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 to see improved performance in the second to last week of March, according to STR. The improvement came across the board, with a nearly seven point increase in occupancy driving rises in ADR and RevPAR.
Occupancy was 58.9 percent for the week ending March 20, up from 52.1 percent the week before. ADR was $108.07, up from $102.62, and RevPAR was $63.62, an increase from $53.45 week over week. STR did not provide year-over-year comparisons.
“The 58.9 percent absolute occupancy was a 93.9 percent increase from the comparable, pandemic-affected week last year, but more importantly, represented almost 85 percent of occupancy regained from the 2019 benchmark. There was also more improvement in ADR, which reached 81 percent of the comparable 2019 level,” STR said. “Every top 25 market experienced week-to-week improvement in occupancy. Outside of the major markets, destinations in Florida and Texas continued to advance with those like the Florida Keys, Sarasota, McAllen/Brownsville and San Antonio even surpassing 2019 levels.”
Tampa and Miami led the top 25 markets in occupancy with 85.3 percent and 80.7 percent respectively. The lowest occupancy levels among those markets occurred in Boston with 37 percent and Minneapolis with 39 percent. The top 25 markets together averaged 56.5 percent occupancy, slightly lower than the national average, and slightly higher ADR with $114.55
“The major markets continue to show the most sizeable gaps in current occupancy vs. comparable weeks from 2019,” STR said.
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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