districts in markets such as Austin, Chicago, Nashville and New Orleans as well as airport submarkets in areas such as Miami, San Francisco and Bradenton, Florida.

NEXGEN HOTELS, LED by Chris Patel as president, acquired the 120-suite SpringHill Suites by Marriott Chicago Waukegan/Gurneein in Waukegan, Illinois. The purchase is part of the company's strategy in the market. The hotel is near to Naval Station Great Lakes, Six Flags Great America & Hurricane Harbor, Gurnee Mills Mall, Waukegan Municipal Beach and other shopping, dining and entertainment options, a statement said. "Acquiring the SpringHill Suites by Marriott strategically aligns our company's growth in the Waukegan area," Patel said. "Having an existing presence in the market with our TownePlace Suites by Marriott Chicago Waukegan/Gurnee, will help us collaborate between the hotels, and enhance our partnerships with other area businesses."

THE AMERICAN HOTEL & Lodging Association has launched Responsible Stay, an industry initiative to make meetings, events and guest experiences in U.S. hotels more environmentally and socially responsible. AHLA contends that the initiative is meant to unite major hotel companies, including at least two Asian American-owned companies, around sustainability priorities. Responsible Stay is focused on four areas: Energy efficiency: Optimizing energy efficiency through operational improvements and adoption of clean energy technologies Waste reduction: Investing in waste reduction programs and new, innovative alternatives to reduce, reuse and recycle waste across properties Water conservation: Ensuring the reduction of water usage by implementing water-efficient practices in core areas like laundry, food and beverage, and landscaping Responsible sourcing practices: Sourcing responsibly and prioritizing sustainability in supply chains to prevent harmful environmental and social impacts Under the initiative, AHLA and its members will strengthen environmental programs, education and resources to provide a "responsible stay" for guests, protect the future of the planet and support communities across the country, the statement added.

Home2 Suites by Hilton is now open in Chattanooga/East Ridge, Tennessee. The 101-room, four-story hotel is owned by Vision Hospitality Group, led by President and CEO Mitch Patel. This is Vision Hospitality's second hotel opening this year. Construction of the hotel began in February 2023 and was completed in just over a year in collaboration with Wolftever Development, Vision Hospitality said in a statement. The hotel is located next to the company's Hampton Inn in a mixed-use area of East Ridge. "We are proud to continue our partnership with Hilton and broaden our presence in the East Ridge area by launching this Home2 Suites by Hilton," said Patel. "East Ridge continues to see significant growth with new developments, which creates a demand for quality accommodations. We are pleased to meet this need."