Now is the time to find deeply discounted debt, such as KSL Capital Partners’ reported acquisition of $380 million of La Costa Resort & Spa’s debt for $120 million

These days overwhelmed operators are turning toward outside pros to get their bottom lines in order. Here’s the deal.

The next year will be a pivotal one for franchisees. Here are five things that every franchisee should keep in mind.

Hotel Check-In has learned that the Ritz-Carlton Lake Las Vegas in Henderson, Nev., will close its doors for good on May 2, 2010, which will put around 400 employees out of work.

Hotels have the highest rates of loan delinquencies in all classes of commercial real estate, according to data provider Trepp.

Smith was recognized for his legacy in pioneering global hotel benchmarking

The two strategies are not mutually exclusive and the decision-making process for all parties should naturally take both into account.

If lenders are looking for some encouraging news on their distressed hotel asset sales prospects, they are not going to get it anytime soon.

ALIS and the HBI meeting give some much-needed guidance to where the hotel industry is heading in 2010.

The U.S. hotel industry is projected to end 2010 with decreases in two of the three key performance measurements, according to STR’s monthly forecast update.

Hoteliers say they're focused on the best recovery strategies, but forecasters are all over the map trying to pinpoint exactly how long that recovery will take.

Revenue per available room fell 16.7 percent to US$53.71 during 2009, according to year-end reports from Smith Travel Research.

Lenders have filed to foreclose on the 400-room Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas, considered one of Texas' highest-rated hotels.

Stocks of real-estate investment trusts that own hotels staged a sharp rebound late last year. Whether that heady performance is warranted is subject to debate.

HIL went up 1.4 percent in November - the eighth consecutive month of increase for the indicator.

Discounted payoffs, note sales, short sales and rescue capital are strategies that can help a borrower retain control of a hotel.

Dealing with your lender in today’s economic climate is like undergoing a personality critique with a particularly blunt self-help guru: You might not like what either tells you, but you’ll be better off because of it.

Nine of the top 20 Fitch-rated specially serviced loans by dollar balance are collateralized by hotels or have a hotel component.

In year-over-year measurements, the industry’s occupancy fell 6.4 percent to 52.6 percent, ADR dropped 9.9 percent to US$95.86, and RevPAR decreased 15.7 percent to finish at US$50.47.

Bill Marriott, the chief executive of hotel giant Marriott International, said Thursday the hospitality industry is just beginning to see tentative signs of an economic recovery.

Signs of a recovery for the U.S. hotel industry might be few and far between as 2009 creeps to a close, but executives at Smith Travel Research think there’s reason for optimism in the future.

While many industry segments are shrinking in the face of operational belt-tightening, layoffs and other recession-related efficiencies, lenders and special servicers are experiencing a wave of new business as they deal with the intricacies of loan workouts.

Demand in the lodging industry has started to trend upward and the worst days of the downturn are likely over, said Smith Travel Research president Mark V. Lomanno at last weekend's AHLA Fall Conference in New York.

Intercontinental Prepares to Sever Ties With Properties That Fail to Renovate as Part of Overhaul

... and the end is 26 months from now. The Fed and most lenders are driving commercial real estate into a box canyon.

Here are some thoughts from a recent major real-estate conference on where the industry and economy are headed

Strategic Hotels & Resorts announced it closed on its disposition of the Four Seasons Mexico City hotel to an affiliate of Meridia Capital for US$54.0 million.

Despite hurdles, it’s possible to restructure a CMBS loan. There are several types of modifications that have been done recently.

A demand recovery has begun in some segments. Can you guess which ones?

The third-party Internet site relationship has always been love-hate for hotel owners and operators. The rift between Expedia and Choice is one that will define industry protocols for years to come

Major hotel companies are raft with ideas to help their franchisees succeed. Here’s what some are doing to counter the negative economy.

The extended industry contraction that began in mid 2008 continues through the third quarter of 2009.

There is an old adage, “Past behavior is the best predictor of future performance”.

An index based on online hotel bookings found that the overall average price of a hotel room worldwide fell 17% in the first half of 2009 compared with the same period the previous year.

Hotel owners are not particularly good at dealing with a hotel that becomes financially distressed. Here are points to ponder when deciding whether or not to file for bankruptcy.

An updated forecast from PricewaterhouseCoopers predicts that hotel occupancy will rise late this year and into next year and rates will remain discounted to attract travelers.

The Hotel Industry Leading indicator can be used in the present to gain a better understanding of where the industry is headed.

As hotel operators dig deep into discounting trenches, the biggest question remains how the industry will regain control of its rates.

As the capital markets completely dried up during the past year and borrowers had no other options, special servicers had no choice but to foreclose on an otherwise good borrower or offer some sort of extension. Now they’re granting extensions regularly.

While recent signs point to positive things ahead, there’s going to be plenty of bumps on the road to recovery, company presidents told Memphis gathering.

Headlines are declaring we're out of the recession. But demand numbers throughout the world are pointing toward a different conclusion.

At this week's BITAC, the new construction pipeline was examined for new openings and project cancellations.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts is upping the ante on efforts to bring in guests during the economic slump, offering rate discounts of as much as 50% at nearly 600 of its properties around the world.

Everyone expected floods of distressed debt and foreclosed commercial real-estate properties coming to market as well as many bankruptcies. Here are the facts.

As hotels continue to struggle in the economic downturn, defaults on hotel loans are expected to increase by as much as $2 billion in the next quarter, and as many as 1 in 5 in the U.S. may default on loans through 2010, experts say. One credit-rating firm predicts that a full third of the $8.6 billion in securities backed by hotel loans that are due in 2010 are at risk of defaulting.

A recap of the most common types of commercial real-estate loans made during the past 10 years.

When close competitors cut their prices, the temptation for hotel operators is to follow with reductions of their own. While that strategy may increase occupancy, it reduces revenue per average room (RevPAR), when compared to a hotel’s competitive group.

Marriott International and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide are among U.S. hotel operators that may need four years to restore room rates to 2008 levels after slashing prices to spur demand.

The economic recession has caused an increase in the number of management disputes. Both sides need to work together to improve underperforming properties.

Performance Challenges Trigger Owner, Manager, and Lender Issues

It’s no secret times are tough. Truth is, even the most seasoned professionals are experiencing plenty of angst these days. And it’s especially true for those tasked with keeping track of all that cash coming into and going out of lodging company coffers.

Hotel industry data analysts Mark Lomanno and Steve Rushmore give sobering statistics about hotel performance and value.

Jack Welch was right when he said this recession provides opportunities in the hotel segment; it's up to investors to approach it wisely.

As 2009 progresses and lending begins to return, hotel conversions likely will be a predominant topic of discussions among industry leaders. STR will continue to watch conversion trends and report on any new data findings.

Hoteliers should consider six factors before approaching lenders to modify loans.

AAHOA panelists urge hoteliers considering selling their properties to do so soon, because waiting will be costly.

When lenders finally resume making hotel loans, most will be earmarked for the purchase of existing real estate, not new development - good news for hotel operators because equilibrium will be created between supply and demand.

There is no penalty for waiting for the right acquisition as discounts on hotel values continue grow. Hotels have a 40-percent decline in value from their 2007 underwriting.

The hotel industry should learn from the financial crisis. Lending, which has changed significantly, will be slow to return to volumes of the past.

Hotel developers are poised to take advantage of stalled residential projects.

The hotel industry’s development pipeline is viewed through rose-colored glasses too often, but the simple fact is there are few—if any—projects being funded.

The first indications that business travelers think getting back on the road is a good idea has been confirmed. Here is the scoop.

The casino company says it will breach financial covenants if adverse conditions in the economy and gaming industry continue.

Before default, go to your lender or servicer and try to get their attention to talk to you. Assume the worst and protect yourself.

Here are 10 trends caused by the global economic meltdown, and what they will mean for business travelers in 2009.

STR data shows increased number of hotels going from flying a flag to independent status.

Cornell's Center for Hospitality Research has issued the 2009 Cornell Hospitality Compendium, a two-year collection of research studies, hospitality tools, and white papers.

Members of IREFAC offered their thoughts and predictions for the global hotel industry during a somber finish to ALIS last week.

If you wait until you see the first signs of an economic recovery to go after market share, it will be too late.

The World Travel & Tourism Council forecasts frequently are being revised to account for global economic volatility, according to Jean-Claude Baumgarten.

Many people consider a serviced apartment more comfortable than a hotel room because of the extras it has to offer, such as a living room and a kitchen.

Analysts at last week's Americas Lodging Investment Summit had mixed predictions for the lodging industry's next few years.

CEOs representing more than two million guestrooms around the world talk about value and pricing during a downturn.

The World Travel & Tourism Council forecasts frequently are being revised to account for global economic volatility, according to Jean-Claude Baumgarten.

White House economic advisor Todd Buchholz offered a relatively sunny forecast for 2009 during a keynote session Monday at the Americas Lodging Investment Summit.

With capital flow nearly at a standstill, money sources predict a complete change in philosophy for lending to hotels when the recovery eventually begins.

Strategic Hotels Chief Laurence Geller defines today's hospitality winners and losers.

STR's Mark Lomanno reveals his favorite performance metric in the second installment of an exclusive two-part video interview.

Forget doctors' appointments and hospital stays: Fabulous New Yorkers are getting physicals and facelifts­—not to mention sex therapy—at swanky hotels instead.

Mark Lomanno discusses STR's revised 2009 projections, revenue management and rate integrity in the first installment of an exclusive two-part video interview.

While marketers of travel services may gladly bid adieu to 2008, the year ahead promises to be equally challenging as competition for travelers heightens, according to Peter Yesawich, president and CEO of Ypartnership.

The number of hotel guestrooms in the construction pipeline in the U.S. that have been abandoned increased 75 percent in November 2008 over November 2007, and the Total Active Pipeline for the U.S, hotel industry continues to increase--despite the tough economy.

Celebrities are discovering that hotel investments are not just fun to own, but profitable too.

Extended Stay Hotels Inc. is in early talks that could result in turning the hotel chain over to its lenders, a sign of the deep trouble awaiting the commercial real-estate business.

Reservation and Customer Care employees are staying at home while working for Hilton Hotels Corporation, and the company wouldn’t have it any other way.

Despite a big slowdown in the number of hotel sales transactions this year, smaller hotels appear to be faring better.

LaSalle Hotel Properties is telling management companies to cut staffing by 20%. The real estate investment trust also froze salaries. "We are going to do everything we can where we can save money," Chief Financial Officer Hans Weger said.

Amid forecasts of a difficult 2009 operating environment, it's good to stop and find a few rays of light in the storm clouds. STR identified the top 10 U.S. markets based on RevPAR, then added preliminary October 2008 performance for each market.

It makes sense that 2009 will probably be known as the year of the hotel consultant.

Blackstone Group's $26 billion leveraged buyout of Hilton Hotels a year ago may have come at the least opportune time. The deal was one of the firm's last in the waning days of the buyout boom. Banks, shareholders and even U.S. taxpayers may ultimately be on the hook for the deal.

Even when occupancies were dropping at midprice hotels last summer, luxury hotels seemed immune to the slowdown, but that changed dramatically when the stock market began to plunge in September.

Although all of the details of the government bailout of the extensive bad debts of American financial institutions have yet to take final shape, you can’t help but wonder how it is going to impact the hotel industry.

STR released its revised 2008 and 2009 forecasts and its projections for the U.S. hotel industry’s performance in 2010.

United States Lodging Construction Pipeline Highlights at Q3

Hotels are increasingly finding themselves shifting their marketing plans in order to court regional business as unaffordable airfares prevent many guests and meetings from long-distance travel.

Marriott is warning that turbulence in the financial markets could cause owners to cancel or delay projects. The chain became the first to announce potential problems; cancellations could put thousands of jobs in jeopardy.

Hoteliers speaking at the Lodging Conference this week described how they are modifying their firms' strategies in response to the economic climate. Ted Darnall, chief operating officer of HEI Hotels & Resorts, said that with financing for hotel renovations extremely hard to come by, his firm is focusing only on upgrades that will bring in customers.

To gauge the depth and magnitude of a performance downturn, STR's Mark Lomanno looks at declines in occupancy and room rate and the rate at which those numbers are either accelerating or decelerating.

An analysis of STR data finds that while more hotels decreased their rates in the first half of 2008 than in 2007, over 70 percent of U.S. hotels continue to raise their rates.

Under the pressure of slumping occupancy, hoteliers might feel the urge to drop rates to chase demand. The experts warn against it, however, saying the move will likely hurt hoteliers--and their competitors.

Newly launched website Tripr.tv encourages hotel guests to video tape their hotel rooms and post them online for the world to see.

Rate and RevPAR continue to increase globally in July

The U.S. hotel industry posted increases in the key performance measurements of average daily rate and revenue per available room during July.

The U.S. hotel industry posted declines in the key performance measurements of occupancy and revenue per available room during the week of 10 -16 August 2008, according to data from STR.

And Many ‘Home-Based’ Vacations Include Hotel Stays and Travel-Related Activities

The economy is dying on the vine while $4 gasoline and rising unemployment have consumers putting purchases of everything from cars to houses on hold. Hotel chains, fearful of faltering occupancies as vacationers decide that backyard barbecues are more reasonable than a resort stay by the beach this summer, are scaling back plans for new construction. Condominium development is moribund, and the apartment, office, retail and even industrial sectors have all fallen off.

Summertime in Las Vegas might be more scorching this year than usual due to the heat from a growing number of condo hotel lawsuits. A group of 40 investors who bought condo-hotel units — privately owned homes inside hotels that revert to hotel rooms when the owners are away — are suing the developers of Signature, a hotel and condominium complex developed by a partnership of MGM Mirage and Aventura, Fla.-based Turnberry Associates. The owners claim their units aren't generating the revenue promised by salesmen.

Boutique hotels have evolved from novelty properties opened by the likes of Bill Kimpton and Ian Schrager to a staple that is a must-have for most large chains. One hotelier described his mission for boutique hotels as providing not just five-star service, but a fun version of five-star service.

Airlines are reducing the number of flights they operate as fuel costs soar, leading to an impact on the hotel industry. One analyst predicted that RevPAR could drop by 3% to 4% in 2009. Investors are advised to "reduce their exposure" in hotels in the meantime.

Restaurant managers are increasingly applying revenue management techniques to make their operations more profitable. The key to restaurant revenue management is accurately measuring revenue for a particular time interval.

Join AH&LA's Women In Lodging for a networking luncheon held in conjunction with the HD Expo in Las Vegas. Vail Brown from Smith Travel Research will divulge insight on trends and the impact of design on profitability, and you'll have the chance to exchange perspectives with the women who shape our industry.

PowerofTravel.org presents all of the available travel industry economic impact data in an easy-to-navigate format that enables the user to see the benefits of travel from the international level down to individual congressional districts.

Most companies assume that their customers are highly price-sensitive. They design their marketing programs with this idea in mind. When they have sales, more people buy. When their products or services are not on sale, less people buy. Capture a glimpse of the important differences in transaction and relationship buyers and how you can make each type a long-time customer.

A recent survey conducted on behalf of AIG Travel Guard found that Americans are still planning to travel in 2008, but may be altering their trips to cut costs.

As the economy cools, companies are starting to shrink their travel budgets -- a move likely to put further strain on struggling airlines. Hotels, car-rental agencies and restaurants, which along with airlines employ roughly 4 percent of U.S. workers, will also feel the pinch.

Time is up for the way hotels have been traditionally rated. A new stay paradigm has emerged and antiquated rating systems are no longer relevant.

Research conducted by Marriott indicates one third of all travelers are "experience driven" and would therefore gravitate to a boutique or lifestyle hotel. But all boutique/lifestyle hotel rooms combined represent only 3% of available hotel rooms today. So there is a major gap that many hotel chains are beginning to exploit with new brands like Hyatt Place, Indigo and W Hotels.

As if the sagging dollar and soaring oil costs weren't enough to dent travel budgets, hotel room rates are expected to surge in the coming year. From New York to Asia, and just about every desirable destination in between, the prices of rooms - especially at hotels and resorts favored by luxury and business travelers - are expected to rise significantly, sometimes in the double digits, analysts say.

"With the evolution online communities and the advent of sophisticated internet marketing resources and tools, it is critical to be aware of emerging trends and opportunities."

The travel industry is bracing for tough times. The slowing U.S. economy threatens the once-booming hotel industry, while the credit crunch is hampering expansion plans.

Hotel owners who wish to terminate a management agreement may find it to be difficult but not impossible. Several legal tools are available to help with the task, but owners need to understand that the hotel operator is often an "agent" of the owner.

Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels announced that the firm has published the U.S. Select Service Hotel Investor Survey, the first survey focusing on this segment of the hotel industry. This is the fourth issue of this survey, which targets 6,000 select service hotel owners and investors across the U.S.

Billionaire real estate developer Sam Zell bought a 7.7 percent stake in Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. to become the company's second-biggest shareholder, causing the shares to rise 4.8 percent.

Jubilance regarding the overall state of the lodging industry is quickly fading. It’s getting overtaken by a swelling sense of pessimism.

The credit crunch, a weak U.S. dollar, new construction, green building, globalization and rapidly shifting US demographics are all factors that will shape the U.S. hospitality sector in 2008, according to a report released today at the Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS) by Ernst & Young.

Suppliers are focusing on implementing tailored web strategies for their loyal members, offering a number of personalization tools and features distinctive for each member based on their membership profile. As the race for influencing and retaining consumer evolves, what does "loyalty" stand for online travel agencies?

At the beginning of 2007, Marriott International was dazzling Wall Street, with the firm's shares hitting all-time highs in February after beating analysts' expectations -- yet again -- for quarterly earnings.

An analysis of supply change within the extended-stay lodging segment certainly illustrates the appeal of this property type among hotel developers.

With all the rumblings of a potential decline in the nation’s economy, PKF-HR felt it important to conduct a special econometric analysis that measured the impact a hypothetical economic recession would have on U.S. hotels.

Lodging Econometrics (LE), the Global Authority for Hotel Real Estate, released its latest report to the Lodging Industry, announcing the New Construction Pipeline in the United States set a record at 5,011 projects / 654,503 rooms, making Q3 the fifth consecutive record-setting quarter.

The Mid-Year 2007 USRC Hotel Investment Survey indicates that discount rates and capitalization rates for both limited-service and full-service hotels have generally held at or near the record lows demonstrated in the Winter 2007 survey.

The year 2007 has started on a higher than expected note for global tourism. From January through April, international tourist arrivals worldwide rose by over 6% to 252 million, representing an additional 15 million arrivals as against the same period in 2006, according to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer.

A groundbreaking analysis of the effect of brand affiliation on a hotel property’s value has been named the best article published in Volume 47 of the Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly (CQ).

At a press conference held on the roof of Schrager's Gramercy Park Hotel in Manhattan at 10:00 am on June 14, 2007, Bill Marriott (chairman and CEO of Marriott International) and Ian Schrager (the founder of Ian Schrager Hotels, now known as "Morgans Hotels") surprised most of the hotel industry with their news. Marriott (age 75) and Schrager (now 60) announced formal plans to partner in the creation of a new lifestyle boutique hotel brand.

Brands are the dominant consumer force in American consumerism. Brands make people feel good. They’re dependable, and the strongest of them not only resonate in the collective conscious, they are clearly understood. Think Starbucks, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola and Wal-Mart.

Sports analogies were the clear winner at the 29th annual NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference. It was the only way professional prognosticators and conference attendees could describe where the hotel industry was in its traditional cycle.

As the single biggest chain scale segment in the U.S. lodging industry, economy chain performance is a critical indicator of the health of the industry. With almost 750,000 rooms affiliated with brands designated in this segment, representing just under 17 percent of all rooms in the U.S., their collective performance often reveals the overall incidence of travel for a large portion of lodging consumers.

The hotel sales market continues to remain strong as capital pours into the sector. And across the country brokers have been reporting brisk sales. For brokers, it’s a great time to be in the transaction business.

The hotel industry may be in a period of unmitigated highs, but prognosticators are starting to spend more time talking about potential lows. It’s true that the lodging business will still crank out record high profits for the next two years, but those tracking the business’ cyclical nature are seeing the first signs of the unavoidable downtown.

At the recent Americas Lodging Investment Summit conference there was quite a bit of good news---the industry has just finished up the year with record profits for 2006! Transition dollar volume is also at all time high and 2007 is expected to be another record year for RevPAR growth, industry profits and transactions.

A symbolic gesture was made at the Asian American Hotel Owners Assn. convention.

Hotel rooms that can access everything from your favorite food to your musical preferences— while running on technology that's clever enough to repair itself—might sound like a page torn right out of a pulp sci-fi novel. It isn't.

Country hoping for flood of Americans if and when travel ban is lifted

During the last 10 years, the fabled roadside exterior corridor hotel has been taking lots of knocks. Once considered the prototypical design for all limited ...

The just-released Winter 2007 USRC Hotel Investment Survey indicates that discount rates and capitalization rates for both limited-service and full-service hotels have continued to decline. ...

When most people think about New York hotels, it’s usually the city’s luxury hotels that grab all the headlines. But those looking past the Waldorf=Astoria ...

Overseas hotel groups are keen on building or operating five-star hotels in the mainland despite fierce competition and oversupply in cities such as Beijing, according ...

Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels anticipates that the robust environment of hotel real estate mega-deals is poised to continue throughout 2007 and into 2008.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The U.S. hotel industry, four years into a recovery from the travel slump that followed the attacks of September 11, 2001, ...

The first day of the annual Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS) opened yesterday with a record number of delegates – more than 2,400 – all ...

As we start 2007 our thoughts turn to the year ahead and what we can expect from the cautiously optimistic, yet still volatile market environment ...

It’s a good time to be a New York City hotel owner. Average Daily Rates continually hit record highs, nearly all rooms are filled regularly ...

By nearly all accounts, 2007 is expected to be a banner year for the hotel industry. There should be record profits and more rooms filled ...