DUAL-BRANDED HOTEL IN PHOENIX: Jackson-Shaw, the Texas-based developer, and Tucson-based Holualoa Companies have unveiled the dual-branded AC Hotel by Marriott North Phoenix at Norterra and Element by Westin North Phoenix at Norterra. Located in Norterra in Phoenix, the two hotels will be connected under the same roof. The 160,133-square-foot property is situated on three acres and will break ground in May. The hotels are expected to open in late 2025. The four-story development will feature a total of 274 rooms – 179 rooms at the AC Hotel by Marriott North Phoenix at Norterra and 95 rooms for longer stays at the Element by Westin North Phoenix at Norterra. The property will offer two deluxe suites, two group communal rooms, a fitness center and a resort-style courtyard with a saline pool, spa and 8,000 square feet of meeting space. Jackson-Shaw is partnering with Holualoa Companies to develop the hotel. Simmons Bank is providing construction financing, while Layton Construction is serving as the general contractor. Cooper Carry is the architect, with DiLeonardo working on the interiors.
IHG’S GARNER BRAND CONTINUES GLOBAL EXPANSION: IHG Hotels & Resorts is continuing to expand Garner hotels, its latest midscale conversion brand, which is available across IHG’s Europe, Middle East, Asia & Africa region. Garner is aiming to achieve over 500 hotels in the next 10 years and 1,000 hotels in the next 20 years. The brand has three open hotels and 14 in its global pipeline, including in the U.S. (where the first Garner hotel opened less than three months since the brand was launched) and Japan (where three hotels are set to open in Osaka later this year). All Garner properties offer complimentary Wi-Fi, breakfast, coffee in the lobby and snacks in the 24×7 Garner shop. Conversion opportunities continue to fuel IHG’s growth, with over 50% of IHG’s openings in the EMEAA market in 2023 stemming from conversion deals.
MARRIOTT, HMI SIGN CONVERSION DEAL: Marriott International and HMI Hotel Group have signed an agreement to rebrand seven HMI hotels in five cities across Japan to Marriott Hotels and Courtyard by Marriott. The hotels which will join Marriott’s portfolio are Grand Hotel Hamamastu in Naka-ku, Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture; Hotel Heian no Mori Kyoto in Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture; Hotel Crown Palais Kobe in Chuo-ku, Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture; and Rizzan Seapark Hotel Tancha Bay in Onna Village, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa Prefecture. The properties slated to rebrand to Courtyard by Marriott are Hotel Pearl City Kobe in Chuo-ku, Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture; Hotel Crown Palais Kokura in Kokurakita-ku, Kitakyushu-shi, Fukuoka Prefecture; and Hotel Crown Palais Kitakyushu in Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture.
PARIS BOOKINGS PACING ABOVE 60% FOR OLYMPIC PERIOD: Hotel bookings in Paris for the 2024 Summer Olympics are above 60%, according to CoStar’s latest Forward STAR data. The range for the event period (July 26 to August 11) is up from 50% three months back. Traditionally, the weeks leading up to the opening ceremony show occupancy on the books in just the 20% range. The current highest booking level of 63.8% is on Saturday, July 27, the day of the 14 gold medal events. Saturday, August 3, the day of 28 gold medal events shows the second-highest occupancy on the books (63.1%). At the same time in 2023, booking levels on the same dates were 19.3% and 19.8%, respectively. As of now, the lowest occupancy on the books during the Olympics (45.2%) is on the closing ceremony night. Paris is expected to see an increase in July and August room rates, most pronounced across the luxury and upper upscale classes, which are forecasted at increases of 8.7% and 72.7%, respectively.