Read the latest hotel industry news from around the Americas region.

Real estate investment trust Braemar Hotels & Resorts reached a deal to enter into a definitive agreement to acquire the 210-room Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North for $267.8 million or roughly $1.3 million per room, reports HNN's Dana Miller.

Emmy Hise, senior director of hospitality market analytics, CoStar Group, said this deal is "by far the highest price per key paid in Phoenix market history," according to CoStar data. The next highest per key in Phoenix was the Waldorf Astoria Arizona Biltmore at $857,871 per room in 2007.

Marriott International's newest brand, Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy, will operate in the upper-upscale and luxury segments, which differentiates it from Marriott's existing extended-stay brands, reports HNN's Trevor Simpson.

“Travelers planning vacations and long business trips today are seeking more choice in accommodations, and the introduction of Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy responds to those trends while offering developers a premium product backed by our trusted name and distribution platform,” Stephanie Linnartz, president of Marriott International, said in a company news release.

Hoteliers in the Caribbean are largely certain they can overcome looming storms brought on by rising inflation, high interest rates and other economic challenges, reports HNN's Stephanie Ricca at HVS' Caribbean Hotel Investment Conference & Operations Summit.

This optimism is bolstered by deeper brand penetration, product evolution and demand growth in the Caribbean.

“Even if you have a year of higher interest rates, that won’t diminish interest, because investors look long-term, and the long-term perspective here is really good,” said Bruce Wardinski, chairman and CEO of Playa Hotels & Resorts, which owns and operates its own brands and partners with global hotel brand companies in the Caribbean.

Hotel News Now's Trevor Simpson reports that some hoteliers have leveraged the pandemic as a time to streamline in-room dining choices, with a focus on convenience and simplicity.

“It's gone from a high price point, the fanciest thing for the fanciest guests, to let's give people really what they want in the room in the hotel because now we're not the only game in town,” said John Beck, general manager of the Crowne Plaza HY36 in New York.

• Global nonprofit Aids Healthcare Foundation purchased Hotel Caribe, owned by Crosstown Hotel INC, and Hamilton Heights Casablanca Hotel, owned by Hamilton Heights Enterprises. Both hotels sold for $8.45 million, for a combined total of $16.91 million.
• JNR Management acquired the 125-room Residence Inn Boston Framingham and the 96-room Residence Inn Boston Norwood/Canton from APEX Capital Investments Corp. According to CoStar data, the Residence Inn Boston Framingham sold for $15.8 million, or $126,400 per key, and the Residence Inn Boston Norwood/Canton sold for $10.8 million or $112,500 per key.
• The Hotel Group, a national hotel management, investment and development company and affiliate of Hotel Equities, opened its 76-room TownePlace Suites by Marriott Ellensburg in Ellensburg, Washington, with owner and developer Hogback Development.
• Hilton opened the 173-room luxury resort Waldorf Astoria Cancun, marking Hilton's 200th hotel in the Caribbean and Latin America, as well as the first Waldorf Astoria hotel in the Mexican Caribbean.
• Lotus Capital Partners, a boutique real estate capital advisory firm, arranged and structured a $130 million construction financing package for Nekajui, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve Hotel & Residences for a joint venture affiliate of Gencom and Mohari Hospitality.
• Charlestowne Hotels added three properties to its portfolio: The Memphian in Memphis, Tennessee; The Darling in Visalia, California; and The Inn at Aspen in Aspen, Colorado.
• The Hotel Wailea in Hawaii appointed Derrin Abac as director of food and beverage.
  
• The 115-room Motto by Hilton Tulum opened inside the Hunan mixed-use lifestyle center.
• The Four Seasons Resort Tamarindo, Mexico, opened with 157 cliffside and beachfront accommodations.
• JLL arranged $172 million in financing for the acquisition of the new-build Four Seasons Hotel Nashville. JLL worked on behalf of the sponsorship, a joint venture between GD Holdings, Stonebridge Development Co. and Copford Capital Management. The acquisition financing was through Credit Suisse.
• Hyatt Hotels Corp. opened the Grayson Hotel in New York as part of its Unbound Collection by Hyatt brand. It has 296 guest rooms.

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