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All Things Independent
American Hotel Income Properties Renovates & Converts Jefferson City, Missouri Hotel to Oak Tree Inn
American Hotel Income Properties REIT LP | February 5, 2014
VANCOUVER, Feb. 5, 2014 - American Hotel Income Properties REIT LP ("AHIP") (Toronto Stock Exchange: HOT.UN; OTCQX: AHOTF) today announced the grand opening of the fully renovated Oak Tree Inn hotel located in Jefferson City, Missouri. The previously announced 77-room nationally franchised hotel was acquired on September 12, 2013 with cash. A long-term railway contract with a leading US railroad customer is now in place and new mortgage financing is expected by management to be obtained shortly. As part of a comprehensive $1 million renovation, AHIP implemented Oak Tree Inn's brand standards at the Jefferson City property including nois...
Chesapeake Lodging Trust to Convert its New York Midtown Hotel to the Hyatt Herald Square in Q3 2014
Chesapeake Lodging Trust | February 5, 2014
February 05, 2014 - ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Chesapeake Lodging Trust (NYSE:CHSP) (the "Trust") announced today that it has entered into a Franchise Agreement with a Hyatt affiliate to convert its current property located at 30-32 West 31st Street, New York, NY to the Hyatt Herald Square in the third quarter of 2014. Conversion of the property is expected to occur following the completion of a comprehensive six million dollar renovation. Property operation will close throughout the renovation project which is expected to begin in August and conclude by the end of September 2014. James L. Francis, Chesapeake Lodging Trust's President and Chief E...
Pegasus Solutions Names Linda Kent Senior Vice President, Distribution Strategy
Pegasus Solutions | February 5, 2014
Well Known Hotel Distribution Executive Brings Decades of Hotel Experience to New Role DALLAS (February 5, 2014) – Pegasus Solutions has named Linda Kent senior vice president, distribution strategy. In the new role, Kent will help define and shape innovative distribution services and features to bolster Pegasus' position as the world's single largest processor of electronic hotel transactions. "Linda is a well-known and highly regarded professional with deep experience in hospitality distribution," said David Millili, chief executive officer of Pegasus Solutions. "She has a keen understanding of global distribution and connectivity s...
The 115-room Holiday Inn Express Bali Kuta Square Opens in Indonesia
CSM Lodging | February 5, 2014
Jakarta, 5 February 2014: InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has opened a brand new Holiday Inn Express hotel in Bali, Indonesia. The 115-room Holiday Inn Express Bali Kuta Square is located along the vibrant coast of one of the world's most famous beach destinations and preludes the launch of 11 more Holiday Inn Express properties across the country in the next few years. "We are very excited to welcome Holiday Inn Express Bali Kuta Square and it is the third Holiday Inn Express to open in Indonesia within three months. This is one of the fastest growing hotel brands in the world and Indonesia accounts for a significant portion of our...
Carlson’s Statement on White Lodging Data Breach Investigation
Busy Rooms | February 5, 2014
February 05, 2014 - Radisson deeply values the privacy of the personal information of our guests. The brand is working closely with White Lodging, the management company for our franchisee and the other 13 impacted hotels, as they investigate the breach at the Radisson Star Plaza in Merrillville, IN. This is the only Radisson hotel managed by White Lodging. Since there is no evidence that the suspected breach originated with or impacted any systems that Radisson or Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group owns or controls, we do not have additional information to provide at this time. ...
Tammy Pahel Appointed as Spa Director for South Florida’s Turnberry Isle Miami
February 5, 2014
AVENTURA, FL (February 5, 2014) - Turnberry Isle Miami, South Florida's legendary resort and private club, has appointed Tammy Pahel as Spa Director, effective immediately. In her new role, Pahel is responsible for overseeing the property's Mediterranean-style Spa & Fitness center, which has consecutively maintained its Four-Star Spa status from Forbes Travel Guide since 2004, when the spa ratings were first published. Pahel returns to Turnberry Isle Miami after opening the spa under the same position in 2001. "Tammy has established herself as a leader in the spa, fitness and wellness industry, with twenty-plus years of experience,"...
Blurred Lines: Hotel Public Relations in the Age of Social Media
Daniel Edward Craig | February 5, 2014
By Daniel Edward Craig, writing for ReviewPro These days, anyone can publish a review, photos and videos of their latest vacation and share it with the masses. So then how important is media coverage? And how has social media changed the role of public relations for hotels? During the most recent ReviewPro webinar, Leveraging Social Media for Public Relations, I consulted a panel of travel journalists, social media experts and hoteliers on these questions. And while there were no definitive answers-we're kind of making up the rules as we go along-our panelists shared some great insight and tips. Here are the highlights. Redefining the r...
Mike Leven to Receive “Above & Beyond Award” from Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA)
Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) | February 5, 2014
February 5, 2014 - Iconic hotelier Mike Leven will be honored with AAHOA's first-ever "Above and Beyond Award" at the group's Annual Convention & Trade Show being held on March 19 -22 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. The presentation is being made on Friday, March 21 as part of the group's 25th anniversary celebration. "Mike was one of the architects of AAHOA in the late 1980's," explained Mehul Patel, AAHOA Chairman. "Our success and longevity is testimony to his vision, so there is no person more appropriate for us to honor as we mark 25 years of achievement. It's certainly no exaggeration to say we would not...
Shift4 Celebrates 20 Years of Payments Innovation
Shift4 Corporation | February 5, 2014
LAS VEGAS - Tuesday, February 5, 2014 - Shift4 Corporation, provider of DOLLARS ON THE NET®, the world' s largest independent payment gateway, celebrates 20 years of payments industry innovation and merchant advocacy. The Shift4 story begins back in the early 1990s when the Shift4 Founders, who were then running a successful accounting software business, accepted a challenge to help a customer integrate her new credit card processing system with their accounting software. After months of research, they came up with a solution and found themselves at the ground floor of a new industry - online payment processing. "You could say that Shi...
Lodging Insights Video: PKF Shares Thoughts on Group Hotel Demand & the GDP
PKF Hospitality Research | February 5, 2014
ATLANTA, Ga., February 5, 2014 - Mark Woodworth and Jack Corgel just got back from Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS). Here are their latest thoughts on the recent GDP figure release and any weakness in group hotel demand. ...
Industry Leaders Examine Qatar’s Long Term Vision of Tourism Sector During Meeting Hosted by AHIC
AHIC 2014 | February 5, 2014
Doha, Qatar 5 February 2014: The organisers of the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference (AHIC 2013) held an invitation only regional briefing this week hosted by InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) in Crown Plaza in Doha, to discuss Qatar's long term vision of the tourism sector and review of local and global hotel performance indicators and pipeline. The briefing commenced with a global review of key hotel performance indicators and pipeline with a focus on Qatar, presented by Philip Wooller, Area Director for Middle East and Africa at STR Global. Philip said: "Despite another year of increased supply (6.5%) Doha continues to improve it...
The Plasencia Group Reveals a Fresh Look Following Its 20th Anniversary
The Plasencia Group | February 5, 2014
Tampa, Fla. (February 5, 2014) – Entering its third decade of providing personalized hospitality investment advisory services, The Plasencia Group is introducing a new logo and branding for the firm and its affiliates. The Company has undertaken a number of endeavors as part of the transformation, including the refreshing of the firm's logo, the release of a new company website and the implementation of state-of-the-art Citrix ShareFile Virtual Data Room technology. Founded in 1993 with one office in Tampa, Florida, The Plasencia Group now maintains a national footprint through its regional offices strategically situated throughout th...
Final Stage Begins of Restoration of CA’s Beverly Hills Hotel; All 135 Rooms & Suites to Be Updated
Dorchester Collection | February 5, 2014
February 5, 2014 (Beverly Hills, CA) - With the introduction of the first new guestrooms and suites at The Beverly Hills Hotel, the last phase of the hotel-wide restoration program led by Adam D. Tihany is underway at the iconic landmark hotel. Completed accommodations feature sophisticated palettes and integrated technology, adding luxury and relevance to the guest experience. All guest rooms and suites* are expected to be refreshed by the end of 2014, with 20 to 35 rooms slated to undergo restoration at any one time. The many new features and amenities showcased have been designed to enhance the feeling of modernity while keeping a ch...
Hotel Spa Reservations Training Tips by Doug Kennedy
Doug Kennedy | February 5, 2014
Having spent most of my career presenting sales training for hotel front desk and room reservations agents, it has been interesting these last few years to see an increasing number of upscale hotel and resort spa managers reaching out for the same type of sales and guest service excellence training. When you think about it, it makes complete sense as they face many of the same challenging call scenarios as hotel front desk and reservations agents. Examples include callers who: - Have been online prior to calling but who need the personal reassurance that the spa is a good choice, which only a human voice can offer. - Are confused b...
Felcor Sells its 232-room Embassy Suites Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia for $17.2 Million
FelCor Lodging Trust Incorporated | February 5, 2014
Enters Agreement to Sell Embassy Suites Hotel in Bloomington, Minnesota IRVING, Texas, February 5, 2014 - FelCor Lodging Trust Incorporated (NYSE: FCH) today announced that it has sold its 232-room Embassy Suites hotel in Atlanta, GA for $17.2 million. The company also agreed to sell its 218-room Embassy Suites hotel in Bloomington, MN for $24 million. The purchaser has paid a non-refundable deposit toward the purchase price, and FelCor expects the sale to close in March. FelCor is using asset sales proceeds to repay outstanding debt, including the $11 million loan secured by the Atlanta property. With the exception of historical inform...
3 Tips to Improve Your Communication Skills by Jim Hartigan
Jim Hartigan | February 5, 2014
In the book "Point Man," author Steve Farrar recounts how Albert Einstein was once invited to speak at Swarthmore College. Before a sizeable crowd, the great theoretical physicist stepped up to the podium and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, I am very sorry, but I have nothing to say." The audience was stunned. Einstein then returned to the podium and said, "In case I have something to say, I will come back and say it." Half a year later, Einstein contacted the college's president and said, "Now I have something to say." This time, Einstein stood before a crowd at Swarthmore College and delivered a speech. Communication Tip # 1: Have someth...
Tourism Tidbits: Marketing in Good and Challenging Times by Dr. Peter Tarlow
Dr. Peter E. Tarlow | February 5, 2014
Marketing is never easy, especially when we are selling a non-tangible and often considered superficial or non-essential product. Many consider tourism such a product. It is the job of the tourism marketer to convince the public that a vacation is more than a mere want; that it is also a need. In 2013 the Board of Directors of the American Marketing Association approved the following definition for marketing: Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large. (Approved July 2013). The defin...
Centara Hotels & Resorts to Open Centara Ceysands Resort & Spa in Sri Lanka in Spring 2014
Centara Hotels & Resorts | February 5, 2014
BANGKOK, Feb. 5, 2014 - Centara Hotels & Resorts will open Centara Ceysands Resort & Spa, its second resort in Sri Lanka in the spring of 2014. The resort is owned by Softlogic Properties (PVT) Ltd., but will be operated by Centara under a management contract. Centara Ceysands Resort & Spa is located on the Bentota Peninsula at the south side of the island with the Bentota River on one side and the Indian Ocean on the other. This new resort's arrival lounge is located at Aluthgama and guests arrive at the resort after traveling across the water by barge, a trip of about five minutes. "Bentota is one of the most exciting new ...
Travelers Now Read Hotel Reviews in a Revolutionary New Way: Meta-Reviews™ Summarize Everything Said
TrustYou | February 5, 2014
More than 120 Sites use TrustYou's Meta-Reviews™ to help travelers make better choices. New York, NY and Munich, Germany - February 5, 2014 - Since launching in late 2013, TrustYou has integrated its Meta-Review solutions and TrustScore into a large number of OTAs, Metasearch sites, GDSs and Destination Marketing Organizations. The Meta-Review is a text summary derived from a semantic analysis of all reviews worldwide. The TrustScore represents the overall reputation score for a particular hotel based on all reviews, with newer written reviews carrying more weight than older ones. "When we evaluated TrustYou's Meta-Reviews, it was obv...
R.D. Olson Development Breaks Ground on $44 M Springhill Suites by Marriott in Burbank, California
SpringHill Suites by Marriott | February 5, 2014
Burbank and Irvine, Calif. - February 5, 2014 - R.D. Olson Development has broken ground on the five-story, 170-room SpringHill Suites by Marriott hotel in Burbank, Calif. Executives from R.D. Olson Development and Marriott International joined City of Burbank Mayor Emily Gabel-Luddy and civic leaders at the ceremonial groundbreaking. The new hotel represents the continued revitalization of Downtown Burbank, with an interior design theme that pays homage to the area's rich history in the entertainment industry. Construction will be performed by R.D. Olson Construction and is planned for completion in spring 2015. R.D. Olson Development ...
Palm Grove Beach Hotels & Hilton Worldwide to Develop 310-room Conrad Pune, a Brand Debut in India
Conrad Hotels and Resorts | February 5, 2014
February 05, 2014 - DELHI NCR, India & MCLEAN, Va. - Hilton Worldwide today announced the signing of a management agreement with Palm Grove Beach Hotels Pvt. Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of the K. Raheja Constructions Group, to open Conrad Pune, the first Conrad Hotels & Resorts branded hotel in India. The launch of Conrad Pune in Maharashtra next year will mark the global luxury brand's entry into the country. Conrad Hotels & Resorts, part of the Hilton Worldwide portfolio of brands, has established a reputation for offering today's contemporary and sophisticated travellers a world of style and intuitive service. "Conrad...
Costly Hotel Airport Shuttle Fee Increase Proposed by Metro Washington Airport Authority
Virginia Hospitality and Travel Association | February 4, 2014
Washington, D.C. (February 5, 2014). – The Metro Washington Airport Authority accepted public comments on January 24, 2014,regarding: an increase in the taxicab dispatch and operator's fee at Reagan National Airport, an increase in the permit fee for rental car companies operating from a location outside of the airport, and an increase in the permit fee for hotel shuttles by the Metro Washington Airport Authority(MWAA). The Hotel Transportation Coalition, founded in 2009 to unify the voice of the hotel owners, operators and staff members working closely with the MWAA, estimate the proposed increases in airport shuttle fees would resul...
Sage Hospitality Names Todd Iseri as Area Director of Sales & Marketing
The Oxford Hotel | February 4, 2014
Overseeing Denver's Oxford Hotel and The Crawford Hotel at Denver Union Station Denver, Colo. (Feb. 4, 2014) - Denver's Sage Hospitality, one of the nation's top hotel investment and management companies, has named Todd Iseri as the Area Director of Sales & Marketing overseeing Denver's Oxford Hotel and the new Crawford Hotel, an independent hotel opening in Denver Union Station this summer. Iseri has been at Sage's Napa Valley Marriott Hotel & Spa in Napa, California since 2008, most recently serving as the Director of Sales & Marketing. He previously served as the Director of Sales & Marketing at the Valley River Inn a...
The Kennebunkport Resort Collection Restructures Management Team for 2014 Season
Kennebunkport Resort Collection (KRC) | February 4, 2014
KENNEBUNKPORT, ME (February 4, 2014) - In a continuing effort to redefine coastal Maine's hospitality landscape, the Kennebunkport Resort Collection (KRC) today announced a management restructure. Designed to enhance the guest experience at each property and realize synergies between them, the restructuring will further enhance KRC's reputation for fine dining and hospitality, according to KRC Founding Partner and Operator Debbie Lennon. Justin Grimes, general manager of the luxury resort Hidden Pond, will add management of The Tides Beach Club to his roster. Damien Janowicz, the former general manager of The Tides Beach Club, will now ...
