ALIS Deal of the Year Award Winners Announced

Hotels, Companies, and Executives Honored at ALIS

Los Angeles, CA (January 27, 2026) – The Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS) announced its winners for the prestigious ALIS Awards. Among these finalists are hotels, companies, and executives who are responsible for the most influential hotel industry deals in 2025. The winners were announced on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, during the ALIS main stage morning plenary session at the JW Marriott/Ritz-Carlton Los Angeles L.A. LIVE. Nominees for the awards are evaluated based on outstanding business performance in various industry sectors.

Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center – Chula Vista, CA was named Development of the Year (Full Service) 2025 (includes branded and unbranded – luxury and upper upscale chain scales, and casinos). After over a decade of developer involvement, Gaylord Pacific, located in Chula Vista, CA, opened in May 2025 with a US$1.3 Billion completed budget. Developed by affiliates of RIDA and an Ares Management Real Estate fund, the property boasts 1,600 keys, 425,000 square feet of meeting space, and 12 F&B outlets. The development culminates a three-decade effort and Public-Private Partnership between the City of Chula Vista and the Port of San Diego to redevelop the bayfront. Financing was provided by an 8-bank consortium led by Wells Fargo and Bank of America. Marriott International, owner of the Gaylord Brand, manages the property. Finalists in this category also included Appellation Healdsburg – Healdsburg, CA and Nekajui, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve – Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica.

Hampton Inn & Suites Maui North Shore – Kahului, HI was named Development of the Year (Select/Limited Service) 2025 (includes branded and unbranded – upscale, upper midscale, midscale, and economy chain scale). Hampton Inn & Suites Maui North Shore is a 136-room upper midscale beachfront hotel located in Kahului, Hawaii. The hotel opened on April 25, 2025, marking the first newly built branded select-service hotel on Maui’s North Shore. Developed by Peachtree Group, Blackridge Group, and Argosy Real Estate Partners at a total cost of approximately US$75 Million, the project navigated an extensive seven-year entitlement process and significant logistical complexity. Springboard Hospitality manages the property and delivers a rare, accessible Hilton-branded lodging option in one of the most supply-constrained hotel markets in the United States. Finalists in this category also included AC Hotel by Marriott® Symphony Park and Element® by Westin Symphony Park – Las Vegas, NV, and The Ann Savannah, Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy – Savannah, GA.

Hilton Union Square and Parc 55 – San Francisco, CA was named Single Asset Transaction of the Year (Over US$25M) 2025. Newbond Holdings, in partnership with Conversant Capital, acquired the Hilton Union Square and Parc 55 from Michelle Russo of HotelAVE for US$408 Million and a loan restructuring with KeyBank in November 2025. Including 2,945 keys with 165,000 square feet of meeting space, the assets span two city blocks and represent roughly 10% of San Francisco’s lodging supply. Highly structured, the deal aligned incentives by maintaining in-place financing, a long-term Hilton management agreement and the buyer committing the necessary capital to renovate the hotels. This landmark transaction navigated these interests and unpredictable capital markets, culminating in the closing of the largest hotel trade in the history of San Francisco and the West Coast. Finalists in this category also included Fairmont Dallas – Dallas, TX and PGA National Resort – Palm Beach Gardens, FL.

Hyatt Regency Atlanta Perimeter at Villa Christina – Atlanta, GA named Single Transaction of the Year (US$25M & Under) 2025. The 182-room Hyatt Regency Perimeter at Villa Christina in Atlanta, built in 2014, was sold out of receivership to Insignia Hospitality LLC on Sept. 19, 2025, for US$19.775 Million with Access Point Financial serving as the lender. The hotel is located near Perimeter Center, one of Atlanta’s largest business districts and home to several Fortune 500 companies. The seven-story hotel, a popular venue for large gatherings and weddings, includes more than 17,000 square feet of meeting space, an outdoor pool and a fitness center. Guests can enjoy fine dining at Villa Christina, featuring traditional Italian cuisine, and craft cocktails at The Barrel Room. Finalists in this category also included Courtyard by Marriott Amarillo Downtown – Amarillo, TX and Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton Houston Sugar Land – Houston, TX.

Hyatt Hotels Corporation acquired Playa Hotels & Resorts N.V. was named Merger & Acquisition of the Year 2025. In June 2025, Hyatt Hotels Corporation acquired Playa Hotels & Resorts N.V. for approximately US$2.6 Billion. Hyatt subsequently entered into an agreement to sell all of Playa’s owned real estate to Tortuga Resorts (a JV of KSL Capital Partners & Rodina) for approximately US$2 Billion, resulting in a blended net purchase price of approximately US$555 Million for Playa’s asset-light management business. Finalists in this category also included Casago Holdings, LLC and Partners acquired Vacasa, Inc. and Tortuga Resorts acquired Playa Hotels & Resorts Real Estate owned by Hyatt Hotels Corporation.

Leeny Oberg, Chief Financial Officer and EVP, Development, Marriott International, was named Jack A. Shaffer Financial Advisor of the Year 2025. Leeny Oberg has been a driving force in shaping Marriott’s strategic direction, serving as a cornerstone for both the organization and the broader hospitality industry. Under her leadership, the team has delivered exceptional value through disciplined capital deployment, spearheading transformative transactions and acquisitions – including the landmark Starwood Hotels & Resorts deal. She also guided the successful disposition of iconic assets such as The St. Regis New York and The St. Regis San Francisco, advancing the company’s asset-light strategy. Known for her resilience and clarity in challenging times, Oberg exemplifies decisive leadership. She commands with confidence, maintains unwavering focus, and consistently turns vision into action. Finalists in this category also included Zach Eckler, Managing Director, Goldman Sachs, and Alexander Johnson, Head of Lodging & Leisure Investment Banking, Barclays.

Produced by Northstar Travel Group, in association with the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and the Hotel Investment Group by Northstar, the two-and-a-half-day ALIS event features an extensive array of seminars and panels hosted by leading experts and investors discussing important trends and identifying new opportunities. The conference attracts the lodging industry’s leading hotel executives, investors, lenders, developers, and professional advisory community. ALIS is collocated with ALIS Law and ALIS DESIGN+, providing an unparalleled opportunity to learn, network, collaborate, and get deals done. ALIS Law took place Sunday-Monday, January 25-26, 2026, at the Courtyard/Residence Inn Los Angeles L.A. LIVE. ALIS DESIGN+ is set to take place Wednesday-Thursday, January 28-29, 2026, at the JW Marriott/Ritz-Carlton Los Angeles L.A. LIVE.

About Northstar Travel Group
Northstar Travel Group is the leading business-to-business media company providing information and marketing solutions for the global travel industry. The company owns 14 media brands connecting 1.3M industry professionals through a comprehensive portfolio of digital, social, print and more than 100 events in 13 countries. Northstar Travel Group is based in Rutherford, NJ.

About AHLA
The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) is the largest hotel association in America, representing more than 30,000 members from all segments of the industry nationwide – including iconic global brands, 80% of all franchised hotels, and the 16 largest hotel companies in the U.S. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., AHLA focuses on strategic advocacy, communications support, and workforce development programs to move the industry forward. Learn more at www.ahla.com.

About the Hotel Investment Group by Northstar
The Hotel Investment Group by Northstar is a global leader in convening the hotel investment community through high-impact conferences and insight-driven media. With more than three decades of experience, the group has produced over 190 events worldwide, attracting more than 130,000 senior executives, investors, and decision-makers. Its portfolio includes the Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS), ALIS Law, ALIS DESIGN+, ALIS CALA, and the Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific (HICAP). The group also publishes Hotel Investment Today, a digital media platform focused on the ROI of hotel investment, delivering timely intelligence and analysis to the global hospitality investment market.