May 2015
Guests, Inc., based in Strasburg, Virginia enjoyed a strong year in 2014 in both growth and franchise recognition. The hospitality company was honored in conjunction with individual hotel ownership partners for renovations for both IHG and La Quinta brands.
The Holiday Inn Express-Southpoint located in Fredericksburg, VA received the IHG® (Inter/continental Hotels Group) 2014 Renovation Award for its successful completion of major modernization and renovation programs. The hotel was recognized during the IHG Americas Investors & Leadership Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Holiday Inn Express Fredericksburg-Southpoint was one of 56 hotels to receive this award from an IHG portfolio of more than 4,700 hotels.
The La Quinta Inn & Suites Lynchburg at Liberty University, in Lynchburg, VA, was the recipient of the La Quinta Inn & Suites 2014 Award for Best Renovation. This award recognizes the hotel that has undergone the most compelling and complete renovation while also incorporating the best in creativity and comfort. Qualification for the award requires that renovations must include the entire hotel from the exterior to all common areas and guestrooms.
Hotel acquisitions in 2014 included a management contract for the full-service Holiday Inn Richmond, VA at I-64 West End and the purchase of three Hampton Inns in West Virginia bringing our West Virginia presence to four hotels. Additional opportunities in 2014 included several consultation projects for other hospitality companies.
“As a significant part of our overall property performance analysis,” says Keith Stephens, CEO, and owner of Guests, Inc. and managing partner for several of the owned properties, “we are continually analyzing the best franchise options and renovation upgrades for the optimal success for our hotels in the markets in which they compete.”
With growth continuing in 2015, the beautiful historic Mimslyn Inn, located in Luray, VA, and a managed property in the Guests, Inc. portfolio has recently acquired four cottages located adjacent to the Inn in order to provide Shenandoah Valley visitors with the option of lodging in the fully restored 1930’s inn or enjoying the intimate and private cottage experience.
Stephens is a graduate of the Virginia Tech Hospitality program in Blacksburg, VA, and an owner/operator for close to thirty years. The Guests, Inc. portfolio currently includes 16 hotels in the five state regions of Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. The management company provides hands-on management of both select-service and full-service lodging properties. Management company focuses include cost controls, a comprehensive marketing program for each property, quality guest services, reputation, and social media management, accounting services, training and development and corporate-level support and oversight of maintenance and capital improvements.
