US: Kemmons Wilson Hospitality Partners (KWHP) have acquired the $42 million property from Pebblebrook, with Valor Hospitality (Valor) overseeing the hotel’s rebrand.
Pebblebrook Hotel Trust is a publicly traded real estate investment trust (REIT) in the United States. It owns 60 hotels, totalling around 14,500 rooms across 16 markets.
Kimpton Rouge Hotel was originally one of 11 Kimpton hotels in the Washington metropolitan area, and one of three put up for sale in February 2019.
KWHP is the hospitality investment arm of the Kemmons Wilson family. KWHP formed a partnership with Valor in 2017 to invest in unique hotel properties.
Although the hotel will continue to operate within the Kimpton portfolio, Valor and KWHP plan to change the name of the 137-bed Rouge Hotel.
A restaurant and rooftop bar will also be added within the next 18 months.
“This acquisition is a great example of how our partnership with Valor works,” said McLean Wilson, managing partner at KWHP. “It’s exactly the type of investment that both KWHP and Valor seek: a boutique, lifestyle-focused property that offers our guests something special, whether you’re looking for a top-class cocktail or a view of the White House.”
Global co-founder and CIO at Valor, Steve Cesinger, said: “We have a strong relationship with IHG, and we’re very excited about working with Kimpton as one of the first-ever management companies to operate one of its franchise properties. Kimpton has always performed well in the D.C. market, and we think that, with our vision, expertise and experience, we can be the hotel of choice for the nation’s capital.”
Raeshawna Scott will become the new general manager of Kimpton Rouge Hotel. Scott has 18 years’ experience in hotel operations, and comes to this position from a previous role at Kimpton Topaz in Washington, D.C.
