Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2017

The accompanying unaudited interim consolidated financial statements and related notes have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) and in conformity with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) applicable to interim financial information. As such, certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP have been omitted in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC. These unaudited consolidated financial statements include all adjustments considered necessary for a fair presentation of the consolidated balance sheets, consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income and consolidated statements of cash flows for the periods presented. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of full-year performance, as a result of the impact of seasonal and other short-term variations and the acquisitions and or dispositions of hotel properties. These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016.

The Company and its subsidiaries are separate legal entities and maintain records and books of account separate and apart from each other. The consolidated financial statements include all of the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries and are presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Investments in entities that the Company does not control, but over which the Company has the ability to exercise significant influence regarding operating and financial policies, are accounted for under the equity method.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of the financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities, and revenues and expenses. These estimates are prepared using management’s best judgment, after considering past, current and expected events and economic conditions. Actual results could differ from these estimates.

Fair Value Measurements

A fair value measurement is based on the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability in an orderly transaction. The hierarchy for inputs used in measuring fair value are as follows:


1.	Level 1 – Inputs are quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.


2.	Level 2 – Inputs include quoted prices in active markets for similar assets and liabilities, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active, and model-derived valuations whose inputs are observable.


3.	Level 3 – Model-derived valuations with unobservable inputs.

In certain cases, the inputs used to measure fair value may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases, for disclosure purposes, the level within which the fair value measurement is categorized is based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement.

The Company's financial instruments include cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, accounts payable and accrued expenses. Due to their short maturities, the carrying amounts of these assets and liabilities approximate fair value. See Note 6 to the accompanying financial statements for disclosures on the fair value of debt and derivative instruments.

Investment in Hotel Properties

Upon acquisition of a hotel property, the Company allocates the purchase price based on the fair value of the acquired land, land improvements, building, furniture, fixtures and equipment, identifiable intangible assets or liabilities, other assets and assumed liabilities. Identifiable intangible assets or liabilities typically arise from contractual arrangements in connection with the transaction, including terms that are above or below market compared to an estimated market agreement at the acquisition date. Acquisition-date fair values of assets and assumed liabilities are determined based on replacement costs, appraised values, and estimated fair values using methods similar to those used by independent appraisers and that use appropriate discount and/or capitalization rates and available market information.

Acquisition costs are expensed as incurred and are included in general and administrative expenses on the statement of operations.

Hotel renovations and replacements of assets that improve or extend the life of the asset are recorded at cost and depreciated over their estimated useful lives. Assets under capital leases are recorded at the present value of the minimum lease payments. Repair and maintenance costs are expensed as incurred.

Hotel properties are recorded at cost and depreciated using the straight-line method over an estimated useful life of 10 to 40 years for buildings, land improvements, and building improvements and 1 to 10 years for furniture, fixtures and equipment. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of the lease term or the useful lives of the related assets. Intangible assets arising from contractual arrangements are typically amortized over the life of the contract. The Company is required to make subjective assessments as to the useful lives and classification of properties for purposes of determining the amount of depreciation expense to reflect each year with respect to the assets. These assessments may impact the Company’s results of operations.

The Company reviews its investments in hotel properties for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of the hotel properties may not be recoverable. Events or circumstances that may cause a review include, but are not limited to, when a hotel property experiences a current or projected loss from operations, when it becomes more likely than not that a hotel property will be sold before the end of its useful life, adverse changes in the demand for lodging at the properties due to declining national or local economic conditions and/or new hotel construction in markets where the hotels are located. When such conditions exist, the Company performs an analysis to determine if the estimated undiscounted future cash flows from operations and the proceeds from the ultimate disposition of a hotel exceed its carrying value. If the estimated undiscounted future cash flows are less than the carrying value of the asset, an adjustment to reduce the carrying value to the related hotel’s estimated fair market value is recorded and an impairment loss is recognized. In the evaluation of impairment of its hotel properties, the Company makes many assumptions and estimates including projected cash flows both from operations and eventual disposition, expected useful life and holding period, future required capital expenditures, and fair values, including consideration of capitalization rates, discount rates, and comparable selling prices. The Company will adjust its assumptions with respect to the remaining useful life of the hotel property when circumstances change or it is more likely than not that the hotel property will be sold prior to its previously expected useful life.

The Company will classify a hotel as held for sale and will cease recording depreciation expense when a binding agreement to sell the property has been signed under which the buyer has committed a significant amount of nonrefundable cash, approval of the Board of Trustees has been obtained, no significant financing contingencies exist, and the sale is expected to close within one year. If the fair value less costs to sell is lower than the carrying value of the hotel, the Company will record an impairment loss. The Company will classify the loss, together with the related operating results, as continuing or discontinuing operations on the statements of operations and classify the assets and related liabilities as held for sale on the balance sheet.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue consists of amounts derived from hotel operations, including the sales of rooms, food and beverage, and other ancillary amenities. Revenue is recognized when rooms are occupied and services have been rendered. For retail operations, revenue is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lives of the retail leases. The Company recognizes revenue related to membership initiation fees and deposits over the expected life of an active membership. For membership initiation deposits, the difference between the amount paid by the member and the present value of the refund obligation is deferred and recognized within other operating revenues on the consolidated statements of operations over the expected life of an active membership. The present value of the refund obligation is recorded as a membership initiation deposit liability in the consolidated balance sheets and accretes over the nonrefundable term using the effective interest method with an interest rate defined as the incremental borrowing rate. The accretion is included in interest expense.

The Company collects sales, use, occupancy and similar taxes at its hotels which are presented on a net basis on the statement of operations. Accounts receivable primarily represents receivables from hotel guests who occupy hotel rooms and utilize hotel services. The Company maintains an allowance for doubtful accounts sufficient to cover estimated potential credit losses.

Income Taxes

To qualify as a REIT for federal income tax purposes, the Company must meet a number of organizational and operational requirements, including a requirement that it currently distribute at least 90 percent of its adjusted taxable income to its shareholders. As a REIT, the Company generally is not subject to federal corporate income tax on that portion of its taxable income that is currently distributed to shareholders. The Company is subject to certain state and local taxes on its income and property, and to federal income and excise taxes on its undistributed taxable income. In addition, PHL, which leases the Company’s hotels from the Operating Partnership, is subject to federal and state income taxes. The Company accounts for income taxes using the asset and liability method under which deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Valuation allowances are provided if, based upon the weight of the available evidence, it is more likely than not that some or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized.

Share-based Compensation

The Company has adopted an equity incentive plan that provides for the grant of common share options, share awards, share appreciation rights, performance units and other equity-based awards. Equity-based compensation is measured at the fair value of the award on the date of grant and recognized as an expense on a straight-line basis over the vesting period. Share-based compensation awards that contain a performance condition are reviewed at least quarterly to assess the achievement of the performance condition. Compensation expense will be adjusted when a change in the assessment of achievement of the specific performance condition level is determined to be probable. The determination of fair value of these awards is subjective and involves significant estimates and assumptions including expected volatility of the Company's shares, expected dividend yield, expected term and assumptions of whether these awards will achieve parity with other operating partnership units or achieve performance thresholds.

Earnings Per Share

Basic earnings per share (“EPS”) is computed by dividing the net income (loss) available to common shareholders by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted EPS is computed by dividing net income (loss) available to common shareholders, as adjusted for dilutive securities, by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding plus dilutive securities. Any anti-dilutive securities are excluded from the diluted per-share calculation.

Recent Accounting Standards

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the "FASB") issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, which requires an entity to recognize the amount of revenue to which it expects to be entitled for the transfer of promised goods or services to customers. The ASU will replace most existing revenue recognition guidance in U.S. GAAP when it becomes effective. The standard permits the use of either the retrospective or cumulative effect transition method. In July 2015, the FASB voted to defer the effective date to January 1, 2018 with early adoption beginning January 1, 2017. The Company is finalizing its evaluation of each of its revenue streams under the new model and because of the short-term, day-to-day nature of the Company’s hotel revenues, the pattern of revenue recognition is not expected to change significantly. Additionally, the Company has historically disposed of hotel properties for cash sales with no contingencies and no future involvement in the hotel operations, and therefore, ASU No. 2014-09 will not impact the recognition of hotel sales. The Company does not expect adoption of this standard will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases, which sets out the principles for the recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of leases for both parties to a contract (i.e., lessees and lessors). The new standard requires lessees to apply a dual approach, classifying leases as either finance or operating leases based on the principle of whether or not the lease is effectively a financed purchase by the lessee. This classification will determine whether lease expense is recognized based on an effective interest method or on a straight line basis over the term of the lease, respectively. A lessee is also required to record a right-of-use asset and a lease liability for all leases with a term of greater than 12 months regardless of their classification. Leases with a term of 12 months or less will be accounted for similarly to existing guidance for operating leases today. The Company is the lessee on ground leases and an office lease and expects to record right of use assets and lease liabilities for these leases under the new standard. This guidance is effective for the Company on January 1, 2019, however, early adoption is permitted. The standard requires a modified retrospective approach for leases that exist or are entered into after the beginning of the earliest comparative period in the financial statements. The Company is evaluating the effect that ASU 2016-02 will have on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU-2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Payment, which clarifies and provides specific guidance on eight cash flow classification issues with an objective to reduce the current diversity in practice. This guidance is effective for the Company for years beginning after December 15, 2017 but earlier adoption is permitted. The Company does not anticipate that this guidance will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Restricted Cash, which clarifies how companies should present restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents in the statement of cash flows. This guidance requires companies to show the changes in the total of cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash equivalents in the statement of cash flows. This guidance is effective for the Company for years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those years and should be applied retroactively. Early adoption is permitted. The Company does not anticipate that this guidance will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-01, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Clarifying the Definition of a Business. This ASU clarifies the definition of a business with the objective of adding guidance to assist companies with evaluating whether transactions should be accounted for as acquisitions (or disposals) of assets or businesses. The changes to the definition of a business will likely result in most of the Company's property acquisitions qualifying as asset acquisitions, which will permit capitalization of acquisition costs. This standard is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those periods. The Company is currently evaluating the effect that the adoption of this ASU will have on its financial statements.

In May 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-09, Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Scope of Modification Accounting. This ASU provides guidance about which changes to the terms or conditions of a share-based payment award require an entity to apply modification accounting in Topic 718. An entity will account for the effects of a modification unless the fair value of the modified award is the same as the original award, the vesting conditions of the modified award are the same as the original award, and the classification of the modified award as an equity instrument or liability instrument is the same as the original award. This standard is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017 and early adoption is permitted. We do not expect the adoption of ASU 2017-09 to have a material impact on our financial position or results of operations.