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All Things Independent
Laura Benner Joins HVS Asset Management – Newport as Senior Vice President
March 10, 2014
Newport, RI – March 11, 2014 - Kirby Payne, CHA, President of HVS's asset management division in Newport, Rhode Island, has announced the appointment of Laura Benner as Senior Vice President of HVS Asset Management – Newport. Laura Benner, who is based in Manhattan, is a hotel real estate executive with more than 20 years of experience in hotel asset management, value creation, contract negotiations, strategic and branding analysis, acquisitions, dispositions and highest and best use assessments. Ms. Benner has worked within the hospitality divisions of such well-established and highly regarded firms as Host Hotels & Resorts, St...
6 Reasons Why Senior Managers Get So Soft
Steve DiGioia | March 10, 2014
By Steve DiGioia Remember that guy you used to work with years ago, the one that was always "burning the midnight oil", and the one that was driven like no other and was on a fast track to promotion after promotion? We all knew he would "be the boss" someday. Well it finally happened...he is now the boss. He now sits in the big cushy corner office and rules his department with an iron hand. Week after week, month after month he is still blazing a trail for others to follow. Not taking any stuff from his underlings he doles out discipline when needed; a stern warning today, a firing tomorrow. He is known as "very tough but fair" and some...
The 101-key Homewood Suites by Hilton Huntsville – Downtown Opens in Alabama
March 10, 2014
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. and MCLEAN, Va. - March 10, 2014 - Homewood Suites by Hilton, Hilton Worldwide's international brand of upscale, all-suite, extended-stay hotels, announced today the opening of its newest property, Homewood Suites by Hilton Huntsville - Downtown, Alabama. The four-story hotel is the seventh Homewood Suites property in the state of Alabama and is the second in the city of Huntsville. The hotel features 101-suites, and is owned by Huntsville Hotels III LLC, and managed by PHD Hotels, Inc. General Manager Vickie Thrower and Director of Sales Tamara Gunn have been in the hotel industry for a combined 68 years. "As a hub for...
Ayer Advisors & Wankawala Organization Acquire 78-key Holiday Inn Express & Suites in Quakertown, PA
Ayer Capital Advisors | March 10, 2014
PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y., March 10, 2014 -- Ayer Capital Advisors ("Ayer Advisors"), an investment firm, and The Wankawala Organization ("TWO"), a hotel owner and management firm are pleased to announce the acquisition of a 78-room Holiday Inn Express & Suites Hotel, located in Quakertown, Pennsylvania. Ayer will work with The Wankawala Organization to manage the property. The current portfolio owned and managed by the group includes nine select service hotels with a total of over 1,000 rooms. Ayer and Wankawala plan to acquire over $150 million worth of premium brand select service hotels in the next eighteen months. "We are excited t...
Summit Hotel Properties Agrees to Acquire Two Hotels Totaling 421 Rooms for Total of $76.7 Million
Summit Hotel Properties | March 10, 2014
March 10, 2014 - AUSTIN, Texas - Summit Hotel Properties, Inc. (NYSE:INN) (the "Company") today announced that it has two hotel properties, containing an aggregate of 421 guestrooms, under contract to acquire. The Company announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the 210-guestroom DoubleTree by Hilton located in San Francisco, Calif. for a purchase price of approximately $39.0 million. The Company expects to implement approximately $4.1 million in capital improvements to the property prior to year-end 2014 and anticipates an estimated forward capitalization rate in the range of 8.5 percent to 9.5 percent based...
Social Media and Email Marketing Integration
Denise Cooper | March 10, 2014
by Denise Cooper Recently a colleague in the hospitality industry asked for my thoughts on integrating social and email. While I generally took for granted that most hotels were doing this already, additional research proved that was not the case. Given the myriad definitions in the industry of what it means to integrate social media into current email platforms/strategies/tools, I thought the most useful approach would be to offer a few basic ideas and tactics. Social Content Sharing: First and foremost the ability to share the content of an email in a multitude of different ways not only via traditional "forward to a friend" technolog...
Strategic Hotels Reaches Agreement with Orange Capital; Appoints David W. Johnson to Board
David W. Johnson | March 10, 2014
CHICAGO, March 10, 2014 -- Strategic Hotels & Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: BEE) ("Strategic Hotels" or the "Company") today announced that it has reached an agreement with Orange Capital, LLC and agreed to appoint David W. Johnson to the Company's Board of Directors. With the addition of David W. Johnson, the Strategic Hotels Board expands to 10 members, 9 of whom are independent and all of whom are elected annually. Johnson will also be included in the Company's slate of nominees for election to the Board at the 2014 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. "We are pleased to welcome Dave Johnson to our Board," said Raymond L. "Rip" Gellein, Chairm...
The Importance of Comfort Letters in Financing Franchised Hotels
JMBM | March 10, 2014
For the most recent update on this topic, click here By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group® Hotel Lawyers | Authors of www.HotelLawBlog.com 10 March 2014 Comfort letters are more important than ever as franchising continues to be a dominant form of branding hotels. As many of our recent articles have noted, there has been a sea change in the hotel world. Franchise agreements have become the dominant means of branding most hotels in the US, except for a few of the most upscale and luxury brands. This popularity of franchising has made comfort letters more important than ever simply by the predominance of the franchise model, an...
Glen Cove Mansion Hotel and Conference Center Hosts “Teens on the Job Shadow Day”
Glen Cove Mansion | March 10, 2014
Carrying on the Legacy of Supporting Education begun by the legendary Pratt Family Glen Cove, Long Island, New York, March 2014 ... The historic Glen Cove Mansion Hotel and Conference Center, which opened in 1910 as the country estate of Ruth Baker and John Teele Pratt, hosted students from Glen Cove High School and the Glen Cove Youth Bureau recently for "Teens on the Job Shadow Day." Two students particularly interested in the culinary arts visited Glen Cove Mansion, spending the afternoon with the property's classically trained European chef, Andrew Helliwell. Chef Helliwell brought the students into Glen Cove Mansion's kitchen to se...
The 775-key Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah Names Fernando Soberanis as Executive Chef
The Grand America | March 10, 2014
SALT LAKE CITY (March 10, 2014) - The Grand America Hotel, Salt Lake City's only AAA Five Diamond hotel, has named Fernando Soberanis executive chef. Previously executive sous chef at both The Grand America Hotel and sister property The Little America Hotel, Soberanis brings more than 20 years of culinary experience to his new position. As executive chef, Soberanis will work with his culinary team to create imaginative, world-class cuisine for all guests, whether they are dining in the Grand America's signature restaurant, the Garden Café, enjoying appetizers in one of the hotel's lounges, or ordering room service. "Fernando excels at ...
Prescott’s Hassayampa Inn Has New Owner
BuildCentral | March 10, 2014
Hotel-Online and BuildCentral Have Updated 224 Hotels in the Last Two Weeks with Changes in Personnel, Property Management or Ownership Chicago, IL. March 10, 2014 - Hotel-Online and BuildCentral have reported 224 changes in personnel, property management and ownership in the Hotel Profiles database over the last two weeks. Many hotels are getting a fresh start with a new Owner, Property Manager or General Manager. Recommend your product or service to someone who might be looking for a change. Hotels Under New Management: Fairfield Inn Seattle Sea-Tac Airport (Seattle, WA) Inn at Great Neck (Great Neck, NY) Hilton Garden Inn St. Ge...
Gustavo Zapata Named as Executive Chef for the 508-room Hilton Miami Airport in Florida
Hilton Hotels & Resorts | March 10, 2014
MIAMI - March 10, 2014 -- Raul Aguilera, general manager of the newly renovated Hilton Miami Airport, has appointed Gustavo Zapata as executive chef for the 508-guest room and suite hotel situated on a private peninsula on Blue Lagoon in South Florida and overlooking the Miami International Airport. "We are thrilled to have Chef Zapata bring his international culinary flair to our new and improved Hilton Miami Airport. His imprint on our restaurant menus and catering operations for meetings and social events will delight guests, while his depth of talent and skill at teaching and mentoring will take our culinary teams to new levels of p...
$10 Million Renovation Complete for the 308-room Hilton Arlington in Texas
the Hilton Arlington Hotel | March 10, 2014
March 10, 2014 - ARLINGTON, Texas - The Hilton Arlington Hotel, located near AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas between Dallas and Fort Worth, is proud to announce the completion of its multimillion-dollar hotel renovation on March 17, 2014. The total hotel refresh includes all 308 guestrooms and suites, public corridors, lobby, meeting and event space, exterior facade, fitness and business centers, restaurant and executive lounge. The redesign of the Arlington, Texas hotel integrates the recently launched global repositioning and design of Hilton Hotels & Resorts® brand portfolio and incorporates the brand's earthy design palett...
Iconic Australian Hotel Joins Wyndham Hotel Group as Ramada Resort Shoal Bay
Wyndham Hotel Group | March 10, 2014
GOLD COAST, QLD (March 10, 2014) - Wyndham Hotel Group, the world's largest hotel company with approximately 7,490 hotels and part of Wyndham Worldwide Corporation (NYSE: WYN), today announced the addition of Shoal Bay Resort & Spa to the company's expanding portfolio of properties in the South Pacific region. One of New South Wales' most historic hotels, the recently refurbished property will be branded the Ramada Resort Shoal Bay and managed through Wyndham Hotel Group's South Pacific operations, based on Queensland's Gold Coast. The property joins eight Ramada hotels currently operating in Australia. "The opening of Ramada Resort...
The Newly Built 92-room Hampton Inn Indianapolis/Zionsville Opens in Indiana
Hampton Hotels | March 10, 2014
Owned by Anson Hospitality and Operated by Ascent Hospitality Management Company March 10, 2014 - WHITESTOWN, Ind. and MCLEAN, Va. - Hampton Hotels, Hilton Worldwide's global brand of more than 1,900 mid-priced Hampton Inn, Hampton Inn & Suites, and Hampton by Hilton hotels, today announced the official opening of its newest property, the 92-room Hampton Inn Indianapolis/Zionsville, located at 6005 South Main Street in Whitestown. "Hampton combines quality, innovation, comfort and plenty of value-added extras, making it the brand of choice in the marketplace today," said Stephen Wright, general manager, Hampton Inn Indianapolis/Zion...
The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels Limited and Yoma Strategic Holdings to Develop The Peninsula Yangon
The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited (HSH) | March 10, 2014
Mr Clement K.M. Kwok, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of HSH (left) and Mr Serge Pun, Chairman of Yoma Strategic Holdings Ltd (right). Photo credit Berton Chang HONG KONG, March 10, 2014 -- The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited (HSH) and Yoma Strategic Holdings Ltd. have announced a definitive shareholders' agreement for the purpose of restoring the former Myanmar Railway Company headquarters into a hotel to be called The Peninsula Yangon. The agreement, subject to conditions and approval, will seek to redevelop and restore the heritage building, which dates from the 1880s and is one of the oldest existing colonial bui...
Miyako Hotels & Resorts and Marriott Hotels Open the 360-room Osaka Marriott Miyako Hotel in Japan
Marriott Hotels | March 10, 2014
TOKYO, March 10, 2014 — Marriott Hotels, the flagship brand of Marriott International, and Miyako Hotels & Resorts announces the highly anticipated opening of the Osaka Marriott Miyako Hotel, the first property for the brand in Osaka and the fourth in Japan. Marriott Hotels has partnered with Miyako Hotels & Resorts, a subsidiary of the Kintetsu Corporation, to create the new co-branded hotel in Kintetsu's "Abeno Harukas", a brand new 300-meter ultra-high rise complex with 60 stories above ground and five stories underground, making it the tallest building in Japan. All 360 guest rooms and the hotel's signature ZK restaurant a...
CSM Lodging Completes Renovations at Courtyard by Marriott Seattle North/Lynnwood Everett
CSM Lodging | March 7, 2014
Minneapolis, Minnesota, March 2014 ... CSM Lodging, a division of CSM Corporation, has announced the completion of an extensive renovation of the Courtyard by Marriott Seattle North/Lynnwood Everett, located in Lynnwood, Washington, just north of Seattle. CSM Lodging purchased the 164-key property in January of last year. The renovation is part of a $20 Million portfolio-wide renovation program in which CSM Lodging is engaged, involving nearly a third its hotel group nationwide. Renovations have transformed the Lynnwood property into a sleek, modern hotel and include facility improvements as well as service enhancements. "When we purcha...
The 210-key DoubleTree by Hilton San Francisco Airport North Opens in California
DoubleTree By Hilton | March 7, 2014
Owned by Summit Hotel Trs 114 and Managed by Stonebridge Companies March 07, 2014 - SAN FRANCISCO and MCLEAN, Va. - Hilton Worldwide and DoubleTree by Hilton today announced the opening of the new DoubleTree by Hilton San Francisco Airport North. Situated just 2.5 miles from San Francisco International Airport and four miles from downtown San Francisco, the contemporary 210-room hotel boasts stunning views of the San Francisco Bay and Marina, as well as convenient access to the area's most popular attractions, including Alcatraz, Chinatown and the Moscone Convention Center. DoubleTree by Hilton San Francisco Airport North is owned by Su...
Raffles Hotels & Resorts Appoints Ayman Gharib as General Manager, Raffles Dubai
Raffles Hotels & Resorts | March 7, 2014
NEW YORK (March 7, 2014) Peter French, President, Raffles Hotels & Resorts and Sami Nasser, Senior Vice President, Operations, Middle East, Africa & India are pleased to announce the appointment of Ayman Gharib as General Manager of Raffles Dubai as of February 1, 2014. Sami Nasser says, "The amount of dedication and passion that Ayman displays in his job combined with the strong relationships he builds with people around him make a great recipe for success and we should expect great things to come from such a young and energetic professional." Mr. Gharib brings over 15 years of luxury hospitality experience in the Middle East t...
Commune Hotels & Resorts Names Scott Williams as Executive Vice President, Chief Creative Officer
Commune Hotels & Resorts | March 7, 2014
SAN FRANCISCO (March 07, 2014) - Commune Hotels & Resorts, the international lifestyle hotel group comprising the Joie de Vivre, Thompson Hotels and tommie brands, has announced the appointment of Scott Williams as Executive Vice President, Chief Creative Officer. A seasoned creative and brand executive in the luxury hospitality space, Williams will develop and drive a strategic, creative vision across the Commune Hotels & Resorts brands. With more than 15 years as a leading innovator and game-changer in creating unparalleled luxury brand experiences, including highly influential stints at both Starwood Hotels and Morgans Hotel ...
PRISA Group and McConnell Valdes Consulting Open the 104-room Hyatt Place Manatí in Puerto Rico
Hyatt Place | March 7, 2014
CHICAGO (March 7, 2014) – Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H), PRISA Group and McConnell Valdes Consulting today announced the opening of Hyatt Place Manati in Manati, Puerto Rico. The Governor of Puerto Rico, the Hon. Alejandro Garcia Padilla, attended the hotel's ribbon-cutting ceremony. Hyatt Place Manati represents the first international hotel brand in the north central region of Puerto Rico and the second Hyatt Place hotel to open in Puerto Rico within the last three months, marking for a strong return of Hyatt-branded hotels to the Island after a seven-year absence. In December of 2013, Puerto Rico's first Hyatt Place hotel open...
The Buccini/Pollin Group Promotes Darren R. Anzelone and Brandon S. Flury to Support Expansion Plans
The Buccini/Pollin Group | March 7, 2014
WASHINGTON, D.C., March 7, 2014 - Officials of The Buccini/Pollin Group, a privately-held, full-service real estate acquisition, development and management company, today announced that it has promoted Darren R. Anzelone to co-chief investment officer and Brandon S. Flury to vice-president as the company continues its aggressive growth plans into 2014. "During his decade tenure here, Darren has been responsible for oversight of transactions totaling in excess of $2 billion, including the acquisition, development, and redevelopment of sixteen hotels," said Dave Pollin, co-founder. "Brandon has enjoyed similar success at BPG, helping exec...
Meet the Money® National Hotel Finance & Investment Conference to Focus on Hotel Development & Deals
Meet the Money | March 7, 2014
For the most recent update on this topic, click here By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group® Hotel Lawyers | Authors of www.HotelLawBlog.com 7 March 2014 Meet the Money® National Hotel Finance and Investment Conference will focus on hotel development and deals LOS ANGELES--Meet the Money® 2014 will bring owners, operators, developers, consultants, investors, brands, lenders and other capital providers together in Los Angeles to explore the opportunities of what is predicted to be a breakout year for hotel development and deals. Held May 5-7, the annual national hotel finance and investment conference will focus on ground up d...
