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.
OWNERS OF ECONOMY brand hotels may not always think about improving the appeal of their properties, and up until now their options for interior design have been limited. Alpa Patel discovered those limitations and four years ago it inspired her to do something about it.
She has created a company, Spaceez, that offers affordable design work to those owners to give them the option of upgrading their hotels into boutiques, allowing them to charge higher rates accordingly. Her inspiration comes from her efforts to help improve her parents’ Super 8 hotel where she grew up in Arlington, Texas.
“My dad was going to refresh the property because he hadn't touched it in a decade. I said Dad, do something nice with the lobby. He was just going to do the rooms,” Patel said. “The lobbies, it's a public space and people come if it looks nice photographs, nice. You could charge higher rates.”
She tried to find a designer for the job, but could not.
Spaceez uses a team of designers in India, trained to U.S. standards, along with a junior designer stateside to create affordable designs, company founder Alpa Patel said.
“I couldn't find an affordable designer that would want to take on a small lobby project for a Super Eight,” she said. “Then I realized that half the hotels in America are economy and they don't have access to design. I found out that close to 450,000 hotels in America and around the world don't have access to design. I saw that as a big opportunity to use technology to do it in a scalable fashion and help these owners in my community.”
She raised $150,000 from Lawrence Armstrong, the then CEO of design firm, Ware Malcomb and began Spaceez in 2018. Now, her mission is to help other economy hotel owners realize their properties’ potential.
Realizing their potential
“[Some owners] have no idea how valuable their properties could be if they reposition them as boutique hotels, because people are dropping three to $500 on some locations,” Patel said.
As an example, Patel points to two women she interviewed for a free lance article she wrote who owned a small hotel in a wine region near Toronto, Canada.
“They took a 16-room motel, open six months out of the year and they turned it, with a small budget, into this hip, cool little boutique hotel. And guess how much they charge, $350 a night,” she said. “These girls have shown us that an old, dingy motel can be turned around and be selling for $400 a night with a two-night minimum in a nice leisure market.”
It’s particularly important to Patel that she bring her knowledge of design to the rest of the Asian American hotelier community.
“This community of Patel owners, they're all over the country, in good markets, not so good markets, great markets,” she said. “The Gujarati community, they drag their feet when it comes to renovation, but [in one hotel] I put up $400 and refreshed the artwork, the amenities and the bed. And I was able to raise the rate 20 percent and spent $400 in the rooms.”
Keeping it affordable
One key to Spaceez’s success in that mission is to keep its work affordable. One way she does that is to keep her labor costs down.
“We have a team in India. We have a junior designer here who gets all the requirements, but all the actual design work happens in India,” she said. “We train them to the U.S. standards, the U.S. requirements. We can make it affordable because with [design] firms here, you can't afford design for an economy motel. They won't even talk to you.”
A before and after comparison of a complementary design rendering by Alpa Patel’s Spaceez. Owners can request the complementary rendering on Spaceez’s website, and Patel said 50 to 60 percent of the recipients engage the company for more work.
Patel said she has served more than 30 clients since founding Spaceez. Lately she has been providing complementary design renderings to attract new business. She’s completed about 80 in the last two months, with 50 to 60 percent of the recipients engaging the company for more work. The complementary renderings can be requested on the Spaceez website.
“I'll give them the rendering and then the design for $1,200. It's a small bite of the apple. Improve the exterior and it makes a big impact, and you get excited, now you're going to do more,” she said. “And you're going to grow the rates easily because when you have a nice looking property from the outside, and you take a picture and you put it online, people will go ‘Oh, that's a cool mural. That's a hip cool place, we should go check it out.”
Spaceez offers a set of standard designs or bespoke ideas, but Patel said her customers are happy with either.
“They love our prototype design because it's boutique. It's not cookie cutter. You change the colors, the finishes, the fabric, it's like a different room,” she said. “See we don't make you buy the same artwork for every single hotel. If you're in the wine country, put wine inspired artwork. If you're in the national parks, put the mountain that inspired. If you're in coastal make it coastal inspired, but still within the brand guidelines. Everybody's trying to go more boutique now. Everybody's trying to push their soft brands now because that's what the market wants.”
Her designs work with brand standards, Patel said, because the brands are more concerned with rooms and Spaceez designs are for common spaces. Also, large companies such as Sonesta, which now owns Red Lion Hotels, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and Best Western are focusing on boutique soft brands.
“Brands love us,” Patel said.
Bringing out the hidden boutique
Patel said the design she provides to each hotel depends on the property’s surroundings, but there are some commonalities as well. For example, she focuses on making use of F&B options and elements such as outdoor firepits to create a space guests will enjoy.
“When we do the independents, we try to put in a lobby bar. Turn the registration counter into a little bar. And if it's a small lobby, just serve canned beer, and wine, or just sell beer and wine is a source of revenue,” Patel said. “If you have a patio outside, you can put music out there and people will go hang out there and drink, maybe they can order Uber Eats.”
Instead of coffee makers and microwaves in the rooms, Patel recommends just serving very good coffee in the lobby so guests can mingle. It’s new ideas she offers, and they find more acceptance among the younger hotel owners.
An example of an America’s Best Value Inn lobby design by Spaceez.
“My community needs some educating on how to do all of this stuff,” she said. “The second-generation hoteliers are the ones that are coming to me.”
For example, recently she received a call from an owner who was taking over his parents’ hotel, a Days Inn, in Texas.
“The guy's like yeah, my parents are running it and I'm taking over but I don't want to run this Days Inn like this. I want it to be cool and nice and hip,” she said. “I went there to help him get good ideas on the exterior. He has a massive, massive outdoor pool, patio area. So, I said put your money here and keep the Days Inn prototype, I’ll still increase your rates. I'll give it a boutique look even with the Days Inn prototype room package.”
Finding the beach element
Another one of Spaceez’s customers, Hiren Patel in Belmont Shore, California, brought an extensive project to the company two years ago. He needed to breathe new life into his independent property, the Belmont Shore Inn.
Hiren Patel in Belmont Shore, California, commissioned Spaceez two years ago to breathe new life into his independent property, the Belmont Shore Inn.
“When we took over the hotel, it was really rundown. We tried to run the place as is, in the condition that we got it, but it was too bad for us to run the way we wanted,” Hiren said. “We had a vision to remodel it, but we didn't have a direction on how to proceed and how to incorporate the beach elements in the hotel. Then I got in contact with Alpa and then she found a designer to match the location.”
Now the work is mostly done at the 14-room hotel near Long Beach using a designer from Malibu. Some outdoor elements remain, Hiren said, such as a gate for security reasons.
“I think we came out with flying colors. The numbers that we saw were very good. And we almost tripled our business,” Hiren said. “Even during the pandemic we still did 50 percent occupancy.”
Operating from a place of abundance
March is Women’s History Month, and Alpa said women in the hospitality industry, such as her, offer a unique perspective to the male dominated business. As an example, she pointed to her participation in a business accelerator program sponsored by a larger design firm, AvroKO, that was organized by one of the company’s founding partners, Kristina O’Neal.
“Can you imagine, a design firm taking another design firm in,” Alpa said. “This woman didn't see me as a competitor because we operate from a place of abundance. There's plenty to go around. We don't have to operate from scarcity. And women can more easily tap into that, I think.”
Women are definitely making major strides and making the industry better, she said.
“But maybe 10 percent or less ownership of hotels is by women,” she said. “We need a big push for women to go into ownership.”
Howard Johnson is marking its 100th anniversary with fried clam–shaped soaps.
The soaps pay homage to an iconic HoJo menu item.
Available at select hotels and for online purchase starting Oct. 3.
HOWARD JOHNSON BY Wyndham marks a century with one of its most famous menu items, the fried clam strip. The brand is introducing limited-edition HoJo’s Original Fried Clam Soap, available at select Howard Johnson hotels across the U.S. and for online purchase beginning Oct. 3.
Designed to resemble the original food item, the soaps are infused with lemon, sea salt and butter in a nod to the butter-soaked rolls that once accompanied the fried clams, according to a statement by Wyndham.
“Howard Johnson is a brand woven into America’s cultural fabric and beloved by millions for generations,” said Marissa Yoss, HoJo’s head of marketing. “As we celebrate 100 years, our limited-edition fried clam soap is a fun, nostalgic tribute to the brand’s storied past and a playful nod to the retro-modern, family-friendly spirit that continues defining our hotels today.”
For World Waffle Day celebrations, Comfort Hotels hosted a one-day Waffle Lounge in New York City on Aug. 21.
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More than 70 percent expect a RevPAR increase in Q4, according to HAMA survey.
Demand is the top concern, cited by 77.8 percent, up from 65 percent in spring.
Only 37 percent expect a U.S. recession in 2025, down from 49 percent earlier in the year.
MORE THAN 70 PERCENT of respondents to a Hospitality Asset Managers Association survey expect a 1 to 3 percent RevPAR increase in the fourth quarter. Demand is the top concern, cited by 77.8 percent of respondents, up from 65 percent in the spring survey.
HAMA’s “Fall 2025 Industry Outlook Survey” found that two-thirds of respondents are pursuing acquisitions, 80 percent plan renovations in the coming year and 57 percent are making or planning changes to brand affiliation or management strategies.
“With hopes high for a stronger fourth quarter, hotel asset managers continue to maintain an optimistic outlook,” said Chad Sorensen, HAMA president. “More than 70 percent of our members expect RevPAR to increase 1 to 3 percent and two-thirds are pursuing acquisitions. With 80 percent planning renovations in the coming year, we see an engaged community focused on performance.”
Conducted among 81 HAMA members, about one-third of the association, the survey reports expectations for revenue growth, property investments and acquisitions.
However, the top three most concerning issues were demand, ADR growth and tariffs, HAMA said.
RevPAR growth forecast
Looking into 2026, 72.8 percent expect 1 to 3 percent growth, 18.5 percent expect 4 to 6 percent, 7.4 percent anticipate flat results and 1.2 percent project a decline. Full-year RevPAR projections versus budget are more mixed: 49 percent expect 1 to 3 percent growth, 17 percent expect flat results, 12 percent expect 4 to 6 percent growth, 2 percent expect 7 percent or more and 19 percent expect declines.
Hotel asset managers note several market pressures, the report said. Other concerns include ADR growth at 51.9 percent, tariffs at 34.6 percent, wage increases at 33.3 percent and potential Federal Reserve rate changes at 32.1 percent. Management company performance at 25.9 percent, immigration and labor trends, union activity and insurance costs were also mentioned.
“The industry is at its highest level of concern around maintaining or increasing rates,” Sorensen said. “There’s pressure to build on the P&L going into 2026.”
Performance projections
Confidence in the broader economy has increased since spring, the survey found. Only 37 percent of respondents expect a U.S. recession in 2025, down from 49 percent earlier in the year.
When asked about properties exceeding gross operating profit forecasts, 59 percent of managers expect 0 to 25 percent of their hotels to surpass targets, 25 percent expect 26 to 50 percent, 10 percent expect 51 to 75 percent and 6 percent expect 76 to 100 percent. Additionally, 20 percent reported returning hotels to lenders or entering forced sales since the spring survey.
Peachtree launched new DST with 131,040‑square foot industrial facility in Mansfield, Texas.
The property was acquired at $180 per square foot.
Peachtree completed $320M in debt-free transactions across multiple markets since 2022.
PEACHTREE GROUP LAUNCHED its latest Delaware Statutory Trust with the acquisition of a newly built 131,040-square-foot industrial facility in Mansfield, Texas. The company has completed about $320 million in debt-free transactions since launching its DST program in 2022, according to its statement.
The rear-load building, completed in 2025, features 36-foot clear heights, a three-acre outdoor storage yard and room for future expansion. The property was acquired for $180 per square foot, below market comparables, and is fully leased to Ferguson, a distributor for professional contractors in North America, Peachtree said in a statement.
“In today's higher-rate environment, where tighter credit and volatile valuations challenge traditional ownership, DSTs have emerged as a compelling alternative,” said Greg Friedman, Peachtree’s managing principal and CEO. “They deliver attractive cash flows backed by institutional-quality assets, while also offering tax advantages, professional management and diversification.”
Ferguson signed a 10-year corporate lease beginning in March, with 3 percent annual rent escalations, two five-year extension options and limited landlord obligations, the statement said. With investment-grade credit ratings from S&P BBB+ and Moody’s Baa1, the tenant supports the trust’s income stability and risk profile.
Peachtree’s DSTs, Opportunity Zones and REIT structures form a platform aimed at tax efficiency, compounding benefits and risk-adjusted returns, supported by Peachtree’s integrated asset management.
“Expanding into the industrial sector is a step toward building a diversified DST platform that can perform across cycles,” said Tim Witt, Peachtree’s president of 1031 Exchange and DST Products. “DSTs turn a looming tax bill into compounding wealth, keeping money in commercial real estate, but their true strength is pairing tax efficiency with investments that stand on their own merits.”
Atlanta-based Peachtree is led by Friedman; managing principal and CFO Jatin Desai and principal Mitul Patel. In July, Peachtree added the 128-key SpringHill Suites Phoenix West Avondale in Arizona as its ninth Delaware Statutory Trust offering since launching the program in 2022.
House introduces AFA to boost franchise model and hotel operations.
The act establishes a joint employer standard.
AHLA backs the bill, urging swift adoption.
THE HOUSE Of Representatives introduced the American Franchise Act, aimed at supporting the U.S. franchising sector, including 36,000 franchised hotels and 3 million workers nationwide. The American Hotel & Lodging Association, backed the bill, urging swift adoption to boost the franchise model and clarify joint employer standards.
The AFA amends the Fair Labor Standards Act and the National Labor Relations Act, which since 2015 have created uncertainty for franchisors and franchisees, AHLA said in a statement.
Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Oklahoma) and Don Davis (D-North Carolina) introduced the AFA.
“Hotel franchising is a pathway to the American Dream for many entrepreneurs,” said Rosanna Maietta, AHLA president and CEO. “It is a proven win-win business model that enables partnerships between franchisees and franchisors. The American Franchise Act codifies a clear joint employer definition and is essential to protecting this framework.”
AFA aims to protect the franchise model, which has long enabled women and minority entrepreneurs to run their own businesses with support from larger brands, the statement said. It will clarify the employment relationship by establishing a joint employer standard that protects workers and preserves franchisee autonomy.
Mitch Patel, AHLA board chair and Vision Hospitality Group CEO, said that as a hotel franchisee, he has seen how the model enabled him and others to achieve the American Dream.
“Throughout my career, my hotel business has employed thousands of people who have built lifelong careers in our industry,” he said. “The American Franchise Act is essential to preserving this foundation. For the benefit of both employers and employees, we strongly encourage the swift passage of this critical legislation.”
"As one of the few franchisees in Congress, I understand how damaging an ever-changing joint-employer rule is to the franchise business model,” said Hern. “I'm pleased that we were able to come together in a bipartisan effort to create legislation that safeguards small businesses and individuals working to achieve the American Dream across the country."
Davis said changes to joint-employer rules have created prolonged uncertainty in the industry.
“The American Franchise Act aims to restore stability by clarifying that franchisors and franchisees operate as independent employers while safeguarding workers through established labor standards,” he said.
Separately, a petition for a referendum on Los Angeles’s “Olympic Wage” ordinance, which sets a $30 minimum wage for hospitality workers by the 2028 Games, fell short of signatures. The ordinance will take effect, raising hotel wages from $22.50 to $25 next year, $27.50 in 2027 and $30 in 2028.
Noble broke ground on StudioRes Mobile Alabama at McGowin Park.
The 10th StudioRes expands Noble’s long-term accommodations platform.
Noble recently acquired 16 WoodSpring Suites properties through two portfolio transactions.
NOBLE INVESTMENT GROUP broke ground on StudioRes Mobile Alabama at McGowin Park, a retail center in Mobile, Alabama. It is Noble’s 10th property under Marriott International’s extended stay StudioRes brand.
“Noble is institutionalizing one of the most resilient and undersupplied segments at the intersection of hospitality, mobility and how people stay,” said Shah. “We are scaling a branded platform to capture secular demand that creates stable cash flow and long-term value.”
In May, Noble acquired 16 WoodSpring Suites properties through two portfolio transactions, expanding its platform in branded long-term accommodations.
Noah Silverman, Marriott International’s global development officer, U.S. & Canada, said breaking ground on the 10th StudioRes with Noble reflects the brand’s growth and the companies’ three-decade partnership.
“With both companies’ expertise in long-term accommodations, Marriott’s distribution channels, and the power of our nearly 248 million Marriott Bonvoy members, we are confident StudioRes is uniquely positioned to generate customer demand at scale, drive performance and sustain long-term growth,” he said.
Meanwhile, Marriott has more than 50 signed StudioRes projects, about half under construction, the statement said. The first StudioRes opened in Fort Myers, Florida.