Uncommon Hospitality to Open Boutique Hotel in Portland, Maine’s Historic West End District
Post Company | December 13, 2022
5 Telltale Signs It’s Time to Change Your S&C System and Why It’s Quicker and Easier Than You Might Think
Ryan Hamilton | July 6, 2022
All Things Independent
Cvent Announces New Conference for Hospitality Industry on Group Business
Cvent Supplier Network | February 12, 2014
Hospitality professionals invited to network and discuss latest trends at Cvent's new Group Business Forum McLean, Va., Feb. 13, 2014 - Cvent (NYSE:CVT), a leading cloud-based enterprise event management platform, today announced its first annual Group Business Forum, an exclusive event for hotel professionals and executives. The three-day event will take place in Washington, D.C., April 23-25, at the Grand Hyatt Washington. Cvent has invited leaders who represent more than 200,000 hotels and destinations that are part of the Cvent Supplier Network to attend. "Through the Cvent Supplier Network, a leading online marketplace for event p...
Kimpton Names Barry Pollard Senior VP – Hotel Operations & James Lin Senior VP – Restaurants & Bars
Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants | February 12, 2014
SAN FRANCISCO, February 12, 2014 - San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, a leader in customer satisfaction within the boutique hospitality space, announced today that it has promoted two company veterans: Barry Pollard to senior vice president of hotel operations and James Lin to senior vice president of restaurants and bars. In their new roles, Pollard and Lin are responsible for overseeing operations at Kimpton's more than 60 hotels and nearly 70 restaurants, bars and lounges, and helping to shape the evolution and overall vision of the Kimpton brand. "As we take Kimpton to the next phase in our growth story, I can't t...
“2014 Top Trends for UAE Real Estate” Outlined in Jones Lang LaSalle Report
Jones Lang LaSalle | February 12, 2014
February 12, 2014 - Jones Lang LaSalle, the world's leading real estate investment and advisory firm, has released its '2014 Top Trends for UAE Real Estate'. Now in its seventh year of publication, this highly anticipated research assesses and forecasts the major trends that JLL anticipate are likely to impact and shape the UAE real estate sector over the next 12 months. Launching the report Mr. Alan Robertson, CEO, Jones Lang LaSalle MENA, said: "We are excited by the improving macroeconomic climate and many positive underlying fundamentals, which have contributed to our brighter expectations for the UAE real estate market in 2014. Whi...
New Book by Cornell’s Chekitan S. Dev Reveals Why Brand is Hospitality King
Chekitan S. Dev | February 12, 2014
Business strategy in the hospitality industry once began with marketing and incorporated branding as one of its elements. But in recent years, the brand has moved squarely into the spotlight as the key to success. A new book by Chekitan S. Dev, associate professor of strategic marketing and brand management at Cornell's School of Hotel Administration, chronicles the upending of the traditional hospitality business model, from an operations-centric model to a brand-centric model. In "Hospitality Branding" (Cornell University Press), he describes the past and future of this trend by blending recent history and cutting-edge research, offer...
Five Tips To Increase Your Room Bookings During the Month of Love
| February 12, 2014
5 Tips To Get All Your Rooms Booked This Valentine's Day Provided by Siteminder February 12, 2014 - It's that time of year again - love is on everyone's mind. Thoughts of chocolates, red roses and "happily ever after" swirls around in our brains, as we look forward to the day of romance which is only a few days away. But as anyone who has ever tried to plan a romantic Valentine's Day date for their significant other knows, the opportunities for true romance are few and far between. But it doesn't have to be that way - Travel is the ultimate indulgence and is often an important milestone in a fledgling relationship, so it is the perfect ...
Pablo Torres Named General Manager of the 917-room Caribe Hilton in San Juan, Puerto Rico
Hilton Hotels & Resorts | February 12, 2014
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - February 12, 2014 - Hilton Worldwide today announced the appointment of Pablo Torres to general manager of the 917-room Caribe Hilton in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he incidentally began his hospitality career as a food and beverage management trainee back in 1992. Known as the birthplace of the piña colada and the city's largest hotel, this AAA Four Diamond award-winning property is also a proud recipient of Green Key due to its environmental awareness and efforts. Torres most recently held the position of general manager of the 304-room Hilton Short Hills located in the suburban bedroom community of Short Hil...
The Key to Consistent Service by Bryan Williams
B.Williams Enterprise | February 12, 2014
Do all customers deserve great service? What about those who always find something to complain about? How about those who never tip...or never say "thank you"...or never seem to smile, ever? Up to this point, most of my writing, consulting, and training have always been based on the premise that all customers deserve the best we have to offer. After a recent encounter, however, my eyes are now open and I understand a very important truth that I never fully grasped before. At some point, we have to realize that our motivation to provide exceptional service cannot be based on the customer or whether he or she deserves it or not. Grocery s...
Questex Appoints Event Director for Luxury Travel Exchange International
Questex Hospitality + Travel | February 12, 2014
NEW YORK (Feb. 12, 2014) ─ Questex Hospitality + Travel has named Jill Birkett event director, responsible for the company's leisure events portfolio including Luxury Travel Exchange International (LTX). The 2014 LTX, to be held Dec. 9-11 at The Palazzo® Las Vegas, brings fully vetted, top-producing advisors of luxury and premium niche travel together with leading suppliers for three full days of one-to-one meetings, interactive networking and educational programming. The successful 2013 program hosted more than 5,000 one-to-one meetings among 900 professional travel advisors and 300 luxury travel suppliers. "Jill comes to Questex ...
Owned & Managed by DelMonte Hotel Group, the 78-key Fairfield Inn & Suites to Open in Rochester, NY
Fairfield Inn & Suites | February 12, 2014
Rochester, New York - February 12, 2014 - The 78-room Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott in Rochester, New York is scheduled to open on Wednesday, February 19, 2014. Located at 400 Paddy Creek Circle, the Fairfield Inn & Suites Rochester West/Greece will operate as a Marriott franchise, owned and managed by DelMonte Hotel Group of Rochester, New York. Located seven miles from Greater Rochester International Airport and 15 minutes from downtown, the hotel offers guests convenient access to Lake Ontario, George Eastman House and the National Museum of Play. "We are pleased with the continued growth of Fairfield Inn & Suites ho...
Newly Built 102-room Hampton Inn Detroit/Auburn Hills South Opens in MI; Operated by SUS Hospitality
Hampton Hotels | February 12, 2014
February 12, 2014 - AUBURN HILLS, Mich. 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 102-room Hampton Inn Detroit/Auburn Hills South, located at 2200 Featherstone Road. "Hampton combines quality, innovation, comfort and plenty of value-added extras, making it the brand of choice in the marketplace today," said Andrew Bacall, general manager, Hampton Inn Detroit/Auburn Hills South. "Quality accommodations and amenities combined with proactive, friendly ser...
Germany’s Maritim Hotel Group Implements Pegasus Solutions’OpenView Internet Booking Engine
Pegasus Solutions | February 12, 2014
DALLAS (February 12, 2014) – Maritim Hotel Group has implemented Pegasus Solutions' OpenView Internet booking engine at www.maritim.com. With OpenView, Germany's prominent hotel group is now driving more direct online and mobile bookings to its 51 global hotels in eight countries. "We wanted the online booking process to compel a guest to stay at our hotels by mirroring the superior comfort, first-class ambiance and personal service we offer on-site," said René Halla, director of global sales for Maritim. "OpenView allows us to maintain this valuable brand identity, while also making our site work harder for us as an effective online...
Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa Hires Mike Drinkwalter & Tina O’Keefe-Holly as Sales Managers
The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa | February 12, 2014
Hilton Head Island, SC (Feb. 12, 2014) - The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa recently hired two new Sales Managers who will be representing The Westin to meeting planners in two critical regions of the U.S. Mike Drinkwalter will be handling all group clients in the northeast and Canada, while Tina O'Keefe-Holly will be managing the Midwest. According to Gail Wargo, Director of Sales and Marketing, "Both Mike and Tina are long-established sales professionals and the resort will now be marketed directly to key meeting planners in their own backyards. Fresh off a $30 million renovation, the resort has re-emerged as a luxury east...
HHM Names New NYC Leadership to Include Veterans Dani Elhachem and Sam Mehra
HHM | February 12, 2014
(Philadelphia) - February 12, 2014 - HHM announced today that it has completed its search for a new executive leadership team to guide its New York City region with respect to operations, revenue management, sales and human resources. "With nearly 20 hotels in New York City and several on the horizon for 2014, adding these talented and experienced men and woman to lead our New York City portfolio and regional office gives us great confidence," said Chief Operating Officer Mike Murray. "Each of these leaders were handpicked to navigate this complex market and we look forward to seeing their contributions act as a catalyst for even more g...
Peachtree Hotel Group Grows to 27 Properties with Enterprise Sales System
Peachtree Hotel Group | February 12, 2014
Easy-to-Use Cloud-Based Sales and Catering System Proves Ideal for Operator of Select Service Brands February 12, 2014 - Atlanta-based Peachtree Hotel Group (PHG) is a hospitality success story. The company expanded from 9 properties in 2010 to a substantial evolving portfolio of 27 hotels in 2014. PHG specializes in mid-scale select service properties from Marriott, Hilton, IHG, and Starwood. One early part of PHG's success recipe was its consolidation of sales management and corporate account tracking for all properties to a centralized, web-based sales and catering system. "We focus on major-brand select service properties because th...
Brian Ehrlich Appointed as Chief Investment Officer for Ensemble Hotel Partners
Ensemble Hotel Partners | February 12, 2014
February 12, 2014 - Long Beach, CA - Ensemble Hotel Partners has announced the appointment of Brian Ehrlich as the company's new Chief Investment Officer. Ehrlich's vast experience in establishing new ventures and investment opportunities within the hospitality real estate industry will serve as a viable asset to the company and build on the solid foundation achieved by the Ensemble Hotel Partners team. "I am delighted to join the Ensemble team and look forward to helping the company grow through strategic investments," said Ehrlich. "Ensemble has a great national reputation and I'm honored to be a part of the team." Ehrlich is a gradua...
Hotel Equities Names Drew Salapka Vice President of Sales and Revenue Generation
Hotel Equities | February 12, 2014
ATLANTA (February 12, 2014) - Atlanta-based Hotel Equities (HE) recently named Drew Salapka to the position of Vice President of Sales and Revenue Generation. His responsibilities include leading the sales and revenue generation team which is responsible for the daily inventory and rate management of the firm's hotels. His team analyzes the demand for all markets, evaluates market strengths and weaknesses, and reports key statistics that impact the industry and individual hotels. The team also manages sales processes and directs the ongoing training of all key sales and revenue staff members. "Drew's analytical abilities, business sense...
TravelClick Hosts Complimentary Webinar on Q4 2013 Hotel Industry Performance
TravelClick | February 12, 2014
Maximizing Conversion in 2014 and Beyond Webinar Taking Place February 26 & 27, 2014 NEW YORK (February 12, 2014) — TravelClick, global provider of innovative cloud-based solutions that enable hotels to grow revenue, will present three free webinars on February 26 and 27 to review fourth quarter 2013 hotel performance results and trends. Findings will be presented by TravelClick executives John Hach, senior vice president, global product management, and Tim Hart, executive vice president, business intelligence. The webinars will be moderated by Barbara Taylor Carpender, President and CEO at Taylored Alliances. Hoteliers have acces...
Benchmark Hospitality Names Mike Lauria Director of Operations at Florida’s Bonaventure Resort & Spa
Bonaventure Resort & Spa | February 12, 2014
The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, February 12, 2014 - Benchmark Hospitality International, a leading U.S.-based hospitality management company, has appointed Mike Lauria director of operations for Bonaventure Resort & Spa, a Benchmark Resort® located in Fort Lauderdale. Charles Reece, Benchmark's general manager at the resort, made the announcement. "It is with great pleasure that I announce Mike's promotion at our resort," said Mr. Reece. "He comes to his new position with a legacy of service and excellence at Bonaventure Resort & Spa. Mike is a wonderful example of Benchmark's 'Be The Difference' service culture and of our comp...
Sari Pan Pacific Becomes First Jakarta Hotel to Embrace H2GO on iPod Touch
McLaren Technologies Asia Pacific Pte Ltd | February 11, 2014
Jakarta, February 2014 - The Sari Pan Pacific Jakarta set a new technology precedent this week when it became the first hotel in Jakarta to harness the power of HotSOS via H2GO on iPod Touch devices. A mobile version of popular HotSOS solution by Newmarket, H2GO provides hotel staff with the ability to respond, create, and maintain work orders efficiently and accurately, all via iPod Touch technology. Sari Pan Pacific Jakarta contracted McLaren Technologies, Asia Pacific's leading hospitality technology and communications specialist, to implement and deploy H2GO and the new iPod Touch devices. McLaren Technologies Managing Director said...
Online Video vs. Television – Advertising in the Digital Age
Ryan Fitzgerald | February 11, 2014
by Ryan Fitzgerald Global advertising spend in 2013 will see steady growth of 3.5 percent, reaching $503 billion by the end of the year, with the largest share in television advertising, according to ZenithOptimedia. The travel and hospitality industries are in the top five markets advertising on this medium, spending more than $152 million collectively. Although television still leads the way, consumer expectations have shifted, and your marketing dollars should too. In this article, we will discuss the benefits of online video advertising for hoteliers, specifically with YouTube's TrueView platform, in comparison to traditional televi...
Occidental Hotels & Resorts Names Iñigo Onieva Senior VP of Marketing & Global Distribution
Occidental Hotels & Resorts | February 11, 2014
Miami, FL (February 11, 2014) - Occidental Hotels & Resorts is proud to announce the appointment of Iñigo Onieva as Senior Vice President of Marketing and Global Distribution at the corporate offices in Miami. Onieva will help support direct sales and online agencies, especially in key markets in the Americas, and also improve positioning, customer experience and the reputation of the brand portfolio, which includes: Royal Hideaway, Occidental Grand Resorts, Allegro Resorts and Occidental City Hotels. "We are excited to welcome Iñigo Onieva to our team," said Jaime Buxó, Managing Director of Occidental Hotels & Resorts. "Inig...
Alex. Brown Rlty, Hillsboro, & Huntington JV to Develop Marriott Residence Inn in Hillsboro, Oregon
Alex. Brown Realty, Inc. (ABR) | February 11, 2014
February 11, 2014 - BALTIMORE - A joint venture formed by Alex. Brown Realty, Inc. (ABR), Hillsboro Hotel Development (HHD) and Huntington Hotel Group (HHG) has acquired a 4.93-acre site in Hillsboro, Oregon, approximately 15 miles northwest of downtown Portland. The joint venture plans to develop a Marriott Residence Inn on the site. Upon completion of the new hotel, ABR Chesapeake Fund IV, a real estate fund sponsored by ABR, expects to have approximately $8 million invested in the venture. The development site is along NE Brookwood Parkway, in the northeastern section of the 320-acre Dawson Creek Business Park. The site lies one mile...
Capital Markets Analysis by Dean Stambules
Hunter Hotel Advisors | February 11, 2014
The elongated and bumpy economic recovery of the past four years has faced one calamity after another. However, 2014 is poised to mark the first year since the housing and financial markets' collapse that GDP reaches the 3.0 percent mark. Stocks have already had a banner run in anticipation of the rebound; the housing market appears poised to take-off; balance sheets have stabilized, government discord seems to have moderated and consumer confidence is trending towards the positive. Despite expert sentiment that the commercial real estate (CRE) market would meltdown during "the great recession", the carnage was less than anticipated and...
Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort Completes Multimillion-Dollar Transformation
Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort | February 11, 2014
February 11, 2014 - HONOLULU - It's a new year and a new look for Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort as the property debuts a series of rejuvenation projects and enhancements. Upgrades include the redesign of the Village's iconic Bali Steak & Seafood and Paradise Lounge, Tapa Bar, and a new lobby and arrival experience. "It's important to us that we continue to keep our resort product fresh for guests," said Jerry Gibson, area vice president of Hilton Hawaii. "All of the updates provide a sophisticated, modern backdrop to our distinct Hawaiian hospitality, amenities and programs that our guests return year after year to ex...
