Wyndham Hotel Group’s Fastest Growing Brand Enters Mexico with 400th Hotel

PARSIPPANY, N.J. -- Conquering one record after the next, Baymont Inn & Suites - Wyndham Hotel Group's fastest-growing brand in number of rooms - today announced the opening of its 400^th property and first hotel in Mexico, Baymont Inn & Suites Lázaro Cárdenas.

The 118-room hotel, owned by Mexican firm Desarrollo Hotelero LC, is located in one of Mexico's most prominent port cities. It joins more than 50 new Baymont Inn & Suites hotels opened in just over a year. Since being acquired by Wyndham Hotel Group in 2006, the brand has nearly quadrupled in system size and spread its portfolio, which was once concentrated to just several Midwestern states, across the U.S. and into Canada.

Developers are taking notice of the Midwestern brand's success: over the last year, interest in development surged thanks to record growth and an updated, turn-key prototype design that offers cost efficiencies for owners and showcases the neighborly hospitality at the heart of Baymont Inn & Suites. The brand's momentum shows no signs of slowing down; there are nearly 30 hotels already in the pipeline for 2016.

"Mexico is the perfect market for Baymont's international expansion – it's a powerful world economy with robust domestic travel demand and consistently ranks as one of the most popular destinations for U.S. outbound travel," said Greg Giordano, vice president of operations for Baymont Inn & Suites. "This opening is a major first step to accelerated growth in new markets where Baymont can delight guests through neighborly hospitality, which is meaningful to travelers in neighborhoods all over the globe."

Situated in the south of Michoacán, the city of Lázaro Cárdenas boasts a bustling steel industry, secluded beaches ideal for fishing and Mexico's leading port for auto imports and exports on the west coast. The port, which handles more than one million twenty-foot shipping containers annually, will be the first automated terminal in Latin America in mid-2016 upon the opening of a new TEC2 deep-water container facility.

The city's name honors former Mexican president Lázaro Cárdenas, a Michoacán native revered for nationalizing the country's oil industry and serving as a revolutionary hero.

"The city of Lázaro Cárdenas represents one of the most recognizable leaders in Mexican culture, making it a fitting home for this landmark opening," said Paulo Pena, president and managing director, Latin America and the Caribbean for Wyndham Hotel Group. "Baymont Inn & Suites Lázaro Cárdenas leads the brand as we look to future expansion in Latin America, where it will stand out for its flexible business model and focus on guest experience."

Minutes from the city's downtown area and a short drive from Lázaro Cárdenas Airport, Baymont Inn & Suites Lázaro Cárdenas puts guests near Malecon de la Cultura y Las Artes, an entertainment hub and boardwalk, and Parque Jesus Romero Flores, an outdoor recreation area.

The hotel features an outdoor swimming pool, a 24-hour fitness center and free transportation to and from the airport. Guests can enjoy the hotel's onsite restaurant, La Fuente, which serves Mexican and international cuisine, as well as Hola Bar, which offers cocktails and light fare. The hotel also offers four conference rooms which can accommodate up to 110 guests, as well as outdoor pool space and event planning services.