Dive Brief:
- V Capri Palm Springs, a Dolce by Wyndham hotel located in Palm Springs, California, will join Sam Nazarian’s SBE Entertainment Group under its HQ Hotels & Residences collection, according to a news release shared with Hotel Dive.
- The 143-room boutique hotel will continue to operate as a Dolce by Wyndham property, after debuting under the brand earlier this year, but it will undergo a multimultimillion-dollar “enhancement” to align with HQ Hotels. The project aims to introduce iconic restaurant brands, revamped guest amenities and curated programming at the property, per the release.
- Building on SBE’s existing presence in Southern California, V Capri Palm Springs extends the company’s hotel footprint to “one of the region's most iconic resort locales,” according to the release. It also marks expansion of SBE’s HQ Hotels & Residences, which first launched in early 2024 through a partnership with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts.
Dive Insight:
V Capri Palm Springs will undergo a phased renovation that will touch the guest rooms, public spaces and food and beverage program, per the release. Later this year, Umami Pool will debut at the desert destination hotel as an adults-only, “day-to-night” venue featuring food, cocktails and entertainment. Then, in early 2027, the current Gigi’s Restaurant will transition to Katsuya Ko, SBE’s Pan-Asian concept.
“V Capri Palm Springs already has an authentic personality and a loyal following, which made it such an exciting opportunity for us,” Sam Nazarian, founder, chairman and CEO of SBE, said in a statement. “We're building on that foundation with the creativity, energy and attention to detail that define our portfolio, creating something that feels fresh while staying true to what makes this hotel unique.”
The Palm Springs hotel joins HQ Hotels & Residences after The Monarch Hotel in New Orleans joined the portfolio earlier this year. The “smart lifestyle” brand, backed by celebrity partner and investor Marc Anthony, first launched with the goal of providing a more approachable lifestyle hotel option to consumers priced out of the segment, HQ Hotels President Mike Metcalf previously told Hotel Dive.
The brand is targeting 50 hotels worldwide by 2031, Nazarian told Hotel Dive in January. At that time, Nazarian said the brand was ahead of schedule in terms of signings to hit that goal, with 13 out of the 50 hotels signed.
Forthcoming projects under HQ Hotels & Residences include HQ Residences Edgewater in Miami, per the release. The brand also plans to expand in Detroit, Chicago, New Orleans, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., Nazarian said at the beginning of the year.
SBE is also expanding its longevity-focused lifestyle brand, The Estate Hotels & Residences, which similarly launched in 2024.
