Sonesta announced an investment in four boutique and lifestyle hotels in New York City, adding 918 guest rooms, including 524 suites, across four Sonesta brands.

The hotels are all located in Midtown and were formerly known as The Benjamin, The Shelburne Hotel & Suites, the Gardens Suites Hotel and the Fifty Hotel & Suites.

Each hotel will be rebranded under Sonesta's portfolio of dynamic brands and operate as The Benjamin Royal Sonesta New York, The Shelburne Sonesta New York, The Gardens Sonesta ES Suites New York and The Fifty Sonesta Select New York. The hotels were previously owned by Denihan Hospitality Group, which will continue to own a minority interest in the hotels.

With the addition of these four properties, totaling 918 keys, Sonesta continues its exponential growth, having increased the number of its U.S. managed hotels by approximately 350% since August 2020.

Along with launching Sonesta's four brands into New York City, the intellectual property for The James Hotels brand, a renowned hospitality icon that is synonymous with sophisticated, artistically inspired luxury boutique hotels, was also added. Sonesta intends to scale The James Hotels within the Sonesta portfolio, leveraging its extensive industry-wide recognition. The James Hotels provides Sonesta a platform to build upon a lifestyle brand that is well-known for providing a memorable, luxury experience with a focus on design and exceptional guest service.

"For Sonesta, this investment marks a significant milestone in our growth as we re-enter the New York City market, which is one of the largest and most dynamic markets in the world," said John Murray, President and Chief Executive Officer, Sonesta. "As we considered opportunities to grow the Sonesta brand and raise awareness, a strong presence in New York City has been a long-term objective."  

"We are excited that Sonesta, the eighth largest hotel company in the U.S., has chosen to become the steward of the portfolio of hotels founded by our father, Benjamin Denihan, in 1963," said Brooke Barrett and Patrick Denihan, Co-CEO's and owners of Denihan Hospitality Group. "Sonesta is an experienced operator and knows how to increase long-term value, and we're excited about the future that lies ahead for the four New York City properties and The James Hotel brand."