Marco A. Roca Named Senior Vice President, Development for Cendant Hotel Group / September 2005

March 30, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report  Marco A. Roca Named Senior Vice President,  Development for Cendant Hotel Group PARSIPPANY, N.J. (Sept. 7, 2005) – Cendant Hotel Group today announced the appointment of Marco A. Roca as senior vice president, development. Roca is responsible for developing the company’s Wingate Inn brand worldwide, the Ramada®, Days Inn®, Howard Johnson® and Super 8® brands in Latin America and its eight brands in Canada. Roca previously was vice president of development for Starwood Hotels and Resorts in Atlanta, where he was responsible for the company’s growth in Canada, the eastern ...

Mark Miller Appointed Director of Operations at Clayton on the Park, Clayton, Missouri / September 2005

March 30, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report Mark Miller Appointed Director of Operations at Clayton on the Park, Clayton, Missouri  September 15, 2005 - Mark Miller was recently appointed Director of Operations at Clayton on the Park, a luxury all-suite hotel and apartments, reporting to General Manager Micarl Hill. He will oversee housekeeping, front desk, doormen, London Cab drivers, and the guest services staff. Miller is a seasoned hotel industry veteran who began his career in 1973 at The Chase Park Plaza Hotel. His experience includes independent and major chain hotels such as The Mayfair Hotel, Sheraton, Marriott, Residence Inns...

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts Appoints Mary McCarthy as Director of Sales Eastern United States and Canada / September 5, 2005

March 30, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts Appoints Mary McCarthy as Director of Sales Eastern United States and Canada New York, September 6, 2005 - Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts announces the appointment of Mary McCarthy as director of sales for the eastern United States and Canada.  McCarthy will be responsible for the sales and marketing activities of Shangri-La's New York regional sales office. McCarthy will raise the visibility of Shangri-La's 47 properties in the marketplace and supervise sales activities in the eastern U.S. and Canada. Her responsibilities include overseeing the group's promotio...

March 30, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report At Midyear 2005, Europe’s Hotel Industry Occupancy Up 0.9 points Over Previous Year; The Return of American and Asian Clientele Was Beneficial Paris, September 6, 2005 The first semester concluded with good results for Europe’s hotel industry, where turnover is up by 6% backed by growth in the supply by 3%. While Scandinavian countries and Austria show the best results, among the leading countries in the Euro zone France and the United Kingdom have encouraging results showing growth by 2.9% and 5.9% of the Rev PAR respectively.    In France, the first indicators for the summer se...

Michael Fernandez Named General Manager and Frank Fuentes Director of Sales for The Regent South Beach in Miami Beach / September 2005

March 30, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report Michael Fernandez Named General Manager and Frank Fuentes Director of Sales for The Regent South Beach in Miami Beach MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (August 31, 2005) ---- Regent International Hotels today announced two executive team appointments for The Regent South Beach, a luxury boutique hotel opening later this year in the heart of Miami Beach’s Historic District.  Mr. Michael Fernandez has been named general manager, and Mr. Frank Fuentes will serve as director of sales and marketing  for the property. Ms. Monica Neumann, vice president of operations for Regent International Hotels...

Matthew Bartle Appointed Front Office Manager, The Palms in the Turks & Caicos Islands / September 2005

March 30, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report Matthew Bartle Appointed Front Office Manager,  The Palms in the Turks & Caicos Islands PROVIDENCIALES, TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS (AUGUST 30, 2005)   The Palms, a $95 million luxury resort in the Turks & Caicos Islands, and member of The Leading Small Hotels of the World, has named Matthew Bartle Front Office Manager. The announcement was made by William K. Anderson, Managing Director of The Palms. Mr. Bartle brings over 10 years of experience in the hospitality industry and is responsible for supervising the front office, reservations and concierge staff.  Most recently, Mr. Bartle was the ...

Marriott Provides Assistance for More than 2,800 Associates in the Greater New Orleans Area / September 5, 2005

March 30, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report Marriott Provides Assistance for More than 2,800 Associates in the Greater New Orleans Area WASHINGTON, Sept. 3, 2005 - "First and foremost, we extend our sympathies and support for everyone who has been personally and directly affected by this tragedy," said J.W. Marriott, Jr., chairman and CEO, Marriott International, Inc. "We recognize that the days and weeks ahead will be very difficult for all those impacted by Hurricane Katrina, including our more than 2,800 associates in the greater New Orleans area. We are thankful that Marriott was able to provide shelter and assist in the safe evacuat...

Luxury Link Launches New Site / September 2005

March 30, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report Luxury Link Launches New Site Los Angeles, September 27, 2005 - Luxury Link, the world’s leading luxury travel web site (www.LuxuryLink.com), is pleased to announce the launch of a new site.  Luxury Link President and COO, Diane McDavitt, expressed great satisfaction with the new site created for Luxury Link by MRM Partners.  “The new design features a clean, elegant presentation which is in keeping with Luxury Link’s position as the leading luxury travel destination on the Web.  Improved navigation coupled with more modern technology provides easier and faster access to our partner hotel...

Innkeepers USA Trust Completes $4.5 million Conversion of the Former Clarion Hotel in Downtown Louisville, Kentucky to a Hampton Inn / September 2005

March 30, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report Innkeepers USA Trust Completes $4.5 million Conversion of the Former Clarion Hotel in Downtown Louisville, Kentucky to a Hampton Inn LOUISVILLE, Ky., September 14, 2005 — Officials of Innkeepers USA Trust (NYSE: KPA), a hotel real estate investment trust (REIT) and a leading owner of upscale extended-stay hotel properties throughout the United States, today announced the opening of the first Hampton Inn in downtown Louisville.  Innkeepers Hospitality Management operates the hotel.  Prior to opening as a Hampton Inn, the hotel underwent a $4.5 million renovation, converting from the former ...

Developers Doug Rohde and Joel Cairy Open The 102 room Lodge at Brainerd Lakes & Paul Bunyan Water Park / September 2005

March 30, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report Developers Doug Rohde and Joel Cairy Open The 102 room Lodge at Brainerd Lakes & Paul Bunyan Water Park MINNEAPOLIS, September 6, 2005 – 10,000 square feet of meeting and convention space for groups of 12 to 500. Private, 14-seat boardroom and five breakout rooms. State-of-the-art facilities featuring high-speed wireless Internet, on-site AV and support, and complete event catering. Ballroom with fieldstone fireplace, hardwood dance floor and two-story vaulted ceilings. All in a luxury resort hotel setting that gives new meaning to the phrase “business retreat.” Welcome to The Lodge at Brain...

Sandrine Le Biavant Named Director of Sales & Marketing for Bavaria Executive Suites Dubai / September 2005

March 30, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report Sandrine Le Biavant Named Director of Sales & Marketing for Bavaria Executive Suites Dubai Dubai, September 2005:  Bavaria Hotels International Chief Executive Officer, Thomas H. F. Gertz, recently announced the appointment of Ms Sandrine Le Biavant as Director of Sales & Marketing for Bavaria Executive Suites Dubai. Welcoming Sandrine to the team, Mr Gertz acknowledged her strong background in sales and marketing, as well as 9 years experience with a well-known international hotel chain:  “Sandrine brings to the team of Bavaria Executive Suites Dubai a wealth of experience in the interna...

Landry's Restaurants, Inc. Completes Acquisition of Golden Nugget Hotel- Casinos; Hope to Revitalize Downtown Las Vegas with a Transformation of

March 30, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report  Landry's Restaurants, Inc. Completes Acquisition of Golden Nugget Hotel - Casinos;  Hope to Revitalize Downtown Las Vegas with a Transformation of the 1,907 room Golden Nugget LAS VEGAS, Sept. 27, 2005 - Landry's Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE: LNY), one of the nation's largest casual dining and entertainment companies, announced completion of its acquisition of Poster Financial Group, Inc. (PFG). The acquisition includes The Golden Nugget hotel-casinos in Las Vegas and Laughlin, Nev. Under the terms of the transaction, PB Gaming, the sole stockholder of PFG, sold all of its shares of PFG to Landr...

General Development Plan for Lake Lawn Resort's $390 million Expansion Approved; Wisconsin Resort Adding 1,000 Suites, 130,000 sq ft Water Park

March 30, 2005

Hotel Online  News for the Hospitality Executive By Sue Yanny, The Janesville Gazette, Wis. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Sep. 14, 2005--DELAVAN--Lake Lawn Resort is on its way to becoming a four-star condominium resort with Delavan Lake as its centerpiece. The Delavan City Council voted 5-1 on Tuesday to approve a general development plan for the resort's $390 million, four-year expansion. Alderman David Kilkenny cast the dissenting vote. He made a motion to table the vote for two weeks while the council studied it further. His motion died for lack of a second. The pla...

The Sheraton Cancun Resort & Towers to be Redeveloped as a Starwood Vacation Ownership Resort and Branded the Westin Lagunamar Ocean Resort / Septembe

March 30, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report The Sheraton Cancun Resort & Towers to be Redeveloped as a Starwood Vacation Ownership Resort and Branded the Westin Lagunamar Ocean Resort ORLANDO, Fla - Sept. 20, 2005 -- Starwood Vacation Ownership (SVO), a division of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT), today announced plans for its first property in Latin America, the Westin Lagunamar Ocean Resort. It will be the first vacation ownership resort in Cancun, Mexico developed by a major U.S. lodging company.  The project comprises a resort-wide renovation and reconstruction of the existing Sheraton Cancun Resort & Towers H...

Labor Wars: A Hotel Survival Guide – Watch Out For Neutrality Agreements / Marta M. Fernandez / September 2005

March 30, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report The Global Hospitality Advisor . Labor Wars: A Hotel Survival Guide - Watch Out For Neutrality Agreements By Marta M. Fernandez, September 2005 They go by many names—neutrality agreements, card check agreements or even peace agreements—but they all refer to the same thing, and they continue to be UNITE-HERE’s most powerful organizing tool against hotel operators. For consistency, we will just call them neutrality agreements. By means of these devices, hotel operators are leveraged into trading away their employees’ right to self-determination in exchange for labor peace.  N...

Retaining Employees Now a Bigger Issue than Food Cost for Many Restaurateurs / September 2005

March 30, 2005

Hotel Online  News for the Hospitality Executive By James D. Mcwilliams, The State, Columbia, S.C. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Sep. 11, 2005 - Wait tables for a year, and your boss might send you on a beach vacation. Or work in the kitchen, and the restaurant owner might offer your dog medical benefits. Those are just two examples of how restaurants in Columbia and the nation are coping with their No. 1 concern: recruiting and keeping workers. Nationally, the restaurant industry -- known for its high turnover rate -- is in a bind. The industry is expanding faster than ...

March 30, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report  Las Ventanas al Paraiso, A Rosewood Resort, Again Named the Top International Resort by Andrew Harper’s Hideaway Report Ranked #1 for the 4th Time in Five Years   LOS CABOS, Baja California, Mexico, Sept. 15 , 2005 — Las Ventanas al Paraiso, A Rosewood Resort, has been named the Top International Resort of 2005 by the readers of prestigious Andrew Harper’s Hideaway Report. The “World’s Best Hotels, Resorts & Hideaways” annual readers’ poll, which has been conducted for 24 years, is the oldest and arguably the most consistent, reliable and respected survey of its kind. The readers...

Leslie Ng to Join Interstate Hotels & Resorts as Chief Investment Officer / September 2005

March 30, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report Leslie Ng to Join Interstate Hotels & Resorts as Chief Investment Officer ARLINGTON, Va., September 20, 2005 — Interstate Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: IHR), the nation’s largest independent hotel management company, today announced that Leslie Ng, a veteran in hotel investments, will join the company as chief investment officer, effective September 26.  In his new position, he will be responsible for all acquisition activity, including sourcing and negotiating new investment opportunities, as well as managing joint venture relationships and identifying new management opportunities.   “Acquisi...

Lodgian Sells Holiday Inns in Gadsden, Alabama, and Rolling Meadows, Illinois for Aggregate $6.5 million / September 2005

March 30, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report Lodgian Sells Holiday Inns in Gadsden, Alabama, and Rolling Meadows, Illinois for Aggregate $6.5 million ATLANTA, Ga., September 21, 2005 — Lodgian, Inc. (AMEX: LGN), one of the nation’s largest independent owners and operators of full-service hotels, today announced that it had sold two hotels in separate transactions to undisclosed buyers for an aggregate $6.5 million.   The 141-room Holiday Inn Express Gadsden-Attalla, Ala. was sold for $1.5 million, with net proceeds being used to reduce debt.  For the twelve months ended August 31, 2005, the hotel produced Adjusted EBITDA (a non-GAAP...

Linda Finley Named Director of Group Sales, Incentives & Meetings for Barceló Hotels & Resorts / September 2005

March 30, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report  Linda Finley Named Director of Group Sales, Incentives & Meetings for Barceló Hotels & Resorts Miami, September 23, 2005 – Barceló Hotels & Resorts today announced the appointment of Linda Finley to the newly created position of Director of Group Sales, Incentives & Meetings.   In this position, Ms Finley will also oversee the incentive and business travel markets for Barceló Hotels & Resorts worldwide with an emphasis on Latin America and the Caribbean.  Ms. Finley is headquartered in Orlando and can be reached at:  l.finley@barcelo.com.  Ms. Finley’s appointment is made in conjun...

Kinseth Hospitality Companies Opens Three Hotels; the Courtyard by Marriott in Columbia, Missouri, the Country Inn and Suites, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Air

March 30, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report   Kinseth Hospitality Companies Opens Three Hotels; the Courtyard by Marriott in  Columbia, Missouri, the Country Inn and Suites, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Airport, and the Country Inn and Suites, St. Charles, Missouri North Liberty, IA, September 19, 2005 – Kinseth Hospitality Companies (KHC), an Iowa based hotel development and management company recently opened three hotels; the Courtyard by Marriott in Columbia, Missouri, the Country Inn and Suites, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Airport, and the Country Inn and Suites, St. Charles, Missouri. The 134-unit Courtyard by Marriott recently ope...

The Closed Hotel Count in Louisiana is 160 Hotels, in Mississippi, 93 Hotels and in Alabama, 33 Hotels as of September 15, 2005 / Lodging Econometrics

March 30, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report  The Closed Hotel Count in Louisiana is 160 Hotels, in Mississippi, 93 Hotels and in Alabama, 33 Hotels as of September 15, 2005 Lodging Econometrics Report PORTSMOUTH, NH – September 16, 2005 - Lodging Econometrics (LE), the Industry Authority for Hotel Real Estate, has announced in the first-available comprehensive study of the impact of Hurricane Katrina, that a total of 286 hotels in the Gulf Coast states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama having a total of 45,832 rooms have reported service interruptions and damage so severe that they are no longer accepting reservations from t...

Kevin Stuessi Named SVP of Food & Beverage for the W Las Vegas Hotel, Casino; Project Will Have 20+ Unique Restaurants, Lounges and Nightclub Outlets

March 30, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report Kevin Stuessi Named SVP of Food & Beverage for the W Las Vegas Hotel, Casino;  Project Will Have 20+ Unique Restaurants, Lounges and Nightclub Outlets  September 23, 2005 - Veteran hospitality executive Kevin Stuessi has joined the Edge Resorts team, which is developing the recently announced W Las Vegas Hotel, Casino and Residences in partnership with Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide . As Senior Vice President of Food & Beverage and Strategic Development he will be responsible for designing the $1.7 billion property's dining and nightlife venues. "Kevin brings a level of expertise and cr...

Convention Business is Evacuating New Orleans, and Kansas City is Booking / September 2005

March 30, 2005

Hotel Online  News for the Hospitality Executive By Rick Alm, The Kansas City Star, Mo. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Sep. 8, 2005 - Convention business is evacuating New Orleans, and Kansas City is booking. Two groups this week moved October events here, and local convention officials said Wednesday that they are in talks with at least two dozen other organizations still venue shopping -- 10 of them for dates in 2006. There's plenty more business out there. Kansas City Hyatt general manager Rusty Macy said Wednesday, "I've got to think it'll be at least a year before th...