Full-year 2020 data from STR, CoStar’s hospitality analytics firm, for the U.S. hotel industry shows it hit record lows during the coronavirus pandemic, writes Hotel News Now’s Sean McCracken.

Occupancy fell 33.3% from 2019 to 44% overall. Average daily rate dropped 21.3% to $103.25 and revenue per available room dipped by nearly half, down 47.5% year over year to $45.48.

“The figures for both occupancy and RevPAR mark all-time lows as the industry surpassed 1 billion unsold roomnights for the first time ever,” McCracken writes.

Extended-stay hotels in the U.S. performed better than the hotel industry overall in 2020, which gave hotel brands the confidence to increase that product offering across their portfolios, HNN's Dana Miller writes.

Full-year 2020 data from STR shows total U.S. rooms revenue dropped 49.4% while extended-stay hotels showed a 32.2% decline. Occupancy for U.S. hotels overall was 44% in 2020, and 60.5% in the extended-stay segment.

Brands that acted on the extended-stay segment’s resilience during 2020 include Sonesta International Hotels Corporation, which launched Sonesta Simply Suites on Dec. 2. The brand is a focused extended-stay product.

To entice companies that are looking to safely hold small meetings, hotels are showing they can provide enhanced technology, flexible contracts that allow last-minute changes and detailed sanitary procedures, writes HNN contributor Danny King.

“Hotels must have all social distancing guidelines in place for meeting space and [food and beverage]. In addition, they need to offer more flexible cancellation and attrition clauses around force majeure, or if fewer attendees become a reality," said Steve Goodman, founder and managing partner at MeetingAdvice in Atlanta.

• Davidson Hotels & Resorts announced the launch of Davidson Resorts, an operating division focused on the skill sets around effectively managing distinctive resorts.
• Deer Path Inn in Lake Forest, Illinois, has appointed Patrick Lacassagne as the new general manager/innkeeper.
• Stonebridge Companies has named Aly-Khan S. Merali as its new president and managing partner. Founder Navin C. Dimond will remain CEO and assume chairman duties for Stonebridge Companies.
• Chatham Lodging Trust sold the 192-room Residence Inn by Marriott San Diego Mission Valley for $67 million to the San Diego Housing Commission.
• Hersha Hospitality Trust sold the 192-room Sheraton Wilmington South to New Castle County for an undisclosed price.
• Hobbs & Curry Family Limited Partnership sold the 248-room Hilton Dallas Southlake Town Square to Driftwood Capital for an undisclosed price.
• Marcus & Millichap sold the 184-room Holiday Inn Resort in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, for $30.25 million to an undisclosed buyer.

Compiled by Dana Miller.