Travelodge in Salina Kansas Fined $8,000 for Operating a Continental Breakfast Service Without a Food Service License / June 2005

February 28, 2005

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality ExecutiveBy April Middleton, The Salina Journal, Kan.Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Jun. 14, 2005 - The Travelodge motel, 1949 N. Ninth, has been fined $8,000 by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment for operating a continental breakfast service without a food-service license. The business was issued a $500 fine in January for the same violation of the Kansas Food Code. According to the legal order provided to the Salina Journal at the time of that first fine, the service had operated without a valid license since Aug. 10. Management at the Travelodge did not return phone calls seek...

Coral Sands, a Hilton Head Island Time-share Company at the Center Consumer Complaints, Agrees to Measures Aimed at Helping Buyers Understand its S

February 28, 2005

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality ExecutiveBy Peter Hull, The Island Packet, Hilton Head Island, S.C.Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Jun. 9, 2005 - The Hilton Head Island time-share company at the center of lawsuits and consumer complaints regarding its sales practices has agreed to measures aimed at helping buyers understand its sales contracts, S.C. Real Estate Commission officials said Wednesday. Coral Sands told the commission it would communicate more directly and effectively with buyers in an effort to resolve any complaints and pledged to provide additional customer sales staff and an attorney for buyers to consult bef...

Larkspur Hospitality Acquires the Hyatt Sainte Claire in San Jose, California; Renamed The Sainte Claire, a Larkspur Hotel / June 2005

February 28, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report   Larkspur Hospitality Acquires the Hyatt Sainte Claire in San Jose, California; Renamed The Sainte Claire, a Larkspur Hotel June 22, 2005 - Larkspur Hospitality, one of the nation's fastest growing independent hotel companies, announced today that it has acquired the Hyatt Sainte Claire in San Jose, California and has renamed it The Sainte Claire, a Larkspur Hotel. The hotel will become part of the Larkspur Collection and will no longer be affiliated with the Hyatt brand. "We are thrilled to welcome The Sainte Claire to the Larkspur Collection," said Karl Hoagland, chairman, president...

Sergio Olmedo Named Head Chef at The Gran Hotel Sóller, Majorca / June 2005

February 28, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report Sergio Olmedo Named Head Chef at The Gran Hotel Sóller, Majorca With this initiative this well-known luxury establishment once again places its faith in the new aspirations in the Balearic gastronomy Soller, 9th June, 2005.  The Gran Hotel Sóller, a five star establishment magnificently situated in the Costa Nord of Majorca, have appointed Sergio Olmedo to occupy the position of  Head Chef  in their exclusive Restaurant Ca’n Blau.  With this appointment the luxury hotel confirms its interest in promoting the young talents of Majorca and their special vision of the gas...

Stuart Newmark Named Senior Vice-President of Operations, The Kessler Collection / June 2005

February 28, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report Stuart Newmark Named Senior Vice-President of Operations, The Kessler Collection Orlando, Florida – (June 8, 2005) – The Kessler Collection is proud to announce the promotion of Stuart Newmark from general manager of the award-winning AAA Four-Diamond Westin Grand Bohemian Hotel, to senior vice-president of operations.  Within this role, Newmark will oversee all daily operation functions for all of The Kessler Collection properties. Newmark, who has been with the company for the past five years, was instrumental in receiving the Westin's "Best in Brand" recognition for The West...

SIGNETURE HDTVSM Systems 'Wow'ing Guests in Chicago and LA / June 2005

February 28, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report SIGNETURE HDTVSM Systems "Wow"ing Guests in Chicago and LA   Guests at Hard Rock Chicago and The Beverly Hilton Enjoying High-Impact Digital Picture and Sound in an Easy-To-Use High-Definition System  . SIOUX FALLS SD, June 21, 2005 – As LodgeNet Entertainment Corporation (NASDAQ: LNET) showcases the latest enhancements to its SIGNETURE HDTV SM platform at the HITEC trade show, hoteliers and their guests are already enjoying SIGNETURE HDTV at high profile properties in Chicago and Los Angeles.  SIGNETURE HDTV is thrilling guests at The Hard Rock Chicago, where select suites fea...

Sam Haigh Named President & Chief Operating Officer for Benchmark Hospitality International / June 2005

February 28, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report Benchmark Hospitality Appoints Sam Haigh President & Chief Operating Officer THE WOODLANDS (HOUSTON), TEXAS, June 23, 2005 - Benchmark Hospitality International has announced the appointment of Sam Haigh as president & chief operating officer for the leading hospitality management company.  Burt Cabañas, chairman and chief executive officer, made the announcement. "Sam's contributions to the growth of Benchmark in operations, new business development and owner relations have contributed immensely to the company's overall success and advancement, putting us in a strong position to...

San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau Appoints 2005-2006 Board of Directors; Rick Swig of RSBA & Associates Installed as Chairman / June 2005

February 28, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau Appoints 2005-2006 Board of Directors; Rick Swig of RSBA & Associates Installed as Chairman June 28, 2005 - The San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau (SFCVB) installed Rick Swig, president of RSBA & Associates, as chairman for fiscal year 2005-2006 at the bureau’s 95th Annual Luncheon meeting today. Swig has served on the SFCVB executive committee since 2000 and also served on the board of directors from 1992 to 1995.  Swig’s father, Richard Swig, was SFCVB chairman in 1968-1969. “We look forward to Rick’s leadership, especially follow...

Symon Bridle Appointed Chief Operating Officer of Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts / June 2005

February 28, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report  Symon Bridle Appointed Chief Operating Officer of Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts Hong Kong, June 3, 2005 - Symon Bridle has been appointed chief operating officer of Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, Asia Pacific's leading luxury hotel group.  In this new position, created in response to the company's rapid growth, Mr. Bridle will supervise the hotels' vice presidents to ensure optimal operational and financial performance among existing and opening hotels, as well as represent the management company to owners and shareholders.  He will report directly to Chief Executive Officer and Manag...

Resignation of Atlanta CVB Executive VP Carey Rountree Not Linked to Loss of the 100,000 Attendee National Association of Home Builders / June 2005

February 28, 2005

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality ExecutiveBy Leon Stafford, The Atlanta Journal-ConstitutionKnight Ridder/Tribune Business News Jun. 21, 2005 - Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Vice President Carey Rountree is leaving the agency, but officials insist it has nothing to do with the recent loss of the city's biggest convention. Rountree, who has been with the bureau since 1992, has been in discussions about other jobs and wanted to go public about his desire to move on, said Bill Howard, the ACVB's vice president of marketing, communications and tourism. Howard said Rountree wanted to avoid speculation that he was b...

Ross Woods Named Director in PricewaterhouseCoopers New York Hospitality & Leisure Practice / June 2005

February 28, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report  Ross Woods Named Director in PricewaterhouseCoopers New York Hospitality & Leisure Practice New York, June 6, 2005 - PricewaterhouseCoopers announced that Ross Woods, a veteran hospitality consultant, joined the firm's New York Hospitality & Leisure Practice as Director. In his new position he will lead selected engagements in New York as well as national client projects in his specialties. Reporting to Bjorn Hanson, Ph.D., the global leader of PricewaterhouseCoopers'™ Hospitality & Leisure Practice, Mr. Woods will be responsible for hotel portfolio strategy and investment analysis. "R...

Three Generations of Luxury: Rosewood Celebrates 25 Years / June 2005

February 28, 2005

Hotel Online Special Report   Three Generations of Luxury:  Rosewood Celebrates 25 Years DALLAS, Texas – Apr. 15, 2005 - Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, the premier manager of ultra-luxury hotels and resorts throughout the world, is commemorating a milestone this year with the 25th anniversary celebration of the company. Founded in 1979 by Caroline Rose Hunt, a member of the legendary Dallas Hunt family, the Rosewood legacy began with Ms. Hunt’s vision to restore an old mansion into a world-class restaurant and hotel which she named The Mansion on Turtle Creek, A Rosewood Hotel. A woman of impeccable taste, Ms. Hunt fashion...

John Q. Hammons Building a 125,000-square-foot Convention Center and Adding a 152-suite Tower to the Embassy Suites in Rogers, Arkansas / June 2005

February 28, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report John Q. Hammons Building a 125,000 sq ft Convention Center and Adding a 152-suite Tower to the Embassy Suites in Rogers, Arkansas ROGERS, Ark. & SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - June 28, 2005 -- Mr. John Q. Hammons today announced his plans to develop a 125,000-square-foot John Q. Hammons Center with a main ballroom of 42,000 square feet that will seat 3,000 and to expand the Embassy Suites Hotel(R) Northwest Arkansas in Rogers, Ark. The hotel's new 152-suite tower will adjoin Hammons Center and will feature a full-service spa on the first floor. The expanded hotel will be Arkansas' largest all-suit...

The Rodeway Inn Old Town Scottsdale Named Rodeway Inn of the Year by Choice Hotels, the Franchisor of the Brand / June 2005

February 28, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report The Rodeway Inn Old Town Scottsdale Named Rodeway Inn of the Year by Choice Hotels, the Franchisor of the Brand SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (June 7, 2005) – The Rodeway Inn Old Town Scottsdale, located at 7110 E. Indian School Road, recently was named Inn of the Year by Choice Hotels International, franchisor of the Rodeway Inn hotel brand. It is the second-consecutive Inn of the Year honor for the hotel. Choice Hotels annually presents the Inn of the Year Award to hotels that demonstrate lodging excellence. The best of each brand is selected by a committee of peer hoteliers who evaluate ...

Four Seasons and JMB Begin Process to Sell Ritz-Carlton Chicago; Upon Completion of a Sale, Four Seasons Will Cease Managing the Hotel / June 2005

February 28, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report Four Seasons and JMB Begin Process to Sell Ritz-Carlton Chicago; Upon Completion of a Sale, Four Seasons Will Cease Managing the Hotel  TORONTO, June 7, 2005 - Four Seasons Hotels Inc. (TSX Symbol "FSH.SV"; NYSE Symbol "FS") and Urban Investment ("Urban"), a subsidiary of JMB Realty Corporation ("JMB"), indirect owner of the Ritz-Carlton Chicago, confirmed today that they have agreed to begin a process to sell all or part of the ownership interest in the Hotel. Four Seasons and Urban have also agreed that, upon completion of the sale, Four Seasons will cease managing the Hotel an...

The Rihga Royal Now Operating as an Independent Hotel, Ends Affiliation with the J.W. Marriott Hotel Brand / June 2005

February 28, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report The Rihga Royal Now Operating as an Independent Hotel,  Ends Affiliation with the J.W. Marriott Hotel Brand NEW YORK, June 20, 2005 - The Rihga Royal began operating as an independent hotel on Saturday, June 18, 2005, having concluded its affiliation with the J.W. Marriott Hotel Company on June 17.  The move to independent operation is the hotel's first step toward redefining New York's new, luxury all-suite market and establishing the hotel's position as a cornerstone of excellence in that market. The Rihga Royal was recently acquired by affiliates of Blackstone Real Estate Advisors.Â...

Revenue Management Systems — Considerations for Evaluation / Carol Verret / June 2005

February 28, 2005

Carol Verret Consulting  and Training Consulting Training Seminars . . . . Revenue Management Systems --  Considerations for Evaluation by Carol Verret, June 2005 A recent Cornell University Study found "hotels that price above their local competitors to be the most aggressive revenue managers. (This study) - also suggests that those hotels which are best able to extract high REVPARs are most likely to engage in revenue management practices." (Cathy Enz, PHD, Linda Canina, PHD, The Center for Hospitality Research, Cornell University, Analysis of Revenue Management, Vol 5, No 6, April 2005.) Most (not all) h...

Revenue Management: Too Tactical and Not Strategic Enough; Highlights from HSMAI's Revenue Management Strategy Conference / June 2005

February 28, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report Revenue Management: Too Tactical and Not Strategic Enough; Highlights from HSMAI's Revenue Management Strategy Conference MCLEAN, VA (June 27, 2005) – Delegates at the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Revenue Management Strategy Conference called for the creation of a clear Revenue Management culture noting that hospitality industry pricing today is far too tactical and the challenges of multi-channel distribution and other costs need to be factored into the equation in order for companies to be profitable. A total of 165 professionals from leading organiza...

February 28, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report A “Who’s Who” of Revenue Management Executives Headline the 2nd Annual HSMAI Revenue Management Strategy Conference Ideas Fair Will Brainstorm Industry’s Top Concerns in Conjunction With HITEC MCLEAN, VA (May 31, 2005) – A “who’s who” of revenue management executives from leading hospitality companies and travel concerns will headline the agenda at the second annual Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Revenue Management Strategy Conference, to be held in Los Angeles on June 20, 2005 at the Los Angeles Convention Center in conjunction with the HITE...

Owned by the Village of Schaumburg, the 500 room Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel Is Set to Open in Mid 2006; the Hotel and Convention Center is the Most

February 28, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report Owned by the Village of Schaumburg, the 500 room Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel Is Set to Open in Mid 2006;  . The Hotel and Convention Center is the Most Expensive Development Ever Taken on by the Village at $226 million Sales Team Exceeding Goals by 320% Schaumburg, IL (June 9, 2005) — On May 26th, the Village of Schaumburg held a “Topping Off” ceremony to celebrate the completion of the new Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel’s 15-story frame.  Construction for the hotel, which will feature 500 guestrooms and 48,600 sq. feet of meeting space, is progressing on schedule and is slate...

City of Marietta Signs Remington Hotel Corporation to Operate the Marietta Conference Center & Resort / June 2005

February 28, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report  City of Marietta Signs Remington Hotel Corporation to Operate the Marietta Conference Center & Resort DALLAS and MARIETTA, Ga., May 31, 2005 - Remington Hotel Corporation, the premier service provider to the hospitality industry(TM), today announced it has successfully concluded long term lease negotiations with the city of Marietta for the 200-room Marietta Conference Center & Resort in Marietta, Georgia. Remington executed a long term operating lease with the City of Marietta that includes option periods for a total of 18 years. Mark Sharkey, Chief Operating Officer of Remington, "Th...

Spanish Hotel Chains Set-out Internet Distribution Strategy / June 2005

February 28, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report Spanish Hotel Chains Set-out Internet Distribution Strategy Barcelona, June 2005 - Spanish hotel chains are taking control over their ecommerce distribution by making several important decisions to their strategy. Online distribution is a market that has developed from nothing into one of the main resources of reservations for hotels in Spain in the last 5 years. From being used to work with the classic tour operators the hotels have been slightly taken by surprise by the growth of the ecommerce market at first. In no time it represented 20 to 40% of their market mix. It is a very powerful dis...

Hotel Operators Must Make Difficult Choices to Exploit their Most Profitable Asset: How They Get the Best Return on their Known Customers / June 2005

February 28, 2005

Hotel Operators Must Make Difficult Choices to Exploit their Most Profitable Asset: How They Get the Best Return on their Known Customers June 8, 2005 - When it comes to building on what appears to be a sustained, though slow, US economic recovery, hoteliers face a tough challenge in attracting what growth in customer expenditure there is.  What are the latest tools and trends available to hotels to maximize the valuable commodity of the repeat guest, and what can you do to make sure you get more than your fair share? Hotel operators invest in renovations, new technology, staff training and other aspects of their business for o...

Caring for Customers and Getting to be #1: Ramesys Reinvents its Approach and Notices Dramatic Results / June 2005

February 28, 2005

Spot Light HITEC 2005 Caring for Customers and Getting to be #1:  Ramesys Reinvents its Approach and Notices Dramatic Results . Booth # 641 June 13, 2005 - Ramesys (South Plainfield, NJ), a leading provider of enterprise IT solutions to the hospitality and lodging industry for over 25 years, announces the fruits of investing in the people and infrastructure of their Customer Care Center.  Ramesys commenced its Project CARE (Courteous, Accurate, Responsive, Efficient) to refocus the whole organization on the success of its customers in June 2004.  Today, CEO Rick Kennedy talks about the culture changes needed to compete...