Lodging Daily News

WASHINGTON—The American Hotel & Lodging Association announced two promotions among its leadership team. Haleigh Hildebrand was promoted to vice president, campaigns and political strategy. In her new role, Hildebrand will guide AHLA’s efforts to build grassroots and grasstops programs that support hotel industry. Prior to her promotion, Hildebrand was AHLA’s senior director of government and political affairs, and she previously served as an assistant political director at the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal

Marriott International, Inc. announced the launch of Four Points Express by Sheraton, designed for the midscale segment. This new brand is a response to growing consumer demand for reliable yet affordable accommodations in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Consistent with the company’s approach to meeting the needs of guests with regionally relevant lodging products for every stay purpose, the announcement follows the company’s recent move into the affordable midscale space with City Express by

In a joint venture, NewcrestImage and Dabu Group have acquired the full-service Marriott Dallas/Fort Worth Westlake. The hotel has architecture by Mexican architect Ricardo Legorreta, who is known for his use of bright colors, light and shadow, and geometric shapes. Newmark Lodging Capital Markets arranged the sale on behalf of the seller. The team was led by Vice Chairman Miles Spencer and Director Parker Sherrill. The Marriott is near corporate offices, downtown Grapevine, and destinations

The outlook for openings is promising as the U.S. hotel development pipeline is bolstered by a record-high 1,085 conversion projects in the second quarter of 2023, according to Lodging Econometrics. However, developers are still contending with inflation and high interest rates, which lengthen the timeline for some projects. “Projects have generally slowed,” observed Kyle Hughey, CEO, Charlestowne Hotels. “Capital is a little tougher to get and [developers] are more conscious about the use of it,

Hotel Indigo, part of IHG’s Luxury & Lifestyle portfolio, released a new international marketing campaign, The World’s Neighborhood Hotel, which is officially rolling out this month. In a global survey from Hotel Indigo, the brand found 73 percent of respondents think it is important for the hotel they stay in while traveling to be connected to the local neighborhood because it may inspire trying activities and new things and meeting new people. It also showed