INTERNATIONAL REPORT—From a mixed-use property in Boston to new-build projects in the South and beyond, there’s a lot of activity in the hotel industry. Here’s a closer look:
Raffles Boston Back Bay Hotel & Residences Breaks Ground
Raffles Boston Back Bay Hotel & Residences has broken ground, and construction is underway for its first mixed-use property in the U.S.
The leadership team behind the development includes not only The Noannet Group and Cain International but also hotelier Gary Saunders, chairman of Saunders Hotel Group (SHG), based in Boston. He is responsible for overseeing the financial management of the Saunders Hotel Group’s distinct portfolio of hotels.
Focusing on the greater Boston market, SHG has been involved in 12 hotels in the area. This collection currently includes The Lenox Hotel, Beacon Hill Hotel & Bistro and the Comfort Inn & Suites Boston Logan Airport in Revere, MA, which SHG developed from the ground up. After a rigorous public process, Saunders and his brother, Jeffrey, were granted the rights to redevelop the historic former Boston Police Department headquarters into Jury’s Back Bay Hotel, which is now Loews Boston.
Construction Underway for Second Kinley Hotel
Vision Hospitality Group Inc. has broken ground on its second Kinley hotel, Kinley Chattanooga Southside. Joining the company’s Humanist lifestyle portfolio, the new hotel will have 64 guestrooms and suites.
Kinley Chattanooga Southside will offer a contemporary approach to the hotel experience that is both warm and effortless through a variety of distinctive touchpoints, according to the company. The uncheck-in desk will provide a place for guests to touch down without the formality of a standard desk, and items from local artisans will be on display and available for purchase. A coffee bar will invite patrons to enjoy a range of specialty coffee drinks crafted from regional roasters. Arts and crafts from local purveyors will provide a warm and inviting environment, with appealing, distinctive lounge seating inviting travelers to sit and stay awhile in Kinley’s various public spaces, according to the company.
The new hotel is slated to open in 2021 in Chattanooga’s Southside district, an area steeped in history, art and a love for the outdoors. Kinley’s first property will debut in downtown Cincinnati in early 2020. When open, both hotels will become part of the Tribute Portfolio, Marriott International’s exclusive portfolio of independent boutique hotels.
Group to Finance the Development of Hyatt Place and Home2 Suites in FL
Access Point Financial LLC (APF), a direct lender and specialty finance company focused exclusively on the hospitality industry, has signed an agreement with top hotel development and management firm, AD1 Global Hospitality, to finance the development of a Hyatt Place and Home2 Suites by Hilton located in Palm Bay, FL.
Access Point Financial provided $26.8 million in financing for the development of the hotels, with $15 million for the 106-room Hyatt Place and $11.8 million for the 87-room Home2 Suites by Hilton. Both hotels are slated to open in the Palm Bay Executive Park, which will consist of the hotels, two restaurants and three retail buildings.
The transaction closed on September 19, 2019, with the Hyatt Place expected to open on March 5, 2020, and the Home2 Suites by Hilton following on April 20, 2020.
Marriott Signs Deal to Bring W Brand to Playa Del Carmen, Mexico
Marriott International Inc. has signed an agreement with Fibra Inn to bring the W brand for the first time to Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. The property is expected to rise on an oceanfront site in Playa del Carmen within walking distance to entertainment, upscale shopping and restaurants.
When the 218-room hotel opens in 2023, it is expected to provide Playa del Carmen visitors a new lodging option that embodies the W Hotels brand’s “work hard, play hard” philosophy. Fibra Inn’s plan calls for multiple food and beverage venues both indoors and out; a signature WET Deck (pool deck); Away Spa; FIT Fitness Centre, as well as a beach club and rooftop bar. For corporate and social events, there will be meetings and events space.
