Skip to content

Search

Latest Stories

Wealth Hospitality acquires Residence Inn in Jackson, TN

The new company is merger of Fusion Hospitality, Heritage Hospitality Group

WEALTH HOSPITALITY GROUP, a new company formed by a merger of Fusion Hospitality and Heritage Hospitality Group, recently acquired the Residence Inn in Jackson, Tennessee. The company plans to renovate the hotel, which is its first major purchase since the merger.

Wealth Hospitality, based in Ridgeland, Mississippi, plans to begin renovating the 92-room Residence Inn in early fall. Its amenities include an indoor pool and a fitness center.


“Jackson, Tennessee is a mid-way point between two major cities Memphis and Nashville. This acquisition just made sense for us because of location and historical,” said Chico Patel, Wealth Hospitality’s co-founder and managing partner.

The Residence Inn is the company’s fourth property in the Jackson area. The others are a Holiday Inn Express, a Best Western Plus Executive Residency currently under construction and a 108-room Candlewood Suites scheduled to open next spring.

“We’re extremely pleased to be working with the Marriott brand once again,” said Bruce Patel, Chico Patel’s fellow co-founder and managing partner at Wealth Hospitality. “We believe this hotel will continue to thrive in this market.”

Bruce was Tupelo, Mississippi-based Fusion Hospitality’s CEO and Chico was CEO at Ridgeland-based Heritage Hospitality when the two companies merged in December. The new company has 59 open hotels with 5,213 keys in seven states, including Alabama, Texas, Oregon, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Louisiana and Mississippi. It plans to open three properties in the second quarter.

Along with hotels, Wealth Hospitality develops multi-family and assisted living facilities. Its brands include Hyatt Hotel Corp., Hilton, Marriott International, Best Western Hotels and Resorts and InterContinental Hotels Group.

"Existing established relationships across the board are already there, so this merger was a no brainer," Chico said.

"Everything comes down to cost and return on investment, right? Because if we're going to invest millions of dollars into a project, we want our return. And at Wealth Hospitality, we see that drive and vision, and together we believe the sky could be limitless in reality," Bruce said. "And like anything in life, you get what you put into it, and we are willing to go the extra mile to ensure our guests and stakeholders are pleased with our developments."

"We are going to be in high gear in terms of our investment opportunities and relationships. That's why we push ourselves to achieve excellence through efficiency. We maintain transparency by keeping our partners informed every step of the way, and most importantly, we understand that when your investment is on the line, so is ours." said Chico.

In October, Wealth Hospitality opened a 90-room Tru by Hilton in Mobile, Alabama.

More for you

AI threats in hospitality

Study: Cyberattacks on hotels to surge

Summary:

  • Around 66 percent of hotel IT and security executives expect more cyberattacks this summer, and 50 percent anticipate greater severity, according to VikingCloud.
  • Guest-facing systems most at risk include POS and payment technology at 72 percent, guest WiFi at 56 percent and front desk systems at 34 percent.
  • About 48 percent of executives lack confidence in their staff’s ability to detect and respond to AI-driven attacks and deepfakes.

APPROXIMATELY 66 PERCENT of hotel IT and security executives expect an increase in cyberattack frequency and 50 percent anticipate greater severity during the summer travel season, according to cybersecurity firm VikingCloud. In summer 2024, 82 percent of North American hotels experienced a cyberattack and 58 percent were targeted five or more times.

Keep ReadingShow less
International bookings drop at US mountain hotels; occupancy dips despite rate hikes, DestiMetrics reports

Report: Travel decline weighs on western resorts

Summary:

  • International tourism to U.S. western mountain destinations fell in May, lowering occupancy 0.7 percent, according to DestiMetrics.
  • Summer booking hesitancy persisted as bookings from Canada, Europe and Mexico declined.
  • DestiMetrics tracks data from about 28,000 lodging units across 17 mountain destinations in seven western states.

MOUNTAIN DESTINATIONS IN the western U.S. saw a drop in international tourism in May amid economic uncertainty, affecting resort occupancy, according to DestiMetrics. ADR rose 2 percent, while occupancy fell 0.7 percent year over year.

Keep ReadingShow less
Salamander D.C. Joins Preferred Hotels’ Legend Collection
Photo credit: Salamander Collection

Salamander D.C. joins Preferred’s Legend Collection

Summary:

  • The 373-key Salamander Washington, D.C. joined Preferred Hotels & Resorts’ Legend Collection after a full renovation.
  • The hotel is part of Salamander Hotels & Resorts, led by founder and CEO Sheila Johnson.
  • Preferred Hotels & Resorts is the largest independent hotel brand, with more than 600 properties in 80 countries.

SALAMANDER WASHINGTON, D.C., located on the city’s southwest waterfront, joined Preferred Hotels & Resorts’ Legend Collection. The 373-room hotel recently completed a property-wide renovation that includes updated communal spaces, redesigned guest suites, a two-level Salamander Spa and Dōgon by Kwame Onwuachi.

Keep ReadingShow less
WTH Conference Returns to Los Angeles July 17

WTH conference returns to L.A. on July 17

Summary:

  • The 2025 Women in Travel & Hospitality Conference returns to Los Angeles on July 17.
  • The event gathers women in travel, tourism, hospitality, investment, wellness, and lifestyle.
  • It also will mark the launch of the new Travel Industry Executive Women’s Network website.

THE 2025 WOMEN in Travel & Hospitality Conference, hosted by the Travel Industry Executive Women’s Network and supported by the Boutique Lifestyle Lodging Association, will return to Los Angeles, California, on July 17. The event brings together women from around the world working in travel, tourism, hospitality, investment, wellness and lifestyle.

Keep ReadingShow less
ExStay Washington DC

Third regional ExStay workshop set for D.C.

Summary:

  • ESLA and Kalibri will hold the third ExStay workshop on July 30 in Washington, D.C., following sessions in Atlanta and Dallas.
  • The event will feature experts from brands, operators, data firms and advisory groups.
  • Sessions will cover investment and include Q&As on developing, renovating, converting and operating extended stay assets.

THE EXTENDED STAY Lodging Association and Kalibri Labs will host the third quarterly ExStay workshop on July 30 in Washington, D.C., following earlier sessions in Atlanta and Dallas. The event will bring together extended stay lodging executives for networking.

Keep ReadingShow less