Starwood Shines as Next Hot Hotel Play

Editor's note: "Bricks and Mortar" is a series of columns written by real estate reporter Nicholas Yulico meant to help TheStreet.com readers generate real estate and gaming-related stock ideas.

With Hilton Hotels(HLT Quote) being sold at a hefty premium to private-equity buyers, the best bet left in lodging is Starwood Hotels(HOT Quote).

So today, I'm adding Starwood to the Bricks and Mortar mock portfolio as a company worth buying.

Starwood owns some of the best brands in the hotel industry -- including Sheraton, Westin and W Hotels -- that will provide a strong international growth platform for years to come. Meanwhile, the spinoff of many of its hotel assets last year has left the company with a business model weighted toward a high-margin management and franchise fee business, along with time-share sales. ...