US: Oakwood has celebrated the grand opening of its newest Oakwood WaterWalk property, in Overland Park, Kansas.
In May 2019, Oakwood announced a multi-year strategic partnership with WaterWalk International, a DeBoer family entity, to create the Oakwood WaterWalk bran, which its says offers the first “purpose-built” corporate lodging product in the industry, with properties that are designed and constructed from the ground-up to accommodate customers’ short- and long-term needs.
Oakwood WaterWalk properties “combine the most appealing features of an upscale, service-focused hotel with the warmth and convenience of furnished and unfurnished one-, two-, or three-bedroom units”. The company has expanded its footprint across the United States, with six properties currently open and a Raleigh, North Carolina, location scheduled to open in early 2020.
The new property offers 153 units; approximately 78 are “all-inclusive” unfurnished units and 75 will be furnished corporate units. Oakwood WaterWalk pricing includes all utilities, high-speed internet, DirecTV cable television, and phone service for nightly or monthly rates. All guests can also enjoy an on-site fitness centre, 24/7 front desk service, and full-size appliances (including in-room washer and dryer) while furnished corporate (Gold) units include a fully-equipped modern kitchen, breakfast delivery, and housekeeping.
“WaterWalk is headquartered in Wichita, and we’re proud to continue investing in and expanding across Kansas. It’s an exciting time for our company; we’ve opened six new locations in key markets across Kansas, Texas and Colorado, and we have a strong development pipeline,” said Mimi Rogers, president, WaterWalk. “In researching emerging markets across the United States, we identified Overland Park as a top priority for growth and development. It’s an exceptional residential neighbourhood with a need for more long-term accommodation options, but we also saw an opportunity to expand our short-term housing solutions in a high-traffic, business-dense area. With Oakwood WaterWalk, we can provide both.”
“Since we announced our partnership, we’ve already seen a significant spike in interest from Oakwood customers and guests, as well as inquiring investors and franchisees,” said Mandeep Singh, chief operating officer, Oakwood. “The Oakwood WaterWalk model fully satisfies the wide spectrum of needs across the extended stay, multifamily and corporate housing segments, and investors are satisfied with the return on investment that is significantly above the hotel industry average – with much lower operating costs as well.”
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