The Scarlet Hotel, Lincoln, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel

What The Scarlet Hotel, Lincoln, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel does

The Scarlet Hotel is a 154-key boutique hotel operating as part of Marriott International's Tribute Portfolio brand, located on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Nebraska Innovation Campus at 2101 Transformation Drive, Lincoln, Nebraska. Opened in 2022 and legally held by Site Development Lease Six LLC, the property is professionally managed by Davidson Hotel Company LLC (d/b/a Pivot Hotels & Resorts) and distributed through the Marriott Bonvoy platform for booking and loyalty. The hotel is positioned as a full-service hospitality asset combining guest rooms, three distinct food and beverage venues (Well & Good signature restaurant, Barred Owl rooftop bar, and Good Life Coffee Shop), and 6,000+ sq ft of flexible in-house meeting and event space, with additional access to the 18,000+ sq ft NIC Conference Center on the surrounding campus.

The underlying business model is asset-light on the operations side — the owner-entity contracts management to Davidson and distribution to Marriott — and revenue-diversified on the income side across room revenue, F&B, event and wedding bookings, and ancillary fees (parking, pet, EV charging). Customer demand is anchored by the UNL community and Husker athletics: 10% UNL discounts, Fan and Superfan game day packages, and Proud Parent packages are core commercial levers, while a dedicated corporate sales team pursues meeting, wedding, and group business to fill shoulder-season demand. Non-room revenue is structurally emphasized, with three F&B outlets, event space marketing, and partnerships with local purveyors (The Mill Coffee & Tea, UNL Dairy Store, Microgreen Gals) anchoring a Nebraska-themed identity.

A defining strategic feature is the embedded academic partnership with UNL's College of Education and Human Sciences, where the hotel functions as the hands-on learning environment for the Hospitality, Restaurant and Tourism Management (HRTM) program and the Hospitality Leadership and Innovation Academy launching August 2025. This positions the asset not only as lodging but as an institutional hospitality platform on Innovation Campus, creating a differentiated operating identity that is difficult to replicate in a tertiary market such as Lincoln.

Name

The Scarlet Hotel, Lincoln, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel

Legal name

Site Development Lease Six LLC d/b/a Scarlet Hotel Lincoln, Tribute

Website

https://scarlethotelnebraska.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Scarlet Hotel is a 154-key Marriott Tribute Portfolio boutique hotel on the University of Nebraska Innovation Campus in Lincoln, Nebraska, serving UNL students/parents/alumni, Husker fans, corporate travelers, and wedding clients with guest rooms, three F&B venues, and event space.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Boutique Hotel and Hospitality Services

NAICS

Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (721110), Traveler Accommodation (7211), Accommodation (721)

SIC

Hotels & Motels (7011), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Boutique Resorts (Small-Scale Resorts) (THAGADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Hotel & Resort Restaurants (THAFACAH)

Keywords

• Boutique hotel accommodation
• Hotel event venues
• Wedding venue services
• Restaurant and bar services
• Conference meeting space

Headquarters

HQ city

Lincoln

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Hotel Room Revenue: Revenue generated from 154 guest rooms and suites including King Rooms, Double Queen Rooms, and Scarlet Suites. Room types include standard amenities such as Wi-Fi, 55-inch HDTV, coffeemaker, mini refrigerator, in-room safe, workspace, and select campus or city views. Rooms feature Nebraska-inspired design touches.
2. Food & Beverage Revenue: Revenue from on-site dining venues including Well & Good Signature Restaurant (dinner service), Barred Owl Rooftop Bar (cocktails and food service), Good Life Coffee Shop (breakfast and lunch), and 24/7 grab-and-go snacks. Room service is not available but take-out is offered.
3. Event & Meeting Space Revenue: Revenue from 6,000+ sq ft of flexible event space including the Founders Room, Private Dining Room, Barred Owl Rooftop, Rise 1, Rise 2, and Boardroom. Additional access to NIC Conference Center with 18,000+ additional sq ft for larger events. Services include weddings, corporate meetings, and private events.
4. Ancillary Services: Revenue from parking (self-parking $20/day, valet $22/day), pet fees ($75 non-refundable per stay), and other guest services. EV charging stations available on campus.
5. Marriott Bonvoy Loyalty Program: Partnership with Marriott Bonvoy allowing guests to earn and redeem rewards points. Complimentary Wi-Fi provided for Marriott Bonvoy members. The hotel participates in Marriott's loyalty ecosystem driving repeat bookings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Scarlet Hotel is a 154-room boutique hotel that sells guest accommodations, food and beverage services across three venues, and event/wedding space. It operates under Marriott's Tribute Portfolio brand and serves university visitors, sports fans, corporate travelers, and wedding clients primarily in Lincoln, Nebraska. The property combines standard hotel services with regional Nebraska-inspired design and dining.

Product overview

The Scarlet Hotel is a boutique luxury hotel with 154 Nebraska-inspired guest rooms and suites that blends modern comfort with authentic regional character. The hotel operates three distinct food and beverage offerings: Well & Good Signature Restaurant for Nebraska-inspired dinner cuisine, Barred Owl Rooftop Bar for craft cocktails with panoramic views, and Good Life Coffee Shop for coffee and casual dining. The property offers over 6,000 sq ft of flexible meeting and event space including the Barred Owl Rooftop venue, Rise meeting rooms, Founders Room, and Boardroom, with access to an additional 18,000+ sq ft at the nearby NIC Conference Center. The hotel serves as a wedding venue with all-in-one ceremony, reception, and guest room services. Located on Nebraska Innovation Campus, the hotel partners with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's HRTM program. Additional amenities include complimentary shuttle service, fitness center, EV charging stations, and Marriott Bonvoy rewards integration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Well & Good: Signature restaurant offering Nebraska-inspired cuisine and seasonal ingredients with Midwest hospitality.
• Barred Owl
• Good Life Coffee Shop

Products and services

• Guest Rooms & Suites 154 Nebraska-inspired guest rooms and suites including King Rooms, Double Queen Rooms, and Scarlet Suites with separate living areas. Amenities include high-speed Wi-Fi, 55-inch HDTV, coffeemaker, mini refrigerator, in-room safe, workspace, plush bedding, and access to Big Ten Network programming. Hearing- and mobility-accessible features and select campus or city views available.
• Well & Good Signature Restaurant Signature restaurant serving Nebraska-inspired cuisine with seasonal ingredients and Midwest hospitality. Located on the first floor of the hotel with dinner service Sunday-Thursday 5PM-9PM and Friday-Saturday 5PM-10PM, plus daily bar service 4PM-11PM. Uses local purveyors including UNL Dairy Store and Microgreen Gals. Accepts reservations via OpenTable.
• Barred Owl Rooftop Bar Rooftop cocktail bar on the 6th floor offering handcrafted cocktails, local flavors, and panoramic views of Lincoln. Open year-round with seasonal adjustments. Bar hours Monday-Thursday 4PM-10PM, Friday-Saturday 4PM-12AM with food service 4PM-10PM. Available for private event buyouts.
• Good Life Coffee Shop Café, coffee shop, market, and ice cream parlor located in the hotel lobby. Serves locally brewed coffee in partnership with The Mill Coffee & Tea (signature Scarlet blend). Hours Monday-Friday 6AM-4PM, Saturday-Sunday 7AM-2PM. Offers breakfast items until 11AM and lunch from 11AM-4PM. UNL students receive 10% off with student ID.
• Meeting & Event Spaces Over 6,000 sq ft of flexible event space including Founders Room (880 sq ft), Private Dining Room (304 sq ft), Barred Owl Rooftop (3,300 sq ft), Rise 1 (1,150 sq ft), Rise 2 (742 sq ft), and Boardroom (230 sq ft). Additional 18,000+ sq ft available at nearby NIC Conference Center. Suitable for corporate meetings, private events, and wedding receptions.
• Wedding Services Boutique all-in-one wedding venue offering ceremony, reception, and guest room accommodations. Features on-site catering and bar packages, customizable layouts, experienced event team, and ideal settings for micro weddings and intimate celebrations. The Barred Owl Rooftop Bar can be reserved for private events.
• Husker Central Fan Packages Exclusive offers for Husker fans and UNL family including Proud Parent Package ($10 self-parking, two standard beverages daily from Good Life Coffee Shop, one Proud Parent Sweatshirt), Fan Package (overnight stay, complimentary self-parking, co-branded hat, clear bag), and Superfan Package (fixed-rate $185.75/night for all seven 2026 home games, complimentary self-parking, two co-branded hats, stadium-approved clear bag, optional Sunday 2PM late checkout). UNL students, parents, and alumni receive 10% off stays.

Quantifiable outcome

• 154 guest rooms and suites with Nebraska-inspired design
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeep partnership with UNL for Innovation Campus location. Hotel serves as hands-on learning environment for Hospitality, Restaurant and Tourism Management (HRTM) students in the College of Education and Human Sciences. Classes begin August 2025 with students gaining experiential learning opportunities in a world-class hotel setting. Hotel is central hub for technology, learning, and development through NIC and HRTM program.
• Nebraska Innovation Campus (NIC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocated on Nebraska Innovation Campus, connecting talents of experts, companies and the university to create innovation culture. NIC facilitates partnerships between UNL and private sector businesses. Hotel provides amenities that make NIC the place companies, employees and the community want to be. NIC Conference Center provides 18,000+ additional sq ft of function space for hotel guests.
• Marriott BonvoycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Scarlet is a Tribute Portfolio hotel, part of the Marriott Bonvoy family. Guests can earn Marriott Bonvoy Rewards with every stay. Marriott manages global distribution, loyalty program, and booking platform. Tribute Portfolio is Marriott's collection of distinctive independent hotels.
• Davidson Hotel Company LLCcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerThird-party hotel management company managing The Scarlet Hotel. Operates as Davidson Hotel Company LLC d/b/a Pivot Hotels & Resorts. Manages privacy policy, terms of use, cookie policy, and operational policies. Contact for privacy inquiries at [email protected].
• The Mill Coffee & TeaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal Lincoln coffee roaster since 1975. Signature Scarlet coffee house blend designed in partnership with The Mill Coffee & Tea, served at Good Life Coffee Shop.
• UNL Dairy StoreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Nebraska-Lincoln Dairy Store provides quality dairy products since 1917, including ice creams, cheeses, and meats handmade by UNL students in their onsite plant. Local purveyor for Well & Good restaurant.
• Microgreen GalsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMicrogreen supplier from Wahoo, Nebraska growing microgreens on clean biodegradable mats of jute or hemp using non-GMO organic certified seeds. Local purveyor for Well & Good restaurant focused on farm-to-table dining.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotel: Marriott-brand full-service hotel in downtown Lincoln, NE. Directly competes with The Scarlet for business travelers, UNL-related stays, and event groups in the same Lincoln market, sharing the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty pool.
• Hyatt Place Lincoln / Downtown-Haymarket: Select-service Hyatt located in Lincoln's Haymarket District near the Haymarket Park and the UNL/City Campus area. Competes for the same corporate, group, and university-traveler demand as The Scarlet.
• Embassy Suites by Hilton Lincoln: All-suite Hilton property in Lincoln offering on-site F&B and meeting space. Comparable in product mix (rooms + F&B + events) and competes with The Scarlet for group and corporate business in Lincoln.
• Hotel Deco, Lincoln: Independent boutique hotel in Lincoln's Haymarket. Targets a similar boutique, design-forward traveler and competes for wedding and event business in Lincoln.
• Graduate Lincoln (if open) / The Graduate Hotels collection: Boutique hotel brand built around university towns. The Graduate concept directly mirrors The Scarlet's university-anchored, boutique positioning and Husker/alumni fan base, making it the closest strategic comparable even if no Graduate exists in Lincoln today.

Broad incumbents

• Courtyard by Marriott Lincoln Downtown / Haymarket: Marriott select-service property in Lincoln. Shares the Marriott Bonvoy distribution and loyalty ecosystem with The Scarlet and competes for corporate and UNL-related travelers, but operates as a broader Marriott brand rather than a boutique concept.
• Residence Inn Lincoln (NE): Marriott extended-stay property in Lincoln. Competes for longer-duration parents, visiting faculty, and project-based business travelers, drawing on the same UNL and corporate demand pool.
• Other Marriott Tribute Portfolio properties (portfolio benchmark): The Tribute Portfolio collection of independent boutique hotels. Comparable as the brand-level peer set driving franchise economics, loyalty integration, and operational benchmarks for The Scarlet.

Others

• Davidson Hospitality Group / Pivot Hotels & Resorts (sister/management portfolio): Third-party operator of The Scarlet. Comparable as the management platform benchmarking operating performance, F&B programming, and group sales strategy for similar boutique and full-service assets in its portfolio.

Emerging players

• 21c Museum Hotel (21c Hotels): Boutique hotel concept combining art museum programming with lodging and on-site F&B. Comparable in combining boutique lodging, curated F&B, and event programming in mid-sized cities — a model that informs The Scarlet's positioning at the intersection of hospitality and place.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-scarlet-hotel-lincoln-a-tribute-portfolio-hotel

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Scarlet Hotel, Lincoln, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel