Mom, wife of @ollielashw, passionate about hotel investment, the New Orleans Saints, and wine. šŗšøā”ļø š¬š§ ā”ļø šŗšø Views are my own etc
Well between @Hertz@HertzUKās X response and the email response from the Heathrow branch, we will never be using Hertz again. I donāt usually get this upset about poor customer service but WOW. Truly an astoundingly bad customer experience all around.
@Hertz Hi @Hertz thanks for your canned answer in my dms. There are cars available and your staff member tried to argue that we werenāt presidentās circle.
@Hertz itās incredibly disappointing to be a Presidentās Circle member and to have such poor service at your Heathrow location. Refusing the upgrade and then your staff being incredibly rude is really upsetting.
For the first time in three centuries, the British monarch will attend the Catholic requiem mass of a family member. Totally unimaginable in living memory. Amazing.
Thinking about offloading an ultra-luxury hotel? Dispositions are a strategic play, but youāve got to approach it with eyes wide open. Iāve seen too many owners trip up at this stage. Hereās the sharp advice Iād give you to nail the exit.
1. Understand Your Property Objectively:
Take a hard look at your asset in todayās local market and where itās headed next. Markets evolve; the dynamics when you bought might not hold in 2025. CBREās Q2 2025 report shows ultra-luxury demand shifting toward experiential destinations, with RevPAR up 5% in coastal markets like Miami. Be okay with that change, donāt cling to outdated assumptions. Iāve seen owners overestimate value because they ignored a cooling market, losing leverage at the table. Know your propertyās current worth and future potential, or youāll misprice the deal.
2. Donāt Fear Upside, Buyers Love Opportunity:
If your hotelās performance isnāt flawless, donāt panic, thatās not an automatic red flag. Savvy buyers crave upside potential. Maybe occupancy lags at 70% but ADR could climb with a tweak. STR data from 2024 shows well-positioned ultra-luxury hotels with repositioning potential fetch 10-15% higher sale prices. The key is balancing value: price it right to reflect both current earnings and future gains. Iāve watched a seller turn a āproblemā property into a $90M win by highlighting renovation upside. Embrace the story, not the imperfection.
3. Check Brand or Management Encumbrances:
Is your asset tied to a brand or management contract? If itās a market-leader like Four Seasons or Rosewood, thatās added value, buyers pay a premium for credibility, with branded ultra-luxury hotels selling at 8-10% higher multiples, per JLL 2025 trends. But if the brand or manager underperforms, itās a drag. Think stagnant NOI or guest complaints. Iāve seen owners stuck with a weak operator, slashing sale value by 12%. Weigh your options: renegotiate, exit the contract, or disclose the burden upfront. Clarity here is your edge.
The Takeaway:
Offloading an asset demands objectivity on market shifts, confidence in upside, and a hard look at brand/management ties. Get these right, and youāll maximize your return. Get them wrong, and youāre leaving money on the table. Iāve seen both play out. Donāt be the cautionary tale.
#UltraLuxuryHotels #HotelDispositions #RealEstateStrategy #Hospitality
Something Iām often asked is, whatās the key to a really strong ultra-luxury hotel acquisition strategy. Hereās the thought process, itās actually super-simple!
Develop or Buy? Your first choice:
Developing - is for visionaries who know exactly what they want and arenāt afraid to lean on trusted advisors. Building your first ultra-luxury hotelālike a Four Seasons or Amanāmeans checking your ego at the door, no matter who you are. Youāll need a clear vision, deep pockets, and often, land with a jaw-dropping view (think cliffside in Santorini or beachfront in the Maldives). Iāve seen developers nail it by hiring the best architects and operators from the start, creating properties that command $2,000+ per nightāSTRās 2024 ultra-luxury data backs this, with new builds in prime locations seeing 85% occupancy at premium rates. But if youāre not ready to trust your team and play the long game, this path will eat you alive.
Buying - suits hands-on investors who love the thrill of the hunt. Think of it as a high-stakes shopping spreeāIām your personal hotel shopper, but the catalogās price tags are massive. Ultra-luxury hotels like The Ritz-Carlton or St. Regis often start at $100M+ for a trophy asset, per CBRE 2024 transaction reports. Success here hinges on credibility and contacts. You need to know who to callāwhether itās the seller, the operator, or the financierāand they need to take your call seriously. Iāve seen buyers with the right network snag a gem in a prime market like NYC, boosting NOI by 20% through strategic management shifts. But if you donāt have the clout or connections, youāll overpay or get outbid every time.
The Takeaway:
Whether you develop or buy, ultra-luxury hotel ownership demands vision, trust, and access. Developing requires a no-ego approach and a stellar team; buying needs deep networks and a shopperās savvy. Iāve watched too many underestimate this game and get burnedādonāt be one of them. Know your strengths, or this dream will turn into a very expensive nightmare.
Next up - assembling your development team!
#UltraLuxuryHotels #HospitalityInvesting #RealEstateDeals
@NWischoff Amangiri is great for a dramatic backdrop in a contemporary high-luxury setting. For something a little more low key try One&Only Palmilla.
For something classic thereās always the Beverly Hills Hotel.
@DovForman Her words and her story were so powerful and inspiring. Thank you for helping her share them so that new generations do not forget what happened. May her memory be a blessing.
So proud of my mate @BunamObi, nominated for his first African Academy Movie Award for his work on the screenplay for the Nollywood sensation #TheWeekendMovie!! EPIC!
@GoBrightline I have to shout Chad in carriage 4 on the train from Miami to Orlando at 10:50 this morning. I was solo traveling with my young children and he was so helpful and considerate. He made what could have been a rough trip so pleasant!
Breaking: Reggie Bush is getting his 2005 Heisman Trophy back, amid what the Heisman Trust calls āenormous changes in the college football landscape,ā @petethamel has learned.
Bush forfeited his Heisman Trophy in 2010 in the wake of significant NCAA sanctions for USC.
I was chatting to a friend recently was feeling down about the state of things in the USA. So I wrote a piece about why I love living in America and how Thanksgiving in Miami, a town of immigrants, reminded me of that.
An American by Choice. https://t.co/eWWr0NpSVQ