Certares Acquired Hyatt Regency Savannah for $158 Million
The investment firm purchased the 351-room property in July 2026 to expand its East Coast hotel portfolio.
Updated on Sept. 23, 2026 in Hotels
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In July 2026, Certares and Clearview Hotel Capital finalized the $158 million acquisition of the Hyatt Regency Savannah. This investment is part of a broader strategy to secure properties east of the Mississippi that require capital for renovations.
Why it matters
High construction costs and limited bank lending have created a development drought for new hotels, making the acquisition of existing assets more attractive for investment firms. Certares specifically targets fortress locations where they can leverage their deep knowledge of travel demand to improve underperforming assets.
The Hyatt Regency Savannah spans 351 rooms and includes over 40,000 square feet of meeting space. New hotel construction starts currently account for less than 0.5% of total existing supply across major central business districts.
The players
Certares
This investment firm specializes in travel and hospitality and has purchased 17 hotels over the last five years.
Clearview Hotel Capital
This investment firm partnered with Certares to complete the acquisition of the Savannah property.
Hyatt Regency Savannah
The property is a 351-room hotel featuring significant meeting space in a central business district location.
The details
Certares focuses on assets that require capital investment to remain competitive in diverse markets with both business and leisure travel sources. The firm has completed 17 hotel acquisitions over the past five years, often using their existing portfolio of travel-related investments to identify shifting demand patterns.
Timeline
July 2026: Certares and Clearview Hotel Capital acquired the Hyatt Regency Savannah.
Q4 2026: REITs are expected to increase acquisition activity for existing hotels.
Q1 2027: Analysts project an increase in overall hotel deal volume.
Travel Outlook
The acquisition reflects the broader industry trend of the hotel development drought caused by high construction costs. This transaction follows the pattern of investors acquiring existing stock rather than building new supply during periods of high development costs.
Visitors to Savannah should monitor the property for future renovation schedules that may impact amenity availability or booking rates. Travelers can generally expect these capital improvements to focus on modernizing the meeting space and updating room inventory for future demand.
The takeaway
Investment firms are increasingly prioritizing the acquisition of existing real estate in prime markets to bypass the current challenges of new construction. Prospective hotel guests can expect properties in these high-demand zones to undergo significant rebranding or renovation cycles over the coming years.
Further reading
For more information on market activity in the region, visit the Savannah Hotels section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Hospitality Investor.
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Is now a good time to invest in renovating older properties rather than waiting for new?
