JLL Secures Acquisition Financing for Hyatt Regency Savannah in $158M Deal Backed by Goldman Sachs

JLL Capital Markets has arranged acquisition financing for the Hyatt Regency Savannah, a 351-key full-service hotel situated on the Savannah River in the city's nationally designated Historic District, the firm announced Aug. 26.

JLL worked on behalf of the borrower — a joint venture between affiliates of Certares Real Estate Management and Clearview Hotel Capital — to secure a floating-rate loan through Real Estate at Goldman Sachs Alternatives. The joint venture acquired the property from Ashford Hospitality Trust, with the purchase and sale agreement closing June 30, 2026, at a gross price of $158 million, implying approximately $450,000 per key.

Asset Overview and Competitive Position

The Hyatt Regency Savannah opened in 1981 and sits at 2 W. Bay St. on the Savannah waterfront, overlooking the river and surrounded by the cobblestone streets and 19th-century architecture of the nation's largest National Historic Landmark District. The hotel has ranked No. 1 in revenue per available room among its competitive set for each of the past four years.

The 351-key property includes 31 suites and 40,564 square feet of meeting and event space across eight venues — more than any other hotel in the Historic District. Its 11,000-square-foot Harborside Ballroom accommodates up to 1,300 guests. Additional amenities include a full-service restaurant and bar, indoor pool, fitness center and approximately 300 on-site covered parking spaces. The hotel operates under the Hyatt Regency brand and participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program, which has grown to more than 63 million members.

Sponsor Profiles and Investment Strategy

Certares Real Estate Management, established in 2012, is a global investment firm focused exclusively on the travel and hospitality industries. The firm manages approximately $6.4 billion in regulatory assets under management as of Dec. 31, 2025, and launched its real estate platform in early 2021 with a focus on acquiring hotels across premier U.S. markets.

Clearview Hotel Capital is a privately held real estate investment and advisory company founded in 2007 and the sponsor of Clearview Hospitality Fund I, a commingled closed-end fund focused on hotel acquisitions in high-barrier-to-entry and high-growth U.S. markets. Since inception, Clearview has invested in 71 hotels totaling more than 18,000 rooms and over $2 billion in aggregate investment volume. The Hyatt Regency Savannah acquisition was made through Clearview Hospitality Fund I.

Real Estate at Goldman Sachs Alternatives, established in 1991, has invested over $65 billion in capital since 2012 across core, opportunistic and credit strategies. Goldman Sachs manages more than $4.0 trillion in assets under supervision globally as of June 30, 2026, and over $706 billion in alternatives assets.

JLL Team and Deal Commentary

The JLL Hotels & Hospitality team was led by Americas CEO Kevin Davis, Managing Directors Andrew Dickey and Mark Fisher, and Analyst Pierce Rutledge.

"Certares and Clearview brought the ideal combination of expertise to this transaction — Certares' track record acquiring premium hotel assets across the country and Clearview's deep operational knowledge of the Savannah market as a longstanding hotel owner in the city," Davis said. "Financing from Goldman Sachs Alternatives reflects strong confidence in both sponsors' ability to execute the planned improvements and unlock the property's full potential."

Savannah Market Context

Savannah has emerged as one of the faster-growing hospitality markets in the United States, supported by leisure travel demand, expanding group business following a recent Savannah Convention Center expansion, and economic activity driven by the Port of Savannah and broader regional development. The Historic District represents the top lodging submarket in coastal Georgia, consistently achieving the highest revenue per available room in the market due to its concentration of luxury and upper-upscale hotels.

The Hyatt Regency Savannah's meeting and event footprint — the largest of any hotel in the Historic District — positions the asset as a primary beneficiary of growing group demand in the market. The financing is structured to support planned property improvements as part of the new ownership's value-creation strategy.

JLL's Capital Markets group operates globally with more than 3,000 specialists in offices across nearly 50 countries, providing debt advisory, investment sales, M&A and corporate finance, and related services to real estate investors and occupiers.