The Ascend Hotel Collection from Choice Hotels International, Inc. has opened five additional hotels in May and June⎯⎯propelling the group past its landmark 100th hotel.
The portfolio has added 35 hotels since the beginning of this year alone. The newest members are: Port Inn Kennebunk, Maine; Carnegie Inn and Spa, Pennsylvania; Hotel Florence, South Carolina; Hotel Med Park, California; and Gaia Hotel, California.
“Ascend Hotel Collection plays a pivotal role in Choice Hotels’ expansion in the upscale segment,” says Stephen P. Joyce, president and CEO of Choice Hotels International. “Demand for Ascend Hotel Collection is robust throughout North America, and the outlook for additional growth in Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean is extremely promising.”
Hotel Florence in Florence, South Carolina was reopened in May following a multi-million-dollar renovation. Located in the heart of the historic downtown, the new property serves as a hub of the city’s revitalization efforts with a design that pays homage to the lodging’s historic roots thanks to exposed brick walls, original hardwood floors, and two 19th-century writing tables in the lobby that serve as the front desk.
In State College, Pennsylvania, the Carnegie Inn and Spa houses a full-service restaurant, the Carnegie Library lounge, and the ESSpa Kozmetika Spa. Guestrooms boast antique furnishings, deep soaking tubs, and large windows with golf course views.
Steps away from the Sacramento River in Northern California’s Shasta and Cascades region, the Gaia Hotel in Anderson, California is the city’s first LEED certified hotel. The property stays true to its namesake⎯⎯a name derived from the Greek word for Mother Earth⎯⎯with green practices and design touches. There are 120 spacious guestrooms and suites with recycled tile and granite bathrooms, as well as 6,000 square feet of meeting space and a full-service restaurant.
The Hotel Med Park, in Sacramento, California Hotel features 32 guestrooms and suites as well as meeting facilities and business and fitness centers. Guestrooms are appointed with stylish dark-wood furnishings, and some offer living rooms and balconies. The 46-room Port Inn Kennebunk, Maine rounds out the portfolio with its locale near the Rachel Carson National Wildlife refuge.
