PwC: Manhattan hotel rates pull back in Q3

The growth of Manhattan’s soaring hotel rates slowed throughout Q3, according to a new report from PwC, but minimal increases in lodging supply and continued demand growth kept the city’s overall performance robust.

ADR growth in Manhattan fell 3.3 percent when compared to the prior quarter, partly as more price-sensitive leisure guests took precedence over business travelers during summer. However, ADR was still up 0.8 percent year-over-year, and Q3 occupancy reached 90.4 percent—the highest year-to-date occupancy for Manhattan hotels in the report’s 24-year history.

All Manhattan submarkets, aside from Upper Manhattan and Midtown West, recorded increases in RevPAR during the third quarter. Luxury hotels in the city saw occupancy fall to 83.4 percent, while ADR for the segment increased 3 percent year-over-year. Upper-upscale hotels recorded the only ADR decline in the city (down 0.7 percent) and also saw RevPAR fall 1.5 percent. However, upscale and upper-midscale hotels saw RevPAR increase 1 percent and 1.3 percent, respectively, according to PwC.

Limited-service hotels pulled in higher RevPAR than full-service properties during Q3, despite occupancy losses in the limited-service category. Overall, limited-service hotels saw ADR rise 1.5 percent while full-service hotels’ ADR increased 0.8 percent. 

In addition, independent hotels continue to out-perform branded properties in Manhattan. While occupancy fell for both chains and independents (down 0.4 and 1.1 percent, respectively), ADR increased by 0.1 and 1.9 percent, respectively, the PwC report noted.

Manhattan’s hotel transaction pace remained consistent with prior quarters, with six transactions closing between July and September. Most notable was the 282-room The Plaza Hotel, which was sold by Sahara Sahara India Pariwar, Ashkenazy Acquisition Corporation, Dream Hotel Group and Kingdom Holding Company to Kitara Hospitality, a subsidiary of Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund, for $600 million, or $2.1 million per key.

Just one Manhattan hotel opened in Q3, the 300-room citizenM New York Bowery hotel, which opened in September. Four new hotels have opened in Manhattan following the close of the third quarter, consisting of the Moxy NYC Downtown, Park Terrace, Aliz Times Square and AC New York Downtown.