The US Hotel industry has been growing each year since its ebb in 2008-09 in the aftermaths of the economic slowdown. US has been a primary travel destination for both the business and the leisure traveller and the revenues from the major Hotel chains are indeed a testament to this. The revenues from the industry bettered its 2014 annual collection of $176.7 billion to $189.5 billion in 2015. The US Hotel industry boasts of some of the well-known and celebrated hotel chains, of which the top 10 are being listed below. The top hotels in USA include Marriott, Hilton, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Starwood along with other American hotel brands like Wyndham, Hyatt, Crowne Plaza, Best Western and La Quinta Inns & Suites. Here is the list of the top 10 hotels in USA 2016.
10. La Quinta Inns & Suites
La Quinta Inns & Suites is a limited services hotel chain with its presence in over 800 locations in the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Central American nation Honduras.
Image: company website
Headquartered in Irving, Texas, La Quinta, which means “The Villas” in Spanish holds true to its name for its guests. La Quinta was founded in San Antonio, Texas way back in 1968 by Real Estate entrepreneur brothers Sam Barshop and Phil. Until 2014, all properties of La Quinta were owned by its subsidiary La Quinta Properties Inc, which is a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT). However, in 2014, the company went public and offered approximately 44 million shares by getting itself listed on the New York Stock Exchange. With its presence in over 880 locations, La Quinta aims and strives to makes the life easier of both leisure as well as business travellers. Some of its prime locations in the US include San Antonio, New York, Miami, Dallas, Las Vegas, San Diego, Chicago and Albuquerque. International locations include Richmond in Canada, Juarez and Cancun in Mexico and Tegucigalpa in Honduras.
The hotel chain offers their own loyalty rewards program, called the La Quinta Returns, which helps its members earn discounts, redeemable points, free nights and other attractive offers that they can avail of such as redeeming points with partner resorts, dining and entertainment and other shopping experience. With “Wake up on the bright side” as its slogan, La Quinta truly is committed to making travel and stay a memorable experience for its guests. Its key people include Keith A. Cline as the President and CEO, James H. Forson as the Executive Vice President and CFO, and Rajiv K. Trivedi as the Executive Vice President and CDO.
Net Revenue ($ Million)= 1029
9. Best Western
Best Western International Inc. is a hotels and resorts brand based in the US which started its operations in the years following the World War Second.
Image: company website
It was founded in 1946 by M K Guertin and operates over 4100 properties in over 100 countries worldwide, of which close to 2200 are in the North America. Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, the Best Western operates under its brands in a three tiered structure – Best Western, Best Western Plus and Best Western Premier. Some of its notable properties outside the US are present in the UK, Mexico, New Zealand and Australia. The hotel chain entered India in 1994 and expanding to Thailand, and China in the early 2000, it now also has plans to expand to Burma. Operating as a marketing cooperative and with a franchisee model, Best Western ensured that the partner and affiliate hotels adhere to set standards. This is reflected in its slogan “World’s Best Hotel Family”. The hotel chain has also been a recipient of several travel awards and accolades, some of which include being mentioned as the Best Business Hotel, winning Dynatrace Best of the Web gold awards, AAA/CAA Hotel Partner of the year, as well as several certificates and accolades from the famous travel website TripAdvisor itself. It was also ranked as the number 1 mid-scale hotel in the 2014 Business Travel News Chain Survey.
The hotel chain also strives towards a better, greener world by ensuring that its properties operate in compliance with at least a national or international eco-labelling programme, such as LEED, Green Seal, Green Key, Green Leaf, etc as appropriately applicable. While David Kong is the President and CEO, Terry Porter heads as the Board Chairman of the Best Western group.
Net Revenue ($ Million)= 4000
8. Crowne Plaza
With over 400 properties to its name and an international presence in more than 50 countries, Crowne Plaza Hotels and Resorts is an upscale hotel chain that caters primarily to the needs of business travellers.
Image: Wikimedia
It also provides perfect ambience and service for hosting conventions and official meetings. Founded in 1983, this hotel chain was initially branded as “Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza” as it was owned by the Holiday Inn hotel group, but had a spin off and started operating independently within two years of its founding. The very first hotel of this hotel chain was opened in Rockville, Maryland in the founding year 1983, while its first resort was opened close to two decades later in Portugal in 1999. With the sale of the Holiday Inn hotel group chain in 1990 to InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), which is a famous British multinational hotel company, the Crowne Plaza also became a part of the IHG hotel chain. Needless to say, Crowne Plaza comes with the famous IHG rewards and loyalty programme, benefitting and luring its members with exciting offers and discounts. With another 81 hotels in the offing, this hotel chain has leveraged on its success with strategic expansions, opening up at prime locations such as important coastal towns, in city centres or close to key airports. Some of its famous locations include London, Paris, Xian, Beijing, Bangkok, Prague, Singapore and Dubai.
Crowne Plaza sponsors a PGA Tour Golf tournament which is held each year in Texas. They are also the sponsors of Rickie Fowler the famous golfer, as well as Andy Priaulx, the FIA World Touring Car Championship driver. Aptly titled “Travel for Success”, the hotel chain’s slogan conveys their commitment to servicing their customers.
Net Revenue ($ Million)= 4200
7. Hyatt
Hyatt was founded in 1957 with the purchase of Hyatt House motel situated next to the LA International airport by the founder Jay Pritzker.
Image: Wikimedia
The Pritzker brothers Jay and Donald worked together to grow the company into a hotel ownership and management company in North America. The Hyatt had then become the fastest growing hotel chain in the United States and is a leading global brand name. Hyatt offers several types of lodging options with its brands strategically placed in different locations to reap maximum benefits as well as cater to as many guests as possible. Park Hyatt, Andaz, Grand Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, and Hyatt Centric are majorly luxury hotels while Hyatt Zilara and Ziva are all inclusive resorts. To cater to families and for extended stays, Hyatt offers the Hyatt Place and Hyatt House brands. The Hyatt Gold Passport is their signature membership and rewards programme which offers promotions and discounts to its members. Beijing, Tokyo, Jakarta, Mumbai, Colombo, Kathmandu and Seoul are some of its notable properties outside of the US. The Hyatt Regency Hong Kong was in fact the first property of this hotel chain to open outside of the US.
Their commitment to service can be gauged by their slogan “We care for people so they can be their best”. No wonder the Hyatt was ranked as the 47th best US company to work for by the Fortune magazine in 2016. They were awarded 100% in HRC Equality Index by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) for 8 years consecutively, adding another feather to their cap. The current Executive Chairman of the company is Thomas J. Pritzker, son of the founder Jay Pritzker. It is a publically listed company and trades on the NYSE.
Net Revenue ($ Million)= 4328
6. Wyndham
Wyndham Worldwide Corporation, which is a 2006 spin off from the Cendant corporations, is a US based holding company for the hotel and lodging brands Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, among several others.
Image: company website
While the holding company was founded in 2006 (through the spin off), the hotel and resort chain was founded in 1981 in Dallas, Texas by Trammel Crow. While the company saw rapid growth in the 1990s, it burned a lot of cash on the way and amidst a financial crunch was forced to sell off several of its properties in the early 2000s. In 2005, the firm was acquired by Blackstone group, and then subsequently sold off to Cendant, later becoming part of the Wyndham Worldwide group. The headquarters of the holding company are in Parsippany Troy Hills, New Jersey in US, with Stephen Holmes as the Chairman and CEO.
With close to 7400 properties under its name, the Wyndham group tops the list of having the maximum number of hotels. Boasting of properties listed under 15 brands across 66 countries in the six continents, Wyndham offers lodging services in segments ranging from economy to upscale. Among its famous brands are the Baymont Inn and Suites, Dolce, Days Inn, Knights Inn, Hawthorn Suites, Super 8, Travelodge as well as the famous Ramada Worldwide. The group also acquired the TRYP brand from Spain’s Sol Melia Resorts and Hotels in 2010 giving it exposure to business and leisure travellers in several destinations in Europe and Latin America. Its vacation ownership programme is currently the largest in the world and is headquartered in Orlando, Florida.
It is a publically listed company and trades on NYSE and S&P 500.
Net Revenue ($ Million)= 5536
5. Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide
Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide Inc. was founded in 1969 as a REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) and was later incorporated in 1980.
Image: company website
It is a US based hotel and leisure company with its headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut. Undoubtedly figuring as one of the world’s largest hotel companies, Starwood owns, manages, operates as well as franchises hotels, spas, residences, resorts and vacation ownership properties under the 11 brands that it owns. It currently has over 1300 properties in around 100 countries and employs about 188000 employees worldwide. It is a publically listed company. With its November 2015 announcement of purchasing the Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide for $13.6 billion, the Marriott International hotel chain took the world by storm. While the acquisition is pending, it would create the world’s largest hotel chain with the combined assets and synergy of the two, once the deal comes into effect. As of now, stockholders from both Marriott and Starwood have voted and given their nod to this marriage, and the legal and customary formalities are being completed.
The global brands affiliated to the Starwood Hotels include St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, W, Westin, Le Meridien, and Sheraton (all of which are majorly luxury and upscale hotels and resorts). While Aloft and Four Points are select-service hotels, the Element brand are meant for extended stay hotels. The group also includes several independent hotels, listed under the brands Design Hotels as well as under its latest offering the Tribute Portfolio. The company is also committed to a better, greener tomorrow and is striving towards a 30% decrease in energy consumption and emissions and 20% reduction in water consumption at all its globally managed properties by 2020.
It is a publically listed company and trades on the NYSE.
Net Revenue ($ Million)= 5763
4. Holiday Inn Express
Founded in 1991, Holiday Inn Express started off modestly with the opening of just three hotels in the United States.
Image: Wikimedia
The hotel chain was ambitious even back then with plans of covering 250 locations within 5 years of its launch. With its first European hotel opening in Scotland in 1996, the hotel chain has since then never looked back, and has currently expanded to 2438 locations worldwide. As the name suggests, this is an “Express” hotel chain, which aims to provide limited but affordable range of services to its guests. The hotel chain has thus targeted to cater to the “upper economy” segment of the market, with reasonably priced services suitable to both business and short-term leisure travellers. They were one of the pioneers in hospitality sector advertising, where in their “Stay Smart” series of commercials garnered positive reviews and acclaims, helping them become a known name. Committed to servicing well its target market segment, the hotel chain comes with a “Best Price Guarantee” or “first night free” assurance. Apart from the US, Holiday Inn Express is present in major locations in Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, Europe, Africa, Middle East as well as Asia Pacific, some of which include Toronto, London, Singapore, New Delhi and Dubai.
While the Holiday Inn hotel chains are the parent of Holiday Inn Express hotel chain, they are now collectively owned by the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), which is a British multinational hotels company headquartered in Denham, UK. The sought after and famous IHG Rewards membership holds for all its member hotel chains, Holiday Inn Express being one of them and offers several discounts and other packages to its guests.
Net Revenue ($ Million)= 6100
3. Holiday Inn
Not to be confused with the 1942 Hollywood movie with the same name, although the name is indeed borrowed from the very movie itself, Holiday Inn is a US based hotel chain that was founded on August 1st 1952 in Memphis, Tennessee by Kemmons Wilson.
Image: Wikimedia
The inspiration for what initially began as a motel chain came after a disappointing stint with the accommodation scene during a road trip the founder did with his family to Washington DC. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Holiday Inn has come a long way from being a motel chain to one of the world’s largest hotel chain with over 3600 properties to its name. The hotel chain is not just limited to the Americas, in fact, it serves in all major destinations across Europe, Asia – Pacific, Middle East and Africa. Providing not just food and lodging services, but also meetings, conventions and timeshares, Holiday Inn is a subsidiary of the renowned British multinational hotel company the InterContinental Hotels Group and perfectly lives up to the brand name.
Famously branded as “The World’s Innkeeper”, Holiday Inn had pioneered roadside advertising with the catchy and iconic “The Great Sign”, which was later phased out during the 1980s. The hotel chain operates several brands and corresponding services to be able to cater to a wider audience, namely, Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites, Resort, Club Vacations which operate on the time share manner, Garden Court – which operate to reflect national culture and operate in South Africa and Europe, and the Holiday Inn Express brand which operate with fewer amenities and services and appeal to middle class customers. Their commitment to service and hospitality is reflected in their saying “Under our green sign, everyone is welcome”.
Net Revenue ($ Million)= 6200
2. Hilton Hotels & Resorts
The Hilton Hotels & Resorts group dates back to 1919, when it was founded by Conrad N. Hilton.
Image: company website
If the name Hilton rings a bell, it mustn’t come as a surprise that the famous actress and model Paris Hilton is related to the hotel chain, as the great-granddaughter of its founder. Formerly known as Hilton Hotels, the group has its headquarters at McLean, Virginia in USA. Boasting of over 570 properties, this hotel group serves in over 80 countries across six continents. The group functions by owning, managing as well as franchising properties under the flagship brand of Hilton Worldwide. Among its famous properties are included the Waldorf-Astoria, Double Tree, Conrad, Hampton and Homewood Suites. The hotel group also has to its name the tallest hotel in Canada, situated at the Niagara Falls. The brand caters to both business and luxury travellers, and has recently also forayed into the midscale category in the US and Canada with the launch of its new brand Tru by Hilton. The hotel chain has also shown its commitment to sustainable energy usage by upgrading to intelligent energy saving controls for heating, etc. at several of its properties in the UK. The discussion about this hotel chain is incomplete without the mention of its famous rewards and loyalty programme HHonors. The HHonors loyalty programme lets the guests avail of the various amenities and services provided at its properties such as free Wi-Fi, selection of room, electronic check-in, among other discounts and rewards only exclusive to its members. Known for its stylish and innovative approach to services, the hotel chain claims that travellers all over the world have been saying “Take me to the Hilton”, and rightly so, as the travellers themselves vouch for it.
Net Revenue ($ Million)= 11272
1. Marriott
Marriott International was founded in 1993 as a consequence of Marriott Corporation splitting into two firms – Marriott International (the hotel chain) and Host Marriott Corporation (which is into real estate investment – the financial arm).
Image: company website
The history of Marriott itself dates back to 1927 with the opening of a beer place (a root beer stand with the seating capacity of 9, to be precise) by John Willard Marriott. With its first hotel opening in Virginia in 1957, the company has since then grown by leaps and bounds, expanding into a chain of restaurants and hotels and has close to 4500 properties in over 80 countries, and has several others properties in the development phase. Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland in US, the company functions under the able guidance of its founder’s son Bill Marriott, who works in the capacity of the Executive Chairman.
The Marriott Hotels own and operate several brands which include Courtyard, Residence Inn, Fairfield, Renaissance, as well as the recently acquired Delta Hotels. The hotel chain also has a stake in the historic and widely acclaimed Ritz-Carlton hotels. It also owned the Ramada International Hotels and Resorts, but sold it off to the real estate giant Cendant in 2004, and which now operate under the Wyndham Worldwide brand. The hotel chain also gets a mention in the Guinness Book of World Records, with its Dubai Hotel (JW Marriott Marquis) crowned as the tallest hotel in the world. Unfortunately, it was during the September 2001 attacks that the iconic Marriott World Trade Centre got destroyed. The company believes in and upholds ethical and responsible business and even partners with the UN for several awareness campaigns. It is a publically listed company and trades on the NASDAQ and S&P 500.
Net Revenue ($ Million)= 14486
Ranking Methodology:
The leading hotels of USA are considered for this list and top 10 hotels are found on the basis of net revenues.