HVS · 8 Jan

A big question currently facing the hotel industry is how to keep guests, employees, and data safe in our increasingly connected world. While mobile technology provides a vehicle for much of the progress, it can also provide the security methods needed to safeguard them in the form of mobile-based biometrics.

HVS · 13 Dec

HVS was the Platinum Sponsor for the 2019 Western Canadian Lodging Conference (WCLC) that was held in Vancouver on November 25 and 26, 2019. The event welcomed more than 400 delegates, the highest attendance in the history of the conference. The main takeaways from the conference are briefly summarized in this article.

HVS · 26 Nov

The HVS U.S. Hotel Franchise Fee Guide provides a comparative review of various hotel franchises based on their applicable franchise fees. The selection of an appropriate franchise affiliation affects a property's ability to compete in its local market, generate profits, and achieve a distinguished image and market orientation. Because the success of a hotel is based primarily on the cash flow generated, owners and lenders must weigh the benefits of a brand affiliation against the total cost of such a commitment.

HVS · 25 Nov

HVS continually tracks the rates of return on the assets on which we consult. In our most recent review, we found that equity yield rates, on average, have shown a continued trend of decline in the full-service and luxury hotels sector, as well as the lower-tier limited-service sector, with the select-service and upscale limited-service sector showing stability.Equity yield rates were notably lower for full-service and luxury hotels, averaging 16.4% for the year-to-date 2019 period, which is 140 basis points (bps) below the 17.8% most recent peak level recorded in 2017.

HVS · 22 Nov

The most consistent issue HVS Brokerage & Advisory has encountered during transactions is whether a group is budgeting sufficient capital for prospective asset acquisitions that require PIP renovations. An incorrect estimate means buyer groups must increase their capitalizations or request a price reduction on a dollar-for-dollar basis relative to their cost increases. This ultimately changes many metrics late in acquisition processes and lowers IRRs because any extra capital is drawn entirely from equity and not a blend of equity and debt. Recent observations are detailed below. The lesson is that accurate PIP estimating is vital in successfully acquiring hotels today.

HVS · 21 Oct

Government per diem rates are set for a number of locations, many applying to multiple regions or localities in each state. A per diem rate is made up of three components: a lodging allowance, meals allowance, and incidental expense allowance[1]; however, this article and the data presented below focus solely on the lodging allowance. The per diem lodging rates, which provide a maximum amount that a federal traveler can reimburse, are based on the costs of mid-priced hotels and are set annually by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). The following article examines the per diem trends of the top 24 lodging markets, as defined by STR, which reportedly make up roughly 32%[2] of the total number of hotel rooms across the country. Hawaii is typically included in this list of top lodging markets; however, it has been excluded because the per diem rates are only set for the continental states.

HVS · 23 Sep

In 2018/19, the national lodging market continued to climb to new heights, albeit at a more moderate pace than in previous years. In 2018, hotels in the United States operated at the highest occupancy and average rates ever recorded, with both metrics registering additional growth during the year-to-date July 2019 period. While the pace of new hotel development and the entrance of new supply has remained tamed when compared with the previous cycle, this pace has been accelerating, as evidence by increases in supply in 2018 and 2019, as well as the number of hotel rooms under construction as of mid-year 2019.