Wyndham Hotel Group is raising its Trademark Hotel Collection flag at six independent hotels in the U.S., introducing the soft brand to travelers in Southern California, upstate New York, Florida and North Dakota. With these newest additions, Trademark’s global footprint expands to nearly 60 locations across four countries.
Launched earlier this year, Trademark is a collection of upper-midscale-and-above hotels with an "independent spirit."
“Independent hotel entrepreneurs are making their mark, over-delivering on our offer to join forces with the world’s largest hotel company, capitalizing on Wyndham’s size and scale while preserving their hard-earned hotel individuality and character,” Chip Ohlsson, EVP and chief development officer, North America, said in a statement. “Our newest additions here in the U.S. will deliver sought-after boutique experiences in growing markets at price points everyday travelers can afford—with Trademark, both owners and guests can really have it all.”
Trademark is widening its global footprint, adding more than 50 upper-midscale hotels in Europe and the U.S. in the past four months, totaling more than 9,000 guestrooms. Joining hotels like The Infinity Hotel & Conference Center in Munich, Germany and the Hyperion Hotel Basel in Basel, Switzerland, notable additions in the U.S. announced today include:
The Bricks, A Trademark Collection Hotel, Los Angeles:
Securing more than 125,000 square feet of corner real estate in downtown Los Angeles, a new-construction hotel, The Bricks, A Trademark Collection Hotel will be two blocks from the Staples Center sports arena and adjacent L.A. Live entertainment complex.
Owned by hotelier Chul Heay Shin, the space is undergoing a multimillion-dollar re-adaptation from an office building to a six-storied hotel with an vertical, up-lit exterior. Its approximately 200 contemporarily-designed guestrooms will be joined by a street-level restaurant, a pool, a fitness center, 10,000 square feet of meeting space and a rooftop bar lounge adorned in greens and flowers overlooking the City of Angels.
Hotel at the Lafayette, A Trademark Collection Hotel, Buffalo, N.Y.:
Built in 1904 and designed by America’s first female architect Louise Blanchard Bethune, this landmark French Renaissance-style hotel, owned by Earl Ketry and entity principal Bill Casale, includes 57 Pan-American-themed suites with velvet-dressed chairs, oversized mirrors, wood floors and furnishings and premier amenities. Guests can grab house brews at the hotel’s on-site Lafayette Brewing Company restaurant and bar adorned with mosaic-tiled backdrops of French art or sip espressos at its Public Espresso coffee shop.
Lofts on Pearl, A Trademark Collection Hotel, Buffalo, N.Y.:
Safety Harbor Resort & Spa, A Trademark Collection Hotel, Safety Harbor, Fla.:
Located in Tampa Bay and minutes from downtown Tampa, this 172-room waterfront hotel is known for its Espiritu Santo Springs healing waters. The historic landmark, founded in 1925, includes a 50,000-square-foot sanctuary spa – Florida’s only natural mineral springs resort spa – along with a tranquility garden and a fitness center. Owned by William Touloumis and ranked number one in its market, additional hotel offerings include four on-site restaurants, 30,000 square feet of meeting space and a 65-seat amphitheater.
Azure Hotel & Suites Ontario Airport/Convention Center, A Trademark Collection Hotel, Ontario, Calif.:
Opening Nov. 6, this 167-room hotel is owned by 1945 Hold Suites. Growing tourism to the area, including increased inbound flights at Ontario Airport over the last five years and a planned 2018 airport expansion, combined with the hotel’s close proximity to popular tourists spots like Disneyland, make this an opportune growth market.
Home Place Lodge & Suites, A Trademark Collection Hotel, Williston, N.D.:
Set in Williston, N.D. and close to major energy and oil companies, this full-service hotel is owned by MMC Ventures and includes 109 one- and two-bedroom suites with furnished kitchens and kitchenettes and a Grand Buffet restaurant offering barbeque and Asian cuisines.
Generating $15 billion in the U.S. in 2016 alone, demand for soft-branded hotels has grown at a rate of nearly 20 percent in the last several years, but has been focused on luxury and upscale hoteliers.
“Soft branding is a smart option for today’s hoteliers competing in the under-tapped upper-midscale tier accounting for 18 percent of rooms in the U.S,” Greg Giordano, VP, brand operations, The Trademark Hotel Collection, said in a statement. “Backed by the Trademark name, we’re amplifying the booking strength of that landmark hotel in your town the locals know by name and visitors eye up for its charm, elevating their everyday availability for even more guests.”