Lodging

Hyatt Corporate Office

Hyatt was founded in 1957 when Jay Pritzker purchased the Hyatt House motel, located just minutes from the Los Angeles airport, from Hyatt Robert von Dehn & Jack D. Crouch for $2.2 million.

Realizing that quality hotels near airports would be a lucrative business, the Pritzker’s opened a second Hyatt in 1960 at the San Francisco airport, and the following year, at the Seattle/Tacoma airport in Washington.

In 1962, the company went public on the NYSE under the easy to remember ticker symbol of: H.

In 1968, Hyatt International was formed and hotels were opened in Hong Kong.

In 1979, the Pritzker family took Hyatt private.

In 2004, the company acquired AmeriSuites. Summerfield Suites was acquired the following year.

In 2009, the company went public again as the result of lawsuits within the Pritzker family.

In 2011, the company acquired the Hotel Sierra chain.

Today, the Hyatt Hotels Corporation owns over 500 properties worldwide. These properties operate under several names, including Park Hyatt, Andaz, Grand Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Hyatt Resorts and Hyatt Residence Club.

Headquarters for the company remain in Chicago, Illinois.

Hyatt Hotels

Hyatt was founded in 1957 when Jay Pritzker purchased the Hyatt House motel, located just minutes from the Los Angeles airport, from Hyatt Robert von Dehn & Jack D. Crouch for $2.2 million.

History

In 1962, the company went public on the NYSE under the easy to remember ticker symbol of: H.

In 1968, Hyatt International was formed and hotels were opened in Hong Kong.

In 1979, the Pritzker family took Hyatt private.

In 2004, the company acquired AmeriSuites. Summerfield Suites was acquired the following year.

In 2009, the company went public again as the result of lawsuits within the Pritzker family.

In 2011, the company acquired the Hotel Sierra chain.

Headquarters for the company remain in Chicago, Illinois.

Expedia Corporate Office

Expedia.com was launched in 1996 by a small division of Microsoft as a new way for consumers to research and book travel.

In 1999, the division was spun off as a separate company and went public. In 2002, IAC took a controlling interest in Expedia.

The company grew quickly with acquisitions of Hotwire.com, Hotels.com, and Tripadvisor.

Today, Expedia is the largest online travel portal with over 100 websites. The company operates worldwide in more than 30 languages with over 22,000 employees. Annual revenue in 2017 was $10.6 billion.

Online booking site Nustay filed a complaint in May 2019 with the European Unions claiming Booking.Com and the Expedia group were attempting to “kill off” the start-up company by cutting prices and punishing hotels that listed with them.

The state of Utah is also investigating Marriott Hotels and Expedia to see if they violated anti-trust laws by limiting searches to keep prices artificially high.

Expedia

Expedia.com was launched in 1996 by a small division of Microsoft as a new way for consumers to research and book travel.

In 1999, the division was spun off as a separate company and went public. In 2002, IAC took a controlling interest in Expedia.

History

The company grew quickly with acquisitions of Hotwire.com, Hotels.com, and Tripadvisor.

The state of Utah is also investigating Marriott Hotels and Expedia to see if they violated anti-trust laws by limiting searches to keep prices artificially high.

Best Western Corporate Office

Best Western was founded in 1946 by hotelier M.K. Guertin as an informal referral system for member hotels. During those years, hotels in California and other western states were generally family owned, roadside motels or larger urban hotels. This service, which was literally nothing more than a phone referral service where one desk operator talked to another about recommended hotels and motels, would eventually grow into the Best Western hotels we know today.

By 1962, the company had the only hospitality reservation system in the US which covered the entire nation.

By 1963, there were 700 member hotels, making them the largest chain in the industry.

In 1964, Canadian hotels were admitted into the association.

In 1977 the company began using the phrase, “world’s largest lodging chain”.

The chain began franchising in the UK in 1978.

In 1980, Denmark, France, Finland, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland joined the association.

In 1995, the company launches BestWestern.com website. By 2005, there are booking $1 million in reservations per day online.

Best Western then expanded to Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand in 1976.

In 2002, Best Western International launched Best Western Premier in Europe and Asia. In 2011, the company began to list their hotels under three different tiers; Best Western, Best Western Plus, and Best Western Premier.

In 2004, Best Western became the official hotel of Nascar.

In May of 2013, Best Western announced that it will take over management of the Green Hill Hotel in Yangon, Myanmar. This acquisition will give the hotel Best Western’s brand name, as well as establishing Best Western as their first hotel establishment in the country.

The company began using IBM’s Watson AI to personalize and target their marketing ads by asking potential clients about travel plans on search engines in 2019.

In August 2019, Best Western Rewards Program was named as one of the Top Loyalty Programs in the US for the 7th consecutive year by US News & World Report.

Today, Best Western is made up of over 4200 hotels worldwide with nearly half of those in North America. Estimated annual revenue worldwide in 2012 was $6 billion. Headquarters for the company are located in Phoenix, Arizona.

Best Western

History

By 1962, the company had the only hospitality reservation system in the US which covered the entire nation.

By 1963, there were 700 member hotels, making them the largest chain in the industry.

In 1964, Canadian hotels were admitted into the association.

In 1977 the company began using the phrase, “world’s largest lodging chain”.

The chain began franchising in the UK in 1978.

In 1980, Denmark, France, Finland, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland joined the association.

In 1995, the company launches BestWestern.com website. By 2005, there are booking $1 million in reservations per day online.

Best Western then expanded to Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand in 1976.

In 2004, Best Western became the official hotel of Nascar.

The company began using IBM’s Watson AI to personalize and target their marketing ads by asking potential clients about travel plans on search engines in 2019.

In August 2019, Best Western Rewards Program was named as one of the Top Loyalty Programs in the US for the 7th consecutive year by US News & World Report.

Disney Corporate Office

The Walt Disney Company, usually just referred to as Disney, was founded in Los Angeles in 1923 by brothers Walt and Roy Disney. Originally a cartoon studio, the company got started by producing silent cartoons. Walt’s first film was Alice in Wonderland in 1923 where a female actress interacted with animated characters.

In 1928, Walt created Mickey Mouse. Originally named Mortimer, Walt’s wife, Lillian, disliked the name. Walt changed it to Mickey. Steamboat Willie, their first cartoon with sound, was a huge success.

In 1934, Disney began work on its first feature-length film, Snow White, and the Seven Dwarfs. The film went on to become the highest grossing film of its era.

In 1955, the company opened Disneyland in Anaheim, California, a cartoon themed theme park. Disney’s film studios stayed busy as well, averaging at least five or six releases per year. including Lady and the Tramp in 1955, Sleeping Beauty in 1959, and 101 Dalmatians in 1961.

The company’s most successful film of the 1960’s, however, was Mary Poppins, which received 5 Academy Awards, including a Best Actress award for Julie Andrews.

Walt Disney died of lung cancer in 1966 and Roy took over as CEO. Walt Disney World in Florida opened in 1971 and Roy Disney died 2 months later.

In 1984, Michael Eisner was brought on as company CEO. Current CEO, Robert Iger, replaced Eisner in 2005.

The company has received criticism for their positive portrayals of gay characters in some recent movies, such as Le Fou from Beauty and the Beast and Scar in The Lion King.

The Walt Disney Company is listed as #17 on the Forbes 2018 list of World’s Best Employers.

Disney is also under fire after announcing that smoking would be completely banned inside their theme parks and that certain “large” strollers would also not be permitted as of May 1, 2019.

Like Netflix, current CEO Robert Iger stated that the company would no longer do filming in the state of Georgia if their strict anti-abortion law goes through in 2020.

The Walt Disney Company is currently the world’s largest media conglomerate when measured by annual revenue. The Disney corporate office is located in Burbank, California.

Disney

History

In 1934, Disney began work on its first feature-length film, Snow White, and the Seven Dwarfs. The film went on to become the highest grossing film of its era.

The company’s most successful film of the 1960’s, however, was Mary Poppins, which received 5 Academy Awards, including a Best Actress award for Julie Andrews.

Walt Disney died of lung cancer in 1966 and Roy took over as CEO. Walt Disney World in Florida opened in 1971 and Roy Disney died 2 months later.

In 1984, Michael Eisner was brought on as company CEO. Current CEO, Robert Iger, replaced Eisner in 2005.

The company has received criticism for their positive portrayals of gay characters in some recent movies, such as Le Fou from Beauty and the Beast and Scar in The Lion King.

The Walt Disney Company is listed as #17 on the Forbes 2018 list of World’s Best Employers.

Disney is also under fire after announcing that smoking would be completely banned inside their theme parks and that certain “large” strollers would also not be permitted as of May 1, 2019.

Like Netflix, current CEO Robert Iger stated that the company would no longer do filming in the state of Georgia if their strict anti-abortion law goes through in 2020.

The Walt Disney Company is currently the world’s largest media conglomerate when measured by annual revenue. The Disney corporate office is located in Burbank, California.

La Quinta Corporate Office

La Quinta Inns and Suites (or LQ) opened its first hotel in 1968 in San Antonio, Texas. The company was founded by brothers Sam and Phil Barshop.

La Quinta grew, mostly in Texas, during the 1970s. Phil Barshop left the company in 1977.

By 1986, the company had 170 hotels mostly in Texas and Florida.

In 1991, the company was taken over by the Bass and Taylor families of Ft. Worth, TX.

In 1999, the La Quinta corporate office moved from San Antonio to Irving, a Dallas suburb.

In early 2018, Wyndham Worldwide acquired La Quinta for $1.95 billion.

Today, the company operates over 800 hotels in the US, Mexico, and Canada.

La Quinta

La Quinta Inns and Suites (or LQ) opened its first hotel in 1968 in San Antonio, Texas. The company was founded by brothers Sam and Phil Barshop.

La Quinta grew, mostly in Texas, during the 1970s. Phil Barshop left the company in 1977.

History

By 1986, the company had 170 hotels mostly in Texas and Florida.

In 1991, the company was taken over by the Bass and Taylor families of Ft. Worth, TX.

In 1999, the La Quinta corporate office moved from San Antonio to Irving, a Dallas suburb.

In early 2018, Wyndham Worldwide acquired La Quinta for $1.95 billion.

Today, the company operates over 800 hotels in the US, Mexico, and Canada.