Another Helmsley Property Sold Off

The estate of Leona Helmsley has reached a deal to sell the New York Helmsley hotel to Host Hotels & Resorts Inc. for more than $310 million in the latest move the estate is taking to liquidate the real-estate empire Harry Helmsley took decades to build, according to people familiar with the matter.

Host, owner of 104 luxury and upscale hotels, prevailed in a lengthy bidding process for the hotel on East 42nd Street. The company plans to spend more than $50 million renovating it, people said.

A spokesman for the estate wasn't immediately available for comment

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Host Hotels unit to buy 7 hotels in New Zealand

BETHESDA, Md. (AP) — A unit of Host Hotels & Resorts Inc. has agreed to acquire seven hotels in New Zealand for $143 million, the real estate investment trust said Tuesday.
Affiliates of Tourism Asset Holdings Ltd. sold six of the properties, while the remaining hotel was sold by an affiliate of Accor.
The hotels, which are located in Auckland, Christchurch, Queenstown and Wellington, have more than 1,200 rooms combined.

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W Union Square Sold

A hotel chain has purchased the hip, but troubled W Hotel in Union Square for well below the price it fetched at the height of the market.


Host Hotels and Resorts, based in Bethesda, Md., has purchased the hipster vacation paradise for $185.2 million, city records show.

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Bethesda firm Host chasing high-end hotels

Bethesda's Host Hotels & Resorts plans to raise $400 million by selling stock, giving the company even more ability to continue its recent run of acquisitions and join other hotel chains that are taking advantage of an industry full of buying opportunities.

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Host Hotels Plans To Sell $400 Million In Stock

Host Hotels & Resorts Inc. (HST) plans to sell up to $400 million of stock to raise funds for potential acquisitions and other purposes.

The lodging real-estate investment trust has an agreement with Bank of New York Mellon Corp. (BK) under which it will issue and sell the shares from time to time, according to its filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Host's market value is about $9.3 billion.

The two parties recently completed a similar stock-sale effort that was announced a year ago.

Host owns 111 properties world-wide and hires operating companies such as Marriott or Hilton Worldwide to manage them. A number of lodging REITs have been raising capital for potential acquisitions, as they believe market conditions will allow them to acquire high-quality properties at cyclically low prices.

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Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. Acquires Le Meridien Piccadilly in London for 64 Million pounds Sterling

BETHESDA, Md., July 22, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. /quotes/comstock/13*!hst/quotes/nls/hst (HST 13.98, +0.40, +2.95%) today announced that it acquired the 266-room Le Meridien Piccadilly in London, England at a purchase price of 64 million pounds, including the assumption of a 33 million pound mortgage. The hotel is located in the prestigious Mayfair district of London, a central location for both business and leisure travelers and offers 12,000 square feet of meeting space as well as a large health club featuring one of the largest indoor pools in the London hotel market.

Host Hotels to buy New York W

Bethesda-based Host Hotels & Resorts, which already owns the W New York on Lexington Avenue, will lead a group of investors buying the W New York Union Square as part of a bankruptcy settlement, Bloomberg News reported.

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Hoteliers boost outlook as recovery signs emerge

(Reuters) - Lodging companies Wyndham Worldwide Corp (WYN.N) and Host Hotels & Resorts Inc (HST.N) lifted their 2010 outlooks on Wednesday, spurred by signs that the industry can command higher rates and occupancies.

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Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. Reports Results of Operations for the First Quarter of 2010

BETHESDA, Md., April 28, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ --Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: HST), the nation's largest lodging real estate investment trust (REIT), today announced results of operations for the first quarter ended March 26, 2010. The results for the quarter exceeded the Company's expectations for several metrics, including RevPAR, earnings and FFO per diluted share and Adjusted EBITDA, that were incorporated into the Company's full year 2010 guidance issued on February 17, 2010.


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Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. Reports Results of Operations for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2009

-- Total revenue decreased 16.8% to $1,331 million for the fourth quarter
of 2009 compared to the same period in 2008 and decreased 19.1% to
$4,158 million for full year 2009 compared to the full year 2008.

-- Net loss was $72 million for the fourth quarter of 2009 compared
to net income of $111 million for the fourth quarter of 2008. For the
full year 2009, net loss was $258 million compared to net income
of $414 million for the full year 2008. Loss per diluted share was
$.12 for the fourth quarter of 2009 compared to earnings per
diluted share of $.18 in 2008. For the full year 2009, loss per
diluted share was $.45 compared to earnings per diluted share
of $.72 for the full year 2008.

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Host Hotels & Resorts to raise $300M

Host Hotels & Resorts Inc. plans to sell at least $300 million in 20-year debentures exchangable into company stock or cash, the company announced Tuesday.

The Bethesda-based hospitality company will use proceeds to pay down debt, including $346 million of notes due in 2012.

The company may offer an additional $60 million in debentures if the investors are interested

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Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. Reports Results of Operations for the Third Quarter of 2009

Total revenue decreased $227 million, or 19.9%, to $912 million for the third quarter and $719 million, or 20.2%, to $2,839 million for year-to-date 2009 as compared to last year.
Net loss was $58 million for the third quarter of 2009 compared to net income of $47 million for the third quarter of 2008. For year-to-date 2009, net loss was $187 million compared to net income of $303 million for year-to-date 2008. Loss per diluted share was $.09 for the third quarter of 2009 compared to earnings per diluted share of $.09 in 2008. For year-to-date 2009, loss per diluted share was $.33 compared to earnings per diluted share of $.53 for year-to-date 2008.

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Host Hotels to sell up to $400 mln shares

NEW YORK, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Host Hotels & Resorts (HST.N) plans to sell up to $400 million of shares, which it expects to use for future acquisitions, repaying debt and general purposes, the hotel owner said in a filing on Thursday.
Based on its Wednesday closing price of $9.67, Host, which owns 113 luxury and upper-upscale properties, could sell slightly more than 41 million shares.

Read more;
http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKN2051204720090820?rpc=401&

HOST HOTELS & RESORTS, INC. REPORTS RESULTS OF OPERATIONS FOR THE SECOND QUARTER OF 2009

BETHESDA, MD; July 22, 2009 – Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: HST), the nation’s largest lodging real estate investment trust (REIT), today announced its results of operations for the second quarter ended June 19, 2009.
􀂃 Total revenue decreased $324 million, or 23.3%, to $1,064 million for the second quarter and $494 million, or 20.3%, to $1,936 million for year-to-date 2009 as compared to last year.
􀂃 Net loss was $69 million for the second quarter of 2009 compared to net income of $193 million for the second quarter of 2008. For year-to-date 2009, net loss was $129 million compared to net income of $256 million for year-to-date 2008. Loss per diluted share was $.12 for the second quarter of 2009 compared to earnings per diluted share of $.34 in 2008. For year-to-date 2009, loss per diluted share was $.24 compared to earnings per diluted share of $.45 for year-to-date 2008.

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http://www.hosthotels.com/pressReleases/7_22_2009.pdf

'The worst hotel in the world' a hit with travellers

You have to watch the video. It's GREAT

http://www.news.com.au/travel/story/0,28318,25687699-5014090,00.html

Host Hotels plans stock offering

HOST HOTELS & RESORTS, INC. REPORTS RESULTS OF OPERATIONS FOR THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2009

BETHESDA, MD; April 23, 2009 – Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: HST), the nation’s largest lodging real estate investment trust (REIT), today announced its results of operations for the first quarter ended March 27, 2009.
􀂃 Total revenue decreased $171 million, or 16.2%, to $882 million for the first quarter of 2009 compared to 2008.
􀂃 Net loss was $60 million for the first quarter of 2009 compared to net income of $63 million for the first quarter of 2008. The diluted loss per share was $.12 for the first quarter of 2009 compared to earnings per share of $.10 in 2008.
Operating results for the first quarter of 2009 were significantly affected by gains on a hotel disposition as well as non-cash impairment charges related to potential asset sales. Additionally, the first quarter of 2009 and 2008 include an increase in non-cash interest expense due to an accounting change implemented in the first quarter of 2009 that related to our exchangeable debentures. The cumulative effects of these items were to decrease earnings by $28 million, or $.05 per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2009. For further detail, refer to the "Schedule of Significant Items Affecting Earnings per Share and Funds From Operations per Diluted Share" attached to this earnings release.
􀂃 Funds from Operations (FFO) per diluted share were $.10 for the first quarter of 2009 compared to $.33 per share for the first quarter of 2008. FFO per diluted share for the first quarter of 2009 was reduced by $.09 per diluted share due to non-cash impairment charges and the accounting change noted above.
􀂃 Adjusted EBITDA, which is Earnings before Interest Expense, Income Taxes, Depreciation, Amortization and other items, decreased $88 million for first quarter 2009, to $174 million.