AS SEEN IN: HotelBusiness.com | December 13, 2021 | Link to full article
Victory Hotel Partners has had six new agreements close in the fourth quarter of 2021, since its acquisition of Hay Creek Hotels earlier this year, including an expansion of its portfolio of upscale independent hotels into the West.
Those hotels are:
Embers Hotel in Blowing Rock, NC, in which Hay Creek Hotels will collaborate with the developer, Catellus Group, on the design, concept and positioning of this 36-room, full-service boutique hotel and restaurant located in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina. Construction is slated to begin January 2022 with a planned opening in May 2023.
McEntire River Runner Hotel in Decatur, AL, is part of a greater development theme for the town of Decatur aimed to revitalize the riverfront area. Hay Creek will collaborate with developers, Libby Patrick and Sherri Hofherr, sisters native to the area, on concepting, positioning and design of the project, which will include 65 guestrooms and suites; numerous dining establishments and bars; 5,000 sq. ft. of meeting and event space; and a standalone spa, as well as the restoration of the historic McEntire home, circa 1835, to be used as a museum for guests. Projected opening in late 2023.
Harwin Hotel in Charleston, SC, is located in the heart of Charleston close to the College of Charleston. It will be an addition to the Hay Creek Hotels Charleston Collection, which includes 20 South Battery and Quarters on Spring. Hay Creek is collaborating with the developers, King & Society Real Estate, on the concept, positioning and design of this 30-room hotel planned to open mid-2022.
Mizpah Hotel and Belvada Hotel in Tonopah, NV, are both historic hotels owned and restored by Fred and Nancy Cline, winery owners based in Sonoma, CA. Additionally, Hay Creek will operate the Tonopah Brewing Company. The addition of these three properties opens the gateway to the West for Hay Creek, which is now focused on adding new properties along the West Coast, particularly in the Napa Valley and Sonoma regions of California.
Hotel Hartness in Greenville, SC, has already broken ground and slated to open in mid-2022 on the 444-acre Hartness urban village. Founded by the Hartness family, Hay Creek Hotels will manage the hotel which will feature 73 suites, a conference center, a waterside restaurant and a spa.
“We couldn’t be prouder of the success our properties have had competing with the big hotel brands during these challenging times,” said Norman MacLeod, president, Hay Creek Hotels. “As we embark on a new year, we are equally encouraged by our exceptional development pipeline of exquisite hotels, further proving this space has taken the lead emerging from the pandemic.”
Hay Creek Hotels’ leaders said they are very optimistic as they have been witnessing independent boutique hotels continuing to demand premium market share during this recovery time. Hay Creek Hotels’ RevPAR performance continues to outperform competitors with a system average RevPAR index of 132%. Additionally, they achieved strong sales numbers Cyber Weekend with an increase of 145% in revenue versus 2020 and 253% versus 2019 during their Black Friday and Cyber Monday promotions at 11 of their participating properties, according to the company.
Gary Sims, founding partner, Victory Hotel Partners, added, “Achieving this kind of success during these times is precisely why we refer to our leaders as ‘veterans.’ We are not just a team of people that have been doing this for a long time, but have been through downturns like this before and have fought smartly and won wars. We know through the cycles of our business that recoveries have always mattered and those companies that can build the best experience with real agility will create a competitive advantage and accelerate faster out of the downturn. We have proven we are that kind of company.”