NEW CASTLE HOTELS PRESS

Hilton Garden Inn Riverhead Unveils Multi-Million-Dollar Renovation with Grand Re-Opening Celebration

Guests are invited to tour the newly enhanced property, enjoy complimentary food and refreshments, and take part in a special ribbon-cutting ceremony in partnership with the Riverhead Chamber of Commerce. The event will showcase the hotel’s elegant new design, upgraded amenities, and commitment to elevated guest experiences.

“This renovation reflects our dedication to offering best-in-class hospitality while celebrating the beauty and vibrancy of the East End,” said Scott McIntosh, Director of Sales. “We’re excited to welcome back our loyal guests and introduce new visitors to a refreshed and reimagined Hilton Garden Inn experience.”

About Hilton Garden Inn Riverhead:

Hilton Garden Inn Riverhead  is located center of Long Island wine country and directly across from the Tanger Outlets, so the hotel offers modern accommodations with proximity to beaches, vineyards, golf courses, and the Hamptons. With recent upgrades, the hotel reaffirms its position as a premier destination for both leisure and business travelers.

New Castle Unveils Historic LaSalle Hotel Under Marriott Tribute Portfolio

Taking up Bryan’s affinity for authentic places and legendary stories, The LaSalle’s reimagining is a nod to the influence of the railroad in establishing the city as the epicenter of Texas’ five major metropolitan areas, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio.  Boutique hotel intimacy and rich, roaring 20’s styling immediately let guests know they’ve found a place like none other.  Dining car decor in the hotel’s lobby-level restaurant Station 36, a covered, outdoor event space called The Platform, and the hotel’s subterranean speakeasy, the Boiler Room, seal the deal.   

“We wanted to give guests, and the citizens of Bryan, a hotel as memorable as the city itself,” said Jeremy Buffam.  “Trains and hotels evoke a nostalgia for travel and adventure that goes hand in glove with the preferences of today’s travelers for a truly authentic experience.  The re-imagined LaSalle strikes those notes of reverence and reverie in a way that we know visitors will find compelling.” 

“The LaSalle opened as a theater, was used to treat returning Civil War soldiers and when that was no longer needed, legend has it that the building was sold for 2500 gold coins, becoming a hotel in 1928, during the golden age of railroad travel.” Buffam continued.  “The people who’ve passed through these doors, and the stories that brought them here, spark the imagination and create connections to our shared past in a unique and inviting way.”   

“New Castle has a long history of acquiring historic hotels and repositioning them for new generations of travelers,” said Julian Buffam.  “We saw the potential of The LaSalle through a comprehensive repositioning and affiliation with Marriott’s Tribute Portfolio, which introduces this small-city treasure to the growing base of Bonvoy Loyalty Members that are looking for a distinct and elevated hospitality experience in Bryan and College Station.  Downtown Bryan’s concentration of independent boutiques, bars and restaurants and its designation as a cultural arts district play well with boutique, community-centric hotels of this quality that are designed to invite the public in and create meaningful connections between guests and locals.”  

Recognized by Forbes as the “Best Small Place” for education, business, and careers, the City of Bryan supported the project with municipal incentives and historic tax credits.  

“The LaSalle is a critical historical asset in Downtown Bryan, and the New Castle team has done a tremendous job in assuring that it is preserved and celebrated,” said Bryan Mayor Bobby Gutierrez. “This opening is an important milestone in our efforts to build the birthplace of Aggieland into a thriving, culturally rich destination for years to come.” 

The LaSalle features 55 guest rooms, Station 36 serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, The Boiler Room speakeasy, and indoor/outdoor accommodations for groups.  

New Castle Names Tom Nolan Chief Operating Officer

“Tom’s track record of simultaneously enhancing the guest experience, creating jobs and growing revenues aligns closely with our own company values,” said Jeremy Buffam.  “We are certain that our guests, associates, brand partners and investors will all appreciate the value of this considerable talent.”   

“Tom’s decades of operating experience and creativity will inform and inspire our team members in every position and every stage of their careers,” said Julian Buffam.  “He’s a people-first operator with a sharp eye on the bottom line.  That’s exactly the combination of skills this role requires.”

While holding positions of growing responsibility with some of the industry’s best-known operators over more than 30 years, Nolan’s career highlights include opening Marriott’s first JW hotel as sales and marketing director and founding a non-profit that that provided post-secondary scholarships for 10 students each year in honor of the JW brand’s 10^th anniversary.

He also helped launch Shorelight, the largest and fastest growing International Higher Education Company in the United States.

“I’ve been a fan of New Castle over the years, and I admire their culture-forward operating style,” said Nolan.  “I look forward to getting acquainted with the entire portfolio to discover ways to enhance guest satisfaction and owner returns with the talented team members who make those hotels so valued in their communities.”  

New Castle Hotels & Resorts honored as one of the Best Places to Work for 2023

New Castle Hotels & Resorts scored highest in the categories for workplace equality, including equal gender advancement opportunities and equal cultural representation. Over 70% of employees are recommending the organization and feeling that their ideas are respected, and well-received by their colleagues and their managers.  

In a statement from Jeremy Buffam, Partner of New Castle Hotels & Resorts, he said “This certification is particularly important to us because of the analysis that goes into it. The employee surveys and third-party assessment of our HR practices affirm that we are meeting long-held commitments to provide an attractive workplace. We couldn’t be more pleased.”

Julian Buffam, Partner of the organization added “Qualified individuals have many choices in this tight labor market, so we are very pleased to have this clear, objective testament that New Castle ranks among the best employers in both the US and Canada. Our associates are our success and they deserve to be respected and rewarded.”

Every year, the program partners with different organizations in the US, across different industries, to help them measure, benchmark, improve their HR practices and have access to the tools and expertise they need to deliver effective and sustainable change in their organizations.

For more information click here.  

Evermore Partners and New Castle Hotels & Resorts Acquire Montana Marriott Portfolio

“This opportunity represents a pivotal point in Evermore’s history, as we expand into Montana, and underline our commitment to investing in key urban, college, and core mountain communities in the Rocky Mountain Region. With a ‘main and main’ location, the strength of Marriott branding, and a dynamic design, we believe these hotels and The Mercantile retail are truly irreplaceable assets. Evermore is thrilled to be the new owners of such an important piece of Missoula’s history and we look forward to being a part of the community for years to come. And, we are grateful for our relationship with Montana-based Stockman Bank for their partnership on this transaction despite economic headwinds and a tight lending environment,” said Evermore’s Founder and CEO, Seth Wolkov.

Evermore and New Castle, as co-sponsors of the project, bring a collective wealth of expertise and experience. Evermore’s leadership has invested over $400MM of equity capital across various economic cycles, geographic regions, and asset types, acting as a principal investor on behalf of a select group of family offices and high net worth investors. Building upon its exceptional track record and established network of relationships, Evermore combines entrepreneurial creativity with institutional investment discipline to produce attractive risk-adjusted returns for its investors through a combination of long-term cash yield, capital appreciation, and downside protection.

Founded in 1980, New Castle is one of the nation’s leading privately held hotel investment, development and management companies, with a portfolio of 29 properties and over 4,000 rooms, representing leading brands in the premium select service and full-service segments across the US and Canada.

"These hotels perfectly complement our portfolio of premium branded, select-service properties, offering elevated design and service in a premier location of a dynamic and growing market," said New Castle Partner Julian Buffam. "We are thrilled to invest in these incredible assets alongside great partners like Evermore while broadening our management platform's reach to the West. We look forward to building on the property teams' success through our hands-on owner-operator approach and strengthening ties to the local Missoula community."

Missoula, Montana is a quickly growing market, known for the University of Montana, its way of life, cost of living, and access to the outdoors. The University, along with the tourism, healthcare, and technology industries, are pillars of the economy. The hit TV drama ‘Yellowstone’ and its prequels have played no small part in driving tourism and economic activity - in fact a University of Montana Bureau of Business and Economic Research report found there has been an impact of greater than $85 million in economic impact to the State in recent years.

Developed on a full city block that was once a regional center of commerce, the Montana Marriott Portfolio has established itself as a true destination and furthered the renaissance of historic Downtown Missoula.

New Castle Hotels & Resorts Appoints New General Manager at Residence Inn Long Island East End

Mr. Shah, a 20-year hospitality veteran, brings tremendous experience and knowledge to the position.  Most recently, he was general manager of the Residence Inn by Marriott in Bloomington, Ill.  Shah also served as regional director of operations for multiple hotels, including Marriott, Hilton, Carlson and Wyndham. He has been the opening general manager and director of sales and marketing for various properties. 

“We are extremely pleased to welcome Kevin Shah to the New Castle family as the new general manager of the Residence Inn Long Island East End,” said Guido Kerpel, COO for New Castle Hotels.  “He is a proven leader with impressive tenure in the hospitality industry, and we look forward to him excelling in his new position.”   

New Castle Hotels & Resorts assumed management of the hotel in May and has branded and repositioned the property’s East End Venue, a 6,000 sq. ft. meeting and event space with unique and dynamic offerings.  The flexible space offers opportunities for intimate or large-scale weddings, rehearsal dinners, celebrations, corporate events and meetings.  The hotel also has three additional meeting rooms and a private loft bar and grill that is available for private events. 

About Residence Inn Long Island East End

The Residence Inn Long Island East End is a contemporary, all-suite hotel geared towards extended stays.  The 131-suite property has two pools, year-round indoor/outdoor whirlpools, an outdoor patio with fire pit, a full-service bar, complimentary daily breakfast, and four event spaces.  The hotel is located on the scenic North Shore of Long Island, approximately 20 miles from The Hamptons and just a few minutes from Long Island’s Wine Country.  The picturesque area is known for its farms, beaches, orchards, paddocks and vineyards.  The hotel is across from Tanger Outlets and near golf courses, the Splish Splash Water Park and Riverhead Raceway.  

New Castle Hotels & Resorts Appoints General Manager for Hilton Garden Inn in Riverhead, N.Y.

“We are delighted that Kevin Houlahan is serving as the new general manager of the Hilton Garden Inn Riverhead,” said Guido Kerpel.  “His tenure at the hotel, intimate knowledge of the area, and strong management and culinary experience make him the perfect person for the position.” 

Mr. Houlahan has worked for 30 years in hospitality management and food and beverage director positions in New York.  He recently served as the interim general manager of the Riverhead Residence Inn.  Houlahan has held many other positions with a wide array of companies, primarily hotels, including Hilton and Marriott.  For seven years, he owned and operated a successful corporate catering business that included four corporate cafeterias, food trucks, retail outlets and multiple off-site banquet facilities.  Mr. Houlahan studied business management at Hofstra University. 

Hilton Garden Inn Riverhead is located on the scenic North Shore of Long Island, approximately 20 miles from The Hamptons and just a few minutes from Long Island’s Wine Country.  The picturesque area is known for its farms, beaches, orchards, paddocks and vineyards.  Hilton Garden Inn is across from Tanger Outlets and is located near golf courses, Splish Splash Water Park and Riverhead Raceway. 

About Hilton Garden Inn Riverhead

Hilton Garden Inn Riverhead offers 114 guest rooms along with an outdoor patio and gathering area with a fireplace.  Culinary options include a restaurant serving daily breakfast, dinner and room service, and a full-service bar.  An indoor pool, indoor and outdoor whirlpools that are open year round and 2,100 sq.-ft. of meeting space complete the amenities.  For additional information, visit the company’s website or call (631) 727-2733.