South San Joaquin County is apparently becoming a hot destination for travelers.

There are now six hotel projects either under construction or approved to be built between Manteca, Ripon, and Lathrop.

If all are built, it will add 610 rooms to the area’s inventory.

Work is now underway on two hotels.

*The four-story, 101 room Staybridge Suites in Manteca on the southeast corner of Daniels Street and Fishback Road near the 120 Bypass and Airport Way interchange.

*The four-story, 97 room Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriott in Lathrop on Manthey Road facing Interstate 5 south of the Louise Avenue and Interstate 5 interchange.

Hotels that have been approved and are moving toward ground breaking are:

*The four-story, 117-room Courtyard by Marriott in Manteca on the southwest of the Airport Way and 120 Bypass interchange.

*The four-story, 91 room Towneplace Suites by in Ripon along Highway 99 just off the Main Street ramp next to Angle Petroleum.

*The four-story, 107 room Avid Candlewood Suites in Ripon adjacent to the Flying J fueling Travel Plaza on the northeast corner of the Jack Tone Road and Highway 99 interchange.

*The four-story, 97 room TownePlace Suites by Marriott in Lathrop on Golden Valley Parkway west of the Louise Avenue and Interstate 5 interchange.

If all of the projects mentioned are built, Manteca will have 1,377 more rooms with Great Wolf being the largest with 500.

There would also be close to 1,700 hotel rooms between the three cities.

And if Great Wolf exercises its option to build another 250 rooms, then Manteca, Lathrop, and Ripon between them would be on the cusp of 2,000 hotel rooms.

The most recent hotels that opened in the past year include:

*The four-story, 97-room Tru by Hilton in Lathrop on Louise Avenue east of Interstate 5.

*The four-story, 78 room Tru by Hilton in Manteca on Commerce Drive northwest of the Highway 99 and Yosemite Avenue interchange.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com