Rockpoint Group and Newbond Holdings Acquire 141-Key Hotel Maren in Fort Lauderdale for $47.1 Million

Rockpoint Group and Newbond Holdings have acquired the Hotel Maren Fort Lauderdale, Curio Collection by Hilton, a 141-key oceanfront property located at 525 South Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard, for $47.1 million, the firms announced Sept. 3, 2026. The acquisition expands a joint venture relationship that previously produced the September 2025 purchase of the Westin Tampa Waterside.

Deal Details: Oceanfront Asset, Hilton Branding, Apollo-Backed Financing

The Hotel Maren sits on a roughly 0.8-acre waterfront parcel just south of Las Olas Boulevard in the Fort Lauderdale Beach submarket. Built in 2021 as Fort Lauderdale's first Curio Collection by Hilton property, the 12-story high-rise features 141 guestrooms, each with ocean or intracoastal waterway views. Rooms start at 425 square feet, with floor-to-ceiling windows and balconies on most units.

At $47.1 million for 141 keys, the transaction implies a price per key of approximately $334,000, above the Fort Lauderdale market's recent average of roughly $273,831 per key. The premium reflects the property's beachfront positioning, upper-upscale chain scale, and Hilton soft-brand affiliation. Athene Annuity and Life Assurance Company, an Apollo Global Management subsidiary, provided a $47.7 million acquisition loan to finance the purchase.

The seller was Magna Hospitality Group, which had acquired the unfinished development out of bankruptcy for $39.1 million in 2018 before completing and opening it as Hotel Maren under the Curio Collection flag.

Value-Add Strategy: Food, Beverage, and Public Area Enhancements

Rockpoint and Newbond have identified a value-add investment strategy for the asset, with planned enhancements to food and beverage offerings and public areas. The hotel currently features an oceanfront pool and sun deck, multiple dining and bar options, retail space, meeting and event facilities, and a fitness studio.

"Hotel Maren is a high-quality beachfront property in a compelling submarket with attractive long-term fundamentals," said Patrick Ryan, a Managing Director at Rockpoint. "We believe there is a meaningful opportunity to build on the hotel's existing strengths through targeted enhancements of the property and guest experience. We're also pleased to continue our longstanding relationship with Neil, Vann, and the entire Newbond team."

"Fort Lauderdale Beach continues to evolve as a destination, and we see tremendous opportunity in this particular stretch south of Las Olas," said Neil Luthra, Founding Partner of Newbond Holdings. "Hotel Maren is a recently built, oceanfront asset with oversized guestrooms, exceptional water views, and a location that we believe will become increasingly compelling as the surrounding area continues to attract significant investment. We look forward to partnering with Rockpoint on the acquisition of this asset and the opportunity to elevate its positioning in one of Fort Lauderdale's most dynamic micro-markets."

Operating Profile: Seasonal Demand and Rate-Driven Upside

The Hotel Maren's revenue profile is heavily weighted toward leisure and seasonal demand, a characteristic common to South Florida coastal assets. During peak winter months from December through April, standard king room rates have run approximately $420 to $700 per night, with spring break periods pushing rates to $650 to $950 per night. Summer and shoulder season rates range from roughly $230 to $340 per night. The property also charges a $40 nightly resort fee, contributing meaningful non-room revenue to the asset's income profile.

Recent Fort Lauderdale hospitality transactions have shown cap rates near 7.8% on average, with top-tier assets trading in the 6.5% to 7.0% range.

Rockpoint–Newbond Florida Hospitality Platform

The Hotel Maren acquisition is the second Florida waterfront hotel deal completed by Rockpoint and Newbond within a year. In September 2025, the joint venture acquired the Westin Tampa Waterside, a 309-room hotel on Harbour Island in downtown Tampa.

Rockpoint is a Boston-based real estate private equity firm that employs a fundamental value approach to investing. Since 1994, the firm's co-founders and others have sponsored 19 investment vehicles through Rockpoint and a predecessor firm, investing or committing to invest in 523 transactions with a total peak capitalization of approximately $84 billion.

Newbond Holdings is a real estate and hospitality-focused investment platform that pursues debt and equity positions across multiple property types, as well as investments in related operating businesses and technology platforms. The firm operates as a vertically integrated operating and investment platform.