Latest news: MHG adds in Boca; HHP acquires in DC; Dallas pipeline leads again

MHG adds in Boca Raton. Indianapolis-based MHG Hotels has acquired the 94-key Hampton Inn Boca Raton in Florida for $15.5 million from Louisville, Kentucky-based Hospitality Investors Trust. MHG is planning $5 million in renovations for the hotel.

HHP adds in the DC area. Birmingham, Alabama-based Highline Hospitality Partners (HHP) has acquired the 193-key Hilton Garden Inn Arlington/Courthouse Plaza in Arlington, Virginia, from an undisclosed buyer for an undisclosed price. This is HHP’s 12th hotel and is its first in the Washington, D.C., metro area. Providence, Rhode Island-based Stepstone Hospitality will manage the property, its fourth collaboration with HHP.

Dallas leads again in pipeline. Dallas continues to lead the U.S. in the hotel construction pipeline through the second quarter, according to Lodging Econometrics. Dallas has 189 projects in its pipeline, just four shy of its record-high in the fourth quarter of 2023 and a new record high of 22,392 rooms. Atlanta is second with a record-high 159 projects and 18,522 rooms, the Inland Empire is third with a record-high 124 projects and 12,569 rooms, Nashville is fourth with 123 projects and 15,924 rooms, while Phoenix is fifth with 120 projects and 15,627 rooms. LE says 10 states claim 60% of the rooms in the pipeline: Texas, California, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Arizona, New York, Alabama and Michigan. New York City leads in active under construction hotel projects with 46 projects and 7,572 rooms, followed by Dallas with 30 projects and 3,523 rooms. Atlanta is third, with 23 projects and 2,765 rooms. Dallas also has the most active projects scheduled to start in the next 12 months with 73 projects and 8,787 rooms, with Atlanta in second with 68 projects and 8,300 rooms. Dallas also leads with the number of projects in the early planning stages, with 86 projects and 10,082 rooms. Atlanta led with the largest number of renovation and conversion projects, with 33 projects and 46,60 rooms. Los Angeles is second with 29 projects and 4,552 rooms and Chicago third with 28 projects and 7,654 rooms.

Sandals will convert Emerald Bay resort to Beaches. Montego Bay, Jamaica-based Sandals Resorts International is rebranding its Sandals Emerald Bay resort in the Bahamas into its Beaches brand.  The Sandals Emerald Bay will close on Aug. 15, and renovations are expected to begin this fall. Sandals did not say when the resort will reopen as the new Beaches Exuma. Sandals plans to retain its Red Lane Spa and 18-hole golf course. The 500-acre Sandals Emerald Bay opened in 2010 after the company acquired the property and it had previously been a Four Seasons resort. 

New JV operating Southhampton hotel. The owners of the 30-key The Capri Southampton in New York, celebrity attorneys Mark Geragos and Tina Glandian of Los Angeles-based Geragos Global, have entered into a joint venture with New York City-based Yankee Hotel Management and real estate entrepreneur Mayank Dwivedi to manage and enhance their boutique hotel. The transaction closed in the second quarter for an undisclosed amount, and the goal is to renovate and reposition the hotel into a year-round resort. Dwivedi also wants to amass 100 keys in the Hamptons and took over The Maidstone in East Hampton last year as part of that goal.

Sonesta adds 19 in Q2. Newton, Massachusetts-based Sonesta International Hotels Corp. executed 19 franchise agreements during the second quarter of 2024, spanning six of the company’s 13 brands. The 19 new franchise hotels are distributed across six Sonesta brands, including Sonesta Essential (5), Americas Best Value Inn by Sonesta (5), Knights Inn (5), Sonesta Hotels & Resorts (2), MOD Collection by Sonesta (1) and Sonesta Simply Suites (1).

IHG brings InterContinental back to Philippines. IHG Hotels & Resorts is bringing back the InterContinental Hotels & Resorts to the Philippines in a franchise agreement with Hann Philippines Inc. The 250-key InterContinental Clark will sit on a 450-hectare luxury estate in New Clark City and feature three 18-hole championship golf courses. Construction will start in 2027 and is scheduled to open in 2031.

Japan Hotel REIT acquires 2. Tokyo-based Japan Hotel REIT Investment Corp. acquired the Okinawa Harborview Hotel and Southern Beach Hotel & Resort Okinawa in Japan for JPY37.7 million from an undisclosed buyer.

Capstone adds in NZ. Auckland, New Zealand-based Capstone Hotel Management is opening the 126-key Soho Hotel Auckland in partnership with Auckland-based owner-developer IPG Corp. Ltd.

Saxon adding in South Africa. Johannesburg, South Africa-based The Saxon Hotel, Villas and Spa is opening a branded residence project in Steyn City, South Africa, with the Saxon Spa Steyn City, Steyn City Hotel. The property will have 50 luxury serviced apartments and is scheduled to open in October.

Plans for floating hotel in UK. U.K.-based Good Hospitality Group is planning a floating 180-key hotel for Salford Quays’ North Bay in Manchester, England. Good Hospitality already has floating hotels in London’s Royal Docks, Antigua and Guatemala City. The hotel is still in the planning stages but could be ready by late 2025.