Stephanie Ricca

1 week ago | costar.com | Stephanie Ricca

This week, Southwest Airlines killed its free-checked-bags policy. Early next year, the popular lower-cost airline will end its open seating policy in favor of assigned seats and fees for premium seating. Will the flight attendants still tell jokes though? Probably. Meanwhile over at Starbucks, employees now must follow a dress code and kick people out who don't buy something. But they're bringing the fun back by handwriting customer names on drink cups. What do these two brands have in common?

1 week ago | costar.com | Stephanie Ricca

News headlines may still forecast a lot of doom and gloom, but keep your eye on the numbers, say the hosts of the Tell Me More: A Hospitality Data Podcast in their latest episode. "We're all so focused on sentiment, that everything is going down, going south," said Isaac Collazo, STR's senior director of analytics.

2 weeks ago | costar.com | Stephanie Ricca

Trinity Investments has sold the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa to real estate investment trust Ryman Hospitality Properties for $865 million. Trinity bought the 950-room hotel from Blackstone in 2019 for $602 million and invested $100 million into a renovation, which was completed in 2023. The renovation added a waterpark complex and two signature restaurants, in addition to overhauling guestrooms and refreshing the lobby.

2 weeks ago | costar.com | Stephanie Ricca

CORAL GABLES, Florida — The Caribbean's proximity to the United States makes it particularly vulnerable to ripple effects caused by trade, tariffs and tourism changes on the mainland. But hoteliers and investors in the Caribbean say collaboration and advocacy are the keys to reducing its reliance on the U.S., fortifying other demand sources and building regional strength.

3 weeks ago | costar.com | Stephanie Ricca

CORAL GABLES, Florida — Driftwood Capital is zeroing in on luxury and lifestyle hotels and branded residences. To oversee its new management, investment and development platform, the company brought in luxury veteran Alinio Azevedo. Azevedo is charged with launching a dedicated new investment fund to seek luxury, lifestyle and branded residential deals, and oversee management of the hotels and resorts already part of the Driftwood portfolio that fit that bill.