March 30, 2006

  Room With a View by Larry Mundy August 2006   One thing you can say about hotels, they don’t tend to move around very much, even if they have serious foundation problems.  Airplanes, on the other hand, tend to be moving all the time because they cost a gajillion dollars and make no money unless they’re going somewhere.  I like hotels a lot better, because they rarely crash into mountainsides.  But for all their differences, the hotel business and the airline business are inextricably intertwined.  If the planes don’t fly, the guests don’t arrive.  And if there aren’t any hotels in a given city, people tend n...

It's Been 24 Years Since Monterey, California Hotel Workers Went on Strike, That Era May Be Nearing Its End / August 2006

March 30, 2006

Hotel Online  News for the Hospitality Executive By Marie Vasari, The Monterey County Herald, Calif.McClatchy-Tribune Business News Aug. 23, 2006 - It's been 24 years since Monterey County hotel workers went on strike, but that era may be nearing its end. Fueled by stalled contract negotiations between the hotel workers' union and the Hyatt Corp., employees at the Hyatt Regency Monterey and Park Hyatt at the Carmel Highlands Inn will vote today on whether to authorize a strike against their employer. Votes will be counted after the union's 5 p.m. meeting at the Best We...

Morgans Hotel Group and an Affiliate of Condo Developer Hudson Capital Form Joint Venture to Create a 342 unit Mondrian Branded Hotel in South Beach,

March 30, 2006

Hotel Online  Special Report . NEW YORK - Aug. 8, 2006 -- Morgans Hotel Group Co. (NASDAQ: MHGC) ("MHG") today announced that it has formed a new joint venture that has purchased and will renovate an apartment building on Biscayne Bay in South Beach (Miami) into a hotel operated under MHG's Mondrian brand. The new luxury hotel is the fourth announced Mondrian, including Los Angeles, Scottsdale, and a property under development in Las Vegas, and will be operated by MHG under a long-term incentive management contract.  The 16-story property will be renovated to create MHG's distinctive lodging, dining and nightlife experience...

Celebration, the Community Walt Disney Co. Created Near Orlando, Is Getting Its Third Hotel – a 450 room Condo Hotel Being Developed by Relate

March 30, 2006

Hotel Online  News for the Hospitality Executive By Jack Snyder, The Orlando Sentinel, Fla.McClatchy-Tribune Business News Aug. 22, 2006 - Celebration, the community Walt Disney Co. created in Osceola County, is getting its third hotel -- the largest one so far. Mona Lisa Development, the U.S. affiliate of Mona Lisa Hotels and Residences of France, is partnering with the Related Group of Florida, one of the state's biggest condo builders, to build a 450-room condo hotel in the southern part of the community. The French company's affiliate is already building a 240-suit...

Mexico City Tourism Slowed – Ragtag Protest Camp Added to Usual Image Problems – Taxi Muggings, Corrupt Cops, Infamous Smog / August 200

March 30, 2006

Hotel Online  News for the Hospitality Executive By Marion Lloyd, Houston ChronicleMcClatchy-Tribune Business News Aug. 11, 2006 - MEXICO CITY -- Taxi muggings. Corrupt cops. Infamous smog. If the Mexican capital didn't have enough image problems for tourists, here's one more: a ragtag protest camp stretching for miles along the city's cultural corridor. The 12-day-old street blockades orchestrated by the leftist presidential challenger, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, have cost the city's tourism industry $12.5 million a day, according to the Mexico City Hotel Associati...

Merritt Hospitality Installs Aptech's Market-Leading Business Intelligence Solutions; Merritt uses BI solutions to gather, analyze daily data fro

March 30, 2006

Merritt Hospitality Installs Aptech’s Market-Leading Business Intelligence Solutions - Merritt uses BI solutions to gather, analyze daily data from 31 properties;  eyes growth and $500 million in acquisitions annually PITTSBURGH, August 1, 2006 – Merritt Hospitality, the wholly owned operating subsidiary of growing hotel ownership company HEI Hospitality, has installed the Execuvue® business intelligence and Targetvue® Internet-based enterprise planning applications, from Aptech Computer Systems, Inc.  Aptech is the hospitality industry’s leading provider of customized hotel computer systems for business intell...

After 22 Months of Hurricane Reconstruction and $15 million dollars Invested, Boykin Lodging Company Reopens The Doubletree Guest Suites Melbourne Bea

March 30, 2006

Hotel Online  Special Report BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., August 3, 2006 – Doubletree Hotels proudly announces the opening of an all-suite, full-service hotel on Florida’s popular Space Coast, with the debut of the Doubletree Guest Suites  Melbourne Beach Oceanfront (formerly the Melbourne Suites Beach Resort).  Situated directly on the white sand beaches of one of Florida’s most sought after surf and sand destinations just one hour from greater Orlando, the hotel is minutes from the Kennedy Space Center, Port Canaveral, Andretti Thrill Park, Melbourne Greyhound Race Park, sport fishing, golf courses, and numerous environmental...

Developer Hank Freid Creates New 125 room Budget Hotel in New York's Upper West Side, The Marrakech Hotel NYC / August 2006

March 30, 2006

Hotel Online  Special Report . NEW YORK Aug. 8, 2006 -- You are a young traveler to New York City and you want to stay somewhere hip and trendy. But you've outgrown youth hostels and you can't afford a W or a Schrager hotel. Where do you stay?  "Until now, the option just hasn't existed," said Hank Freid, President and CEO of Impulsive Group, a NYC firm specializing in hotel development and management.  Freid's new Marrakech Hotel NYC (www.Marrakechhotelnyc.com) at 103rd Street and Broadway is transforming the budget hotel landscape in the City. The hotel is not just comfortable and affordable, but chic and fashionable, t...

Market Metrix Announces Second Quarter 2006 Hospitality Index Results; Drury Inns Ranked Number 1 in Customer Satisfaction for the Hotel Industry / Au

March 30, 2006

Hotel Online  Special Report Market Metrix Announces Second Quarter 2006 Hospitality Index Results ... Drury Inns Ranked Number 1 in Customer Satisfaction for the Hotel Industry -- Higher priced hotel brands get boost in loyalty from online booking -- SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – August 17, 2006 -- Market Metrix, LLC, the leading provider of market research services for the hospitality industry, today announced results of the Market Metrix Hospitality Index (MMHI) for the second quarter of 2006.  Drury Inns, JetBlue Airways and Enterprise Rent-a-Car ranked number one in hotel, airline and rental car industry customer s...

The US$3 billion Marina Bay Sands on Track With Signing of Development Agreement; One of the Largest Investments in the World for a Single Integrated

March 30, 2006

Hotel Online  Special Report  The US$3 billion Marina Bay Sands on Track With Signing of Development Agreement; One of the Largest Investments in the World for a Single Integrated Resort SINGAPORE, Aug. 23, 2006 - The development of The Marina Bay Sands(TM) integrated resort (IR) was given a formal kick-start as Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE: LVS) and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) signed the official Development Agreement today. The signing ceremony was a significant milestone in the development of Singapore's first IR and marked the handover of the Marina Bay IR site to Las Vegas Sands so the company coul...

Makar Properties Completes Renovation of the 238 room Wyndham Orange County / August 2006

March 30, 2006

Hotel Online  Special Report  Makar Properties Completes Renovation of the 238 room Wyndham Orange County  NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Aug. 21, 2006 - Less than five months after acquiring the Wyndham Orange County Hotel, Makar Properties has nearly completed the transformation of the property into a stylish, modern destination. Originally built in 1984, the six-story hotel is situated on three acres on Avenue of the Arts in Costa Mesa. "The Wyndham Orange County was a diamond in the rough to begin with, and we have given it the necessary 'cut and polish' to bring out its full brilliance," stated Paul Makarechian, president ...

'Productivity' the Focus of NORTHWIND's 2006 Maestro Users' Conference; Three-day workshops help Maestro users maximize efficienc

March 30, 2006

Hotel Online  .Special Report ‘Productivity’ the Focus of NORTHWIND's 2006 Maestro Users’ Conference . .Three-day workshops help Maestro users maximize efficiency and boost profits Markham, ON – August 22, 2006 - NORTHWIND, a provider of enterprise property management hotel software and reservation solutions for hospitality, announced it will structure its 2006 Maestro User’s Conference, “Hitting the High Notes with Maestro”, with a focus on helping clients increase productivity and property profitability by leveraging Maestro technology  and services to its fullest potential. NORTHWIND’s 2006 ...

Orco Property Group Rolls Two Separate Brands into New Single Brand – MaMaison Hotels & Apartments / August 2006

March 30, 2006

Hotel Online  Special Report Orco Property Group Rolls Two Separate Brands into New Single Brand - MaMaison Hotels & Apartments PRAGUE, August 24, 2006 - Orco Property Group, leading developer, investor and asset manager in Central Europe, has decided to merge its hotel's divisions, MaMaison Residences and Orco Hotels Collection, under one brand - MaMaison Hotels & Apartments. As Orco continues to undergo internal reorganization, further unification of the company's corporate identity is expected.      "Our company no longer wanted to diversify its hotel products in terms of length of stay and others factors. We ris...

Michael A. Slivka Named Director of Sales and Marketing for the Clarion Scranton Hotel, Scranton, Pennsylvania / August 2006

March 30, 2006

Hotel Online  Special Report Michael A. Slivka Named Director of Sales and Marketing for the Clarion Scranton Hotel, Scranton, Pennsylvania . Sayre, PA, (August 21, 2006)  Twin Tier Hospitality announced that Michael A. Slivka has been named as Director of Sales and Marketing and Ada Amato as Catering Manager for the Clarion Scranton Hotel located in Scranton, Pennsylvania. “We are excited to have both Michael and Ada joining our team,” said Rob Dmuchowski, Corporate Director, Sales and Marketing, Twin Tier Hospitality.  “Both individuals bring a dynamic personality and experience level with them.” Michael was most r...

Millennium & Copthorne International Limited Appoints Michael Sengol as Executive Vice President, Asia Pacific / August 2006

March 30, 2006

Hotel Online  Special Report  Millennium & Copthorne International Limited Appoints Michael Sengol as Executive Vice President, Asia Pacific Singapore – 24 August 2006 - Millennium & Copthorne International Limited (MCIL) recently announced the appointment of Mr Michael Sengol as Executive Vice President, Asia Pacific, to drive the continuing growth of the CompanyÂ’s hotel distribution network in the region.       Michael is promoted from his previous role as Senior Vice President, Operations, Asia Pacific, and concurrently holds the post of General Manager for The Regent Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. Â...

March 30, 2006

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive New name borrows the city’s brand equity to enhance who the organization is and what it sells MINNEAPOLIS – July 31, 2006 – The Greater Minneapolis Convention & Visitors Association (GMCVA) today announced its new name: Meet Minneapolis™, Official Convention + Visitors Association. “With this name, we strive to create an exciting, differentiating position for the organization that clearly communicates who we are and what we want our customers to do – meet Minneapolis,” said Greg Ortale, president and CEO of Meet Minneapolis. . . The renaming and repositioning was g...

Mark Ferland Appointed General Manager of the 584-room Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes / August 2006

March 30, 2006

Hotel Online  Special Report Orlando, FL – August 30, 2006 – Mark Ferland has been appointed general manager of the 584-room Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes.    As general manager Mr. Ferland will oversee all operations for The Ritz-Carlton, Orlando. A 24-year veteran of the hospitality industry who has been with The Ritz-Carlton family for 22 years, he will be responsible for maintaining the level of first-class service that is synonymous with The Ritz-Carlton brand.    “We are extremely excited to have Mark join Grande Lakes Orlando,” said Steve Contos, vice president and managing director of Grande Lakes Orland...

Michael Dunne Named General Manager of San Jose Doubletree Hotel / August 2006

March 30, 2006

Hotel Online  Special Report Michael Dunne Named General Manager of San Jose Doubletree Hotel  SAN JOSE, Calif. - Aug. 14, 2006 -- Michael Dunne has been named general manager of the 505-room Doubletree Hotel in San Jose. A 25-year hospitality industry veteran, Dunne previously served as hotel manager for the Hilton San Francisco, the largest hotel on the West Coast.  Dunne started his career in hospitality in 1981 at the St. Regis Sheraton Hotel in New York City as a bar manager, and then became assistant food and beverage director of the Hemsley Palace Hotel in 1983. In 1985, he began a three-year stint a...

Meg Crofton Named the Fourth President and First Female President in Walt Disney World's 35-year History / August 2006

March 30, 2006

Hotel Online  News for the Hospitality Executive By Scott Powers, The Orlando Sentinel, Fla.McClatchy-Tribune Business News Aug. 31, 2006 -- She's hailed as a team builder, sharp big-picture strategist, strong communicator and someone steeped in Disney traditions. As the new president of Walt Disney World, Meg Crofton will likely be a steady force steering the world's most popular theme park. "Walt Disney World is very strong, and Al has always led it with a very strong vision, so I'm looking forward to continuing to focus on that vision and focus on growth," Crofton s...

Trading Places International Instrumental in Unprecedented Purchase of Lindo Mar Resort in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico / August 2006

March 30, 2006

Hotel Online  Special Report Trading Places International Instrumental in Unprecedented Purchase of Lindo Mar Resort in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico . August 29, 2006 - Lindo Mar Adventure Club, Ltd. (LMAC) has completed the purchase of Lindo Mar Resort, located in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, giving its members full lifetime ownership of the Club and its underlying property rights. John Gilbert, President of the Lindo Mar Owners Association Board of Directors, stated, “Our loyal members, along with Trading Places International’s expert management and legal professionals from Mexico and the US have helped us realize our dream. As ...

The Summer of 2006 Was Supposed to Mark Lebanon's Return as One of the World's Premier Tourist Destinations; Some Still Hope that Tourism

March 30, 2006

Hotel Online  News for the Hospitality Executive By Leila Fadel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, TexasMcClatchy-Tribune Business News Aug. 31--BEIRUT, Lebanon -- With a 2-week-old cease-fire holding, Beirut's nightclubs are once again filled with dancing young people, the streets are noisy with the sounds of traffic and fashion-conscious Lebanese crowd the shopping districts. But this seeming return to normal masks a terrible sense of loss: The summer that was supposed to mark Lebanon's return as one of the world's premier tourist destinations is gone, and so is the confidence that...

Rosewood Hotels & Resorts Appoints Philippe LeBoeuf as Vice President of Operations / August 2006

March 30, 2006

Hotel Online  Special Report Rosewood Hotels & Resorts Appoints Philippe LeBoeuf as Vice President of Operations DALLAS, TX (August 16, 2006) Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, the premier manager of ultra-luxury hotels and resorts throughout the world, is pleased to announce the appointment of Philippe LeBoeuf as Vice President of Operations, effective August 16, 2006.   LeBoeuf joins Rosewood from the position of Executive Vice President of Louvre Hotels and Groupe Des Hotels Concorde where he spent four years overseeing some of Europe’s finest hotels. Prior to this, the veteran hotelier held the position of Managing Director...

Courtroom Struggle Between Partners Clouds the Future of the $382 million French Lick Casino Project; Lawsuit Documents Claim Incompetency, Secret M

March 30, 2006

Hotel Online  News for the Hospitality Executive By J.K. Wall, The Indianapolis StarMcClatchy-Tribune Business News Aug. 1, 2006 - Bloomington billionaire Bill Cook's drive to restore two historic hotels to their Jazz Age glory -- even at considerable expense -- has collided with Indianapolis developer Bob Lauth's insistence that their joint casino-resort project be done promptly and profitably. The courtroom struggle between the state's richest man and one of its fast-rising business stars clouds the future of a project seen as the economic salvation of Orange County, one of...

Billionaire Yitzhak Tshuva Plans for Condo-hotel on Fort Lauderdale Beach Delayed as Owners Feud / August 2006

March 30, 2006

Hotel Online  News for the Hospitality Executive By Brittany Wallman, South Florida Sun-SentinelMcClatchy-Tribune Business News Aug. 7, 2006 - FORT LAUDERDALE -- It has been almost a year since self-made billionaire Yitzhak Tshuva, owner of El-Ad Group, cast his sights on Fort Lauderdale beach and sank some of his fortune there, igniting a buzz about a new condo-hotel development. But the boards covering the former Club Atlantis and Margarita Cafe remain. Blondie's Sports Bar is plated in metal shutters, closed. The Elbo Room hasn't had much more than a paint job in years. ...