CHARLOTTE, N.C. — stayAPT Suites recently debuted its new-construction, long-term lodging brand. The room layout for the more than 500-square-foot suite is designed to feel like a home, with a dedicated living room, full kitchen, and a separate bedroom.
The brand launched with 12 newly constructed hotels opening in 2020 and an additional 30 locations slated for 2021. The first hotel will open this May in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, a suburb of Washington, D.C. Openings in 2020 include three hotels in North Carolina (Charlotte/Northlake, Goldsboro, and Raleigh/Morrisville), five hotels in South Carolina (Greenville, Greer, Columbia/Irmo, North Charleston, and Rock Hill), and a hotel each in Chattanooga, Tenn.; Houston/Webster, Texas; and Montgomery, Ala.
The new chain is committed to building a portfolio of more than 100 corporate-owned hotels, with a goal of more than 200 franchise locations within the next five years. stayAPT Suites currently has two franchise locations in development, each set to open this year.
“We saw an opportunity to reinvent long-term lodging and to provide our guests with what they really want—and that is the space and in-room amenities to truly live comfortably while traveling away from home,” said Gary A. DeLapp, stayAPT Suites president and CEO. “Our hotels are designed to provide guests with separate living, kitchen, and sleeping areas, just as they would experience in their personal residence. Most long-term lodging accommodations consist of a single room with a bed steps away from a small kitchenette. We’ve created an environment that goes well beyond that, giving travelers a better way to stay and live while away from home.”
The interior of each suite includes an open-concept living room with a sleeper sofa, a lounge chair, and a wall-mounted 55-inch television; a kitchen with a full-size stove, oven, dishwasher, microwave, and refrigerator; a separate bedroom with a second television, a walk-in closet, a king bed or double queen beds, and a work area; a center island with seating between the kitchen and living area; and a central air system.
Properties also have an outdoor courtyard area with greenery, soft seating, a built-in grill station, and a fire pit. Each hotel is also equipped with an on-site laundry room and a fitness facility that overlooks the courtyard.
stayAPT Suites will offer two- and three-story construction models ranging from 59 to 89 units. The flexible prototype sizes and efficient land usage are ideal for sites ranging from 1.8 to 2.1 acres in size. The development has no restricted territories and is designed to fit large, medium, or tertiary markets. The hotel caters to business, relocation, and leisure travelers.
“Our lean, efficient labor model, depending on room count, calls for an average of 2.5 to 5 employees and provides very appealing cash-on-cash yields,” added DeLapp.
The company plans to unveil its interior room design in the coming month.
