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.
U.S. HOTELS CONTINUED their gradual, week-by-week climb out of the COVID-19 slump during the week ending July 25. Occupancy and ADR rose again for 14 out of the last 15 weeks.
By the end of the week, occupancy reached 48.1 percent, down 37.9 percent from the previous year but up from 47.5 percent the previous week. ADR ended at $99.24, down 27.3 percent from the previous year and RevPAR ended at $47.75, down 54.8 percent year over year.
Despite the rise in occupancy, demand, or room nights sold, has slowed. Also, STR’s top 25 markets saw lower results than the national averages, with occupancy coming in at 40.8 percent and ADR finished at $97.32.
The only market to exceed 60 percent occupancy was once again Norfolk/Virginia Beach, Virginia, with 66.1 percent. Four additional markets reached or surpassed 50 percent occupancy: Detroit with 55.2 percent; Atlanta with 50.5 percent; Philadelphia with 50.4 percent; and San Diego with 50 percent.
At the lower end of the performance spectrum, Oahu Island, Hawaii, saw the lowest occupancy, 22.7 percent, followed by New Orleans at 28.3 percent and Miami at 30.7 percent.
New York’s occupancy was 36.3 percent, up slightly from 35.9 percent the week prior. In Seattle occupancy was 35.1 percent, an increase from 34.2 percent the previous week.
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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