For the past 60 years, most of the Western world has proven a chain-dominated landscape. Every place from fast food restaurants to auto repair shops to, of course, hotels had to have brand names if they expected to garner any type of market share. That consumer mindset is changing rapidly, and that’s good news if you own or operate an independent hotel, whether it’s in North America or elsewhere on the globe.
That’s why we at Hotel News Now are launching Independent Insights, a bi-monthly newsletter that will help you operate and market your independent hotel or hotels and, if you’re in the developing mode, build new ones.
A couple of weeks ago, I was chatting with Roger Bloss, president and CEO of Vantage Hospitality Group and a life-long executive in the world of chain hotels. He was telling a group of media people about an upcoming vacation he’s planning to Europe. You’d think he’d be booking rooms at a variety of branded hotels on the continent as a way to combine some relaxation with the gathering of intelligence on the competition.
Instead, he said he told his assistant to only book one-of-a-kind, boutique-type hotels in the countries he’s visiting. Everyone—even die-hard brand aficionados—at times want an experience that’s unique and fresh.
The data supports the perception that independents are performing well in the hotel industry. According to STR, the parent company of HNN, occupancy, average daily rate and revenue per available room for independent hotels in the U.S. have been on a healthy upward climb since the dark recession days of 2008 and 2009.
RevPAR for the independent segment rose 8.2% in 2011 and 6.3% last year. Through October, the segment has seen a slight increase in occupancy (+1.6% to 60.7%) and a 3.6% rise in ADR for a 5.3% increase in RevPAR.
The focus of Independent Insights will be on tips, trends and techniques to better develop, own, operate and market independent hotels. We’ll feature how-to stories on every aspect of hotel operations and development: housekeeping, revenue management, design, sales, digital marketing, human resources, financing, distribution and more.
Unlike the daily HNN newsletter, Independent Insights won’t focus on news of the segment. However, in each issue we’ll include some brief items of interest regarding new projects, people in the segment and marketing research.
You’ll find the initial report below. If you have items you’d like to submit for consideration, please email me at ewatkins@hotelnewsnow.com.
Boutique hotel planned in Tennessee
Local developers along with Senate Hospitality Group plan to develop a 120-room, $36-million independent boutique hotel in downtown Franklin, Tennessee, a southern suburb of Nashville. The property will be part of a mixed-use development that includes retail and residential.
The hotel will have a restaurant and day spa. It is scheduled to open in early 2016.
Award-winning California hotel
Hotel Vue in Mountain View, California, was recognized by the California Lodging Industry Association as the outstanding hotel in the state. The hotel, owned by Balaji Hotels, received the award last month during the California Lodging Expo and Conference in Concord, California.
New South Beach boutique
The Redbury, a new 69-room boutique hotel, opened 1 December in Miami Beach, according to the Miami Herald. Levy Restaurants Chairman Larry Levy and developer Bob Heyat are majority owners of the hotel, which is operated by The sbe Hotel Group.
The property has a rock-and-roll theme and has record players in each room with vinyl records curated by Capitol Records.
Colorado resort to be renovated
Local business owners and club members Judy Mackey and Brenda Smith purchased the Garden of the Gods Club and Resort in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and plan a multimillion-dollar renovation that will include transformation of an existing spa facility into a combined wellness center and full-service spa.
The first phase of the renovation includes upgrades to the property’s 84 guestrooms, improvements to food-and-beverage operations and upgrading of meeting and catering facilities.
Park City, Utah-based Gemstone Hotels & Resorts was selected to manage the property.
New manager for Chicago hotel
Hans Ritten is the new general manager of the 143-room Silversmith Hotel in downtown Chicago. Ritten, who previously was GM of the One Ocean Resort & Spa in Atlantic Beach, Florida, will oversee a $12-million renovation of the hotel.
Historic hotels honored
The Historic Hotels of America honored several of its member properties and operators during an awards dinner last month in Washington, D.C. Among the honorees:
- The Jefferson, Washington, D.C., new member of the year;
- Dennis Costello, Historic Hotel Bethlehem, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, historic hotelier of the year;
- The Wort Hotel, Jackson Hole, Wyoming, best small historic inn/hotel under 75 rooms;
- The Gettysburg Hotel, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, best historic hotel, 75-200 rooms; and
- Ojai Valley Inn & Spa, Ojai, California, best historic hotel, 200-400 rooms.
Email Ed Watkins or find him on Twitter.
The opinions expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Hotel News Now or its parent company, STR and its affiliated companies. Bloggers published on this site are given the freedom to express views that may be controversial, but our goal is to provoke thought and constructive discussion within our reader community. Please feel free to comment or contact an editor with any questions or concerns.