Auro Hotels has become a key player in the evolution of downtown Greenville.
The Greenville-based hospitality management firm, formerly JHM Hotels, first entered the market in 1976 with the purchase of the Camelot Inn located off Augusta Road and Interstate 85. Today, Auro Hotels owns and operates some of the most well-known hotels in the city – from the Hyatt Regency to the AC Hotel Greenville.
Dharmendra “DJ” Rama, president and CEO of Auro Hotels, said the family-owned company has organically grown within the local market over the past five decades. Simultaneously, Auro Hotels has expanded its portfolio to now operate more than 6,600 hotel rooms across the United States and India.
“Greenville has been one of those markets that’s been very steady,” Rama said. “It’s been a very systematic growth of demand and supply.”
Auro Hotels built approximately 50% of its total hotel portfolio, Rama said. The company has also expanded by acquiring existing properties, such as the Courtyard by Marriott Greenville Downtown in February 2026.
Downtown Greenville will see a new hospitality product from Auro Hotels in the coming years as part of the Falls Park Conference District. The city of Greenville unveiled plans in early March for the $500 million mixed-use development anchored by a long-discussed downtown conference center.
Auro Hotels plans to develop a high-end hotel that will connect to the conference center on the east side of Falls Park. It is expected to be the company’s single largest investment in Greenville to date.
Downtown Auro Hotels development
The new hotel will be built on the current Bowater Building property at 55 E. Camperdown Way. The company purchased the 2.4-acre site for $31.25 million in December 2024, according to the Greenville County Register of Deeds.
Rama came across the property while staying at the AC Hotel Greenville in the spring of 2024. His first thought when seeing the four-story office building was that it looked out of place next to Falls Park.
“We didn’t have a clue what we were going to do with it. We just said it doesn’t belong there,” Rama said. “We said either we’ll move our headquarters there or do something else, we’ll figure it out.”
In February 2024, the city of Greenville released a request for information (RFI) seeking new ideas for a downtown conference center. The Furman Co., a Greenville-based real estate development firm, submitted a proposal to the RFI after approaching Auro Hotels to be the hotel developer and conference center operator for the project.
Rama said the company was aware of the need for a new downtown conference center for several years. Auro Hotels owns the Hyatt Regency Greenville, which offers the largest meeting space in downtown. The company acquired the hotel at 220 N. Main St. in 2010 and completed a $22 million renovation in 2013.
Auro Hotels also has experience partnering on major mixed-use developments in the heart of the city. The company built the AC Hotel by Marriott at the corner of Main and Broad streets as part of the larger Camperdown Plaza development. The $72 million hotel opened in 2021.
“We believe in cluster development,” Rama said. “When we’re in one market, we would like to have the maximum number of hotel rooms that we control, and it allows our people to grow within our organization.”
Auro Hotels is currently working with The Furman Co., city leaders and other project partners on the design for the hotel and conference center for the Falls Park Conference District. Rama said the company is also currently building a convention center in India, so they understand what it takes to create and operate a large-scale meeting space.
Each hospitality product created by Auro Hotels showcases a distinct theme and design narrative. For example, the dual-branded Residence Inn and SpringHill Suites on East Washington Street feature a nature-inspired design telling the story of a boy who gets lost in the Appalachian Mountains before arriving in Greenville. Rama said they will use a similar storytelling approach for their new product next to Falls Park.
“We are very excited, truly, with the team that we have at the table,” Rama said. “More to come as we sit and plan now.”
Current Greenville Hotels
Hyatt Regency Greenville
- 220 N. Main St.
- Dining: Roost Free Range Kitchen & Bar, Meeting Grounds Market & Cafe
AC Hotel Greenville
- 315 S. Main St.
- Dining and Entertainment: Juniper, Paloma, The Press Room, Perfect Buns, Seratonic Venue & Lounge
Residence Inn/SpringHill Suites Greenville Downtown
- 200 E. Washington St.
- Dining: Oak and Honey
Courtyard Greenville Downtown
- 50 W. Broad St.
Greenville Marriott
- 1 Parkway E.
Did you know?
The Hyatt Regency Greenville offers the largest square footage of meeting space in downtown Greenville. It includes 40,000 square feet of enclosed and flexible meeting spaces.
Family Legacy
Auro Hotels, formerly JHM Hotels, was founded in 1973 in California by Hasmukh “HP” Rama and his brothers. Dharmendra “DJ” Rama joined his family’s company in 1995 and became president in 2012. His son, Keval Rama, now works as a senior associate for Auro Hotels, making it a three-generation enterprise.
