Hotel Analyst Podcast

On the ropes aparthotel group Sonder finds a lifeline in a deal with Marriott - will this help it to profit? And Hyatt joins the big league with a lifestyle division, as it buys the Standard International brands and, with them, the creative team behind them. Plus, normalisation is here as hotel groups face a quarter of softening demand, and therefore the graphs start to slip downward. But as ever, while there are losers, we also spot some winners.

It’s second quarter results season, so we mull over the results - weaker in China and the US, holding up elsewhere. Plus, how the different CEOs presented their outlooks, as many trimmed their expectations for the full year. Who has the best momentum? And, we told you so, business travel continues to improve in volume, returning close to pre-pandemic levels.

We run through some winners and losers in the current marketplace, and ponder the demise of Selina - where are the digital nomads? There’s something not quite right about the finance markets, as private debt outperforms private equity. And branded residences may be a small niche, but they are a fast growing market that hotel brands seem to love.

One PE house sells Village Hotels to another PE house - what next for the vertically integrated UK chain, and was the deal more about redemptions and investment needs, than either party getting a great deal? Barcelona has called time on short term rentals, aiming to restrict further tourism growth in the city. What's the solution to over tourism? And Hyatt discovers a new conversion brand, wrested from partner Lindner, to give it more power in the growing landscape for switching existing properties.

Reflections from the Operational Real Estate Festival, held at the end of June 2024, which acknowledged the growing interest from investors in businesses linking a property element with the business that goes on inside that property. Capital is waiting to deploy, but the event heard there is still plenty of uncertainty, tempering the pace of deployment.

And some thoughts on the UK and French elections, one terribly orderly and the other less so. While the outcomes are different, both had the input of a very broad spread of voter support - and a low turnout from a population tired of politicians.

Budget UK hotels saw a plateau in the first quarter, but remain confident for the rest of the year - but is it time for Whitbread to franchise Premier Inn? The SPACS Sonder, Soho House and Selina are all taking tough action to improve profitability, as investors wait....And the enigma that is Orient Express, as it takes investment from luxury goods group LVMH.

Whether you're feeling more rock and roll, or looking for a family friendly feel, can you find a hostel brand to suit you? Deal volume is rising with Eurazeo selling, Fattal and HR Group acquiring - signalling we must now be past the bottom of the market. But there's still little clear distress. And more Indian hotel groups are tapping the country's stock market - so is India the new China?

Selling experiences is a tough gig, and few are making money at it - but there's value in keeping guests entertained and engaged. Corporate travel is back, and still coming back, though online meetings have clipped the ultimate level of demand. Hotel companies are pushing into flexible offices - so how can they make that move a convincing offer?

The deal landscape is improving, with investors now getting used to the cost and tighter availability of debt - and some big deals coming to completion. How hospitality is still being ignored as officials look at how to reinvigorate urban centres in the UK. And frustration as European regulators look to bridle the digital giants, and its seems their latest moves have backfired and are damaging competition.

Straddling different accommodation asset classes, and running a hybrid business, can be tough. Never mind finding the right audiences, there are investors to educate too. Contrasting first quarter fortunes at Choice and Hyatt; with Hyatt continuing its not quite asset-light approach. And as the world travels once more, the issue of over tourism is becoming a big political issue. There are bad, and good, solutions out there.