Shutters on the Beach and Hotel Casa del Mar Take Delivery of the All-New 2011 Jaguar XJ for the Exclusive Use of Guests

Edward Thomas Hotels announces an exclusive partnership with Jaguar to be the first hotel group in the U.S. to offer the all-new 2011 Jaguar XJ for the exclusive use of its guests. The cars will be available to guests of Hotel Casa del Mar and sister property Shutters on the Beach, both in Santa Monica, for complimentary chauffeured rides within the beachside community.

“The XJ is a truly eye-catching luxury car. Its stylish yet sporty design gets immediate attention,” said Managing Director Klaus Mennekes. “The XJ is a blend of unique styling and intuitive technology that delivers a remarkable driving experience. Our guests appreciate fine cars and I am certain they will enjoy being driven in this exceptional automobile.”

The all-new Jaguar XJ (ETC Hotels have chosen the XJL model for extended legroom and comfort for its guests) is a contemporary luxury sedan combining stunning design and intuitive technology. The beautiful interior and exterior design of the car is matched by the most technically advanced engine Jaguar has ever created, offering a rich and exhilarating driving experience.

“It was a natural fit for Jaguar to partner with Edward Thomas Collection Hotels,” said Sharon Corrigan, Vice President of Marketing, Jaguar North America. “The Santa Monica beach area is a perfect backdrop to showcase the contemporary luxury and exquisite performance of the all-new XJ.”

The on-going partnership with Jaguar will allow guests the opportunity to travel from the hotels to destinations within Santa Monica on a first-come, first-served basis with compliments of the hotels. ETC hotel drivers will be thoroughly trained on all of the features of the all-new XJ by Jaguar product specialists.

Housed in famed Chicago architect Daniel Burnham’s Continental & Commercial National Bank Building, Marriott’s first JW Marriott hotel in Chicago will open this fall, after a $396 million restoration, with 44,000 feet of meeting space and state-of-the-art conference and recreation facilities.

Housed in famed Chicago architect Daniel Burnham’s Continental & Commercial National Bank Building, Marriott’s first JW Marriott hotel in Chicago will open this fall, after a $396 million restoration, with 44,000 feet of meeting space and state-of-the-art conference and recreation facilities.

Located in the heart of Chicago’s financial district at 151 West Adams Street, the 610 –room JW Marriott is within walking distance to some Chicago’s most famous sites, including the Art Institute, Millennium Park and the theater district.

The hotel will be home to one of the most comprehensive meetings facilities in the city, including:

• 8,453 square-foot grand ballroom
• 6,096, square-foot junior ballroom featuring the building’s original arched glass ceiling
• 35 breakout rooms
• GoThere Virtual Meetings studio with AT&T & Cisco Telepresence
• Wireless and high speed Internet and video conferencing

Officials of Fairwood Capital, LLC, a real estate investment firm focused on hospitality assets, today announced that the company acquired the 159-suite Embassy Suites St. Louis–Airport in Missouri from a private investment group for an undisclosed amount. Upon closing, the property will undergo a complete renovation of its guest suites and public areas.

“The Embassy Suites St. Louis-Airport fits our strategy of acquiring premium-branded hotels in proven markets,” said Ed Ansbro, Fairwood’s executive vice president.  “Cash-flowing properties are our primary acquisition targets, but we also seek hotels with turn-around potential that have an appropriate risk/reward profile.  This is our first repositioning acquisition in this fund, and we continue to have an aggressive appetite and significant funding available to acquire either individual assets or portfolios.”

The hotel will begin a complete renovation this fall focused on the guests, corridors, restaurant and atrium.  The renovation will be completed in phases to minimize guest disruptions.  Upon completion of the renovation and repositioning, the hotel will be the newest and only full-service, all-purpose hotel in the market.

Situated at 11237 Lone Eagle Drive, in Bridgeton, Mo., the 159-room Embassy Suites St. Louis-Airport is located off Interstate 70, convenient to Lambert International Airport, and is the closest hotel to Boeing International, the area’s largest employer.  The hotel features a business center, 4,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, indoor swimming pool, fitness center and restaurant.  When completed, the two-room suites will offer Embassy Essentials® Bedding Collection, flat-screen, high definition televisions, coffee maker and high-speed wireless Internet access.

Maximum Hospitality, a Memphis, Tenn.-based management company, will assume day-to-day operations.  Maximum also manages Embassy Suites-Nashville/Vanderbilt.  

With offices in Memphis, Tenn. and New York, N.Y., Fairwood Capital, LLC is a real estate investment firm focused exclusively on the acquisition and recapitalization of hospitality-related real estate and operating platforms.  The company pursues a value-oriented investment strategy that seeks to acquire a portfolio diversified by brand, geographic location and market segment, primarily in premium-branded, select service, extended-stay and full-service hotels.

Chatham Lodging Trust (NYSE: CLDT), a hotel real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on upscale extended-stay hotels and premium-branded select-service hotels, today announced that it has signed a contract to acquire an upscale extended-stay hotel in north San Diego, California in an all-cash transaction for $32 million. The property marks the 13th hotel either acquired or under contract to purchase by Chatham in the past four months since its April 21, 2010 initial public offering.

“This is our first acquisition on the West Coast, and Southern California is one of our key target markets,” said Jeffrey H. Fisher, Chatham’s chief executive officer.  “We expect to fund the acquisition with our anticipated $85 million senior secured credit facility.

“The property fits our model of a great location, in a market with multiple demand generators and superb visibility and accessibility,” he added.  “We believe that the San Diego market also has among the highest barriers to new competition in the country.

“This transaction, like many of our others, is one that we sourced based on our long-standing relationships within the market,” he said.  “It was not actively marketed, and we were able to acquire the hotel at what we believe is an attractive price.”

Completion of the hotel acquisition is subject to satisfactory completion of due diligence and other customary closing conditions.  Upon consummation of the transaction, the hotel will be managed by Island Hospitality Management, which is 90 percent-owned by Fisher.

Chatham Lodging Trust is a self-advised real estate investment trust that was organized to invest in upscale extended-stay hotels and premium-branded select-service hotels.  The company currently owns eight hotels with an aggregate of 1,057 rooms/suites and with the addition of this contract has a total of five additional hotels under contract to purchase.

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Beachtree Properties, a resort group comprised of boutique hotels, announces renovation completion and opening of its newly-acquired property in Oakland, Maryland.

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Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Worldwide’s global luxury brand, will raise its flag in New York’s Financial District in the fourth quarter of 2011. The Conrad New York will be the brand’s fifth property to open in the United States and the first Conrad hotel in New York City. (more…)

Dolce Hotels and Resorts, operator of 26 upscale hotels, resorts and conference hotels in North America and Europe, today announced an expansion of its portfolio with the addition of Silverado Resort, a 1,200-acre, 439-room historic golf resort in Napa Valley’s wine country that recently changed ownership. (more…)

‘Godfather of Extended Stay’ Jack DeBoer Is Luncheon Keynote Speaker

Officials of the Southern Lodging Summit @ Memphis, an annual gathering of hoteliers specializing in development and operations in the southern United States, today announced it will host its eighth annual conference on August 17-18, 2010, at the Memphis Cook Convention Center. (more…)

Sandestin Florida Vacation Resort makes it easy to have a blast, a splash, and a patriotic salute this Independence Day with great deals, activities and events. Among the lineup, Sandestin is offering guests a FREE night this 4th of July, with the purchase of three nights, and is unveiling a brand new floating water park and Banana Boat Rides in Baytowne Marina. (more…)