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Barry S. Sternlicht, Founder of Starwood Hotels, Fulfills Commitment to Stay through Transition Period; Will Now Focus on the Private Equity Firm Star
February 28, 2005
Hotel Online Special Report Barry S. Sternlicht, Founder of Starwood Hotels, Fulfills Commitment to Stay through Transition Period - Will Now Focus on the Private Equity Firm Starwood Capital Bruce Duncan to Become Chairman of the Board, Lizanne Galbreath Nominated to Board WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. - May 5, 2005 -- Barry S. Sternlicht, founder of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT), and Starwood's Board of Directors announced today that Mr. Sternlicht will resign his position as Executive Chairman of the Company. In addition, he will also resign from the Company's Board of Directors. Mr. S...
The Steigenberger Hotel Group Signs Management Contracts for Hotels in Norderney, Germany and Merano, Italy / May 2005...
February 28, 2005
Hotel Online Special Report The Steigenberger Hotel Group Signs Management Contracts for Hotels in Norderney, Germany and Merano, Italy May 2005 - Steigenberger is heading south: In Spring 2006 the Frankfurt-based hotel chain will open an exceptional hotel in the South Tyrolean holiday resort and spa town of Meran. On the southern edge of the Alps top designer Matteo Thun has created an imaginative four-star Superior Hotel, designed to suit the needs of wellness, holiday and conference guests alike. The 139-room Steigenberger Hotel Therme Meran lies right in the heart of this traditional South Tyrolean holiday town,...
Congress Hall Resort Hotel Blends History and High Tech with StayOnline / May 2005...
February 28, 2005
Hotel Online Special Report Congress Hall Resort Hotel Blends History and High Tech with StayOnline Atlanta, May 17, 2005 The landmark Congress Hall resort hotel in the heart of historic Cape May, NJ is the first in the Victorian seaside community to offer guests a unique blend of twenty-first century amenities with the charm of a nineteenth century seaside hotel. With Atlanta-based StayOnline, Congress Hall has installed the most recent Wi-Fi technology to immediately provide wireless internet access for guests and meeting attendees, a system that allows additional future applications that will have both gues...
U.S. Hotels Staff Up – Rising Benefit Costs at Highest in 15 Years / Mark Woodworth / May 2005...
February 28, 2005
Hotel Online Special Report U.S. Hotels Staff Up - Rising Benefit Costs at Highest in 15 Years Atlanta, May 9, 2005: The typical U.S. hotel spent 6.3 percent more in labor costs during 2004, compared to 2003, according to the recently released 2005 edition of Trends in the Hotel Industry published by PKF Hospitality Research (PKF-HR), an affiliate of PKF Consulting. Leading the substantial jump was an 8.9 percent increase in benefits costs. Combined with a 7.7 percent increase in 2003, it is the highest two-year growth in benefit costs since 1988-1989. Climbing out of the 2001 to 2003 lodging industry recess...
A Proposed Downtown Colorado Springs Convention Center is Dead; Project Drew Criticism from Local Hoteliers / May 2005...
February 28, 2005
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality ExecutiveBy Rich Laden, The Gazette, Colorado Springs, Colo.Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Apr. 29, 2005 - A downtown Colorado Springs convention center is dead for now, and it's uncertain when -- or if -- it will be revived. Three weeks after voters overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure restricting the city's ability to pay for and build a convention center, project backers notified the SpringsCity Council in a letter Thursday that it's "unrealistic" to pursue the project in the short term. Beyond the new restrictions placed on the city's involvement, some backers acknowledge that passag...
What Restaurants Do When There's a Fly (or Finger) in the Soup / May 2005...
February 28, 2005
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality ExecutiveBy Charles Storch, Chicago TribuneKnight Ridder/Tribune Business News Apr. 29, 2005 - Anna Ayala of Wendy's infamy isn't the only one with an I-found-something-revolting-in-my-bowl-of-chili story. Chicago restaurateur Dan Rosenthal has one too. Many years ago while working in a hotel, Rosenthal said, he spooned some commissary chili into his mouth and found he was chewing and chewing on a large Band-Aid, apparently left behind by a kitchen worker. He shrugged it off as a food-service mishap -- c'est la viande -- and didn't make a fuss. But Rosenthal, president of a group that owns the T...
Rockingham Asset Management LLC Planning a Sprawling Paradise of Golf Courses, Resorts and Marina Near Puerto Libertad in Sonora, Mexico / May 2005.
February 28, 2005
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality ExecutiveBy Thomas Stauffer, The Arizona Daily Star, TucsonKnight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 10, 2005 - An investor group is working through environmental studies and gathering permits for a mammoth chunk of Sonoran coastline it envisions as a sprawling paradise of vacation homes, golf courses, resorts, nature preserves and more. A marina, vineyard, winery, equestrian complex and Formula One track are also proposed for Liberty Cove, a 72-square-mile area -- three times the size of Manhattan -- north of Puerto Libertad, Sonora. Los Angeles-based Rockingham Asset Management LLC bought the pro...
Sonesta International Hotels Corp. Enjoys 476% Stock Increase for Year Ended March 31, 2005; All Tied to One Transaction, a $400 million Florida Re
February 28, 2005
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality ExecutiveBy Keith Reed, Globe Staff, The Boston GlobeKnight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 17, 2005 - One great day made for one very good year for Sonesta International Hotels Corp., whose 476 percent stock increase during the year ended March 31 made it the best-performing Massachusetts public company. "It's all tied to one transaction," said Peter J. Sonnabend, Sonesta's chief executive, whose family controls about 60 percent of the stock in the Boston company. On Jan. 17, Sonesta unveiled a $400 million plan to redevelop its Sonesta Beach Resort in Key Biscayne, Fla., as what it bills as an...
Accor Reopens the Sofitel Lisboa; the 171 rooms Transformed to Reflect Sofitel's Art de Vivre à la Française / May 2005...
February 28, 2005
Hotel Online Special Report Accor Reopens the Sofitel Lisboa - the 171 rooms Transformed to Reflect Sofitel's Art de Vivre à la Française Bangkok, (May 11th 2005) - The Sofitel Lisboa, located on Lisbon's prestigious Avenida da Liberdade and well-known in the city for more than 13 years, recently underwent a transformation and will re-open its doors on May 11th with a completely new, look and feel. Featuring 171 rooms, including four suites, the hotel will reflect Sofitel's art de vivre à la française (French art of living) : elegance of the hotel's décor, warmth with which guests are received ...
Steven Smith Named General Manager For Hyatt Regency Long Beach / May 2005...
February 28, 2005
Hotel Online Special Report Steven Smith Named General Manager For Hyatt Regency Long Beach Long Beach, Calif.-(May 16, 2005) Steven J. Smith has been appointed general manager for Hyatt Regency Long Beach in Long Beach, California. As General Manager, Smith will be responsible for the entire operation of the 522-room hotel and its 500 employees. Previously, Smith was general manager for Hyatt Regency Bellevue just east of Seattle, Washington. A seasoned industry professional, Smith began his career with Hyatt Hotels & Resorts in 1985 as a housekeeping supervisor at Hyatt Regency Crystal City adjacent...
Sivica Hospitality Acquires the 123-room Hampton Inn-Hilton Head Island, South Carolina; Linda Williams-Thornley Named General Manager / May 2005...
February 28, 2005
Hotel Online Special Report Sivica Hospitality Acquires the 123-room Hampton Inn-Hilton Head Island, South Carolina; Linda Williams-Thornley Named General Manager Atlanta, GA May 27, 2005 Atlanta-based Sivica Hospitality recently purchased the Hampton Inn-Hilton Head Island from WINN Limited Partnership. The hotel is located in the resort community on the coast of South Carolina. The two-story, 123-room hotel marks Sivicas first purchase since the companys formation in the fall of 2004. Linda Williams-Thornley, experienced hotel professional and long-time area resident, serves as the general...
Companies Vying to Win One of Singapore's Two Lucrative Casino Developments Will Need to Offer an Integrated Resort, Something Special and Orig
February 28, 2005
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality ExecutiveBy Howard Stutz, Las Vegas Review-JournalKnight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 18, 2005 - Companies vying to sway government decision-makers in an effort to win two potentially lucrative casino development opportunities in Singapore need to have ambitious ideas beyond casino gaming, America's ambassador to the city-state said Tuesday. Frank Lavin, who has represented America's interests in Singapore since 2001, said the small nation's government wants something more than the average Strip casino in order to tap into a potential tourist market of 650 million who live in southeast Asia a...
Signature Worldwide Expands Global Presence with New Indian Licensee / May 2005...
February 28, 2005
Signature Worldwide Expands Global Presence with New Indian Licensee COLUMBUS, Ohio (May 18, 2005) - Signature Worldwide, the leading provider of training and business building solutions to the hospitality industry, has expanded its global presence by licensing its programs to an India-based entrepreneur. The launch of Ruby Signature marks the company's 12th international licensee. Other Signature international licensees are located in Brazil, Belize, Costa Rica, Cyprus, El Salvador, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama. Ruby Signature will bring Signature's customer service training services and online tool...
Web Reservations are Still Not for Everyone – In Fact, Not Even the Majority / Don Farrell / May 2005...
February 28, 2005
Hotel Online Special Report Web Reservations are Still Not for Everyone .In Fact, Not Even the Majority By Don Farrell, May 2005 As the founder and chairman of Signature Worldwide, a company dedicated to helping hospitality clients create legendary experiences for their guests, I keep a close eye on all of the different customer service channels. Lately, Ive been watching the Internet sales channel with great interest. We need to set the record straight. There are a lot of stories circulating that make the claim that the Internet has finally overtaken other sales channels as the preferred method of making hot...
Noble House Hotels Names Stacy Martin as General Manager and Verdell Ekberg As Director of Marketing for The Shores Resort & Spa, Daytona Beach / May
February 28, 2005
Hotel Online Special Report Noble House Hotels Names Stacy Martin as General Manager and Verdell Ekberg as Director of Marketing for The Shores Resort & Spa, Daytona Beach DAYTONA BEACH SHORES, FL (May 12, 2005) Along with a completely new look, The Shores Resort & Spa has introduced a new face to the management team. Industry veteran Verdell Ekberg joins the hotel as Director of Marketing and will be responsible for overseeing the marketing and advertising for the relaunch of this newly transformed resort. Stacy Martin will continue as General Manager, a position she has held for four years, and oversee th...
Shift4 Handles Over $1 Billion Worth of Transactions in March / May 2005...
February 28, 2005
Hotel Online .Special Report Shift4 Handles Over $1 Billion Worth of Transactions in March . -- $$$ ON THE NET® Processes Over 13 Million Transactions in a Single Month-- Las Vegas, Nev. (May 2, 2005) – Shift4 Corporation processed over 13 million payment transactions representing the movement of over $1.1 billion in March with its industry leading enterprise payment gateway $$$ ON THE NET®. Some of the Shift4 merchants that contributed to this record month were: PGA Tours, Hilton Hotels Corporation, Levy Restaurants, Foxwoods Resort & Casino, Dollar Thrifty Automotive...
Xinjiang Haotai Industry Development Co. Ltd Names Starwood to Manage the Sheraton Urumqi Hotel in China / May 2005...
February 28, 2005
Hotel Online Special Report Xinjiang Haotai Industry Development Co. Ltd Names Starwood to Manage the Sheraton Urumqi Hotel in China Singapore, 12th May 2005 - Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc (NYSE: HOT) and Xinjiang Haotai Industry Development Co. Ltd have announced an agreement whereby Starwood will manage the Sheraton Urumqi Hotel in China. Scheduled to open in early 2007, the hotel will be located in a prime location in Urumqi, the capital city of Xinjiang Province, along a newly developed pedestrian walkway with a total built-up area of 2.2 million square feet dedicated to high-end international bran...
Serenata Product Release: New @folio Solution Enables Hotels to Send Their PMS Folios by Email; First Hotels to Install Serenata @folio Are the Four S
February 28, 2005
Hotel Online Special Report Serenata Product Release: New @folio Solution Enables Hotels to Send Their PMS Folios by Email - First Hotels to Install Serenata @folio Are the Four Seasons Hotels Ritz Lisbon and Sydney Munich, 1 May 2005 - Serenata IntraWare AG, leading provider of integration services, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and data warehousing solutions, announces the release of Serenata @folio. Serenata @folio provides a web-based user interface for retrieving and selecting folios from the hotels Micros-Fidelio Property Management System (PMS), verifying the email address of the recipient, and sendin...
Santa Fe Tourism Industry Slowly Rebounding; March Hotel Occupancy at 69%, Up 10% Over Last Year / May 2005...
February 28, 2005
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality ExecutiveBy Russell Max Simon, Albuquerque Journal, N.M.Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 2, 2005 - SANTA FE, N.M. -- Since 2002, New Mexico has contracted with Southwest Planning and Marketing, a Santa Fe consulting firm, to provide a periodic "barometer" -- a quick read on which way the winds are blowing in the tourism industry. The barometer allows the Department of Tourism to respond more quickly to trends in the industry rather than waiting six months or a year to analyze information such as lodgers tax and sales tax revenues, said Mike Stauffer, the department's communications directo...
Massive $145 million Renovation Nearing Completion for Ty Warner's Four Seasons Biltmore Resort in Santa Barbara / May 2005...
February 28, 2005
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality ExecutiveBy Maria Zate, Santa Barbara News-Press, Calif.Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Apr. 30, 2005 - The renovations at the Four Seasons Biltmore Resort in Santa Barbara are nearing the home stretch after four years of construction. When billionaire Ty Warner purchased the hotel in 2000, he said his intentions were to faithfully restore the landmark to its glorious 1927 Spanish Colonial roots. However, he also wanted to add all the conveniences of the 21st century. Today, about 75 percent of that goal has been accomplished, and the results so far show that Mr. Warner is coming through on h...
Affordable Meetings® West Show Featuring 240 Companies Representing Hotels and Resorts, Conference Centers, CVBs; June 15-16, 2005, San Jose McEn
February 28, 2005
Hotel Online Special Report Affordable Meetings® West Show Featuring 240 Companies Representing Hotels and Resorts, Conference Centers, CVBs; June 15-16, 2005, San Jose McEnery Convention Center MCLEAN, VA (May 2, 2005) New exhibiting companies, expanded regional sections, more convenient hours and value-added lunch coupons highlight the extraordinary trade exposition at the ninth annual Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association Internationals (HSMAI) Affordable Meetings® West show taking place June 15-16, 2005 at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, CA. The trade show is currently 90 perc...
Guido Salvatori Appointed Director of Revenue Management for the Sol Meliá Hotels & Resorts Americas Division / May 2005...
February 28, 2005
Hotel Online Special Report Guido Salvatori Appointed Director of Revenue Management for the Sol Meliá Hotels & Resorts Americas Division Miami, FL - May 4, 2005 - Guido Salvatori has been appointed Director of Revenue Management for the Americas Division, announced Ron Roy, vice president of marketing and distribution, Sol Meliá Hotels & Resorts - The Americas. Salvatori will develop and oversee all revenue management standards, including data collection and policies & procedures. Salvatori will support all hotels in the Americas division to maximize revenues via strategic pricing and market mix, in...
Portland Oregon Will Provide Sage Hospitality $13.9 million in Low Interest Loans to Transform Downtown Office Buildiong Into a Swank 334-room hote
February 28, 2005
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive By Laura Gunderson, The Oregonian, Portland, Ore. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News May 26, 2005 - - The Portland Development Commission on Wednesday approved $13.9 million in low-interest loans for a project that will renovate the downtown Portland Meier & Frank, transforming its upper floors into a swank hotel. After a brief presentation, the commission voted unanimously to provide Denver hotel developer Sage Hospitality Resources Inc. with three loans. The decision caps years of PDC work to find a way to revive the historic building on Southwest Fifth Av...
Arlington Hospitality Opens the AmeriHost Inn & Suites in Lansing, Michigan; Randy Paradine the Opening General Manager / May 2005...
February 28, 2005
Hotel Online Special Report Small Luxury Hotels Sees 14% Revenue Growth in 2005 First Quarte; Travel to France & Italy Rises NEW YORK, May 5, 2005 Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) announced today that the luxury hotel brand recognized a 14% increase in first quarter revenue over the same period last year. Underlying the increase in revenue was a 10% jump in both the total reservations and total room nights for that period in addition to a slight increase in the average daily rate. We have been expecting a steady rebound in the luxury hotel sector and by all accounts our numbers indicate that it...
