Service Properties Trust Completes Transfer of 12 Additional Hotels to Sonesta

Rhea-AI Summary

Service Properties Trust (SVC) has transitioned the branding and management of 12 hotels to Sonesta International Hotels Corporation, including three from InterContinental Hotels Group and nine from Marriott International. This follows the earlier transition of 99 hotels to Sonesta. SVC's management agreements with Sonesta are short-term, expiring on December 31, 2021. The CEO expressed optimism about leveraging Sonesta's growth and improving flexibility in hotel management amid challenging market conditions.

Positive

• Transitioning 12 hotels to Sonesta may enhance operational flexibility.
• SVC expects to benefit from Sonesta's growth as a 34% owner.

Negative

• Sonesta lacks the resources and scale compared to previous operators (IHG and MAR), potentially affecting service quality.
• SVC may face financial strain if Sonesta fails to operate hotels profitably or requests additional capital.

Service Properties Trust (Nasdaq: SVC), or SVC, today announced that it has completed the previously announced transition of branding and management for 12 hotels to Sonesta International Hotels Corporation, or Sonesta. This includes three hotels from InterContinental Hotels Group, plc, or IHG, located in Canada and Puerto Rico and nine hotels from Marriott International, Inc., or MAR.

SVC entered short term agreements with Sonesta to manage these 12 hotels that expire on December 31, 2021. The three hotels transitioned from IHG are now operated under the Royal Sonesta and Sonesta ES Suites brands. The nine hotels transitioned from MAR are now operated under the recently launched Sonesta Select brand, a new, upscale select-service hotel concept.

John Murray, President and Chief Executive Officer of SVC, made the following statement regarding today’s announcement:

“We are excited about the launch of the Sonesta Select brand and the transitioning of 12 additional hotels to Sonesta, which follows the transition of 99 hotels to Sonesta successfully completed earlier this month. We believe that as a 34% owner of Sonesta, SVC will benefit from Sonesta’s growth as well as share in more of the upside from the recovery of these hotels. The rebranding of these hotels with Sonesta will also create greater flexibility for us in managing through these challenging market conditions and give us improved decision-making control over possible dispositions or alternative uses.”

About Service Properties Trust

Service Properties Trust is a real estate investment trust which owns a diverse portfolio of hotels and net lease service and necessity-based retail properties across the United States and in Puerto Rico and Canada with 149 distinct brands across 23 industries. SVC is managed by the majority owned operating subsidiary of The RMR Group Inc. (Nasdaq: RMR), an alternative asset management company that is headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts.

Warning Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains statements that constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other securities laws. Also, whenever SVC uses words such as “believe”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “plan”, “estimate”, “will”, “may” and negatives or derivatives of these or similar expressions, SVC is making forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon SVC’s present intent, beliefs or expectations, but forward-looking statements are not guaranteed to occur and may not occur. Actual results may differ materially from those contained in or implied by SVC’s forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond SVC’s control. For example:

• Sonesta is a small privately held company with less resources and scale than the transitioned hotels prior operators compared to IHG and MAR. If Sonesta were to fail to provide quality services and amenities or to maintain a quality brand, our income from these properties may be adversely affected. There can be no assurance that Sonesta can operate these hotels as effectively or for returns at levels that could otherwise be achieved by the prior managers. Further, if we were required to replace Sonesta, we could experience significant disruptions in operations at the applicable hotels, which could reduce our income and cash flows from, and the value of, those hotels. We have no guarantee or security deposit under our Sonesta agreements. Accordingly, we may receive amounts from Sonesta that are less than the contractual minimum returns stated in our agreements with Sonesta or we may be requested to fund losses for our Sonesta hotels. Further, we own a 34% interest in Sonesta. If Sonesta experiences losses, or requires additional capital, Sonesta may request we contribute additional capital.
• Mr. Murray states SVC believes that as a 34% owner of Sonesta, it will benefit from Sonesta’s growth as well as share in more of the upside from the recovery of these hotels. However, Sonesta may not operate these hotels profitably, Sonesta may not grow and SVC may not receive the benefit it would expect to receive. Further, it is not known how long the COVID-19 pandemic will last or how severe it will be, including its continued impact on the hotel industry. Moreover, it is not known how long it will take the economy to recover following the pandemic or what adverse changes on the hotel industry may be realized, such as if business and leisure travel are significantly reduced on a long-term or permanent basis. These and other factors may adversely affect the performance of these hotels, regardless of which operator is managing them.
• This press release also states that some of these hotels may be disposed of or have alternative uses. However, these outcomes may not occur.

The information contained in SVC’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, including under the caption “Risk Factors” in SVC’s periodic reports, or incorporated therein, identifies other important factors that could cause differences from SVC’s forward-looking statements. SVC’s filings with the SEC are available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.

You should not place undue reliance upon forward-looking statements.

Except as required by law, SVC does not intend to update or change any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

A Maryland Real Estate Investment Trust with transferable shares of beneficial interest listed on the Nasdaq.
No shareholder, Trustee or officer is personally liable for any act or obligation of the Trust.

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FAQ

What recent management changes did SVC announce?

Service Properties Trust has transitioned the management of 12 hotels to Sonesta International Hotels Corporation.

How many hotels did SVC transition to Sonesta in December 2020?

SVC transitioned 12 hotels to Sonesta in December 2020.

When do the agreements with Sonesta expire?

The short-term agreements with Sonesta expire on December 31, 2021.

What percentage of Sonesta does SVC own?

SVC owns a 34% interest in Sonesta.

What brands are included in SVC's hotel transition to Sonesta?

The hotels transitioned to Sonesta include Royal Sonesta, Sonesta ES Suites, and Sonesta Select.