The Lodging Lowdown is a series from Hotel Dive highlighting major headlines that hospitality professionals may have missed from the week.
This week in hotel news saw Hilton expand its partnership with ResortPass to bring day-use wellness offerings to more properties, and Omni Hotels & Resorts complete a $40 million face-lift on the Omni Amelia Island Resort & Spa in Florida amid the company’s billion-dollar portfolio transformation.
Additionally, two recent reports highlighted trends in food and beverage: According to an OpenTable study, hotels’ dining experiences are having an influence on guest bookings, while a JD Power report found that higher-quality F&B offerings improve guest satisfaction.
Here are some other headlines from this week that hoteliers should have on their radar:
Travel + Leisure Co. acquires Yes& Vacations and Spinnaker Resorts for $343M
Travel + Leisure Co. has acquired Yes& Vacations and separately entered into an agreement to acquire Spinnaker Resorts for a combined total of $343 million, according to a Wednesday news release. The Spinnaker deal is expected to close in the third quarter of this year.
The acquisitions will add 100,000 owners and 23 resorts to Travel + Leisure Co.’s vacation ownership network on Maui in Hawaii and Hilton Head in South Carolina.
“Acquiring these companies strategically expands our presence in premier leisure destinations, adding quality inventory in markets where new development is challenging,” said Michael Brown, president and CEO of Travel + Leisure Co., adding they create “meaningful opportunities to generate incremental revenue across our vacation ownership ecosystem.”
Spire Hospitality taps new CEO
Irving, Texas-based Spire Hospitality has appointed Richard Sandoval as chief executive officer, according to a Tuesday news release. Tasked with guiding the company into its next chapter, Sandoval will focus on Spire’s “operational performance, data-driven decision-making and AI-enabled innovation.”
“As technology and AI reshape the hospitality industry, we will continue to look for ways to use data and innovation to improve performance and support our teams,” Sandoval said in a statement.
Sandoval, who joined Spire in 2014, succeeds Chris Russell, who has served as Spire’s CEO for the last eight years. Russell will continue as senior adviser for the company during a transition period.
Peregrine Hospitality expands management portfolio in Napa Valley
Peregrine Hospitality has added the 80-key Hotel Yountville and 65-key Bardessono Hotel & Spa to its managed portfolio, expanding the company’s presence in California’s scenic Napa Valley, according to a Wednesday news release.
Both hotels are located in Yountville, a culinary and wine destination in the heart of Napa Valley. Vineyard-inspired Hotel Yountville offers a full-service spa, outdoor pool and hot tub, while the all-suite, wellness-oriented Bardessono Hotel & Spa features a rooftop pool, in-room spa service and complimentary bikes.
The additions come as Peregrine grows its presence in Northern California, following the March acquisitions of The Lodge at Tiburon in Tiburon and Toll House Hotel in Los Gatos.
