Skip to content

Search

Human content, AI powered search.

Latest Stories

Whitestone Capital, PJD Capital JV acquires Holiday Inn Wilkes Barre, PA

The companies plan a complete renovation and rebranding of the 152-room hotel

Whitestone Capital, PJD Capital JV acquires Holiday Inn Wilkes Barre, PA
Vishnu Rageev R
By Vishnu Rageev RMay 10, 2024

WHITESTONE CAPITAL RECENTLY partnered with PJD Capital to purchase the 152-room Holiday Inn East Mountain in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, marking the first joint venture between the two real estate companies. Whitestone Capital, a division of Whitestone Companies, is led by CEO Jay Batra, while PJD Capital is headed by CEO Prakash Datwani.

The Holiday Inn East Mountain features 152 guestrooms and more than 6,000 square feet of event space, the companies said in a joint statement.

“We are excited about our new partnership with PJD Capital to reposition this property into a product the Wilkes Barre community has been craving,” said Batra. “We expect the transformation to happen in two phases, with the first phase starting later this year. The property will be converted to a very select class of DoubleTree Hotels. A DoubleTree in name, driven by the power of Hilton, but not a typical DoubleTree. This property will feel more like a soft brand with design centered around a community-focused, light resort feel.”

Phase one of the transformation will entail a renovation of all hotel areas and rebranding, while the second phase will involve constructing a three-season outdoor pavilion that can transform from an open outdoor space to an enclosed facility, adapting to weather conditions and guest preferences.

“We sat down with the Whitestone team and together brainstormed all the different ways we could maximize the potential of this beautiful mountainside property,” Datwani said. “Quickly, two driving thoughts emerged, repositioning the property into an upper upscale mini-resort style facility while also embracing the newest trends in design and event staging. You will be able to have your wedding in the woods while only steps away from a modern, full-service hotel.”

Meanwhile, Whitestone Capital also owns another hotel in Wilkes Barre, The Hilton Garden Wilkes Barre, currently undergoing renovations scheduled for completion in June.

In November, Whitestone Cos. acquired a TownePlace Suites by Marriott in Urbandale, Iowa, marking its sixth hotel purchase of 2023 in the midtier extended-stay market.

whitestone companiesjay batratowneplace suites by marriott in urbandaleprakash datwanipjd capitaldoubletree by hiltonrebrandingholiday inn east mountain in wilkes barrehotel renovationthe hilton garden wilkes barrewhitestone capital

Related News

International bookings drop at US mountain hotels; occupancy dips despite rate hikes, DestiMetrics reports
Industry News

Report: Travel decline weighs on western resorts

Salamander D.C. Joins Preferred Hotels’ Legend Collection
Industry News

Salamander D.C. joins Preferred’s Legend Collection

WTH Conference Returns to Los Angeles July 17
Industry News

WTH conference returns to L.A. on July 17

ExStay Washington DC
Industry News

Third regional ExStay workshop set for D.C.

More for you

Deloitte value-seeking report 2025

Study: Consumers seek value over low prices

Summary:

  • Consumers are prioritizing value over low prices, pushing brands—including hotels—to adapt, Deloitte finds.
  • Economic uncertainty and inflation are driving caution and shifting views on pricing and spending.
  • Value-seeking by generations: 49 percent of Gen X, 43 percent of Boomers, 40 percent of Millennials and 44 percent of Gen Z.

AMID ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY and inflation, U.S. consumers are prioritizing value over low prices, favoring brands with added benefits, according to a Deloitte study. This shift is reshaping the market as companies, including hotels, adapt to changing expectations.

Keep ReadingShow less
Red Roof partners with FreedomPay to streamline payments in 700+ U.S. hotels
Photo credit: Red Roof

Red Roof taps FreedomPay for 700+ hotels

Summary:

  • Red Roof is contracting with FreedomPay to provide payments across its 700+ U.S. hotels.
  • The company will gain an integrated solution, improved service, cost savings and efficiency.
  • The company is investing in people and technology to advance the brand, president Zack Gharib told Asian Hospitality.

RED ROOF IS contracting with FreedomPay to provide payments across its portfolio of more than 700 hotels in the U.S. The company will receive an integrated payment solution, upgraded service, cost savings and operational efficiency, according to a statement.

Keep ReadingShow less
Gen Z Shifts Hotel Shopping: Tech, Experiences & Values

Survey: Gen Z redefines hotel shopping

Summary:

  • Younger consumers are redefining hotel discovery through platform-hopping and peer input, according to SOCi.
  • Fragmented search and discovery are reshaping how trust is built.
  • About one-third of consumers aged 18–34 report less brand loyalty than a year ago.

GEN Z IS RESHAPING hotel shopping through multiple platforms, peer input and real-time research, according to SOCi, a marketing platform for multi-location businesses. Unlike previous generations who relied on a single search engine or map app, the younger consumer moves through a series of smaller decisions - starting on TikTok, checking Reddit or Yelp and ending with a Google Maps search.

Keep ReadingShow less
Hotel Tech Advances; Outpaces Operational Readiness

Report: Tech outpaces readiness in hotels

  • A gap is growing between technological potential and operational readiness, with many hotel teams still early in AI use.
  • Distribution teams are evolving with limited resources and uneven investment in talent and automation.
  • The report outlines how commercial teams in hospitality are managing transformation.

THERE IS A widening gap between technological potential and operational readiness, with many hotel staff still early in using AI effectively, according to “The State of Distribution 2025” report. Despite the availability of technology, training, systems and workflows remain in development.

The second edition of the industry benchmark report—published by NYU SPS Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality and its Hospitality Innovation Hub, in collaboration with RateGain Travel Technologies and HEDNA—noted that as traveler expectations rise, aligning people, processes and platforms is becoming a driver of performance.

Keep ReadingShow less
Twin Cities Pipeline Flow Hits 15‑Year Low: Major Impact

Report: Twin Cities pipeline at 15-year low

Minneapolis–St. Paul Hotel Pipeline Falls to 15-Year Low in 2025

FEWER THAN 250 HOTEL rooms were under construction in the Minneapolis–St. Paul metro at the start of 2025, the lowest level since 2010, according to Marcus & Millichap. The limited pipeline, however, signals strong demand for existing inventory.

Marcus & Millichap’s “2025 Hospitality Investment Forecast for Minneapolis–St. Paul” projects metro-wide occupancy will rise for a sixth straight year to 59.4 percent, above the past decade’s average but still below pre-pandemic levels.

Keep ReadingShow less
Asian Hospitality Logo
© Copyright 2025