Hilton Reaches 500 Open Hotels in Florida

Skift

11-07-2025

The Daily Lodging Report will be on a very rare vacation from July 13 to 17.
UBS lowered its price target on Choice Hotels to $149 from $160 while maintaining its Neutral rating. UBS sees domestic RevPAR downside in FY25 due to the tough comps for the rest of the year.
Key takeaways from CBRE's latest U.S. Hotels State of the Union June 2025 Edition include: In June, CBRE reduced its 2025 and 2026 GDP growth estimates to 1.3% and 2.0% respectively, below the long-run average of 2.1%. May employment increased 1.3% while unemployment ticked up to 4.2%. May credit spreads contracted by 50 basis points y/y. CMBS loan issuance has fallen substantially from $2.6 billion in May 2024 to $0.9 billion in May 2025, with average loan size decreasing from $55 million to $13.1 million. ADR growth of 0.7% was offset by a 0.7% drop in occupancy, resulting in relatively flat RevPAR y/y. RevPAR growth for some chains softened in May. Luxury chains outperformed during the month, with a 3.4% RevPAR increase, while economy chains continued to struggle with a 1.9% RevPAR decline. Short-term rentals increased 6.0%, well above the 0.3% contraction in traditional hotel demand. STR share of total demand increased again in May to 13.9% compared with 13.2% in 2024. STR RevPAR increased 5.7% in May as ADR rose to 144% of 2019 and occupancy dropped slightly y/y to 99% of 2019. Despite an uncertain economic outlook, business sentiment in May remained the same at 98.9 versus 99.0 last year. Outbound international travel increased 3.4% to 124% of 2019's level, while inbound international travel declined 2.8% y/y, falling to 84% of 2019. Despite lower airfares and stable discretionary income, travel trends appear to be softening with declining throughput and minimal RevPAR growth. On a bright note, Google searches for corporate and redemption travel picked up in June, increasing 5.2% and 2.8% y/y, respectively. This could be a tailwind for travel in the second half of 2025.
Hilton announced a major milestone, surpassing 500 open hotels across Florida, marking a new chapter of growth fueled in part by its expanding portfolio of lifestyle brands. A focal point in the company's plans is expanding its lifestyle footprint, including the first Tempo by Hilton properties in Florida, new Canopy by Hilton hotels in South Florida, and the doubling of its Tapestry Collection by Hilton portfolio. Notable lifestyle properties that recently joined the Hilton portfolio include: Thesis Hotel Miami Coral Gables, Curio Collection by Hilton; The Hiatus Clearwater Beach, Curio Collection by Hilton; Faro Blanco Resort & Yacht Club Marathon, Curio Collection by Hilton; and Castillo Real St. Augustine Beach, Tapestry Collection by Hilton. Additional opening highlights that reflect the diversity and strength of Hilton's brand lineup include: Hampton Inn St. Augustine Downtown Historic District; Tru by Hilton Panama City Beach; Spark by Hilton Tampa Brandon; and Conrad Orlando – the Conrad brand's flagship luxury property in Central Florida.
Construction of Patchogue, New York's first hotel in many decades, could start as soon as this year, according to its developer, after the project received all required village approvals. Tempo by Hilton, a five-story hotel with a rooftop restaurant, 96 guestrooms, 13 rental apartments, and 119 parking stalls, would be built on the site of a shuttered bowling alley on West Avenue.
Windsor Aughtry Hotel Group announced several significant milestones across its expanding portfolio of hotel assets throughout the Southeast. Hotel Avail, a new Tapestry Collection by Hilton property in Rogers, Arkansas, is now open. The 168-room boutique hotel offers over 8,000 square feet of flexible meeting and event space and an onsite restaurant featuring private dining options and an expansive rooftop terrace bar. The hotel will be managed by Hospitality America, Inc. The Hampton Inn Historic District in Columbia, South Carolina, has undergone a $6 MM full internal restoration and makeover. The undertaking includes an expanded Exercise Room with all new equipment, a new outdoor seating area with a fire pit, new rooms, baths, a lobby, and corridors. Hospitality America manages the hotel.
The Clarion Hotel in Taunton, Massachusetts, which was previously used as an emergency shelter by the state, is being renovated and is in the process of being sold to Hilton, according to Taunton Economic and Community Development Director Jay Pateakos. The hotel's conference center will stay open during the renovations, although the hotel rooms will be closed. There is no definitive timeline for when the renovations will be finished, and the hotel will eventually become a DoubleTree Hotel.
A new dual-branded Marriott hotel has opened next to Harrah's Racing and Casino in Columbus, Nebraska. The four-story Fairfield Inn and Suites and TownePlace Suites is developed and managed by Midas Hospitality.
LaPour Partners and Holualoa Companies announced the groundbreaking of AC/Element City North, a new dual-branded hotel located in the CityNorth, a premier mixed-use development adjacent to Desert Ridge Marketplace in North Phoenix. LaPour and Holualoa purchased the site from Crown, the master developer. The eight-story hotel will bring 142 AC Hotel by Marriott guestrooms and 98 Element by Westin suites; 5,700 square feet of flexible indoor-outdoor meeting space; a saline pool, AC Lounge; outdoor fireplaces; a sundry market; guest laundry and EV charging stations.
Welcome Group, Inc. announced that the construction of a new AC Hotel by Marriott in Pasadena, California, has reached its full height. The new podium-type building will feature 194 guestrooms, a rooftop bar, and 5,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space.
IHG Hotels & Resorts, in collaboration with Asi Diaz Doral Hotel Investment Group and Buffalo Lodging, announced the opening of EVEN Hotel Miami - Doral Area in Sweetwater, Florida. The 125-room, newly developed hotel features 1,800 square feet of meeting space, a business center, outdoor pool, athletic studios, and onsite dining.
IHG announced the opening of Holiday Inn Express & Suites Mazatlan in Mazatlan, Sinaloa in Mexico. The newly developed hotel features 130 rooms, 782 square feet of meeting space, a fitness center, and an outdoor pool. Holiday Inn Express & Suites Mazatlan is owned by Grupo Valiliz, SA de CB and managed by HiPICK Hotel Management.
IHG announced the opening of EVEN Hotel Orlando International Airport, the brand's second Florida opening this year. The hotel is owned and operated by Conway Wave, LLC.
The Squire at Grand Canyon, a Holiday Inn Resort operated by Delaware North, has completed notable renovations to enhance the guest experience. The property now features six kids' suites with bunk beds and king beds, while over 100 guestrooms have been upgraded. Additional upgrades include a refreshed lobby, redesigned front desk area, revitalized dining spaces, an Ecolab pool system, and full audio/visual improvements throughout the resort, and additional changes underway, including enhanced door locks and smart thermostats.
The nonprofit Arch Conservancy has closed on its purchase of the vacant Millennium Hotel site, bringing the key downtown St. Louis property closer to redevelopment. The Gateway Arch Park Foundation completed the purchase from longtime owner Millennium & Copthorne Hotels of London. The Cordish Companies is planning a $670 million remake of the property to include 1.3 million square feet of residential, office, commercial, and cultural spaces. The Millennium's current two hotel towers would be demolished.
Danzante Bay, a 741-acre master-planned resort community in Loreto, Mexico, announced its latest development: Mailena. Set to open in late summer 2026, Mailena will be Loreto's first wellness resort and adults-only property. The luxury beachfront resort will feature 96 suites, casitas, and one-bedroom penthouses; an oceanfront pool; a panoramic restaurant and bar; a beach club; several onsite culinary experiences; and access to TPC Danzante Bay, an 18-hole golf course. At the heart of Mailena will be the Wellness and Longevity Center, an immersive space including a central pool, sensory deprivation tanks, steam rooms, saunas, snow room for contrast therapy, biohacking technology suites, and more. Reservations are expected to open in March 2026.
Hard Rock International is working with Sak Capital Partners, which will manage the development of REVERB by Hard Rock Florence, Alabama, a new-build hotel project slated to open in early 2028. The contemporary hotel will contain approximately 155 rooms and over 2,000 square feet of meeting space.
T2 Hospitality bought a 163-key oceanfront hotel in Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, Florida, for $36.6 million. The firm purchased Plunge Beach Hotel from an entity managed by Oleksandr Naumyk and Liubov Tereshko, according to The Real Deal and records and real estate database Vizzda. T2 Hospitality borrowed $27.5 million from Bank of America.
After 14 years, Palisades Tahoe has finally reached a settlement agreement with Sierra Watch and Keep Tahoe Blue. The conservation groups have been challenging proposed development plans in Olympic Valley, California. One of the biggest changes is making the original development plans smaller, reducing 20% of new commercial space in the main village area and 40% of total bedrooms. The plan to have an indoor water park has been permanently eliminated, and once the redevelopment is done here, there's no more new development allowed for the next 25 years. As far as next steps go, if Placer County approves the new blueprint, then the legal challenges will officially be over with, and the plans for the redevelopment will begin.
VDA Origin has secured a $30.5 million construction loan from S3 Capital to advance the development of its exclusive 27-residence luxury condominium in Bay Harbor Islands, Florida. VDA Origin broke ground in April 2025 and is slated for completion in late 2026. The boutique seven-story development will feature 10 private marina slips, a rooftop pool deck with a summer kitchen and bar, a club room, fitness center, coworking space, and a social lounge.
Kohan Retail Investment Group is floating the plan of converting part of the mid-rise portion of a 65-story tower at 311 S. Wacker Drive, in Chicago, Illinois, into 300 hotel rooms to help revive it. The estimated $60 million project would target vacant floors above the building's 32nd floor, which are more difficult to access by elevator and have been tricky to lease to office users.
Hershler Hospitality Inc. arranged the lease of the 12-room inn, formerly known as the Zaballa House, in Half Moon Bay, California. The tenant is a local operator.
Hunter Hotel Advisors announced the sale of the 107-key Residence Inn Detroit Novi, located in Michigan. Spark GHC purchased the property from an institutional seller.
RobertDouglas represented, as exclusive advisor, TPI Hospitality on the refinancing of the recently opened Margaritaville Beach Resort Fort Myers Beach located in Fort Myers Beach, Florida. The financing, provided by an institutional-grade balance sheet lender, repaid construction financing, returned equity to TPI, and includes an earn-out structure for future proceeds based on performance. The expansive resort features 254 guestrooms, five food and beverage outlets, and the Fins Up! Beach Club.
Paramount Capital Advisors announced the funding of a $7.9 million USDA Business & Industry loan supporting the acquisition and renovation of the Hampton Inn located in a rural submarket near Pittsburgh. The financing was structured at 83% loan-to-cost, including both the purchase price and the property improvement plan. The loan provides an interest-only period during the first year to accommodate renovations, then transitions to a competitive floating rate of Prime + 1%.
Personnel News
Ginobbi Group announced the appointment of Alessia Meli as Chief Operating Officer. Meli will lead the day-to-day operations across Ginobbi Group's real estate and hospitality assets, with a focus on internal alignment, talent development, and the integration of forward-thinking practices.
European Highlights
Minor Hotels announced the expansion of its brand portfolio with the addition of four new hotel brands. Included in that is the company's first soft brands. Minor said the new brands will support its continued growth by allowing it to expand into new markets and provide distinctive hospitality offerings across the luxury, premium and select segments. The new brands include the Wolseley Hotels luxury brand, which Minor said blends British elegance with European flair and global influence. The Minor Reserve Collection is a luxury soft brand for travelers who seek extraordinary stays with each property a world of its own. Colbert Collection is a soft brand in the premium segment and is expected to encompass a global collection of independent hotels designed for those fueled by a passion for culinary excellence and genuine social connection. Finally, iStay Hotels is a select segment brand, with budget-friendly hotel experiences that include the latest tech. The first property announcements for the new brands are expected in the coming months.
Marine & Lawn Hotels & Resorts, an AJ Capital Partners brand, announced a major expansion of its portfolio with the acquisition of landmark properties in two of the world's most storied golf regions. The brand expands its footprint in Scotland with the addition of Greywalls Hotel, a historic estate bordering the famed Muirfield Golf Course, and enters the U.S. market for the first time with the acquisition of Mid Pines Inn and Pine Needles Lodge, in the storied Pinehurst region of North Carolina. Marine & Lawn's in-house design team will lead a thoughtful restoration of Greywalls, re-imagining its interiors, food and beverage program, and overall guest experience. Mid Pines Inn & Pine Needles Lodge will undergo a comprehensive restoration led by AJ Capital's design team, featuring fully renovated guestrooms, new dining concepts, and refreshed public spaces.
Sir Hotels announced that bookings are now open for its newest property, Sir Devonshire Square, in London, marking the brand's debut in the UK market. Sir Devonshire Square will offer 81 rooms, including 14 suites, a lobby bar, a gym and yoga studio, a shop, and general public areas. While rooms are bookable now for stays from mid-September, the main restaurant and The Cover, Sircle Collection's private members' club, will follow later this year.