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Paragon Hotel Company Hosts Police Appreciation Breakfast

ANDERSON, S.C. – Paragon Hotel Company hosted an Appreciation Breakfast for the Anderson City Police Department on July 25th at the Holiday Inn, 3509 Clemson Boulevard. The purpose for the event was to strengthen and enrich relationships between law enforcement and the community.

“It was our pleasure to serve Anderson’s finest,” Mitesh Patel, president of Paragon Hotel Company said of the event. Anderson’s mayor, Terrence Roberts was also in attendance, as well as Mike Swanigan, Senior Vice President of Paragon Hotel Company, along with other officials of the corporation. Mayor Roberts and Mike Swanigan spoke to the officers, each thanking them for their service to our community.

Police Chief Jim Stewart and approximately 75 officers were treated to a delicious breakfast before completing a training session on the mandated implementation of upcoming e-tickets. Patrol and Traffic officers will soon be able to issue e-tickets from their laptops and printers located inside their patrol vehicles for criminal and traffic violations.

“We wanted to give back to our police officers,” Swanigan said after the event. “We appreciate what each officer does to keep our community safe. We were happy to have this opportunity to serve those who selflessly serve our city.”

For more information about Paragon Hotel Company, visit http://www.phc-hotels.com.

About Paragon Hotel Company

Founded in 1995, PHC is a hospitality real estate management and development company based in Anderson, SC. The company’s vision, “constantly challenging the status quo,” complements its mission to acquire, develop and manage a portfolio of unique properties and lifestyle experiences for the enjoyment of its guests, while delivering exceptional financial results to investors and positively impacting the surrounding communities. The company’s portfolio of more than 2,300 rooms in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, and Tennessee includes hotels within Hilton, Marriott, Intercontinental Hotels Group, Choice Hotels, Carlson Rezidor Group, and Wyndham Worldwide franchises.

Downtown Anderson Project Announced

Paragon Hotel Company in conjunction with Steve Timmons and Anderson city and county officials has announced plans for a $12 million hotel to be built in the heart of downtown Anderson, SC.

The hotel brand is slated to be the popular, eco-friendly Home2 Suites by Hilton, offering flexible room configurations and inspired amenities for guests. Home2 Suites features separate sleeping and living spaces with studio and one-bedroom suites, all designed for stays from one night, one week, or more. Their eco-friendly pools are saltwater, chemical-free, and maintained with natural minerals, perfect for family fun and safe for the environment. BBQ’s and fire pits are just some of the outside amenities with the pet friendly Home2 Suites. Indoors you will find the combined fitness and laundry facility great for extended stay.

Anderson city/county officials say that Paragon Hotel Company’s new development will serve as a milestone in downtown Anderson’s revitalization by attracting more visitors and providing a spark for more development in the downtown area.

The multi-story hotel will be located near Anderson’s South Main and East Market streets and will include at least 90 rooms, ground-floor space for a restaurant and retail store, conference and meeting rooms, a fitness center, swimming pool and outdoor patio. The hotel is expected to have about 25 employees and has an opening projected for 2021.

About Paragon Hotel Company

Paragon Hotel Company’s founder and chairman, Ricky Patel, launched his management career in hospitality in 1984 in Meridian, MS. Paragon Hotel Company, based in Anderson, SC, built its first hotel in the county in 1991 and now manages more than 20 hotels in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and Virginia, with several other sites in the development stage. The company’s vision, “constantly challenging the status quo,” complements its mission to acquire, develop and manage a portfolio of unique properties and lifestyle experiences for the enjoyment of our guests, while delivering exceptional financial results to investors and positively impacting the surrounding communities.

About Steve Timmons

Timmons has more than 30 years of experience in the Greenville real estate market. He also has helped develop townhomes near Anderson University and a subdivision in Anderson.

Paragon Associates Recognized for Excellence in 2017 Awards Ceremony

ANDERSON, S.C. – Recognition arrived in spades for Paragon Hotel Co.’s “Game of Hearts” recipients at the company’s 2017 awards ceremony, spotlighting associates’ exceptional service and performance, creativity, innovation, teamwork and their embodiment of PHC’s brand culture.

Announced at the company’s December conference in Asheville, the winners are:

General Manager of the Year: Dean Andrews Jr. manages the Hampton Inn Easley, which ranks No. 1 of four hotels in Easley, pulling in 4.5 out of 5 stars on TripAdvisor with more than 250 “Excellent” ratings and a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence.

Hotel of the Year: DoubleTree by Hilton Winston-Salem – University, which earned a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence in 2017, was named Paragon’s top property, under the leadership of Josh Rubio.

2017 Sales Superstar: Dawn Donatelli, at Paragon Greenville Collection, was recognized for her “inventive vision of ‘out-of-the-box’ sales approaches and creative actions yielding impressive results.”

2017 King/Queen of Shine Award: Katherine Dutton, a Rooms Dept. leader at Hampton Inn Easley, showed an “exceptionally high level of personal commitment each and every day,” motivating her team, fostering engagement, inspiring leadership, and diligence in ensuring outstanding guest experiences.

2017 Titan of Troubleshooting: Randy Bohl not only manages general and preventative maintenance at Holiday Inn Anderson, he also helps provide excellent guest service while creating high-quality sustainability standards throughout the property.

2017 Pineapple Service Award: Brandon Brodie took home the prize that symbolizes generosity and hospitality to travelers. Also an associate at DoubleTree by Hilton Winston-Salem – University, he embodies the award that is a “celebration of our pride in service and recognizes the one individual who has gone above and beyond what is expected to enrich a visitor’s stay at any one of our hotels.”

2017 Guest Service Champion: Etienne Woolridge displays an “inherent spirit to serve and lead the hotel front of house staff.” Demonstrating “confident service skills,” he finds “ways to go above and beyond for the team by delivering on guest and associate promises, embodying the brand culture, focused on the guests’ needs at all times,” and achieving a high standard of excellence.

For more information about Paragon Hotel Company, visit http://www.phc-hotels.com.

About Paragon Hotel Company

Founded in 1995, PHC is a hospitality real estate management and development company based in Anderson, SC. The company’s vision, “constantly challenging the status quo,” complements its mission to acquire, develop and manage a portfolio of unique properties and lifestyle experiences for the enjoyment of its guests, while delivering exceptional financial results to investors and positively impacting the surrounding communities. The company’s portfolio of more than 2,300 rooms in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, and Tennessee includes hotels within Hilton, Marriott, Intercontinental Hotels Group, Choice Hotels, Carlson Rezidor Group, and Wyndham Worldwide franchises.

Paragon Hotel Company Named Holiday Inn Express Developer of the Year

ANDERSON, S.C. – Paragon Hotel Company has been named the Holiday Inn Express Developer of the Year for 2016 by InterContinental Hotels Group, a major award recognizing Paragon’s commitment and skills in developing high quality hotels in successful markets in the Southeast.

“I was greatly humbled and surprised by this honor,” Patel says of the award presented January 19th in PHC’s corporate office. “This prestigious award is a result of our ongoing mission to develop unique properties and deliver exceptional financial results to our investors.”

In a surprise, impromptu awards ceremony during what had been billed as a lunch meeting, William Watson, regional director of sales for InterContinental Hotels Group in Atlanta, bestowed the honor to Patel for PHC’s newest developments in Greenwood, SC, Piedmont, SC, and in Gainesville, GA.

Based in Britain, InterContinental generated $1.8 billion in revenues last year from its more than 5,000 hotels in nearly 100 countries. In addition to Holiday Inn Express, IHG’s franchises also include Crowne Plaza, Candlewood Suites, Holiday Inn, Hotel Indigo, InterContinental, and Staybridge Suites, among its total of twelve brands.

“It is not my sole effort that got us this award,” Patel told associates after winning the award. “Each one of you has played a part in making our company what it is today.” Reflecting on the growth of the company he founded in 1995, Patel says, “As I think back to the days I owned and supervised only one hotel, I could not have imagined having a management company of this magnitude, and it’s possible because of talented, supportive, creative, and intensely passionate people.”

For more information about Paragon Hotel Company, visit http://www.phc-hotels.com.

About Paragon Hotel Company

Founded in 1995, PHC is a hospitality real estate management and development company based in Anderson, SC. The company’s vision, “constantly challenging the status quo,” complements its mission to acquire, develop and manage a portfolio of unique properties and lifestyle experiences for the enjoyment of our guests, while delivering exceptional financial results to investors and positively impacting the surrounding communities. The company’s portfolio of more than 2,100 rooms in South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia and Tennessee includes hotels within Hilton, Marriott, Intercontinental, Best Western, Choice, Carlson Hotels Worldwide and Wyndham Worldwide franchises.

Paragon Hotel Company Breaks Ground on Homewood Suites in Lynchburg, VA

LYNCHBURG, VA. – More than two dozen people dug in to help Paragon Hotel Co. break ground for its new Homewood Suites hotel, which joins the Hilton Worldwide family that J.D. Power & Associations ranks “Highest in Guest Satisfaction Among Upper Extend Stay Hotel Chains.”

The 97-room, four-story hotel also joins the Paragon Hotel Co.’s family of 19 properties, including one just across the street, the Hilton Garden Inn. PHC executives and associates, along with members of the Lynchburg Business Alliance, attended the March 31 groundbreaking at 4025 Wards Road, just off U.S. Bus. 29.

Also among the participants was Coleman-Adams Construction Inc., an Alliance member and the General Contractor selected to build PHC’s newest project. Coleman-Adams, established in 1971, is one of the oldest and most respected construction firms in central Virginia, with roots going back five generations. ISOM Ham Design Group, based in Wilkesboro, N.C., is the architect.

“The groundbreaking event was a huge success, drawing a far larger crowd than we had anticipated,” says Mitesh Patel, President of the Anderson, S.C.-based PHC, whose subsidiary, AMD Hotel Group, LLC, is responsible for the hotel’s construction and management. “That alone shows how much excitement this property is generating, not just for Paragon Hotel Co., but for Lynchburg and for the investment we’re making in the community.”

PHC’s new Homewood Suites and its sister hotel are ideally located in this central Virginia city that Thomas Jefferson once called “the most interesting spot in the state,” in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Just minutes from Lynchburg’s historic downtown on the banks of the James River, the new hotel is close to numerous colleges and universities, as well as great dining, shopping and entertainment choices. Lynchburg Regional Airport is less than two miles away, perfect for executive travelers.

With construction expected to be completed in summer 2017, the new hotel will feature all-suite accommodations. This Homewood Suites will bring guests the comforts of home and the convenience of the office. The suites will include a full kitchen, hot full breakfast daily, evening dinner and drinks Monday – Thursday, business center and high-speed internet access to keep guests comfortable and connected.

About Paragon Hotel Company

Founded in 1995, PHC is a hospitality real estate management and development company based in Anderson, SC. The company’s vision, “constantly challenging the status quo,” complements its mission to acquire, develop and manage a portfolio of unique properties and lifestyle experiences for the enjoyment of our guests, while delivering exceptional financial results to investors and positively impacting the surrounding communities. The company’s portfolio of more than 2,100 rooms in South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia and Tennessee includes hotels within Hilton, Marriott, Intercontinental, Best Western, Choice, Carlson Hotels Worldwide and Wyndham Worldwide franchises.

Paragon Hotel Company Donates Bottled Water for Flood Victims

COLUMBIA, S.C. – With hundreds of thousands of Richland County residents under a boil-water advisory days after the historic Oct. 3-4 flooding that ravaged the Midlands, Comfort Suites at Harbison and its parent company, Paragon Hotel Company, have donated 10,000 bottles of water.

Paragon Hotel Company and the Comfort Suites, 750 Saturn Parkway, delivered pallets of bottled water on Oct. 7 to Columbia, where nearly 17 inches of rain fell in 17 hours over the weekend. The hotel, just off Interstate 26, which leads to the heart of the state capital, is only 9.6 miles from the convention center.

“We are more than just a business doing business in the community,” says Mitesh Patel, president of the Anderson, S.C.-based Paragon Hotel Company. “We are neighbors, we’re part of the family here, and neighbors and family members help each other, especially when it comes to providing something as essential as potable water.”

“Nobody should have to deal with a disaster like this alone,” says Comfort Suites manager Ben Creasy, noting that South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley called the Midlands rains the worst in a millennium. “When you’re not sitting on the sidelines during a tragedy, you can’t sit on the sidelines after it.”

While the torrential downpours appear to be abating, flood- and rain-weary residents here continue to face myriad problems, from the destruction of hundreds of bridges and roads to the precarious stability of area dams that have forced thousands of residents to evacuate their homes.

“It’s tragic that we got hit with so much water,” Ben Creasy says, “and, yet, it’s clean, safe drinking water that people here need so badly. On behalf of our hotel and the parent company, Paragon Hotel Company we’re happy we can help.”

For more information about Paragon Hotel Company, visit http://www.phc-hotels.com.

About Paragon Hotel Company

Founded in 1995, PHC is a hospitality real estate management and development company based in Anderson, SC. The company’s vision, “constantly challenging the status quo,” complements its mission to acquire, develop and manage a portfolio of unique properties and lifestyle experiences for the enjoyment of our guests, while delivering exceptional financial results to investors and positively impacting the surrounding communities. The company’s portfolio of more than 2,100 rooms in South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia and Tennessee includes hotels within Hilton, Marriott, Intercontinental, Best Western, Choice, Carlson Hotels Worldwide and Wyndham Worldwide franchises.

New Holiday Inn Express and Suites Under Construction in Greenwood

GREENWOOD, S.C. – Construction is under way on an 86-room, four-story Holiday Inn Express & Suites, the latest addition to Paragon Hotel Company’s family of properties that also includes the Fairfield Inn & Suites and the Hampton Inn here. The new hotel is expected to open in the 4th Quarter of 2016.

Matrix Construction in Anderson, S.C., is building the hotel, which will showcase Holiday Inn Express’s new “Formula Blue” design, developed to meet the ever-changing needs of Millennials and other savvy business travelers and guests who want a simple, smart and efficient lodging experience.

The prototype features an open lobby and great room for social and business gatherings, as well as several in-room improvements. The hotel’s amenities will include an outdoor pool, business center, guest laundry, meeting room, and fitness center.

At 300 N. Creek Blvd., the hotel is conveniently located near the Greenwood Mall, Greenwood Country Club and Lander University and an hour’s drive from Greenville, S.C.’s, award-winning downtown and the world-class entertainment offerings at Newberry Opera House.

Holiday Inn Express is a brand of InterContinental Hotels Group, whose 4,900 hotels in nearly 100 countries include InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts and the Holiday Inn brands.

“South Carolina’s new boom is providing fantastic opportunities, not just for Paragon Hotel Company, but for an increasing number of travelers, too,” says Mitesh Patel, PHC’s President. “With the new Formula Blue design, we’re able to expand our excellent customer service with a design that’s built expressly for those who want and deserve an upscale experience.”

For more information about Paragon Hotel Company, visit http://www.phc-hotels.com.

About Paragon Hotel Company

Founded in 1995, PHC is a hospitality real estate management and development company based in Anderson, SC. The company’s vision, “constantly challenging the status quo,” complements its mission to acquire, develop and manage a portfolio of unique properties and lifestyle experiences for the enjoyment of our guests, while delivering exceptional financial results to investors and positively impacting the surrounding communities. The company’s portfolio of more than 2,100 rooms in South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia and Tennessee includes hotels within Hilton, Marriott, Intercontinental, Best Western, Choice, Carlson Hotels Worldwide and Wyndham Worldwide franchises.

Managers Dial Into Dollars, Professional Development

ANDERSON, SOUTH CAROLINA – Most folks wouldn’t think that a corporate meeting would resemble something of a family reunion, but that’s what happened for nearly three dozen general managers and Paragon Hotel Company leaders at the Professional Development Conference at PHC’s headquarters here.

Huddled together for the intensive daylong program, the leadership of the company’s 21 hotels met with company officers to examine Profit & Loss statements—share best practices—and to brush up on leadership skills.

“P&Ls can be pretty dry,” says Shera Patel, Director of People & Culture. “But at the end of the day, these handy financial statements serve as useful tools, not just for our headquarters in Anderson, but for everyone on the Paragon team.

That’s because a P&L, which is typically a one-sheet snapshot of a company’s financial performance, details each hotel’s sales volume, less its expenses, to determine its gross margin (or gross profit). From each hotel’s internal financial report, company leadership can measure … leadership.

And that was the other item on the agenda. Patel often draws from popular management literature, including ex-Disney executive Lee Cockerall’s influential The Customer Rules. Cockerell, who also has enormous hotel experience, having worked in the upper stratosphere of Hilton and Marriott, offers 39 customer-satisfaction rules. Many of those involve family themes, such as: “What Would Mom Do?” (Rule No. 5) or “Treat Customers the Way You’d Treat Your Loved Ones” (Rule No. 14).

“We really are a family,” Patel says, “and we strive to treat our teammates the way they strive to treat our customers. That’s why our workshops often feel like a family just talking business.”

For more information about Paragon Hotel Company, visit http://www.phc-hotels.com.

About Paragon Hotel Company

Founded in 1995, PHC is a hospitality real estate management and development company based in Anderson, SC. The company’s vision, “constantly challenging the status quo,” complements its mission to acquire, develop and manage a portfolio of unique properties and lifestyle experiences for the enjoyment of our guests, while delivering exceptional financial results to investors and positively impacting the surrounding communities. The company’s portfolio of more than 2,100 rooms in South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia and Tennessee includes hotels within Hilton, Marriott, Intercontinental, Best Western, Choice, Carlson Hotels Worldwide and Wyndham Worldwide franchises.

Two PHC Hotels Earn Top 5%, Top 10% Global Brand Awards

ANDERSON, SOUTH CAROLINA – Among a combined total of more than 8,000 hotels around the world, two Paragon Hotel Company properties now stand with the very best, earning Top 5% and Top 10% awards from their respective brands.

Hampton Inn-Anderson North won the Hampton Inn Lighthouse Award for 2014, which goes only to the Top 5 percent of Hampton Hotels’ 2,000 properties in 16 countries.

And Paragon’s Comfort Inn-Oak Ridge in Tennessee took the Choice Hotels Gold Award for 2015, placing the property in the Top 10 percent of the Comfort Inn brand.

“These two properties now belong to an elite group of hotels that are recognized for guest satisfaction and their consistent commitment to quality,” says Ross Wagers, PHC’s Vice President of Operations. “The fact that these awards recognize two Paragon hotels, among thousands of other hotels around the world, makes these awards even more remarkable.

At Hampton-Inn Anderson, the Lighthouse Award recognizes those hotels that exude “Hamptonality” – exceptional hospitality and quality accommodations. Scores are based on guest- satisfaction surveys and on quarterly feedback from the Hampton Hotels brand.

“Our associates deserve enormous credit for putting in the consistent effort it takes to ensure our guests’ satisfaction,” says General Manager HM Craft, who’s no stranger to awards or hotels; in fact, it was under Craft that Comfort Suites-Anderson earned a Choice Hotels Gold Award in 2009.

Now that Gold Award goes to General Manager Troy Patel’s Comfort Inn-Oak Ridge, where the Choice-brand property garnered a Top 10 spot with high marks for exceptional guest services and facilities, including: guest satisfaction; product quality; room condition and cleanliness; and staff service.

“We are thrilled to be recognized for our hard work and for our commitment to this community,” the Comfort Inn-Oak Ridge’s GM says, “especially considering the incredible competition that we face every day, here and around the world.”

For more information about Paragon Hotel Company, visit http://www.phc-hotels.com.

About Paragon Hotel Company

Founded in 1995, PHC is a hospitality real estate management and development company based in Anderson, SC. The company’s vision, “constantly challenging the status quo,” complements its mission to acquire, develop and manage a portfolio of unique properties and lifestyle experiences for the enjoyment of our guests, while delivering exceptional financial results to investors and positively impacting the surrounding communities. The company’s portfolio of more than 2,100 rooms in South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia and Tennessee includes hotels within Hilton, Marriott, Intercontinental, Best Western, Choice, Carlson Hotels Worldwide and Wyndham Worldwide franchises.

Revenue Director Strings Together Experiences

ANDERSON, SOUTH CAROLINA – Sasha McKelvey has strung her experiences in the hospitality industry together like so many of the same beads and crystals that she uses to create and design her Get Up & Glisten line of jewelry – and now she’s a jewel in the Paragon Hotel Company crown.

She has been named PHC’s Director of Revenue Management, responsible for strategic and tactical initiatives related to revenue maximization, which includes determining pricing, creating promotions and visiting the company’s expansive portfolio of properties, among other duties.

“I am really excited this opportunity,” says McKelvey, a Philadelphia native who moved to Greenville when she was 7. “I’ve worked hard to move up the ladder in hotels from coast to coast, and this position lets me use all of the great things I’ve learned along the way.”

McKelvey started in the hospitality industry in 2008 at the Inn at the Market in Seattle, Washington. She worked the PBX telephone system, while assisting the sales manager at the hotel near Seattle’s famed Pike Place Market. The Inn also participates in year’s Travel + Leisure’s “World’s Best” survey. In the past five years, she has completed multiple training courses and earned several certificates in such branded hotels with Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, Starwood, IHG, Choice and independently owned hotels with a franchised company.

In addition to her on-the-side jewelry business, she also volunteers her time to nonprofit organizations and puts a premium on all things “green.”

For more information about Paragon Hotel Company, visit http://www.phc-hotels.com.

About Paragon Hotel Company

Founded in 1995, PHC is a hospitality real estate management and development company based in Anderson, SC. The company’s vision, “constantly challenging the status quo,” complements its mission to acquire, develop and manage a portfolio of unique properties and lifestyle experiences for the enjoyment of our guests, while delivering exceptional financial results to investors and positively impacting the surrounding communities. The company’s portfolio of more than 2,100 rooms in South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia and Tennessee includes hotels within Hilton, Marriott, Intercontinental, Best Western, Choice, Carlson Hotels Worldwide and Wyndham Worldwide franchises.