A.CRE

Limited Service Hotel

A hotel that provides only the basic amenities and services with some hotels offering facilities such as a swimming pool and/or business center. Limited service hotels (such as Fairfield Inn or Homewood Suites) operate on smaller budgets enabling them to pass on the cost savings to travelers via lower room rates.

See: Full Service Hotel

Putting “Limited Service Hotel” in Context

Southern Hospitality Ventures, a mid-sized real estate investment firm focused on hospitality assets, is evaluating the acquisition of the Crimson Inn & Suites, a 95-room limited service hotel located along a major highway near Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The hotel is a Fairfield Inn-branded property that offers basic amenities, including free breakfast, a small business center, and a seasonal outdoor pool.

Property Overview

The Crimson Inn & Suites was built in 2010 and is strategically located off a heavily traveled interstate, serving both leisure and business travelers. Its proximity to the University of Alabama makes it particularly attractive during football season and other university events. The hotel’s room rates are priced competitively, averaging $110 per night, with an annual occupancy rate of 65%.

Financial Performance

The current owner operates the hotel with an efficient cost structure. The annual Gross Operating Income (GOI) is $2,100,000, while the Net Operating Income (NOI) is $945,000, reflecting an NOI margin of 45%. The asking price for the property is $10 million, representing a cap rate of 9.45%.

Investment Strategy

Southern Hospitality Ventures views this as a core-plus acquisition. The hotel is in good condition and requires only minor updates to common areas and guest rooms, which are budgeted at $500,000. The firm anticipates that these improvements will enhance guest satisfaction, allowing for a modest rate increase to $120 per night and boosting the occupancy rate to 68%.

Contextualizing Limited Service Hotels

Limited service hotels, like the Crimson Inn & Suites, provide essential services without the costly features of full-service hotels, such as on-site restaurants or spas. This model allows for lower operating expenses and competitive room rates. For investors, these hotels often deliver stable cash flows in secondary markets, especially when well-located near demand drivers like universities, highways, or corporate hubs.

Investment Metrics Post-Acquisition

After completing the $500,000 in renovations, Southern Hospitality Ventures projects the following metrics:

  • Revised NOI: $1,020,000 (an increase due to higher ADR and occupancy)
  • Cap Rate on Cost: 10.2% ($1,020,000 / $10,500,000)
  • Year 1 Cash-on-Cash Return: 8% (based on 70% leverage with a 5% interest rate)

This scenario illustrates how limited service hotels can be an attractive investment for firms seeking stable returns with manageable operational complexity. The cost-effective nature of these hotels allows operators to pass savings to travelers while still achieving solid margins.

Frequently Asked Questions about Limited Service Hotels

A limited service hotel provides only basic amenities such as free breakfast, a business center, and sometimes a pool. It does not include full-service offerings like on-site restaurants, conference facilities, or concierge services. Examples include Fairfield Inn or Homewood Suites.

Limited service hotels operate without full-service amenities such as restaurants, spas, or meeting spaces. This allows them to run with lower operating costs and offer lower room rates compared to full service hotels, making them attractive to cost-conscious travelers and investors.

Investors are drawn to limited service hotels for their efficient cost structures, stable cash flows, and lower operational complexity. In the Crimson Inn & Suites example, the hotel achieved a 45% NOI margin and a 9.45% cap rate, offering solid returns without intensive management.

Ideal locations include areas near highways, universities, or corporate hubs—places with steady travel demand. The Crimson Inn & Suites, for example, is located near the University of Alabama and benefits from football season and local business travelers.

Investors can enhance returns by making targeted renovations, raising room rates (ADR), and improving occupancy. Southern Hospitality Ventures planned $500,000 in upgrades to boost occupancy from 65% to 68% and raise ADR from $110 to $120, increasing projected NOI to $1.02 million.

Key metrics include cap rate, NOI margin, and cash-on-cash return. For Crimson Inn & Suites: cap rate = 9.45%, NOI margin = 45%, and projected Year 1 cash-on-cash return = 8% after renovations and using 70% leverage at 5% interest.

Click here to get this CRE Glossary in an eBook (PDF) format.
by