Ed Brock is an award-winning journalist who has worked for various U.S. newspapers and magazines, including with American City & County magazine, a national publication based in Atlanta focused on city and county government issues. He is currently senior editor at Asian Hospitality magazine, the top U.S. publication for Asian American hoteliers. Originally from Mobile, Alabama, Ed began his career in journalism in the early 1990s as a reporter for a chain of weekly newspapers in Baldwin County, Alabama. After a stint teaching English in Japan, Ed returned to the U.S. and moved to the Atlanta area where he returned to journalism, coming to work at Asian Hospitality in 2016.
SIX PROPERTIES SIGNED with hihotels by Hospitality International in the second quarter of the year, all under Asian American owners. The new hotels are in Texas, Indiana, Maryland, Oregon and Pennsylvania.
They join four other properties that, in the first quarter, joined hihotels’ five brands; Red Carpet Inn, Scottish Inns, Master Hosts Inns, Downtowner Inns and Passport Inn.
The new properties are:
A Red Carpet Inn in Leavenworth, Indiana, owned by Katen Patel.
A Red Carpet Inn in College Park, Maryland, former Econo Lodge, owned by Naginbhai Patel.
A Red Carpet Inn in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, former Travelodge, owned by Mahendra Patel.
A Red Carpet Inn in Lester, Pennsylvania, former Econo Lodge, owned by Vinod Patel/Bharat ‘Raj’ Naik/Arav Naik.
A Scottish Inns in Ashland, Oregon, former Rodeway Inn, owned by Bharat Lad.
A Scottish Inns & Suites in Spring, Texas, former Econo Lodge, owned by Ketan Rama.
“We have been working aggressively to expand the footprint of our brands through what I call smart growth,” said hihotels President & CEO Chris Guimbellot. “Instead of focusing on the sheer number of hotels in the system, we are focusing more on hotels that are in good locations, are high quality and have ownership that has a desire to work together to achieve success for both their property and their franchise system. These new additions are perfect examples and will help increase the value of the system in the long term.”
The new hotels join 18 properties throughout the U.S. added in 2020, most owned by Asian American hoteliers, as are the four added this year. More hoteliers are expressing interest in the brand, said Guimbellot.
“We provide the tools to help hoteliers maximize their ROI potential, such as the ‘Assurance & Marketing Program’ that delivers ongoing sales and marketing support and training right to your door,” he said.
Sonesta launched Americas Best Value Studios, an extended-stay version of ABVI.
The model targets owners seeking limited front desk and housekeeping.
The brand meets demand for longer-term, value-focused stays.
SONESTA INTERNATIONAL HOTELS Corp. launched Americas Best Value Studios by Sonesta, an extended-stay version of its franchised brand, Americas Best Value Inn. The model targets owners seeking limited front desk and housekeeping, optional fitness center and lobby market along with standard brand requirements.
The brand aims to address the growing demand for longer-term, value-driven accommodations, Sonesta said in a statement.
"Americas Best Value Studios by Sonesta represents a strategic evolution of our trusted Americas Best Value Inn brand," Keith Pierce, Sonesta’s executive vice president and president of franchise development, said. "We are expanding our offerings to directly address the increasing demand within the extended-stay segment, providing a practical solution for travelers seeking longer-term lodging at value. This new brand type allows our local franchised owner-operators to tap into a growing market while maintaining the community-focused experience that Americas Best Value Inn is known for."
ABVI has a majority presence in secondary and tertiary markets, the statement said.
The extended-stay brand’s operational model features a front desk, bi-weekly housekeeping, on-site laundry and pet-friendly accommodations, Sonesta said. Guests can also earn or redeem points through the Sonesta Travel Pass loyalty program.
In August, Sonesta named Stayntouch its preferred property management system after a two-year review of its ability to support the company’s franchise model. The company operates more than 1,100 properties with more than 100,000 rooms across 13 brands on three continents.
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