Quotes of the Week: Chartres, Hotel Equities, First Hospitality

“Geopolitical turmoil is increasing, and the Fed’s rate cuts have not translated to a meaningful reduction in interest rates.” – Maki Bara, Chartres Lodging Group   Read story

“I have the same level of confidence – meaning not overly optimistic. There will continue to be have/have not between luxury and the rest of the market.” – Ben Rafter, Hotel Equities   Read story

“The independent hotel owner had assured us that they had fixed this problem and published a message confirming this. A recent video clearly raises concerns that they are not meeting our standards and values. As such, we are taking immediate action to remove this hotel from our systems. Hilton is – and has always been – a welcoming place for all. We are also engaging with all of our franchisees to reinforce the standards we hold them to across our system to help ensure this does not happen again.” – Hilton   Read story

“As appraisals start to see more trades, they have more data points and appraised value comes more in line with market value. So even though the credit markets are liquid, it’s just time, right?” – Jared Kelso, Berkadia   Read story

“[First Hospitality CEO] David Duncan likes to say that buying an under-loved building at a steep discount to replacement costs, and then being able to pull the levers of new brand, new management, renovation, etc. – that’s the new development play.” – Kathleen Hollis, First Hospitality   Read story

“New York is one of the most desirable hospitality markets in the country and is positioned for continued outsized year-over-year growth. Among the Top 25 lodging markets, New York ranks second nationally in RevPAR growth. The refinancing of Ace Brooklyn positions the hotel and our investors to continue capturing the exceptional growth potential we see across New York City. GFI’s core investment thesis for the coming years is grounded in our conviction in the continued strength of the New York City hospitality markets, which remain a key focus of our capital deployment.” – Stan Spiegelman, GFI   Read story

“The most startling fact is that the U.S. will be the only nation in the world this year to see a reduction in travel. We had 79 million visitors before the pandemic in 2019. This year, we’ll have 68 million visitors—4 million less than we had last year. So, we’re going the wrong way.” – Geoff Freeman, U.S. Travel Association   Read story

“Our transition to a direct franchising model in Canada set the stage for rapid growth and these latest deals mark an exciting milestone in our expansion plans. Growing Ascend Collection in Canada complements the significant gains we’ve achieved globally this year and positions us to deliver even more distinctive stays for travelers worldwide.” – Pat Pacious, Choice Hotels   Read story

“Wink was built on the belief that Vietnamese travelers deserve design-forward, tech-enabled hotels that don’t compromise on personality. Joining the Unscripted by Hyatt brand allows us to scale that vision while staying true to what makes Wink different: our contemporary ethos, sustainable DNA and modern Vietnamese style with nostalgic touches.” – Michael Piro, Indochina Capital and Wink   Read story

“U.K. hotel transactions proved resilient in 2025 driven by a liquid single asset market, and the enduring appeal of London, which had its strongest year of investment volumes since 2018. Despite continuing cost challenges for hospitality businesses, we anticipate a strong year ahead in 2026 with more portfolio deals, building on the positive momentum in the fourth quarter of 2025.” – David Kellett, Savills   Read story

“Midway through 2025, we’ve seen shifts in demand dynamics — government and leisure segments have softened, while corporate travel has remained steady. This has led us to fine-tune our mix and pricing strategy to protect rate integrity and capture share in resilient segments.” – Bernabé López, Caribe Hospitality   Read story