Latest news: Trump in talks to take back DC hotel; $300M refi for Omni Nashville; new CEO at Ace Hotel

Will Trump hotel return to DC?: As Donald Trump prepares to return to the White House as the 47th president of the U.S., his Trump Organization reportedly is in preliminary talks with BDT & MSD Partners to reacquire the lease rights to the hotel currently known as the 263-room Waldorf Astoria Washington DC, and previously the Trump International Hotel, Washington, D.C., according to the Wall Street Journal. Trump sold the leasing rights for $375 million about 18 months after the 2020 election and buyer CGI Merchant Group reportedly defaulted on the debt in connection with the deal in 2023. The lender, BDT & MSD Partners, foreclosed on the building and the bank has been operating the hotel ever since.

$300M refi for Omni Nashville. Dallas-based TRT Holdings, the parent company of Omni Hotels & Resorts, has secured a $300 million refinancing for the 800-key Omni Nashville Hotel in Tennessee. JLL worked on behalf of the borrower to secure the fixed-rate, seven-year loan through a U.S.-based insurance company and AllianceBernstein Commercial Real Estate Debt in its capacity as advisor to Equitable Financial Life Insurance Co. The Omni Nashville opened in 2013 and has Nashville’s largest ballroom.

First Hospitality adds in Wisconsin. Chicago-based First Hospitality is adding the 334-key The Abbey Resort & Avani Spa on Lake Geneva in Wisconsin to its management portfolio. The hotel originally opened in 1963 and has two full-service restaurants.

New CEO at Ace Hotel. London-based Ace Hotel has announced that Chris Penn has rejoined the company as CEO. Throughout his 25-year hospitality career, Penn has operated independent hotels across a broad spectrum of markets, most notably in the lifestyle sector. Penn opened Ace Hotel London in 2013 and served as managing director. He founded the lifestyle brand Birch in 2020. The company also appointed Mostafa Abdella as COO. Abdella’s 25 years of experience in the hotel industry has seen him hold positions of increasing seniority in finance before moving into managing director roles. Abdella was the managing director of Ace Hotel London following Penn’s tenure. Ace also appointed Meriem Soliman as chief brand officer. Soliman first joined Ace in 2012 as General Counsel and, in 2021, took on the role of president in addition to the general counsel role.

AAHOA helps wildfire victims. AAHOA (Asian American Hotel Owners Association) has launched the Hope & Haven: California Wildfire Recovery Initiative, powered by the AAHOA Charitable Foundation, to support communities devastated by the ongoing wildfires in California. Recognizing the hospitality industry's profound role during such a crisis, this campaign aims to rally resources for relief and recovery efforts, including room-night donations, fundraising, and community engagement. Hotel owners are donating complimentary room nights to provide temporary housing for wildfire victims and their families. The initiative is also accepting donations to provide financial support for rebuilding homes, restoring businesses, and assisting affected families.

DOJ tries to block Amex, CWT deal. The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division has sued to block American Express GBT’s proposed $579 million acquisition of CWT, saying that combining the travel management companies would harm competition for business travel services among multinational clients. The lawsuit contends that Amex GBT, CWT and their investors were aware that their deal would reduce competition. In a statement responding to the lawsuit, Amex GBT said, “We are disappointed by the DOJ's legal action aimed at blocking the proposed transaction between Amex GBT and CWT and refute DOJ’s assertion that the proposed transaction would harm large customers. We firmly believe that the proposed transaction would bring significant benefits to all business travel customers, suppliers and employees.” Amex GBT contends that the DOJ is taking an “intensely narrow view of competition.”

Standard Hotels CEO steps down. Amber Asher, CEO of The Standard Hotels, has officially announced she will step down from her role following the sale of the company to Hyatt Hotels Corp. She joined Standard International in 2011 before being promoted to president in 2017 and then CEO in 2021. Hyatt Hotels completed its acquisition of Standard International, the parent company of The Standard and Bunkhouse Hotels brands, in October last year for $355 million. 

Taylor Hospitality adds in Kentucky. Waynesboro, Virginia-based Taylor Hospitality is adding the Capital Plaza Hotel in Frankfort, Kentucky, to its management portfolio.

Dalata complete sale. Dublin-based Dalata Hotel Group, which owns the Clayton and Maldron hotel chains, how completed its sale of the Clayton Whites Hotel in Wexford, Ireland, for €21 million to Dublin-based Neville Hotels. Dalata also recently sold its Maldron Hotel Wexford in Wexford to Neville.