Hotel ownership companies

• 10. RLJ Lodging Trust

  Bethesda, Md.-based RLJ Lodging Trust owns 147 hotels containing 22, 300 rooms. The company focuses on acquiring premium-branded, focused-service and compact full-service hotels. It owns hotels under the Courtyard by Marriott, Residence Inn by Marriott, Hilton Garden Inn, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Hyatt Place and Embassy Suites flags.

• 9. Ashford Hospitality Trust

  Dallas-based Ashford Hospitality Trust owns 114 hotels containing 22, 761 rooms. It company focuses on high end properties and has luxury, upscale, upper upscale and upper midscale hotels. Brands in its portfolio include Ritz-Carlton, Embassy Suites, Hilton, Hyatt, Sheraton, Marriot, Courtyard by Marriott, Hilton Garden Inn and others.

• 8. Apple Hospitality REIT

  Richmond, Va.-based Apple Hospitality REIT owns 188 hotels containing 23, 490 rooms. The firm is a product of the merger of Apple REIT Seven and Apple REIT Eight into Apple REIT Nine. Upon completion of the merger, the company changed its name to Apple Hospitality REIT. Its hotels operate under the Courtyard by Marriott, Fairfield Inn by Marriott, Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott, Renaissance Hotels, Residence Inn by Marriott, SpringHill Suites by Marriott, TownePlace Suites by Marriott, Marriott, Embassy Suites Hotels, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Inn, Hampton Inn & Suites and Hilton brands.

• 7. Clarion Partners

  New York City-based Clarion Partners owns 162 hotels containing 23, 821 rooms. The hotel portfolio is part of Clarion's $30.5 billion in total assets under management.

• 6. Hyatt Hotels

  In addition to franchising its brands, Chicago-based Hyatt Hotels controls an owned portfolio of 110 properties with 33, 232 rooms. Hyatt currently operates 10 different brands.

• 5. Hospitality Properties Trust

  Newton, Mass.-based Hospitality Properties Trust owns...

The top hotel owners ranking is based on number of rooms owned as of Dec. 31, 2013. NREI solicited responses through a survey posted online and circulated via email. In addition, information for some firms was tabulated through reviewing company web sites, investor presentations and SEC filings.