Home2 Suites by Hilton Offers Modern Amenities in North Springfield

When Earl Steinert, president of EAS Investment Enterprises Inc., looks at occupancy reports for the first two months of 2019, he’s concerned. Steinert owns four hotels in Springfield, including three Hampton Inns and the newest Home2 Suites by Hilton. On average, Steinert’s occupancy was down 10 percent January and February of this year. “That is significant,” he says. “Especially when you have another [569] rooms coming.”

Steinert, who worked as a CPA until 2005 when he made the move into the hotel business, doesn’t think the market is necessarily changing. He just thinks it’s getting much more competitive, and the customer’s focus is shifting from price to amenities. As younger guests and business travelers add Springfield to their itineraries, Steinert jokes that they now expect a lot more than a comfortable place to sleep. “You have to give them a bottle of water, a candy bar and a bag of peanuts when they come in,” he says. And if you operate a Home2 Suites by Hilton, you have to give them a friendly and welcoming environment where they can travel with their pets. 

The pet-friendly brand is one of Hilton’s new off-shoots that’s geared toward a younger crowd, but it’s also after the business market. The pet-friendly feature is a big draw, but Steinert says the extended stay offering also draws the business traveler in. Suites come with a full kitchen, so if your business has you booked in town for a lengthy period of time, your hotel room can feel a little more like home.

Steinert’s Home2 Suites is located on North Glenstone Avenue right off I-65 and I-44, and he owns the Hampton Inn that sits in front of the Home2 Suites property. When he looks around at the hotels that line Glenstone Avenue, he mostly sees properties that are aging out of the system. “Oasis is 60 years old,” he says, “and DoubleTree is 40 years old.” What Springfield needs, according to Steinert, is a new upscale hotel. He argues that a higher price point property wouldn’t hurt the already oversaturated market and could help draw in more visitors. As the market grows, Steinert knows competition is going to become even more tense. He knows his occupancy rate was down at the start of 2018, and he knows the market is oversaturated, but he remains optimistic.