La Quinta Inns & Suites
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Hospitality |
| Founded | 1968 in San Antonio, Texas, United States |
| Founder | Sam Barshop and Phil Barshop |
| Headquarters | Irving, Texas , United States |
Area served | United States, Canada, Mexico, Honduras |
| Products | Limited-service hotels |
| Owner | Wyndham Hotels & Resorts |
Number of employees | Approximately 400 (implied from 100+ transferred + 300 remaining in 1999) (1999) |
| Website | www |
La Quinta by Wyndham, also referred to as La Quinta Inn & Suites (Spanish: La Quinta, meaning "the country villa"), is a limited-service hotel brand with operations across the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Honduras. The brand is under the ownership of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. La Quinta Holdings, Inc. became a publicly traded company in April 2014. Its corporate headquarters are located in Irving, Texas. As of December 31, 2023, the company manages and owns a total of 918 properties comprising 89,391 guest rooms.
Founding in 1968
La Quinta Inn was established in 1968 by real estate developers Sam Barshop (1929–2013) and Phil Barshop (1935–1998) in San Antonio, Texas, near the location of the HemisFair '68 World's Fair.
Initially based in San Antonio, the company shifted its headquarters in 1999 to a location closer to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, citing limited nonstop flight options from San Antonio International Airport as a key factor. This relocation resulted in the transfer of more than 100 positions while maintaining approximately 300 employees in departments such as accounting, information systems, and reservations within San Antonio.
Acquisition by Blackstone in 2005
On November 9, 2005, LQ Corporation—the parent company of LQ Properties, Inc.—announced that it had been acquired by the private equity firm Blackstone Group for $3.4 billion through a combination of cash and debt. The transaction was finalized on January 25, 2006. At that point, La Quinta was ranked as the 13th largest hotel operator globally, owning 360 hotels and franchising an additional 250 properties under various brands including La Quinta Inn, La Quinta Inn & Suites, Baymont Inn & Suites, Woodfield Suites, and Budgetel, totaling approximately 65,000 rooms. Prior to this acquisition, Blackstone had purchased Wyndham Hotels earlier that same year; Wyndham would eventually acquire La Quinta in 2018.
In 2011, La Quinta phased out pay-per-view entertainment systems within guest rooms to prioritize connectivity for personal devices. The following year, it launched the Instant Hold feature allowing customers to secure last-minute bookings using only their phone number.
By 2013, Blackstone was preparing to divest La Quinta. Up until its initial public offering in 2014, all La Quinta properties were either owned or franchised by La Quinta Properties, Inc., a real estate investment trust (REIT) that leased these assets back to the operating company. In 2015, the brand introduced the Del Sol prototype hotel design which incorporated LED lighting, both indoor and outdoor swimming pools, and updated interior styling. That September also saw President and CEO Wayne Goldberg resigning from his position with CFO Keith Cline stepping in as interim CEO.
2018 Wyndham Acquisition
On January 18, 2018, Wyndham Worldwide Corporation announced its agreement to purchase La Quinta Holdings Inc.'s hotel franchise and management operations for $1.95 billion in cash. The transaction involved merging the loyalty programs of both Wyndham and La Quinta into a unified system. Meanwhile, La Quinta's property assets were separated into CorePoint Lodging, a publicly traded real estate investment trust (REIT). This acquisition elevated Wyndham to become the world's third-largest operator of hotel rooms, overtaking InterContinental. Finalized on May 31, 2018, the agreement incorporated more than 900 franchised hotels into Wyndham’s portfolio.
By June 2019, La Quinta had formed a collaboration with Caribbean developer Profusion Group to accelerate brand growth in the Dominican Republic, aiming to open eight new sites within a five-year timeframe.
Description
The name La Quinta means "the country place" or "mansion" in certain Spanish-speaking areas. Accommodation types and amenities differ by location; company-operated hotels adhere to consistent standards, whereas franchised properties exhibit greater diversity. The brand primarily caters to middle-income travelers who are budget-conscious and appreciate flexible cancellation options. A majority of the hotels include swimming pools.
LQ Management LLC is based in the Las Colinas district of Irving, Texas, close to Dallas.