Analysis-Companies Boost Social and Climate Reporting Amid ESG Backlash
November 4th, 2024
Steve Hicks Named Vice President of Resort Operations, North America for Diamond Resorts International / December 2007
April 30, 2007
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Las Vegas - December 11 2007 -- Diamond Resorts International(r) (DRI), a global leader in vacation ownership, has appointed Steve Hicks to vice president of Resort Operations, North America. Hicks joins a strong executive team committed to delivering the highest standards of guest satisfaction and hospitality. Prior to joining DRI, Hicks held the position of vice president of Resort Operations at ResortCom and was president of the Hospitality Division at Shell Vacations, LLC, where he directed all aspects of the Hospitality Management Division including its 22 vacation ownership...
San Diego Tourism Outlook Is Overcast; Hotel occupancy Down from 73.3% in 2006 to about 72.9% in 2007 / December 2007
April 30, 2007
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive By David Washburn, The San Diego Union-TribuneMcClatchy-Tribune Regional News Dec. 28, 2007 - Spiraling energy prices, plummeting home prices and the nationwide credit crunch hurt San Diego's tourism industry in 2007 and have clouded the outlook for next year as well, according to a report from the San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau. A projected 31.4 million people visited the county in 2007, a 2.1 percent decrease from 2006. The county saw fewer of nearly all visitor types, with the number of overnight visitors dropping 3.6 ...
Royco Hotels Adds Management Depth, New Systems in Response to Growth from Largest Client Supertel Hospitality / December 2007
April 30, 2007
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive NORFOLK, Neb., December 13, 2007 Royco Hotels, one of North Americas largest independent hotel management companies, today announced that it had added significant depth to its management team and is introducing a number of cutting-edge operating systems to accommodate the companys recent rapid growth and to provide a robust platform for future expansion. We have nearly doubled our managed portfolio in the past 12 months, due primarily to an upsurge in acquisitions in the limited-service and extended-stay hotel segments by our largest client, Supertel Hospitality, Inc. (N...
Hotel Industry Outlook: Industry Fundamentals – Where have we been? Where are we going? / December 2007
April 30, 2007
Hotel Online Special Report The Global Hospitality Advisor . Hotel Industry Outlook 2008: A Roundtable Discussion Industry Fundamentals Where have we been? Where are we going? Jim Butler: Welcome, everyone. Shortly, we will talk about the exciting opportunities and challenges facing us in 2008 and beyond, but lets start with your thoughts on what was important about 2007. Mark Lomanno, President, Smith Travel Research: 2007 will likely be remembered as the inflection point towards the industrys soft landing Rate increases remained steady at a little less than 6% and occupancy grew slightly...
April 30, 2007
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive 3 December 2007: Accor is to take over the management of Rotoruas century-old iconic hotel, Princes Gate Hotel, on 1 January 2008. Built in 1897, Princes Gate Hotel is one of New Zealands finest boutique hotels, having been beautifully restored to offer a truly authentic and character-filled accommodation experience. Owners Brett and Vlasta Marvelly purchased the Hotel in 1986 and are extremely passionate about the property. When they bought the hotel, they had one thing in mind: to make the Princes Gate Hotel not only New Zealands finest boutique hotel, but a...
The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester Opens in Downtown White Plains, New York; The 118-room Hotel Is Set in a 44-story Glass Building Designed Architect Cost
April 30, 2007
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive WHITE PLAINS, NY December 19, 2007 - More than 700 dignitaries and invited guests attended the Grand Opening of The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester and BLT Steak on December 19, 2007 in downtown White Plains, New York. The debut of The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester is bringing a new level of luxury and guest service to this fast-growing, cosmopolitan suburb located a mere 32 minutes from Manhattan -- yet miles from the ordinary. The new 118-room hotel is set in a sleek, 44-story glass building designed by renowned architects Costas Kondylis and Partners, and located at Three Renaissance...
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company Opens Third Property in China, the 305-room Ritz-Carlton, Beijing / December 2007
April 30, 2007
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive CHEVY CHASE, Md. December 11, 2007 - With the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics just months away, and the city embarked on an aggressive upgrade of its tourism facilities before the arrival of millions of athletes and visitors, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. will open its third property in China in the central business district at Central Place, December 12, 2007. The 305-room Ritz-Carlton, Beijing will offer introductory rates as low as U.S. $200 through February 29, 2008. We are very pleased to open our third China hotel in Beijing, a city which has und...
Right-Sized Staffing Ensures Front Desk Sales & Service Success / Doug Kennedy / December 2007
April 30, 2007
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive By Doug Kennedy, December 2007 Recently after completing an afternoon keynote address at a remote mountain ski/golf resort I decided to drive straight back to the nearby city and airport Id flown into earlier in the week, versus risking taking the one hour drive over dark, unfamiliar roads and end up getting lost en route to my early morning flight. Since Id be paying for this room myself, and since I was mostly concerned with the hotels location being near the airport, I jumped online and simultaneously on the phone (like any good rate shopper these days!) and booked a roo...
Richmond, Virginia Area On Track for its Best Year ever in Hotel Occupancy; 2,000 Rooms are Under Construction / December 2007
April 30, 2007
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive By Gail Kelley, Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va.McClatchy-Tribune Regional News Dec. 19, 2007 - No room at the inn. That would be an overstatement, but the Richmond region is on track for its best year ever in hotel occupancy, the Richmond Convention and Visitors Bureau says. According to Smith Travel Research figures for the 12 months ending in October, the latest numbers available, hotel occupancy was 65.2 percent. In the previous 12 months, occupancy was a record 62.4 percent. Jack Berry, president and chief executi...
Richmond Marriott Hotel Being Acquired by Apple REIT Seven for $53.3 million; The Procaccianti Group Had Bought the 389 room Hotel in 2002 for $10.4
April 30, 2007
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive By Linda Dunham, Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va.McClatchy-Tribune Regional News Dec. 8, 2007 - Richmond Marriott Hotel is being acquired by Apple REIT Seven, a local real estate investment group. The sale should be completed sometime in January. According to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Apple REIT Seven will pay $53.3 million for the 18-floor hotel at 500 E. Broad St. Company officials declined to comment on the purchase. The Procaccianti Group of Cranston, R.I., bought the hotel in 2002 for $10.4 mi...
Restaurant Industry Outlook Softens: Restaurant Operators Reporting Negative Same-store Sales for the First Time in Nine Months / National Restaurant
April 30, 2007
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Expectations Index fell below 100 for the first time in RPI history WASHINGTON, Dec. 28, 2007 - The outlook for the restaurant industry continued to weaken in November, as the National Restaurant Association's comprehensive index of restaurant activity fell to its lowest level in more than four years. The Association's Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) -- a monthly composite index that tracks the health of and outlook for the U.S. restaurant industry -- stood at 99.0 in November, down 1.0 percent from October and its lowest level since February 2003. "November's decline in ...
2008 Top Hotel and Restaurant Trends To Watch / Andrew Freeman & Co. / December 2007
April 30, 2007
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive San Francisco, CA, December 12, 2007 -- Today, Andrew Freeman & Co. (AF&&Co.), a leading hospitality and restaurant consulting firm, released its 2008 Trend Watch list. Tapping into the pulse of the hospitality and restaurant marketplace for the coming year, the Trend Watch lists the top restaurant/bar and top hotel trends to expect in the New Year. Top trends for restaurants and bars range from artisan salt selections to Izakaya bar menus; chefs growing their own gardens, and cupcakes moving from kids plates to adult menus. Top hotel trends include the rise of smallish boho-chi...
Owned by Kimberly-Clark Corp. the 5-year-old 875 room Renaissance St. Louis Hotel Continues to Struggle Financially / December 2007
April 30, 2007
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive By David Nicklaus, St. Louis Post-DispatchMcClatchy-Tribune Regional News Dec. 19, 2007 - The Kleenex folks have dipped into their pockets one more time to cover an interest payment for downtown's Renaissance Grand & Suites Hotel. There's reason to believe, though, that they might hold on to their cash next time. Meanwhile, a consultant's report says the 5-year-old hotel will continue to struggle financially for at least five more years. All of this lends new urgency to efforts aimed at refinancing the hotel's debt. It als...
Apollo to Buy Regent Seven Seas Cruises From Carlson for a Reported $1Billion; Carlson Retains Regent Brand, Appoints Bjorn Gullaksen as President, Re
April 30, 2007
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive December 10, 2007 - Minneapolis-based Carlson and Apollo Management L.P. (Apollo) today announced that Apollo has agreed to acquire Carlson's Regent Seven Seas Cruises operations. The acquisition is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2008, subject to normal conditions for a transaction of this type, including regulatory approval. The cruise operations will continue as a key part of the global Regent brand. Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Oceania Cruises will be placed under the ownership of Prestige Cruise Holdings, Inc. (PCH), a corporation controlled by Apollo which...
The Reef Atlantis, The Newest Kerzner Resort, To Fund Conservation of Failing Coral Reef Environments In Bahamian Waters / December 2007
April 30, 2007
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive In December, 2007, Kerzner International will conclude its $1 billion Phase III development with the opening of its newest tower, The Reef Atlantis. The new 497-key tower will offer guests home-like accommodations and amenities - with the beach as a backyard - while instigating conservation and protection of the world's oceans. Through a partnership with Kerzner Marine Foundation ("KMF"), Kerzner's non-profit foundation that fosters the preservation and enhancement of global marine ecosystems through scientific research, education and community outreach, The Reef will be the ...
April 30, 2007
Ten Ways Preventive Maintenance Can Help Reduce Energy Costs This Winter . Courtesy of Mintek Mobile Data SolutionsLodgings PM Expert DUNEDIN, FLA.December 3, 2007 According to two government forecasts, you can expect to pay up to 10 percent more for natural gas this winter, 4 percent more for electricity, 22 percent more for heating oil and 16 percent if you happen to use propane. That should be no surprise, considering that the price of oil has been flirting with $100 per barrel. The good news is that the impact of these increases can be minimized through an effective preventive maintenance (PM) program. Proper PM h...
Robert Trotter as General Nanager and Kristen Pryor as the Director of Sales and Marketing at The Westin Riverfront & Spa in Avon, Colorado / December
April 30, 2007
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Avon, Colo. December 2007 The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa is pleased to announce the appointment of two key top executives Robert Trotter as general manager and Kristen Pryor as the director of sales and marketing. Trotter brings more than 20 years of industry experience to the property, most recently serving as the general manager of the successful JW Marriott Denver at Cherry Creek. A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Trotter has also managed properties such as the boutique Hotel Monaco in Denver, Colo., the Sheraton Tacoma in Tacoma, Wash. and two Red Li...
Rudy Sharp Named Managing Director of the 223-room Edgewater in Seattle / December 2007
April 30, 2007
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive SEATTLE, WA . . December 18, 2007. . Seattle-based Noble House Hotels & Resorts announced the appointment of Rudy Sharp to Managing Director of its 223-room flagship property, The Edgewater, according to Noble House President Greg Champion. Sharp, who brings more than 22 years of revered hospitality experience to Seattles iconic waterfront property, will be responsible for all facets of the resorts daily operations. Were pleased to welcome Rudy to the Noble House family, said Champion. His vast experience in hotel management, knowledge of the Seattle market and ...
Riu Hotels & Resorts Begins Construction of its 14th Mexican Resort, the 484 suite Riu Palace Pacifico in Puerto Vallarta / December 2007
April 30, 2007
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Majorca, Spain (December 11, 2007) Following the recent completion and grand opening of the new $150 million Riu Santa Fe in Cabo San Lucas, Riu Hotels & Resorts commenced construction of its newest Mexican property. The Riu Palace Pacifico will be RIUs third hotel in Puerto Vallarta and bring Riu Palace level accommodations, luxuries and amenities to this popular destination for the first time. Puerto Vallarta is a truly vibrant and wonderful city ideal for leisure vacations imbued with fun, festivity and excitement, said Luis Riu, CEO and Owner of Riu Hotels & Resor...
Castle Resorts & Hotels Acquires New Contract with Queen Kapiolani Hotel in Waikiki / December 2007
April 30, 2007
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive HONOLULU - December 13, 2007 - The Castle Group, Inc. (OTCBB:CAGU) today announced that its subsidiary Castle Resorts & Hotels has been selected as the management company for the Queen Kapiolani Hotel to handle sales, marketing and reservations, effective December 1, 2007. The addition of Queen Kapiolani Hotel to our portfolio follows our strategic growth plan of increasing our inventory both internationally and in Hawaii, said Alan Mattson, president and chief operating officer of Castle Resorts & Hotels. Our presence in Waikiki has more than doubled in the past year ...
Strategic Hotels & Resorts Acquires 57 Acres of Oceanfront Land in Punta Mita, Mexico for an As-yet-unnamed Mixed-use Resort Development / December 20
April 30, 2007
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive DINE Sells Last Hotel Development Site in Punta Mita, Mexico Punta Mita effectively sold out for large-scale development opportunities PUNTA MITA, MEXICO - December 18, 2007 - DINE, developer/owner of Punta Mita, a 1,500-acre, master-planned, luxury second-home resort community on Mexicos Pacific Coast, has sold its last remaining hotel development parcel to Strategic Hotels & Resorts, Inc., a real estate investment trust and owner and asset manager of 21 high-end hotels and resorts in North America and Europe. The Chicago-based REIT purchased some 57 acres of pri...
Tourism Asset Holdings Limited Building Two Accor Branded Hotels in Syndey, Australia, Pullman Sydney Olympic Park and Hotel Ibis King Street Wharf /
April 30, 2007
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive 14 December 2007: Australias largest hotel group, Accor, announced today that it would launch its new 5-star Pullman brand in Australia, with the Pullman Sydney Olympic Park scheduled to open in August 2008. It will be the only 5-star hotel to open in Sydney this decade. Accor also announced the only new-build hotel to open in the Sydney central business district this decade Ibis King Street Wharf, which is currently under construction and is planned for opening by the end of 2008. First Pullman Hotel for Australia Pullman Sydney Olympic Park is being developed b...
The ProHost® Housekeeping System Has Been Selected for the 319 room Westin Alexandria in Virginia / December 2007
April 30, 2007
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive December 13, 2007 Hostar International, Inc. is pleased to announce that the recently opened Westin Alexandria chose the Full Service ProHost® System for their housekeeping operations. The Westin Alexandria is a 6 floor 319-room luxury hotel. This building is a part of Alexandria's newest community, The Carlyle at King Street Metro in Old Town Alexandria. The ProHost® system was chosen to provide each room attendant with an ergonomic work station called the Mobile Supplier. Each mobile carries a precise mix of linen, terries and amenities matched to his or her spe...
Pritzkers Turn Page In Saga of Breakup: Warren Buffett's Purchase of Marmon Stake May Supply Clue on How Hyatt Hotel Chain Might be Sold / Dece
April 30, 2007
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive By Kathy Bergen, Chicago TribuneMcClatchy-Tribune Regional News Dec. 27, 2007 - If the dissolution of the Pritzker empire were a book, the latest chapter -- the sale of industrial conglomerate Marmon Holdings Inc. to investor Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc. -- could provide tantalizing clues to how the crown jewel, the Hyatt hotel chain, might be sold. While the billionaire family has been grooming Global Hyatt Corp. into an entity that could be taken public, observers now say a private deal may be just as likely. ...
