Acquisitions & Hotel Openings

Home2 Suites by Hilton Opening 81-suite Home2 Suites in Columbus, GA

Owned by Nirvana LLC and Managed by RAM Hotels

McLean, VA - September 13, 2012 - Home2 Suites by Hilton, the award-winning mid-tier, all-suite hotel brand designed for modern business travelers and extended-stay guests, announced the opening of its twelfth U.S. hotel in Columbus, Ga. The Home2 Suites Columbus is the first property for the brand in the state. The hotel joins 11 other Home2 Suites already open in Fayetteville, N.C., Layton, Utah, Baltimore, Md., San Antonio, Texas, West Valley City, Utah, North Charleston, S.C., Lexington Park, Md.; Jacksonville, N.C.; Nashville, Tenn.; Biloxi, Miss.; and Charlotte, N.C. The first guest to check-in today received a set of Home2’s microfiber sheets.

“Our continued entry into new markets for the brand underscores the depth and adaptability of the Home2 Suites product, and its ability to meet owner and developer needs,” said Bill Duncan, global head, Home2 Suites by Hilton. “We look forward to incorporating more destination options which offer the right mix of local attractions and business activity, like Columbus, into our portfolio, and bringing Home2 Suites’ signature extended stay added value to more cities.”

The four-story, 81-suite hotel is located at 1664 Whittlesey Rd., Columbus, Ga., close to the Columbus Metropolitan Airport, various local businesses, including General Dynamics, Aflac, Synovus and Columbus Regional, and military establishments, including Fort Benning. Nearby attractions include the Chattahoochee RiverWalk, the Civil War Naval Museum, Columbus State University and the Coca Cola Space Science Center. The property is owned by Nirvana LLC and managed by RAM Hotels.

The hotel offers easy access to technology and inviting community spaces, as well as the trademark Home2 Suites amenities standard in all properties, such as the Oasis lobby area, the Home2 MKT for grab-and-go items, Spin2 Cycle and the “Inspired Table” complimentary breakfast. The hotel is also pet-friendly, and features a dedicated outdoor area for four-legged guests.

Home2 Suites by Hilton currently operates 12 hotels and has nearly 70 properties in its development pipeline. The brand currently has 10 properties under active construction in Frisco, Texas; Oxford, Ala.; Huntsville, Ala.; Jackson/Ridgeland, Miss.; Philadelphia, Pa.; Rahway, N.J.; Baltimore, Md.; Augusta, Ga.; Austin, Texas; and Nashville, Tenn. Future properties are slated for many of the nation’s major markets, including Houston, Atlanta, Washington, D.C. and Denver. Home2 Suites also is approved for expansion into Canada and Mexico.

For more information, visit www.home2suites.com or visit the brand’s Facebook page.

About Home2 Suites by Hilton
Home2 Suites by Hilton, the newest addition to the Hilton Worldwide portfolio of brands, is a mid-tier, extended-stay hotel concept designed to offer stylish accommodations, flexible guest room configurations and inspired amenities for the cost-conscious guest. As the fastest growing brand in the history of Hilton Worldwide, Memphis, Tenn.-based Home2 Suites offers a complimentary breakfast selection; innovative and customizable guest room design; combination laundry and fitness area; complimentary Wi-Fi Internet access; multiple outdoor spaces; 24-hour business center; expansive community spaces; and a commitment to environmentally friendly products and hotel operations. For more information about Home2 Suites by Hilton visit http://news.home2suites.com. For information on franchising opportunities, visit http://www.home2franchise.com/

About Hilton Worldwide
Hilton Worldwide is a leading global hospitality company, spanning the lodging sector from luxurious full-service hotels and resorts to extended-stay suites and mid-priced hotels. For 93 years, Hilton Worldwide has offered business and leisure travelers the finest in accommodations, service, amenities and value. The company is dedicated to continuing its tradition of providing exceptional guest experiences across its global brands. Its brands are comprised of more than 3,900 hotels and timeshare properties, with 640,000 rooms in 91 countries and include Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Hotels, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations. The company also manages the world-class guest reward program Hilton HHonors®. Visit www.hiltonworldwide.com for more information and connect with Hilton Worldwide at www.facebook.com/hiltonworldwide, www.twitter.com/hiltonworldwide, www.youtube.com/hiltonworldwide, www.flickr.com/hiltonworldwide and www.linkedin.com/company/hilton-worldwide.

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Coming Up In The June Online Hotel Business Review


Feature Focus
New Trends in Hotel Architecture and Design
On any hotel design project, architects are generally serving at least three masters - the owner/developer, the hotel operator, and the general public who will utilize the hotel - and each have their own goals, objectives and demands. The owner/developer is concerned with brand standards, the target market and the hotel's locale, while the operator is concerned about achieving the highest possible revenue through efficient design. The public is demanding that architecture and design be fully integrated into the guest experience, based on prevailing tastes and preferences. The architect's role is to respond professionally and efficiently to meet the demands of all and to develop a unified solution. Though each project has its own prerequisites and obligations, there are some general design trends which seem to be prevalent across the industry. First, there is an increased emphasis on the importance of the lobby. The principle here is that first impressions matter and that a hotel has only a few minutes to convince a guest that they have made the right decision. Hotel lobbies are being completely re-imagined - from eliminating front desks altogether to turning lobbies into warm, intimate social spaces, replete with fireplaces and comfortable furniture. There is also an increasing use of ambient natural light, even in large spaces like ballrooms and meeting rooms. In addition, there is greater emphasis on incorporating the distinctive attributes of any given location into the hotel design, which guests are defining as central to their experiences. The June issue of the Hotel Business Review will report on all these exciting developments in the fields of architecture and design.
In this issue...
Experiential Design Across All Sectors
By Ellis Katz, Principal, John Portman & Associates
Challenges of Contemporary Design in Historic Buildings
By Gary Meadows, President, HCI Architecture, Inc.
Ideal Meeting Spaces Should Offer Flexibility, Flexibility and Then Some
By Ronald M. Lustig, Design Architect/Principal, Earl Swensson Associates, Inc.
The Hotel Lobby
By Jennifer Skaife, Senior Associate, DiLeonardo
PLUS: Keeping an Eye on the Return on Design; Check In To the Future; L'AND Vineyards Wine Resort; How to Preserve Architectural Detail; Catering to Women in Hotel Design; Sustainability Retrofits, and much more.