Founded in 1958 by the Dunfey family, the company began with Lamie’s Motor Inn, a 32-room motor inn in Hampton, New Hampshire. Omni Hotels (then Dunfey Hotels) grew to over 8,000 rooms in the 1960s and ’70s, changing hands twice, first to Aetna Insurance and then to Aer Lingus.

In 1983, Dunfey Hotels purchased Omni International Hotels, which had hotels in Atlanta, Miami, and Norfolk, Virginia. Dunfey then changed its name to Omni Hotels and began to rid itself of its midscale franchised properties and to focus more on its upscale downtown locations.

In 1988, Wharf Holdings of Hong Kong purchased Omni Hotels.

In 1996, TRT Holdings of Corpus Christi, Texas, purchased Omni Hotels North America, which included its current holdings (then nine hotels and 26 management contracts or franchise agreements) and the rights to the Omni Hotels brand name (excluding Asia).

In 1998, Omni Hotels acquired new properties in San Francisco, California, New Haven, Connecticut, Charlotte, North Carolina, and Puerto Aventuras, Mexico. In 1999, it purchased the Westin Mont Royal, bringing the brand into Canada for the first time.