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All Things Independent
Maryland’s Colony South Hotel and Conference Center Names Chef Guillermo Valencia Executive Chef
Colony South Hotel and Conference Center | March 28, 2014
Formerly of the Hotel Intercontinental and the Paris Ritz-Carlton CLINTON, Md., March 28, 2014 -- Colony South Hotel and Conference Center is pleased to announce that Chef Guillermo Valencia will be taking the reins as its new executive chef. "Colony South is excited to have Chef Valencia and his 27 years of culinary expertise helming our banquets and our Wayfarer restaurant," said Michelle Jones, director of sales and marketing at Colony South Hotel and Conference Center. "Chef Valencia's dedication, vision and hard work are valuable and will fit well into Colony South's promise to offer our guests the best in fine dining." Chef Guille...
IHG Completes the Sale of InterContinental Mark Hopkins San Franciso to Woodridge Capital
IHG | March 28, 2014
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (IHG) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] today announces that it has completed the sale of InterContinental Mark Hopkins San Francisco ("the Hotel") to a joint venture between affiliates of Woodridge Capital Partners and funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management L.P., the terms of which were announced on 18 February 2014. $120m gross disposal proceeds have been received in cash. IHG will continue to manage the Hotel under a long-term management contract. ...
Hyatt Hotels to Soon Open New Hyatt Place and Hyatt House Hotels in China
Hyatt Place | March 28, 2014
CHICAGO (March 28, 2014) – As the first Hyatt Place hotel in China prepares to open in May, Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) announced several new Hyatt Place and Hyatt House projects that will introduce these two Hyatt brands to China. The Hyatt Place and Hyatt House brands are rooted in extensive consumer research, which indicates that guests blend their personal and professional lives while traveling and want a hotel that accommodates this lifestyle. To embody this, the two brands offer casual hospitality in a smartly designed, high-tech and contemporary environment. Hyatt Place, an upscale select service brand, offers a stylish,...
Slated to Debut in 2016, BAAC Pty Ltd & Starwood Hotels Bringing Aloft Perth Rivervale to Australia
Aloft Hotels | March 28, 2014
SYDNEY--(March 28, 2014)-- Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) today announced that its rapidly expanding Aloft Hotels brand will soon enter the Australian market for the first time. Owned by BAAC Pty Ltd, an affiliate of BGC (Australia) Pty Ltd (BGC), Aloft Perth Rivervale will open in late 2016, featuring 224 loft-like rooms, leading-edge technology and a lively social atmosphere. This latest signing represents Starwood's third property in Perth, following the opening of Four Points by Sheraton Perth in June 2012 and the signing of a management agreement for The Westin Perth, also owned by BGC, due to open in early ...
Andaz San Diego Names Jeffrey Miller GM & Rusty Middleton Assumes GM Role at Andaz Wall Street
Andaz | March 28, 2014
CHICAGO, (March 28, 2014) - The Andaz brand today announced that two current Andaz general managers will switch roles. Jeffrey Miller, current general manager of Andaz Wall Street, will become the new general manager of Andaz San Diego while Rusty Middleton, currently Andaz San Diego's general manager will move to Andaz Wall Street to serve as general manager. "The Andaz brand is all about breaking down barriers and encouraging guests to move seamlessly from one experience to the next, and we feel it is important to take this concept and make it applicable to our colleagues as well," said Rakesh Sarna, Group President of the Americas fo...
The Courtyard Dallas Addison Midway Hotel Completes $4 Million Renovation
the Courtyard Dallas Addison Midway Hotel | March 28, 2014
ADDISON, Texas, March 27, 2014 -- The Courtyard Dallas Addison Midway hotel, located in North Dallas, is excited to announce the completion of a $4 million renovation to all public spaces, guest rooms, meeting space and the hotel's exterior. The recently launched Gen Next Cynergy redesign for Courtyard by Marriott include a "Lounge-around" sofa, new ottomans, restructured entryways, new carpet and flooring and an organic headboard wall design. Impactful lighting and new hubs have been added for personal technology and soft, tone-on-tone color adds to the modern, sculptural design of each guest room. "The Gen Next look is exactly how it ...
Duke Hospitality to Open 78-room Courtyard Atlanta Conyers in Georgia
Courtyard by Marriott | March 28, 2014
Conyers, Georgia - March 27, 2014 - Courtyard by Marriott is rolling out its innovative lobby and room design in Conyers, Georgia. This is the newest Courtyard in the area featuring the Refreshing Business lobby environment, where guests can enjoy an open and flexible space. Along with media pods, Wi-Fi and a variety of seating zones, the redefined space is ideal for everything from pop-up meetings to social gatherings. Scheduled to open on Saturday, April 5, 2014, the 78-room Courtyard Atlanta Conyers also offers a refreshing and stylish room design that helps guests stay connected, productive and comfortable. Thoughtfully planned, eac...
Gain The Respect Of Your Team By Being Wrong
Steve DiGioia | March 27, 2014
By Steve DiGioia As a manager, supervisor or leader of a team or department, we are always right. We always make the correct decisions, we always lead the team in the right direction, and we are the most qualified persons with all the answers. How wrong can this thinking be? Once we believe all this rhetoric we are doomed to fail. Doomed to fail ourselves and our team. Mid-level supervisors are especially susceptible to this way of thinking. They may have just been promoted from a "line-level" employee for doing their job well but now they are thrust into a supervisory position where they must not only oversee the actions of others but ...
Value Place & Pure Strike Development to Build New 124-room Value Place in San Angelo, TX
Value Place | March 27, 2014
SAN ANGELO, Texas--Value Place, the largest economy, extended-stay hotel brand in the U.S., has partnered with Pure Strike Development, LP to develop a hotel in the prospering market of San Angelo, Texas. This will be the first Value Place in San Angelo and the 38th hotel in Texas. "San Angelo has a diverse business environment that has been experiencing promising economic growth in recent years, especially in the oil and gas sector," said Ron Burgett, Executive Vice President of Franchise Development at Value Place. "The city also maintains a strong regional presence across many industries, including medical, agricultural and military,...
Benchmark Hospitality Names Charles J. Chambers Executive Chef at The Heldrich, A Benchmark Hotel
The Heldrich Hotel and Conference Center | March 27, 2014
The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, March 2014 ... Benchmark Hospitality International, a leading U.S.-based hospitality management company, has appointed Charles J. Chambers executive chef for The Heldrich, a Benchmark Hotel® located in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Stacy Martin, Benchmark's general manager for The Heldrich, made the announcement. "It is such a pleasure to welcome C.J. back to Benchmark Hospitality and to The Heldrich," said Ms. Martin. "We actively look forward to his energetic and highly skilled approach to the culinary arts as he transforms our public restaurant, Christopher's, and our social and corporate dining opportun...
NewcrestImage Names Cathy Kuzski As President Of Management Division
NewcrestImage | March 27, 2014
Cathy Kuzski has joined NewcrestImage as president of the management division, with responsibility for operating the company's growing portfolio of properties. She culminated a 27-year career with Marriott International, serving most recently as Area Director for Select Service and Extended Stay Lodging in Texas. Currently, NewcrestImage owns and operates 25 hotels with an asset value of more than $311 million, including properties under development that will open during 2014. Room revenues are expected to reach $50 million by the end of this year. "During her distinguished tenure with Marriott, Cathy achieved an enviable record of incr...
DiamondRock Hospitality Completes $14.5 million Renovation of the Westin San Diego
DiamondRock Hospitality Company | March 27, 2014
BETHESDA, Md., March 27, 2014 -- DiamondRock Hospitality Company (the "Company") (NYSE: DRH) today announced the successful completion of its $14.5 million renovation of the Westin San Diego. The renovation included significant upgrades to the hotel's guest rooms, meeting spaces, lobby and fitness center. Mark W. Brugger, President and Chief Executive Officer of DiamondRock Hospitality Company, stated, "We are excited by the results of this transformative renovation, which has dramatically improved all aspects of the guest experience at the Westin San Diego. With a repositioned hotel, the Westin San Diego can compete for the most desira...
Bonaventure Resort & Spa, Fort Lauderdale, Introduces “High Impact Meetings”
Bonaventure Resort & Spa | March 27, 2014
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, March 2014 ... Bonaventure Resort & Spa, a Benchmark Resort® and Benchmark Conference Center®, has announced a new concept in conferencing: "High Impact Meetings." Taking full advantage of its newly renovated conference center and unparalleled in-house production and Destination Management capabilities, South Florida's top meetings resort delivers High Impact Meetings within 80,000 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor space and an award-winning, distraction-free environment. Bonaventure Resort & Spa is ideal for large national, corporate, and sales group meetings that require a great deal of space and techno...
Trump Ocean Club International Hotel & Tower Panama Appoints New Executives
March 27, 2014
Welcoming Leonardo Morado as Director of Food & Beverage and Michael J. Collins as Director Of Finance PANAMA CITY, PANAMA - March 2014 - Panama City's leading luxury hotel, Trump Ocean Club® International Hotel & Tower Panama, announces the appointments of Leonardo Morado as director of food and beverage and Michael J. Collins as director of finance. "We are excited to welcome two notable professionals such as Michael and Leonardo to the team, said Mark Stevenson, vice president and managing director at Trump Ocean Club International Hotel & Tower® Panama. Both individuals possess the experience and expertise that we valu...
IHG Reveals New Holiday Inn Express Prototype Design Co-Created With Hotel Owners
March 27, 2014
Guest Insights assist in creation of enhanced design to meet guests' changing needs and drives value for owners ATLANTA, March 27, 2014 -- Through guest and hotel owner insights, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)], one of the world's leading global hotel companies, today announced the next evolution of the prototype for its Holiday Inn Express® brand. Developed for the brand's portfolio of hotels in the U.S. and Canada, the updated prototype design is designed to further position the Holiday Inn Express brand as the "smart" choice for guests and owners. This next generation prototype is expected to deliver e...
Shaner Hospitality Finance Closes $8.25 Million Investment In Southbridge Hotel & Conference Center
Shaner Hospitality Finance | March 27, 2014
Company's $100 Million Hospitality Financing Vehicle To Focus On Hotels Seeking Capital STATE COLLEGE, PA, MARCH 27, 2014 – Shaner Hospitality Finance, a financial services firm specializing in serving the hospitality industry, has announced the completion of an $8.25 million investment in the Southbridge Hotel & Conference Center in Southbridge, Massachusetts. Shaner Hospitality Finance purchased the existing mezzanine facility and provided additional funds to resize the capital structure and pay down debt. The investment represents the first completed financing transaction since the hospitality finance company was formed with a ...
Hoteles Nacionales & Starwood Open Newly Renovated & Rebranded Sheraton Santo Domingo
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. | March 27, 2014
STAMFORD, Conn.--March 27, 2014--Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) today announced that its global powerhouse Sheraton Hotels has returned to the Dominican Republic with the opening of Sheraton Santo Domingo Hotel. Formerly known as Melia Santo Domingo, the newly renovated hotel offers 255 luxurious rooms and suites with breathtaking ocean views. Hoteles Nacionales, owner and operator of the property, completed a comprehensive $12 million renovation to implement all the Sheraton brand's signature services and amenities prior to flying the Sheraton flag. Sheraton Santo Domingo Hotel is Starwood's third property in...
Hoteliers: Grow Online Revenue with ‘Is Your Digital Marketing Vendor Just Not into You’ Promotion
HeBS Digital | March 27, 2014
HeBS Digital, the industry's leading digital technology, full-service hotel marketing and website design firm, understands that a great relationship should equal high website revenue + ROI. Hoteliers that make the change to HeBS Digital will save 20% on a Responsive Website Design Package. New York, NY March 27, 2014 - HeBS Digital, the industry's leading digital technology, full-service hotel marketing, website design and direct online channel consulting firm, has launched the "Is Your Digital Vendor Just Not That into You" promotion for hoteliers looking to grow their website revenues and ROIs. Recognizing that the key to site convers...
Sharing Compelling Stories on Social Media is Boosting Bookings, Driving Loyalty
DJ Vallauri | March 27, 2014
Knowing your audience based on the social media platform they frequent is key to online marketing success and hotel guest loyalty By DJ Vallauri If customer loyalty is stagnant, perhaps it's because you're putting out boring social media content. To be engaging to travelers, hoteliers need to be creative by using compelling stories -- not just standard promotions or a rehash of weekly events -- when posting on the major social channels. Developing content for each target audience -- and in an appropriate format for each platform -- is key to being "liked," and the more people like you, the more likely your guests will be loyal. While it...
Sceptre Hospitality Resources Unveils New, Innovative Booking Experience
SHR | March 27, 2014
HOUSTON,TX, March 27, 2014- Sceptre Hospitality Resources today announced their new Internet Booking Engine (IBE) which will be released to the industry in April 2014. The new IBE includes responsive design, a shopping cart style booking process, persuasive messaging, and the brand new Call-to-Continue™ feature, among other exclusive functions. "It's exciting to see the result of months of collaborative work between our design and development teams. We're listening to our clients as we re-define the booking experience. We want to provide hoteliers with better tools to engage the guest and merchandise their offerings. At the same time,...
RTM Uncovers Over $175,000 in Annual Savings at Missouri Resort
Resource Technology Management | March 27, 2014
By: Mitchel Foster A 500 room resort with a water park in Missouri hired Resource Technology Management Inc. to analyze their monthly operating expenditures. After RTM provided a complementary assessment of the resort's monthly recurring expenditures, RTM presented a detailed analysis of their findings and delivered a savings of over $175,000 annually to the resort. "RTM analyzed our waste management expenditures, our gas utilization, water utilization, telecom services, and data services. They discovered huge savings in our reoccurring telecom and data expenditures at our property. First, they disconnected two long distance T1s which e...
10 Soft Customer Service Skills for a People-Focused Culture
Jana Love | March 26, 2014
by Jana Love How many times have you been in a store, restaurant, or on the phone, and questioned the proper "fit" of the person's skills in relation to the job they were working? The waiter who is unfriendly, or the person answering the phone who puts you on multiple holds, disconnects your call, or transfers incorrectly? How about the person at a home improvement store working in "lawn and garden" who can't answer any of your lawn and garden questions? One of my personal favorites is the person who works in a family fun vacation destination, such as a theme park or resort, who, based on the poor delivery of their service, alters your ...
Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa in Galena, IL to Undergo Renovation
Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa | March 26, 2014
Meeting Spaces Overhauled to Meet IACC Guidelines; Public Spaces Focus on Comfort, Convenience GALENA, Ill. (Mar. 26, 2014) - Management at the renowned Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa (www.eagleridge.com) in Galena, Ill., today announced plans for a renovation which will effect almost all the public areas of the property, from the thousands of square feet of conference space to the golfing greens. "We're continuing the tradition of Eagle Ridge excellence with this renovation," said Thomas Ruhs, general manager, Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa. "It's time for an update that will modernize the resort for the vacationers, corporate groups and g...
Arabian Hotel Investment Conference to Discuss Growing Importance of F&B
Bench Events | March 26, 2014
AHIC 2014 dedicates a special panel on the evolution of hotel F&B in the region United Arab Emirates, 26 March 2014: Arabian Hotel Investment Conference (AHIC) 2014, held at Madinat Jumeirah from 4 - 5 May in Dubai will be looking at solutions to fill in the gaps in the hotel F&B market in the region. As the Middle East is becoming the global benchmark for hotel food and beverage, AHIC this year has dedicated a special panel session titled "THE EVOLUTION OF HOTEL F&B IN THE REGION - WHERE TO NEXT?" to discuss what value are hotel operators adding, how are they competing and where is it now headed. The session will also look...
