RevPAR Results at Corporate Operated Hotel Chains in France Up 6.9% for Year End December 2006 / January 2007

January 30, 2007

Hotel Online  Special Report RevPAR Results at Corporate Operated Hotel Chains in France Up 6.9% for Year End December 2006 Paris, January 17, 2007   • As the excellent results in recent months led us to believe, the year 2006 closed with a RevPAR up by 6.9% for the year to end December, in line with the upper range of MKG Consulting’s forecasted results.  • The year comes to a close at full speed with an increase in the RevPAR by more than 10% in December. In Paris, the year-end holidays were generally better than in 2005: Paris hotels posted nearly no vacancies on December 30 and 31.RevPAR up by nearly 7% for year...

Florida Keys Tourism Officials Know They'll Face Big Competition Just 90 miles Away When and If Americans Are Again Allowed to Vacation in Cuba

January 30, 2007

Hotel Online  News for the Hospitality Executive By Douglas Hanks, The Miami HeraldMcClatchy-Tribune Business News Jan. 22, 2007 - Should Washington lift its travel ban on Cuba, Florida Keys tourism director Harold Wheeler knows Americans will flock to the island. So he has a slogan ready: "Two Nations. One Vacation." The motto captures a broad strategy by the Keys to defend its tourism industry against future competition from a destination that last year ranked as the Caribbean's No. 2 vacation spot. The hope is to tap into Americans' curiosity in the long-forbidden destinati...

Toronto Based FirstService Corporation Acquires 80% Interest in PKF Consulting and PKF Hospitality Research; Concurrently FirstService will Merge Coll

January 30, 2007

Hotel Online  Special Report  Toronto Based FirstService Corporation Acquires 80% Interest in PKF Consulting and PKF Hospitality Research; Concurrently FirstService Will Merge Colliers Macaulay Nicolls into PKF SAN FRANCISCO, CA, January 23, 2007 – FirstService acquired an 80% interest in PKF Consulting and PKF Hospitality Research, the leading hotel and hospitality consulting and research firm in the United States, based in San Francisco, California. PKF’s senior management team will retain the balance of the equity and will continue to operate as partners in the business going forward.  Founded in 193...

How Will You Finance Your Hotel Project in 2007? / Jim Butler / January 2007

January 30, 2007

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive How Will You Finance Your Hotel Project in 2007? By Jim Butler, Hotel Lawyer, Author of www.HotelLawBlog.com January 2007 Debt and equity financing of hotels and hotel mixed-use projects is critical and can be very challenging. Our clients take hotel financing seriously, and so do we. ThatÂ’s why we host the annual JMBM Industry Outlook Roundtable every January and our Meet the Money® conference every May.  With the legacy of Meet the Money® propelling us forward, I was delighted to join with leading hotel industry experts for JMBMÂ’s “Outlook 2007, Hospitality Roundtable.Â...

Resorts Group, Inc. Acquires Resorts USA Inc. from Rank Group, plc for $32.5 million; Sale Includes Fernwood Hotel & Resort and the Villas at Tree Top

January 30, 2007

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Resorts Group, Inc. Acquires Resorts USA Inc. from Rank Group, plc for $32.5 million; Sale Includes Fernwood Hotel & Resort and the Villas at Tree Tops and Fairway in Bushkill, Pennsylvania BUSHKILL, PA – January 11, 2007 - In a transaction completed on December 15, 2006, Resorts Group, Inc. purchased Resorts USA Inc. from Rank Group, plc for $32.5 million. The sale included Fernwood Hotel & Resort, The Villas at Tree Tops and Fairway, Minisink Financial Corporation and Outdoor World. Financing for the purchase was provided by Textron Financial Corporation, a Textron Inc. (NYS...

Wyndham Vacation Ownership Acquires the 84-room Fechin Inn in Taos, New Mexico; Hotel to be Redevloped as a Timeshare Resort / January 2007

January 30, 2007

Hotel Online  Special Report  Wyndham Vacation Ownership Acquires the 84-room Fechin Inn in Taos, New Mexico; Hotel to be Redevloped as a Timeshare Resort ORLANDO, Fla., Jan. 24, 2007 - Wyndham Vacation Ownership, the world's largest vacation ownership company, today announced the acquisition of the Fechin Inn in Taos, New Mexico from Taos Lodging Associates Limited Partnerships. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.  The hotel, located near the historic Taos Plaza, will be developed as a timeshare resort and will undergo renovations in the coming months. Once complete, the resort will become the second Ne...

Fairmont Raffles Hotels Names Matthew Sparks Senior Vice President, Development for The Americas / January 2007

January 30, 2007

Hotel Online  Special Report  Fairmont Raffles Hotels Names Matthew Sparks Senior Vice President, Development for The Americas TORONTO, January 19, 2007 - Fairmont Raffles Hotels International (FRHI) today announced a key addition to its senior management team designed to support and further strengthen the company’s position as a global leader in the hotel marketplace. With a strong mandate to accelerate portfolio growth, Matthew Sparks has been appointed senior vice president, development, The Americas.   As the latest addition to FRHI’s development team, which in 2007 will add additional resources in a...

Farouk Rajab Appointed General Manager of the Courtyard by Marriott, Cromwell, CT / January 2007

January 30, 2007

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Farouk Rajab Appointed General Manager of the Courtyard by Marriott, Cromwell, CT (Cromwell, CT – January 9, 2007) --- Farouk Rajab has been appointed as General Manager of the Courtyard by Marriott in Cromwell, CT. The property is professionally managed by Waterford Hotel Group, Inc., a national hotel management firm currently operating 26 properties.  Rajab will oversee all operational, sales and administrative aspects of the hotel. He started his career with Waterford in 2005 as General Manager for the Days Inn Mystic, and most recently as Rooms Division Manager at the Mys...

Digging Up Dirt on South Florida Hotels / January 2007

January 30, 2007

Hotel Online  News for the Hospitality Executive By Tom Stieghorst, South Florida Sun-SentinelMcClatchy-Tribune Business News Jan. 29, 2007 - South Florida hotels get mentioned for the wrong reason in a 2006 awards derby run by the consumer travel Web site TripAdvisor.com. The site said the Miami-Fort Lauderdale area is home to four of the 10 dirtiest hotels in the United States. "Last year, five of the dirtiest hotels were in New York City but this year, the Miami-Fort Lauderdale region leads the country in filthy hotels," said Michele Perry, communications director a...

The Florida Agency that Regulates Hotels Admits It Failed to Properly Inspect the Doubletree Grand Key Resort, Key West, Florida / January 2007

January 30, 2007

Hotel Online  News for the Hospitality Executive By Cammy Clark, The Miami HeraldMcClatchy-Tribune Business News Jan. 27, 2007 - KEY WEST -- The state agency that regulates hotels admitted Friday that it failed to properly inspect the Doubletree Grand Key Resort, where a guest died in December from what officials believe was carbon monoxide poisoning coming from the adjoining boiler room. The Department of Business and Professional Regulation conducted 11 lodging inspections at the 216-room Doubletree since its opening in July 2000. None of the reports documented the lack of ...

The Florida State Agency Charged with Protecting Patrons of Hotels and Restaurants Under Scrutiny; Hotels Escaping Required Inspections / January 2

January 30, 2007

Hotel Online  News for the Hospitality Executive By Stephanie Garry, The Miami HeraldMcClatchy-Tribune Business News Jan. 12, 2007--TALLAHASSEE -- The state agency charged with protecting patrons of hotels and restaurants has not inspected enough businesses to meet state law in at least two years and does not expect to be able to comply this year. The issue, highlighted in a legislative committee meeting this week, comes on the heels of the carbon monoxide poisoning of a 26-year-old man in a Key West resort. The suspected cause of his death is a malfunctioning boiler, one of ...

Fabrice Guisset Named Executive Chef of Las Ventanas al Paraiso, A Rosewood Resort in Los Cabos / January 2007

January 30, 2007

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Fabrice Guisset Named Executive Chef of Las Ventanas al Paraiso, A Rosewood Resort in Los Cabos LOS CABOS, Baja California, Mexico, Jan. 11, 2007 - Las Ventanas al Paraiso, a Rosewood Resort has named one of the most celebrated chefs in Mexico, Fabrice Guisset, the Executive Chef of the internationally heralded Five-Diamond resort in Los Cabos, announced Managing Director Andres Araya. "Over the nine years he has been cooking in Mexico, Fabrice has forged a reputation as one of the country's most skilled and creative chefs," said Mr. Araya. "He will be introducing to Las Ventan...

January 30, 2007

Accor Hotels in Asia Go Live with EzRMS™ . Five Hotels Successfully Launch System with Potential to Expand Across Asia Pacific SINGAPORE, 19th January 2007 - Accor Asia Pacific has successfully completed the first phase of system implementation of the EzRMS™ Internet Product Suite at five strategic hotels in Singapore, Bangkok and Manila. Plans to expand the launch to other hotels around Asia Pacific during 2007 are under consideration as initial expectations regarding product performance are met.  Accor Director of Pricing & Distribution – Asia, James Merchant said the group has been looking for an automated Revenu...

January 30, 2007

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Evision Worldwide’s Prescription for Hotels:  Get Your PPC From a Specialist January 22, 2007 - Evision Worldwide, a passionate group of search engine marketing specialists, is offering their services to any hotel or property management group on a trial basis…indefinitely. No long-term commitment is required, or even requested. Furthermore, hotel clients don’t necessarily have to walk out on a vendor to whom they have already committed. Evision’s services often complement those of other marketing companies who have a wider range of offerings but have not achieved the outstan...

Jose Estorino, SVP for Marketing at Orlando/Orange County CVB, Resigns / January 2007

January 30, 2007

Hotel Online  News for the Hospitality Executive By Beth Kassab, The Orlando Sentinel, Fla.McClatchy-Tribune Business News Jan. 9, 2007 - Jose Estorino, marketing boss for the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau, announced his resignation Monday, just as a major two-year advertising campaign is about to get under way. Estorino's departure also comes as the visitors bureau is searching for a new president, a job for which he had been a candidate. Spokeswoman Danielle Courtenay said Estorino is leaving to pursue the creation of an Asia-U.S. business...

January 30, 2007

Hotel Online  Special Report E-site Marketing Secures Thirteen “WebAwards” Including Highest Honor for “Best Restaurant Website” Bethesda, MD, (January 9, 2007) – E-site Marketing, a leading Internet marketing firm specializing in the hospitality industry, was recently recognized by the prestigious Web Marketing Association with thirteen WebAwards, including Best Restaurant Website for Studio, the signature restaurant of Montage Resort & Spa in Laguna Beach, California (www.studiolagunabeach.com).  The additional twelve awards were received in the Hotel and Lodging category with six Outstanding Website awards and six ...

ELFIQ Solves Hotel Bandwidth Needs and Downtime Issues / January 2007

January 30, 2007

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive ELFIQ Solves Hotel Bandwidth Needs and Downtime Issues January 31, 2007 - Montreal, Canada – With today’s business traveler having higher and higher expectations in all aspects of their guest stay, for many, the Internet connecting experience is most critical. Hotels must respond to this or suffer the consequences of giving their guests a poor experience. “We recognize that guests who connect to the Internet want to be productive, check their email and accomplish their tasks, quickly and efficiently. Elfiq gives hoteliers a solution to assure their guests can do just that,” ...

Oakland, Concord, Walnut Hill Areas in Northern California Recording Some of the San Francisco Bay Area's Strongest Hotel Growth Rates

January 30, 2007

Hotel Online  News for the Hospitality Executive By George Avalos, Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif.McClatchy-Tribune Business News Jan. 16, 2007 - Hotels in the East Bay have chalked up one of the Bay Area's strongest growth rates as the economy maintains a steady pace of expansion both nationally and locally. The upswing might not last, though. East Bay lodging executives warn that the strong market has enticed construction of some new hotels in the region. And that could lead to increased vacancies and weaker room rates. Yet for now, things look good for the hotel i...

The Quest is Over for ResortQuest, They Have Discovered EZYield.com! ResortQuest, the nation's leading vacation property management company, has

January 30, 2007

The Quest is Over for ResortQuest,  They Have Discovered EZYield.com!  . ResortQuest, the nation's leading vacation property management company, has chosen EZ Yield.com as the solution to its channel management needs January 25, 2007 - After thoroughly researching various programs on the market, ResortQuest chose EZ Yield based on the company’s experience, simple user interface, and unmatched technological advantages.  “With the implementation of EZ Yield we have been able to efficiently manage all of our electronic channels, both third party providers and GDS”, says Richard Oakes, Director, Distribution and Sales...

Serious Illness of a Partner Forces Gateway Hospitality to Put Acreage and Mostly Finalized Plans for a 161 room Embassy Suites in Springfield, Oreg

January 30, 2007

Hotel Online  News for the Hospitality Executive By Randi Bjornstad, The Register-Guard, Eugene, Ore.McClatchy-Tribune Business News Jan. 23, 2007 - SPRINGFIELD -- Plans to build an eight-story, 161-room Embassy Suites Hotel near the intersection of the Interstate 5 freeway and Belt Line Road in the Gateway area haven't changed, but ownership of the project probably will before construction gets under way. Meanwhile, the developer of two other hotel projects in the same area says one, a 153-room Holiday Inn, remains on track for a spring 2008 opening. But the other, a 90-room...

Concord, North Carolina Expects Far-reaching Effects from the Opening of $65 million Embassy Suites Hotel Charlotte-Concord Golf Resort and Spa; Wil

January 30, 2007

Hotel Online  News for the Hospitality Executive By Adam Bell, The Charlotte Observer, N.C.McClatchy-Tribune Business News Jan. 7, 2007 - CONCORD -- A project that has kicked around Concord for the better part of two decades will debut Monday with the opening of a $65 million hotel and convention center. It was worth the wait, local leaders said. They expect to see far-reaching effects from the Embassy Suites Hotel Charlotte-Concord Golf Resort and Spa and Concord Convention Center, built by Missouri developer John Q. Hammons. The 11-story, 308-room hotel -- the...

Hotel Developer Rick Patel Planning a 140-room Crowne Plaza in a Former Dillard's Department Store in Columbia, South Carolina / January 2007

January 30, 2007

Hotel Online  News for the Hospitality Executive By Jim Duplessis, The State, Columbia, S.C.McClatchy-Tribune Business News Jan. 24, 2007 - Columbia hotel developer Rick Patel plans to open a 140-room Crowne Plaza hotel in the former Dillard's department store at Midtown at Forest Acres by the end of 2008. Patel said Tuesday he had signed a franchise agreement with Intercontinental Hotels Group, which owns the Crowne Plaza brand, and he plans to begin construction later this year. The 33-year-old chief executive of his family's Sejwad Hotels would not say how much he w...

Destination Hotels & Resorts Recognizes Top Sales Performers for 2006; Sales Leaders Honored at Annual Sales & Marketing Meeting / January 2007

January 30, 2007

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Destination Hotels & Resorts Recognizes Top Sales Performers for 2006 . Sales Leaders Honored at Annual Sales & Marketing Meeting Englewood, Colo. – Jan. 22, 2007 – Destination Hotels & Resorts recently honored its top sales performers for 2006 at its annual Sales & Marketing Conference at Miramonte Resort & Spa in Indian Wells, Calif. More than 150 sales leaders attended the two and a half day conference.  “This is our opportunity to recognize the contributions our sales leaders have made to the success of our company in 2006,” said Andre Fournier, vice president of fie...

Dellisart Lodging and Miglin Properties Obtain $42 million Financing to Build the Largest Staybridge Suites Branded Property in Downtown Chicago / Ja

January 30, 2007

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Dellisart Lodging and Miglin Properties Obtain $42 million Financing to Build the Largest Staybridge Suites Branded Property in Downtown Chicago CHICAGO, Ill. January 16, 2007 — Officials of Dellisart Chicago LLC, a joint venture between Dellisart Lodging LLC, a hotel ownership, management, development and acquisition group, and Miglin Properties LLC, a Chicago-based real estate development and management company specializing in the development of commercial properties, today announced that the JV has secured $42 million in financing to develop a 206-suite Staybridge Suites in ...