The St. Joe Company and InterMountain Management, LLC Announce the Opening of the 121-Suite Residence Inn by Marriott® Panama City Beach Pier Park

The St. Joe Company and InterMountain Management, LLC announce the opening of the 121-suite Residence Inn by Marriott Panama City Beach Pier Park (“Residence Inn”). The hotel is located at 15900 Panama City Beach Parkway, Panama City Beach, FL 32413 in the popular Pier Park® shopping and entertainment district.

Managed by InterMountain, the pet-friendly hotel features 121 studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom guest suites with full kitchens, equipped with a full-sized refrigerator, stovetop, microwave, dishwasher and coffee maker. Complimentary amenities include hot breakfast, Wifi, on-site parking, grocery delivery services, outdoor pool and fitness center. The convenient location is ideal for families traveling on vacation as well as for business travelers, as guests will be within walking distance of the nearby Pier Park district, white sand beaches and the Frank Brown Park sports complex and event site.

Residence Inn is the second extended-stay hotel in Panama City Beach owned by a partnership of St. Joe and InterMountain, preceded by the 124-suite TownePlace Suites by Marriott® Panama City Beach Pier Park (“TownePlace Suites”).

“Our joint venture with InterMountain has produced two great Marriott-branded hotels in the popular Pier Park area,” said William Brock, Vice President of Commercial Real Estate for St. Joe. “As Panama City Beach continues to position itself as a year-round destination for families, this new hotel will provide visitors with another extended-stay option and supports our goal of having lodging and hospitality offerings to meet every traveler’s needs and price point.”

Residence Inn adds to St. Joe’s growing and varied hotel portfolio, increasing the company’s operational hotel rooms to 1,298 and providing a wide range of options at different service levels and locations. In 2023, St. Joe opened five new hotels with 2024 as the first full year of operations for these new properties. St. Joe, individually or through consolidated and unconsolidated joint ventures, now has 12 hotels in its portfolio with the addition of this Residence Inn.

"InterMountain is excited to open another hotel in Panama City Beach with our partners at The St. Joe Company," stated Dewey Weaver, Owner of InterMountain. "The positive reception of the neighboring TownePlace Suites since its opening is demonstrative of a strong demand for hotels in the Pier Park shopping and entertainment district, and we are optimistic that we will experience the same success with the Residence Inn.”

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Hilton has acquired a majority controlling interest in Sydell Group to expand the NoMad Hotels brand

Hilton has announced it has acquired a majority controlling interest in Sydell Group (“Sydell”) to expand the NoMad Hotels brand from its existing London flagship location to high-end markets around the world. The addition of NoMad to Hilton’s brand portfolio marks the global hospitality leader’s entry into the fast-growing luxury lifestyle hotel market with a meticulously designed brand defined by exceptional food and beverage, interior design and service. 

Over the last decade, Sydell, led by founder Andrew Zobler, has created seven dynamic lifestyle brands, with award-winning hotel concepts including NoMad, The Line, Freehand and The Ned. Sydell will be responsible for design, branding and management of the NoMad brand while Hilton will lead all development. The NoMad brand will be fully integrated into Hilton’s commercial platforms, including Hilton Honors. All NoMad properties will remain independently owned.  

Hilton projects that as many as 100 NoMad properties will be developed globally over time, with approximately 10 already in advanced stages of discussion with Sydell.  

Chris Silcock, President, Global Brands and Commercial Services said: "Adding NoMad to our growing brand portfolio will create new offerings for guests seeking unique luxury experiences in some of the world’s most desirable locations."

“Adding NoMad to our growing brand portfolio will create new offerings for guests seeking unique luxury experiences in some of the world’s most desirable locations,” said Chris Silcock, president, global brands and commercial services, Hilton. “By pairing an already proven brand concept that’s ready for expansion with the power of Hilton’s commercial engine, we are accelerating our ability to drive growth in the luxury lifestyle segment.  

“Coupled with our recently announced exclusive partnership with Small Luxury Hotels of the World and our planned acquisition of the Graduate Hotels brand, Hilton is leading the hotel industry with the addition of innovative new luxury and lifestyle offerings that meet changing guest needs and add new opportunities for owners to join our system,” Silcock said.

Each NoMad hotel added to Hilton’s network will provide a uniquely local luxury experience that makes guests feel like residents of some of the world’s most sought-after neighborhoods. NoMad Hotels are both grand and intimate, fun and elegant, and classic and playful, creating a unique blend of luxury and lifestyle experiences throughout the stay with special touches like unique local art collections featured in each guest room. 

Hilton to Accelerate Expansion in Fast-Growing Lifestyle Category with Addition of Graduate Hotels to Global Brand Portfolio

Hilton announced an agreement with Adventurous Journeys Capital Partners (“AJ Capital”) to acquire the fan-favourite Graduate Hotels® brand, adding a significant growth opportunity for the global hospitality leader in the fast-growing lifestyle hotel market.  

Hilton will pay $210 million to acquire all rights to the Graduate brand worldwide, enter into franchise agreements for all existing and signed pipeline Graduate Hotels, and become responsible for the brand’s future development and growth. AJ Capital will remain the owner of the more than 35 operating and pipeline Graduate properties, each of which will be operated under long-term Hilton franchise agreements.  

The transaction, which is expected to close in the second quarter, subject to customary closing conditions including review and approval pursuant to Hart-Scott-Rodino, will be immediately accretive to Hilton. The company expects the fee contribution for the first full year of ownership to be approximately $16 million.

“Adding Graduate Hotels to our portfolio of award-winning brands accelerates our expansion in the lifestyle space by pairing an existing much-loved brand with the power of Hilton’s strong commercial engine to drive growth,” said Chris Nassetta, president and CEO, Hilton. “We have long had a high bar for adding brands to our portfolio, whether organically or through acquisition, and Graduate will be another driver of growth for us, presenting a unique opportunity to serve more guests in more sought-after destinations. With thousands of colleges and universities around the world, we believe the addressable market for the Graduate brand is 400-500 hotels globally.”

Hyatt set to open new Andaz hotel in Miami

Following a property-wide renovation, luxury lifestyle hotel Andaz Miami Beach is slated to open in late 2024, with reimagined spaces, programming and a new culinary collaboration with Jose Andrés Group.

Hyatt Hotels Corporation, announced an update on the anticipated renovation of The Confidante Miami Beach and its complete transformation into the new Andaz Miami Beach, which is slated to open in the fourth quarter of 2024. The new hotel, which is owned by Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc., will go beyond the familiar to discover and define guests’ personal essence while immersing themselves in the spirit of the eclectic culture around them through a barrier-free redesigned lobby, two reconceptualized pools and outdoor recreation experience, an exhilarating spa, inspiring guestrooms, suites and meeting spaces, and immersive dining experiences with the hotel’s new culinary provider, José Andrés Group. As part of the hotel’s transformation the iconic oceanfront property will temporarily suspend operations starting Monday, March 25, 2024, through the conclusion of the renovation.

"We are thrilled to unveil this new chapter for Hyatt as our hotel becomes the Andaz Miami Beach, blending the essence of Miami Beach with the allure of imaginative travel to stimulate guests’ curiosity and self-expression,” said Amy Johnson, general manager, of Andaz Miami Beach. “This exciting journey brings the luxury lifestyle Andaz brand to Florida along with exciting collaborations like Jose Andres Group. We look forward to welcoming back our guests and local community to a completely new and bold hotel, embodying the distinctly native experience and expressive nature of the Andaz brand, while still capturing the essence of Miami Beach.”

Marcus Hotels & Resorts, Hempel Real Estate and Robinson Park Close Acquisition of Loews Minneapolis Hotel

The 251-room property will be rebranded as The Lofton Hotel under the Tapestry Collection by Hilton flag; Marcus Hotels & Resorts to manage the property.

Marcus Hotels & Resorts, a nationally recognized owner and management company and division of The Marcus Corporation announced this week that it, Hempel Real Estate, and Robinson Park have closed on the acquisition of the Loews Minneapolis Hotel. The property will be managed by Marcus Hotels & Resorts, effective today, and will be rebranded immediately as The Lofton Hotel under the Tapestry Collection by Hilton flag, making it the first Tapestry Collection hotel in Minnesota. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

“Since 1993, Marcus Hotels & Resorts has been invested in elevating the travel and leisure experience in Minneapolis, a city we greatly admire and appreciate,” said Michael Evans, president of Marcus Hotels & Resorts. “The Lofton Hotel’s chic design, incredible location, and ample amenities create a welcoming destination for travellers visiting the Twin Cities and experiencing all they have to offer. With The Lofton Hotel now part of the Tapestry Collection by Hilton platform, we look forward to welcoming our new associates to the Marcus Hotels & Resorts family and providing our guests with the high-quality service and experience for which Hilton and we are known. We also look forward to playing an active part in the continued resurgence of the downtown business and social community.”