68% of U.S. pipeline is Marriott, Hilton and IHG: In the recently released quarterly U.S. Construction Pipeline Trend Report from Lodging Econometric, the franchise companies with the largest construction pipelines at the end of the third quarter of 2020 are Marriott International with 1,390 projects/184,450 rooms, Hilton Worldwide with 1,351 projects/155,626 rooms and InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) with 873 projects/89,375 rooms. Combined, these three companies account for 68% of the projects and 66% of the rooms in the total pipeline, roughly the same percentage it’s been quarter-over-quarter throughout 2020.
Wyndham 3rd quarter earnings: Wyndham Hotels came out with quarterly earnings of US$0.36 per share, compared to earnings of US$1.10 per share a year ago. This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of 20%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this hotel and resort chain would post a loss of US$0.06 per share when it actually produced earnings of US$0.10, delivering a surprise of 266.67%, according to Yahoo Finance. Over the past four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times. Wyndham, headquartered in Parsippany-Troy Hills, New Jersey, posted revenues of US$337 million for the quarter ended September, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 7.99%; in the same quarter last year, revenues were US$560 million).
Kempinski and Peloton partner: Berlin-based Kempinski Hotels is partnering with New York home fitness company Peloton, meaning Peloton bikes will be available for use in guests’ rooms at German 5-star Kempinski Hotels. The Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin was the first hotel in Germany to start a cooperation with Peloton this past summer, and now guests at the Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski Munich, Hotel Taschenbergpalais Kempinski Dresden and the Kempinski Hotels in Frankfurt Gravenbruch and in Berchtesgaden can now, depending on availability, have a Peloton bike brought to their room to access cycling and fitness classes at any time via live stream or on-demand.
Langham Venice: Langham Hospitality Group will open a new hotel in Venice, its first property in Italy. The 138-key hotel is located on the island of Murano and will be housed in the former Casino Mocenigo, which can trace its legacy to the early 1600s. The hotel will have the group’s signature Chuan Spa, as well as a fitness center, ballroom and multifunction rooms. The property is scheduled to open in 2023.
Urgo adds two Marriotts: Bethesda, Maryland-based Urgo Hotels & Resorts has added two Marriott-branded hotels in Ohio, the 146-room Courtyard Dayton South/Mall and the 149-room Courtyard Toledo Airport Holland, to its portfolio of managed hotels. The two hotels are owned by Skyline Investments, a Canada-based hotel real estate investment group with a portfolio spanning the U.S. and Canada. The two hotels mark Urgo’s entrance into Ohio.
‘She has a deal’: Officials of “She Has a Deal,” an annual hotel investment pitch competition for early-career women, have announced the winners of its event held Saturday. Over the past year, participants completed more than 12 hours of intensive hotel investment education to learn how to source, evaluate and raise capital for a real hotel deal. The grand prize-winning team was made up of Cornell University Baker Program in Real Estate graduates who were awarded US$50,000 in deal equity, making them hotel owners. Applications for the 2021 pitch competition are being accepted until November 25.
School developing programs for Saudi Arabia University: The School of Hotel and Tourism Management of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University has secured a consultancy project to develop academic programs in tourism and hospitality management for the University of Tabuk in Saudi Arabia. Under the agreement, the school will work with the University to develop a Bachelor’s program and three vocationally oriented programs in hospitality, food and beverage, and tourism.
Davidson managing Le Méridien Houston: Atlanta, Georgia-based management company Davidson Hotels & Resorts will manage the Le Méridien Houston Downtown. The 255-room hotel is housed within the city’s Melrose Building, which was the first Houston skyscraper designed in the International style and is currently listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The hotel has 11,027 square feet of meeting and event space and three food and beverage outlets, including the Z on23 rooftop lounge. The property will be operated by Davidson’s lifestyle and luxury division, Pivot Hotels & Resorts.
Life House has three in Mexico: New York-based Life House has added three new 4-star boutique hotels in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. The portfolio, which was formerly branded under the established Cotelier Hotels brand, will initially be operated under the company’s tech-enabled hotel management platform, Life Hospitality, with the subsequent conversion to Life House-branded hotels in the near future. The addition of these three hotels brings the company’s portfolio to over 20 hotels.