China's First Heavenly Spa by Westin Creates Oasis in Beijing Wall Street / July 2007

March 30, 2007

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive China's First Heavenly Spa by Westin Creates Oasis in Beijing Wall Street Special for Hotel Online by Bernard Burt, July 11, 2007 Charlie Deng, General Manager of the Westin Beijing, took the hotel chain’s The Heavenly Bed® and The Heavenly Shower® to new heights when China’s first Heavenly Spa by Westin opened last month. Committed to a healthy lifestyle, Deng visited spas across Asia and Europe to select features for his core customer, jet-lagged executives. Extending the spa concept to guest rooms, Deng teamed with Westin on an exclusive feature, called Renewal Room...

Benchmark Reopens Historic Bedford Springs Resort; Classic Springs Resort Has Hosted Presidents, Heads of State & Society Elite / July 2007

March 30, 2007

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive   Benchmark Reopens Historic Bedford Springs Resort Classic Springs Resort Has Hosted Presidents,  Heads of State & Society Elite The Woodlands, Texas, July 12, 2007 - Benchmark Hospitality International reopened the circa 1796 Bedford Springs Resort this morning in a celebration honoring the property's historic past and anticipating its promising future.  The opening showcased the $120 million restoration and expansion program for the historic 'springs' resort, which yielded authentically restored public spaces, reclaimed exterior, enlarged and updated guestrooms,...

After 51 years in Business, the Sheraton Bal Harbour Drawing Big Crowds to Liquidation; Stiff Competition for Beds, China, Lamps, Wine Glasses / Jul

March 30, 2007

Hotel Online  News for the Hospitality Executive By Yamiche Alcindor, The Miami HeraldMcClatchy-Tribune Regional News Jul. 13, 2007 - Beds, sheets, stainless steel, lamps, used. For $1, you can take home a fork once used by Bill Clinton. Or perhaps it was Hillary. There are thousands of pieces of china, hundreds of color televisions and one massive glass centerpiece, just perfect for your living room. After 51 years in the business, the Sheraton Bal Harbour is about to be demolished to make room for the new St. Regis Resort & Residences. Everything -- even the ca...

Barry Sternlicht's Starwood Capital Group Conceives Third Hotel Brand; Baccarat Hotels and Resorts Joins Crillon and 1 Hotels & Resorts / July 20

March 30, 2007

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive   Barry Sternlicht's Starwood Capital Group Conceives Third Hotel Brand;  Baccarat Hotels and Resorts Joins Crillon and 1 Hotels & Resorts GREENWICH, Conn., July 3, 2007 - Starwood Capital Group, an international real estate investment and development firm led by Barry Sternlicht, announced today the creation of Baccarat Hotels and Resorts, a five-star luxury hotel brand inspired by Baccarat's global iconic status. Starwood Capital Group's controlled affiliate owns 86% of the shares of the Baccarat company. For more than 200 years, Baccarat has been synonymous with ...

Barbara Bejan Named Vice President, International Brand Performance Support for Hilton Garden Inn / July 2007

March 30, 2007

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Barbara Bejan Named Vice President, International Brand Performance Support for Hilton Garden Inn Maurice Casaus Appointed General Manager of the Hilton Garden Inn Los Angeles Airport/El Segundo BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., July 11, 2007 – Hilton Garden Inn®, the upscale mid-priced brand known for offering services and attributes that allow guests to work smart, eat well, stay fit and experience ‘sleep deep’ on the road, is proud to announce the appointments of Barbara Bejan to vice president, international brand performance support for Hilton Garden Inn and Maurice Ca...

Avasara Consulting Helps Wynn Resorts Macau to Deliver the Ultimate in Service for Guests; Sophisticated hotel and gaming system drives profitability

March 30, 2007

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive   Avasara Consulting Helps Wynn Resorts Macau to Deliver the Ultimate in Service for Guests . Sophisticated hotel and gaming system drives profitability    Macau SAR, China 1 May 2007 – Avasara Consulting, a leading provider of information technology services for the hospitality and casino industries in Asia, has been selected by Wynn Resorts (Macau), S.A., to provide services for the commissioning and implementation of its hotel systems.   As part of the agreement, Avasara is responsible for the configuration, training and implementation of the full range of hotel s...

Agenda Set for HFTP's Hotel Assistant Controllers Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, Aug 19-20, 2007 / July 2007

March 30, 2007

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive  Agenda Set for HFTP's Hotel Assistant Controllers Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, Aug 19-20, 2007 AUSTIN, TEXAS (July 16, 2007) - Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals’ (HFTP®) new educational conference, the Assistant Controllers Conference, will provide an intimate gathering of hospitality accounting staff with experts in the hospitality industry. The conference will include worthwhile education sessions in the hotel and club fields; networking opportunities with HFTP board members, who are leaders within the industry; and certification reviews ...

Associate Retention: More Than Just Showing Them The Money / Josh Davies / July 2007

March 30, 2007

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Associate Retention: More Than Just Showing Them The Money by Josh Davies, Director of Training and Development, Sage Hospitality  July 2007 - It seems that every day we get a new prediction or statistic of the coming labor crisis that threatens to cripple our industry. Magazines and newspapers trumpet the news in an attempt to get companies to come up with new and innovative ways to recruit employees.  Turnover in the hospitality industry averages more than 100 percent, and Cornell University estimates that the cost of turnover is about $5,000 per associate in lost product...

March 30, 2007

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Asian Hospitality Leaders at HSMAI Rountable Call for Standardization of Ratings System for Asian Hotels; “Who Decides What is Five Star?" SINGAPORE (July 11, 2007) – Sales and marketing leaders from the hospitality industry, speaking at the inaugural Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Asia Pacific - CNI Thought Leaders in Marketing Roundtable in Singapore, called for a review of Asian hospitality practices as well as the creation of a body to take charge of the issue of standardizing services, metrics and ratings for the industry.     Â...

March 30, 2007

Hotel Online  Special Report ARAMARK Harrison Lodging’s Hosted Executive Education Facilities Place High on Financial Times Executive Education Lists . Six AHL hosted facilities included on Financial Times Executive Education 2007 Top 65 Custom Program Providers Lists PHILADELPHIA (July 2, 2007) – Six ARAMARK Harrison Lodging (AHL) managed executive education facilities were among the Financial Times 2007 Top 50 open enrollment program providers, and six facilities were among the Top 65 under the custom program providers list, respectively. For the past nine years, the Financial Times has annually ranked schools ...

Rosewood and Martiz, Wolff & Co. Complete Enhancement of the 57 room Inn of the Anasazi, Santa Fe, New Mexico / July 2007

March 30, 2007

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Rosewood and Martiz, Wolff & Co. Complete Enhancement of the 57 room Inn of the Anasazi, Santa Fe, New Mexico  7/26/2007 - Intimate world-class retreat, Inn of the Anasazi, A Rosewood Hotel has long been celebrated for its magnificent Southwestern style. To ensure that the integrity of the interior continues to match its local architecture, Inn of the Anasazi has just completed a redesign of the entire property including the addition of The Patio, a new outdoor dining venue, as well as the introduction of The Art Loan Program.  Massive doors hand-carved by Morelli depictin...

Located In a Des Moines Iowa Suburb, the Prairie Meadows Racetrack / July 2007

March 30, 2007

Hotel Online  News for the Hospitality Executive By Fred Mann, The Wichita Eagle, Kan.McClatchy-Tribune Regional News July 15, 2007 - DES MOINES -- Sandy Crawley prowled the smoky casino floor at Prairie Meadows in jeans and a pink ball cap on a recent weeknight, playing the 25-cent slots with her sister. Neither was having any luck. But when a machine they'd been waiting for became available, they quickly hit a "Sizzlin' 7" jackpot that paid 500 quarters. One hour later, most of the coins were gone, and Crawley, a retiree from Karsruhe, Germany, was nearing her $...

Hans Altenhoff Appointed General Manager of the 694-room Sheraton Cable Beach Resort in Nassau, The Bahamas / July 2007

March 30, 2007

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive   Hans Altenhoff Appointed General Manager of the  694-room Sheraton Cable Beach Resort in Nassau, The Bahamas Plantation, Fla. - July 5, 2007 - Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) is pleased to announce the appointment of 21-year hotel industry veteran Hans Altenhoff as general manager of the all-new Sheraton Cable Beach Resort in Nassau, The Bahamas, which opened its doors June 12, 2007.     The Sheraton Cable Beach Resort is owned by Baha Mar Resorts Ltd., and operated by its subsidiary Cable Beach Resorts & Crystal Palace Casino.  The Sher...

John Q. Hammons Building a 225 room Full-service Courtyard® by Marriott® Hotel in Allen, Texas, Located Across the Street from the Previously

March 30, 2007

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive   John Q. Hammons Building a 225 room Full-service Courtyard® by Marriott® Hotel in Allen, Texas, Located Across the Street from the Previously Announced  280-suite Embassy Suites Hotel Hammons’ Eleventh Texas Hotel to be Adjacent to $50 Million Event Center at The Village at Allen ALLEN (Dallas), Texas, and SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – July 10, 2007 – Mr. John Q. Hammons today announced his plans to develop a 225-room, 10-story, full-service Courtyard® by Marriott® Hotel in Allen adjacent to the recently announced 7,500-seat, $50 million Allen event center, a joint v...

Agilysys Signs Four Additional Properties with Rosen Hotels & Resorts / July 2007

March 30, 2007

Hotel Online  Special Report Agilysys Signs Four Additional Properties with Rosen Hotels & Resorts Boca Raton, Fla.  – July, 9, 2007 – Agilysys, Inc. (Nasdaq: AGYS), a leading provider of innovative IT solutions, including specifically-designed hospitality industry solutions, announced Rosen Hotels & Resorts has selected the Agilysys Visual One Property Management System (PMS), Point-Of-Sale System, Central Guest Database and Electronic Registration Card.  The properties include the Comfort Inn Lake Buena Vista, Quality Inn International, Rodeway Inn International and the Quality Inn Plaza.  Agilysys has been a trust...

HSMAI's Travel-related Marketing Competition, The Adrian Awards, Now Accepting 2007 Entries / July 2007

March 30, 2007

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive  HSMAI's Travel-related Marketing Competition, the Adrian Awards,  Now Accepting 2007 Entries Categories Revised & Expanded For Advertising, Public Relations & Web Marketing in HSMAI Competition   MCLEAN, VA (July 24, 2007) – Travel and hospitality marketers will have the opportunity to show off their creativity, talent and ROI-producing pieces, programs, and campaigns by entering the Adrian Awards competition, the largest and most prestigious worldwide travel marketing showing of the industry’s top talent.  Entries are being accepted online through Friday, Sept...

Wyndham Vacation Ownership Acquires Maui-based Activities-4-Less / July 2007

March 30, 2007

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Wyndham Vacation Ownership Acquires Maui-based Activities-4-Less ORLANDO, Fla. (July 3, 2007) - Wyndham Vacation Ownership (WVO), the world’s largest vacation ownership company and a member of the Wyndham Worldwide family of companies (NYSE: WYN), today announced it has acquired the sales and marketing business and the physical assets and contractual rights associated with privately held Activities-4-Less, a Maui-based vacation ownership sales and marketing operation in Hawaii.   Terms of the deal were not disclosed.     Wyndham Vacation Ownership will assume the co...

The Accor North America Seeks to Improve Diversity in the Hospitality Industry by Providing Opportunities and Tools for Minorities to Succeed / July

March 30, 2007

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive   The Accor North America Seeks to Improve Diversity in the Hospitality Industry by Providing Opportunities and Tools for Minorities to Succeed  DALLAS - July 19, 2007 - Accor North America, one of the nation’s largest hotel owners and operators, premiered a new diversity program titled the Accor Pinnacle Program at the National Association of Black Hotel Owners, Operators & Developers (NABHOOD) today. The Accor Pinnacle Program offers knowledge, guidance, and tools through a wide-range of services and initiatives to help minority and women owners and investors s...

March 30, 2007

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Accor’s First-Half 2007 Revenue Up A Solid 8.8%  Paris, July 17, 2007 - Accor’s consolidated revenue rose 8.8% to 4,015 million euros in the first six months of 2007. At constant scope of consolidation and exchange rates, the like-for-like increase was 6.1%, confirming that the environment remains favorable in the Services and Hotels businesses. The Group’s expansion strategy accounted for 7.5% of revenue growth for the period, while disposals carried out as part of the ongoing asset-right strategy in the Hotels business reduced revenue by 3.6%. The currency effect was a n...

Ali Kasikci, Hotelier of the World, Leaving Peninsula Beverly Hills Hotel for New Challenges / Jim Butler / July 2007

March 30, 2007

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Ali Kasikci, "Hotelier of the World," Leaving Peninsula Beverly Hills Hotel for New Challenges By Jim Butler, Hotel Lawyer | Author of www.HotelLawBlog.com  21 July 2007 Hotel leader Ali Kasikci has just tendered his resignation as Managing Director of the Peninsula Beverly Hills Hotel. He feels this is the best way to be able to fully explore new opportunities for the next step in his remarkable hotel career. For anyone looking to take their hotels or hotel company to a new level of luxury, this may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity as well. Who is this man? What has...

Arhlene Honda Promoted to Vice President-Sales for Outrigger Enterprises Group / July 2007

March 30, 2007

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Arhlene Honda Promoted to Vice President-Sales for Outrigger Enterprises Group HONOLULU, OAHU, HAWAII — July 13, 2007 - Rob Solomon, Sr. Vice President of Sales & Marketing, is pleased to announce the promotion of Arhlene Honda to Vice President-Sales for Outrigger Enterprises Group, effective immediately. In her position, Ms. Honda will continue to direct all aspects of Outrigger's sales efforts with regard to the company's worldwide wholesale partners, with the exception of Asia.              According to Solomon, the promotion recognizes Ms. Honda's signif...

Anita Heathcote to Lead European Sales for Krisam Group and Global Events Partners / July 2007

March 30, 2007

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive   Anita Heathcote to Lead European Sales for Krisam Group and Global Events Partners . Based in London, Heathcote will provide sales support and management for Krisam’s member hotels worldwide, and will leverage synergies with Krisam’s sister company, GEP Washington, DC – July 17, 2007 – Krisam Group, the pioneering national sales company for independent and unique hotels, and Global Events Partners, (GEP), the leading partnership of destination management companies (DMCs) worldwide, announced that Anita Heathcote has been appointed to lead its London office as Euro...

Andrew Hamilton Appointed General Manager of the Marmara Manhattan Hotel, Located on New York's Upper East Side / July 2007

March 30, 2007

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Andrew Hamilton Appointed General Manager of the Marmara Manhattan Hotel, Located on New York's Upper East Side New York - July 11, 2007 -  Andrew Hamilton is the new General Manager of the Marmara Manhattan Hotel, a luxury hotel and residence located on New York's Upper East Side.   In his new capacity, Mr. Hamilton will oversee several new projects at the 108-suite property, including the addition of a Penthouse Suite atop the 32-story building on Second Avenue and 94th Street. Most recently, Mr. Hamilton was Manager, Hoteling and Conference Services with KPMG, th...

Alessandro Cabella Named Vice President and Resort Manager of One&Only Ocean Club in the Bahamas / July 2007

March 30, 2007

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive   Alessandro Cabella Named Vice President and Resort Manager of One&Only Ocean Club in the Bahamas July 10, 2007 - One&Only Resorts is pleased to announce the appointment of Alessandro Cabella as Vice President and Resort Manager of One&Only Ocean Club in the Bahamas. Alessandro will be working closely with renowned Senior Vice President, Latin America and the Caribbean for One&Only Resorts, Edward Steiner, to oversee all operations of the luxury resort. Alessandro is no stranger to the One&Only family. He served as a key member in the team responsible for opening On...