Not For Sale: Sandals CEO Shuts Down Deal Rumors
The all-inclusive operator's executive chairman says he isn't selling the company, despite rumors, but is instead pouring tens of millions into properties to drive rate premiums.
Sean O’Neill is Skift’s Senior Hospitality Editor. Sean’s forte is reporting, and he’s broken multiple hotel industry scoops. He has also conducted 1:1 interviews on stage with the CEOs of Marriott, Hilton, IHG, Hyatt, and Wyndham.
Best Western Has Been Shrinking. BWH Hotels’ Fix Is to Shift Upscale and Overseas.
Best Western's parent group is about 10% smaller by room count than it was in 2019. CEO Larry Cuculic says he's changing that, partly by adding upmarket brands.
U.S. Hotel Demand Is Rebounding — and It’s No Longer Just a Luxury Story
Ten weeks of data show remarkably strong demand from business and leisure travelers. It's not just a World Cup bump.
Marriott to Enter Branded Apartment Rentals: W Hotels Comes First in 2027
The hotel company's first branded apartment rentals, opening in Cleveland in 2027, will mark a new turn for a real-estate business that has become central to its luxury strategy.
How Hyatt’s Lifestyle Chief Does a ‘Portfolio Cleanup’
Since selling The Standard to Hyatt, Amar Lalvani has reviewed the group's lifestyle portfolio and debuted a new brand, The Manner, to stay on top of where he feels trends are heading.
Hilton Says It Will Build New Brands Again — Owners Will Want to See the Math
A trademark and a domain suggest that a new Hilton lifestyle brand called Tortoise may be in the works. But the bigger question for the newish chief development officer is whether Hilton's model still mints the best returns for owners.
Marriott Hotel Owners Want a Bigger Cut of Loyalty Income
Marriott built one of the most lucrative loyalty programs in travel. Hotel owners who fund the points want more of this year's expected billion-dollar windfall from the co-branded credit cards.
Marriott Begins Rollout of AI Trip Planner on Site and App
Even as Marriott builds a walled garden, it is buying real estate in everyone else's. That hedging action is understandable given that no travel company is yet sure where travelers will actually start their searches.
IHG Spent 8 Years Rebuilding Its Hotel Systems. Now It Says the Payoff Is Starting.
IHG CEO Elie Maalouf is telling franchisees that eight years of tech investment has begun to expand their margins. It's an open question whether this early tech advantage will woo more hotel owners, boosting the growth rate of IHG's system.
Highgate Takes Over Lotte’s New York Palace — How it Feeds the Next Deal
Buying and flipping broken hotels is lumpy and cyclical. Highgate's fees for third-party hotel management are a steady drip that keeps the lights on between the big, risky trades.