3 Ways Hotels are Different than Big Four CRE

Les immeubles à logements multiples, les immeubles de commerce, les immeubles de bureaux et les immeubles industriels représentent plus de 90 % de la superficie totale de l’immobilier commercial aux États-Unis. Les hôtels représentent moins de 3 %. Même si les quatre grandes catégories d’actifs immobiliers commerciaux sont très diverses, aucune n’approche la complexité d’un investissement hôtelier en termes généraux. Les hôtels se distinguent des autres biens immobiliers de plusieurs manières. La nature opérationnelle d’un hôtel est le principal facteur de différenciation. Le propriétaire d’un hôtel est intimement lié aux opérations, contrairement à un propriétaire passif.

Lease structure, asset management, and branding are the key points that separate hotels from Big Four CRE assets.

Locations à la nuitée

Les baux standards pour les actifs immobiliers des Big Four sont de cinq ans ou plus, à l’exception des baux multifamiliaux d’un an. Les hôtels fonctionnent sur des durées considérablement plus courtes. Les clients signent un bail pour une seule nuit et des frais d’annulation s’appliquent pour les séjours plus longs qui se terminent prématurément. Les chambres ou « clés » définissent la taille d’un hôtel, mais les nuitées sont la mesure standard de l’inventaire vendable. Autrement dit, chaque nuit est une nouvelle occasion de vendre une chambre. Les hôtels révisent quotidiennement le prix des chambres en fonction de la demande réelle et perçue sur le marché.

A revenue manager may dump rooms in a soft period to get heads in beds, and she may be able to boost rate in a tight market to maximize potential revenue. This has a material impact on revenue potential in a market cycle. Nightly churn adds both risk and opportunity. Upward economic progress creates opportunity for a hotel to charge higher rates, while maintaining the same expenses. A downcycle has the opposite effect, which requires sound deal fundamentals to account for shrinking margins. Retail investors feel comfortable with the sales and marketing processes required for building a loyal following and a churn of infrequent guests.

They understand the demographic and psychographic profiles related to pairing tenants and choosing the right street corner. This thought process is critical in placemaking and branding, and it exemplifies how hotels are different than other real estate.

Operations-Oriented Asset Management

Commercial real estate investors have multiple layers of management for good reason. Property managers direct the daily tasks to keep tenants happy. Asset managers direct the long-term vision to keep the business plan happy. This creates healthy tension and accountability. Each real estate organization is unique in its approach to separating asset management from property management. Many organizations with in-house property management try to combine the functions.

However, the reality quickly emerges that one or two people on the team become a de facto asset manager. Three major stakeholders form the modern hotel deal structure – owner, operator, and brand. Asset management responsibility sits at the owner level regardless of whether you have a third-party or internal operator. Routine maintenance and infrequent tenant requests encompass the usual focus of Big Four CRE property management. Occasionally, these properties will require a big sales and marketing push to fill large vacancies or a quick decision to solve a major capital need. Still, they can generally operate with relatively little oversight.

Hotels are different than other real estate. They have these requirements with an additional layer – managing the manager. A hotel’s daily population consists of guests, employees, and service providers. Full service hotels also have local patrons that use the meeting space and restaurants without renting hotel rooms. Therefore, a hotel manager must build an ecosystem that aligns with all these personalities. An astute asset manager looks at key performance indicators to evaluate success, but the property culture is almost more important.

Un bon gestionnaire d’actifs se concentre sur les facteurs clés de performance actuels plutôt que sur les indicateurs de réussite historiques. Les hôtels rendent compte de leurs performances sur une base quotidienne, hebdomadaire et mensuelle, mais le succès ou l’échec n’apparaissent que dans les chiffres sur le long terme. La culture de l’établissement est essentielle pour une performance stable.

Branding

Hotels need to define themselves to host guests that are not familiar with the area. It’s the difference between going to Dunkin Donuts as opposed to the local coffee shop. You may have a chance for a better experience at the local coffee shop, but you know within a reasonable range what you’re getting at Dunkin Donuts. While hotels are different than other real estate, they are a lot like fast food. There are many options, but customers have a clear preference for one over the other. Unsurprisingly, the internet has made it easier for a unique property to stand out in a strong, high-demand market.

Still, most markets require a brand that consistently brings the right guest to your property. Brands provide a variety of services to the hotel owner. Sales and marketing are the most clear and obvious benefits. This comes in the form of advertising, centralized group sales, and loyalty programs. Nevertheless, property prototyping is an overlooked and misunderstood benefit that many hotel owners take for granted. Placemaking gained popularity in the past decade by producing unique neighborhoods that align with a cross-section of demographics.

Hotel brands have been doing this for years. Lobby and room designs create spaces that encourage guests to feel a certain way while away from home.

Les propriétaires d’hôtels paient cher pour ces services de marque. Les licences, le marketing et la fidélisation sont les trois principales dépenses associées à la stratégie de marque. Chacune d’entre elles est versée dans un panier différent au niveau de l’entreprise, mais elles visent toutes à maintenir des normes de qualité et de prix à l’échelle du système.