Omni Hotels
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Omni Hotels is a privately owned upscale hotel company based in Irving, Texas. Omni currently owns and/or manages 34 properties and has 4 franchise properties. One property in Fort Worth, Texas is currently under development. Omni Hotel's current company President is Michael Dietemeyer and current owner is Robert Rowling.
[edit] History
Founded in 1958 by the Dunfey Family, the company began with Lamie's Motor Inn a 32 room motor inn in Hampton, NH. Omni Hotels (then Dunfey Hotels) grew to over 8,000 rooms in the 60's and 70's changing hands twice, first by Aetna Insurance and then Aer Lingus.
In 1983, Dunfey Hotels purchased Omni International Hotels which had hotels in Atlanta, Miami and Norfolk, Virginia. Dunfey then changed its name to Omni Hotels and began to rid itself of its midscale franchised properties and focusing more on its upscale downtown locations.
In 1988 Wharf Holdings of Hong Kong purchased Omni Hotels.
In 1996, TRT Holdings of Corpus Christi, Texas purchased Omni Hotels North America which included its current holdings (then nine hotels and 26 management contracts or franchise agreements) and the rights to the Omni Hotels brand name (excluding Asia).
In 1998 Omni Hotels acquired new properties in San Francisco, California, New Haven, Connecticut, Charlotte, North Carolina and Puerto Aventuras, Mexico. In 1999 they purchased the Westin Mont Royal bringing the brand into Canada for the first time.
