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metro
05-08-2008, 08:31 AM
Extended-stay hotel set to open in OKC
Journal Record.
May 8, 2008

OKLAHOMA CITY – Brad Friend wants his hotel guests to be as comfortable as possible, whether they are staying for one night or one year.

Friend, general manager of the Homewood Suites by Hilton at 6920 W. Reno Ave., is putting the finishing touches on the hotel, set to open next week. The hotel is the latest of several planned extended-stay properties in the metro area set to open in the next few years.

Extended-stay hotels began to take off in the 1970s with the Residence Inn, which was later acquired by Marriott.The hotels cater to business travelers who often need a room for longer than just a few nights, and many provide a home-like atmosphere, with kitchens in the rooms and perks for busy travelers.

Friend, a native Oklahoman, moved back home to be the general manger of a hotel after a 15-year career in hotels in Texas and Kansas.

The hotel has 90 suites in a three-story, 72,726-square-foot building.Friend said the hotel welcomes those who only need a room for the night, but caters to business travelers for long-term stays. The first Homewood Suites was launched in Omaha, Neb., in 1989. In 2000, the name was changed to Homewood Suites by Hilton. Now the brand counts more than 220 hotels in the United States, Canada and Mexico.This is the only Oklahoma City Homewood Suites. There is also one in Tulsa.

Rebecca Wyatt, senior vice president of brand management for Homewood, said Oklahoma City was selected because the company saw a need for more extended-stay rooms.“The extended-stay market is a healthy growing segment of the hotel industry, where demand continues to outweigh supply,” she said. “Major cities such as Oklahoma City are one area where Homewood Suites has identified a specific need, given the close proximity of both business and entertainment centers.”

The Oklahoma City franchise is owned and managed by Tennessee-based Chartwell Hospitality as CHMK Oklahoma Hotel Partners LLC. Peter Holmes, chief operating officer for Oklahoma City-based HotelBrokerOne, said there continues to be a need for the extended-stay product, which is available at varying levels.“The most successful ones are located where there’s a demand for the extended guest who is literally going to stay for weeks or months at a time,” he said. One of the most economical brands is Value Place, with three hotels in the metro area.

Holmes said Homewood is one of the top-tier brands for extended-stay hotels.And while brands such as Homewood and the Residence Inn by Marriott are on the higher end – those hotels usually offer perks such as kitchens and some available food – most do not have such things as restaurants or spas, seen in comparable full-service hotels.The focus instead is on a homelike setting for guests who are traveling on business.

Holmes said there are currently at least half a dozen extended-stay hotels in various stages of development around Oklahoma City.“Oklahoma City has had a pent-up demand for nice hotel rooms for a long time at every level,” he said. “We’ve had a need for those and we’ve been filling in the gaps from luxury hotels to extended stays.”Friend said nightly rates at the Homewood will run from about $149 to $170, and the hotel offers amenities like a 24-hour fitness center, a heated swimming pool and Jacuzzi, a full hot breakfast and evening receptions with food and alcohol included in the room rate.

Homewood does not have any immediate plans for additional Oklahoma locations, but is open to more if there is a demand based on the market and from developers.“If a developer shows interest to build in this market, and demand shows a need for another Homewood Suites, it is something Homewood Suites would consider,” Wyatt said.