The Blackstone Group sold three hotels in Anchorage, Ala., to Columbia Sussex. According to the buyer, the transaction takes its total room count to 1,341 rooms and makes it the largest full-service, year-round hotel operator in the state.
Columbia Sussex acquired the 125-room Hilton Garden Inn Anchorage, the 101-room Hampton Inn Anchorage and the 122-room Homewood Suites by Hilton Anchorage. They join the Marriott Anchorage Downtown and Hilton Anchorage, both of which Columbia Sussex has operated for more than a decade.
The three purchased hotels all feature indoor pools, fitness centers, 24-hour business centers, meeting space and recently renovated rooms. They will continue to operate under their current name with their current employees.
"Anchorage has been a good business target for Columbia Sussex and this acquisition increases our ability to cater to smaller groups, sports teams and businesses interested in a convenient, midtown location," Joseph Yung, VP of development for Columbia Sussex, said in a statement. "It also gives us more flexibility to take care of our visitors during the busy summer months, particularly the growing number who arrive via cruise ships."
Based in Crestview Hills, Ky., Columbia Sussex owns and operates hotels across the United States. It currently manages 49 hotels.
Blackstone, a global investment firm, has been involved with several transactions in recent months. Earlier this month, its affiliate Blackstone Real Estate Partners IX acquired a 65 percent controlling interest in Great Wolf Resorts. In September, it reached an agreement to buy five Greek hotels from the Louis Group for €178.6 million—$195.5 million USD. In July, it bought three Florida hotels from an affiliate of RLJ Lodging Trust for $43.2 million.