Marriott Expanding Diversity Initiative, Pledges $1 billion to Minority and Women Owned Suppliers Over the Next Five Years / February 2005

January 30, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report Marriott Expanding Diversity Initiative, Pledges $1 billion to Minority and Women Owned Suppliers Over the Next Five Years February 8, 2005 - Marriott International, Inc. today announced expanded goals for its Diversity Outreach Initiative, including: $1 billion pledged to minority and women owned suppliers over the next five years.  Relationships with four newly signed minority and women owned and managed financial services firms.  Minority owners and franchisees to double in five years. These goals were reported to a subcommittee of Marriott's Board of Directors, known ...

Two IMHI MBA Students Receive Scholarships from Disneyland Resort Paris / February 2005

January 30, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report Two IMHI MBA Students Receive Scholarships from Disneyland Resort Paris Cergy Pontoise/Paris, France (February 2, 2005) – For the fourth year running, Disneyland Resort Paris has awarded two scholarships to students of the IMHI MBA in International Hospitality Management.  They have been awarded to and Kashyap Gohil, 26, from Indian, and Saurabh Sachdev, 25, also from India. The Scholarships, covering 50% of tuition fees and worth over 25,000 euros, are offered each year as part of a joint partnership agreement between the Institut de Management Hôtelier I...

January 30, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report Discount Hotels London, Sydney, Rome, AmsterdamParis, Melbourne, Lisbon, Barcelona, Berlin, Hong Kong, New York, Auckland Discount Hotels London, Sydney, Rome, AmsterdamParis, Melbourne, Lisbon, Barcelona, Berlin, Hong Kong, New York, Auckland Maureen O’Hanlon Heads the 19-member Board of Directors for the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International MCLEAN, VA (Feb. 10, 2005) -- Hospitality sales and marketing executive Maureen O’Hanlon, senior partner at The Prism Partnership, heads the 19-member Americas board of directors for the Hospital...

Eugene Dilbeck, Former Head of Denver CVB, Appointed Executive Director of Center for Travel & Tourism at the University of Denver's Daniels C

January 30, 2005

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality ExecutiveBy Julie Dunn, The Denver PostKnight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 25, 2005 - Eugene Dilbeck is back in tourism. Dilbeck -- who spent 10 years leading the Denver Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau before being fired in November 2003 -- has been named founding executive director of the new Center for Travel & Tourism at the University of Denver's Daniels College of Business, the school announced Thursday. "I'm very excited, this is the perfect fit for me," he said. "I've spent 27 years in the tourism industry at both the state and city level, and this gives me the opportunity to take ...

Cyrus Di Tommaso Named General Manager of the Doubletree Hotel-Tarrytown, NY / February 2005

January 30, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report Discount Hotels London, Sydney, Rome, AmsterdamParis, Melbourne, Lisbon, Barcelona, Berlin, Hong Kong, New York, Auckland Discount Hotels London, Sydney, Rome, AmsterdamParis, Melbourne, Lisbon, Barcelona, Berlin, Hong Kong, New York, Auckland Cyrus Di Tommaso Named General Manager of the Doubletree Hotel-Tarrytown, NY BOSTON, Mass., February 23, 2005 — Pyramid Advisors LLC (Pyramid), a Boston-based hotel development, management and ownership firm, today announced that Cyrus Di Tommaso has been named general manager of the former Hilton Hotel in Tarryt...

Advertising Integrity; Framing the Visitor's Expectation Through Print, Signage & Internet / John Hendrie / February 2005

January 30, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report Advertising Integrity; Framing the Visitor's Expectation Through Print, Signage & Internet Destinations Unknown By John R. Hendrie, February 2005 “Hey, Marge, did you see that sign?  Uncle Ollie’s Bizarre Farm, featuring Dancing Piglets.  It’s the next exit.  Wake the kids.  They’ll think this is great.” We have all seen these signs on hillsides and roadways throughout America.  They intrigue the traveler.  After all, travel should be educational and adventuresome.  But, what lies ahead:  twenty miles of rough road, broken fences at the entrance, faded directionals (if a...

Palm Springs Desert Resorts; Our High Standards Do Not Include Rain in January / Tourism Column / Gary C. Sherwin / Februay 2005

January 30, 2005

  . Tourism Column By Gary C. Sherwin  Vice President, Market Development Palm Springs Desert Resorts Convention and Visitors Authority  February 4, 2005 It was the start of a new year. The beginning of high season. And it was supposed to be better than this. 2005 was the year that everything was going to turn around with the $1 billion local tourism industry finally getting real traction as it continues its slow upward recovery from 9/11. Optimism abounded. But thanks to the winter storms that washed out weekend business along with many area roads and golf courses, business was decidedly sour during January. Wit...

DePalma Hotel Corporation Announces Acquisition of Two Hotel Management Contracts Totaling 578 Rooms / February 2005

January 30, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report DePalma Hotel Corporation Announces Acquisition of Two Hotel Management Contracts Totaling 578 Rooms-- DePalma’s Management Portfolio Continues to Diversify With the Addition of the 432-Room Fort Worth Plaza Convention Hotel and the 146-Room Hearthside Suites Hotel Austin -- Arlington, TX, January 1, 2005:   Joseph DePalma, CEO of DePalma Hotel Corporation announced today the addition of two properties to the DePalma management portfolio.  “We’re very pleased to have these two great hotels in the DePalma family” said DePalma.  “Adding these propert...

About 17% of Daytona Beach Area's 13,500 Hotel Rooms Remain Closed Five Months After Hurricanes / February 2005

January 30, 2005

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality ExecutiveBy Louis Hau, St. Petersburg Times, Fla.Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 10, 2005 - Most Daytona Beach area hotels were able to get storm damage fixed before the Daytona 500. With the green flag ready to drop at the Daytona 500 this month, Daytona Beach hotelier Gary Brown has been under the gun getting ready. His Sun Viking Lodge on S. Atlantic Avenue had to close 41 of its 91 rooms last fall after they were damaged by hurricanes Charley, Frances and Jeanne. After a frantic effort to corral contractors and repair crews, Brown and his staff began reopening rooms in January, about ...

David Kwok Appointed Director of Sales & Marketing at The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong / February 2005

January 30, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report Discount Hotels London, Sydney, Rome, AmsterdamParis, Melbourne, Lisbon, Barcelona, Berlin, Hong Kong, New York, Auckland Discount Hotels London, Sydney, Rome, AmsterdamParis, Melbourne, Lisbon, Barcelona, Berlin, Hong Kong, New York, Auckland David Kwok Appointed Director of Sales & Marketing at The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong Hong Kong, 14 February 2005 --- The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, an iconic, contemporary hotel in Hong Kong’s Central district that promises new standards of luxury when it opens in the third quarter of this year, has ann...

David L. Rea Named President and Chief Operating Officer of La Quinta / February 2005

January 30, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report David L. Rea Named President and Chief Operating Officer of La Quinta Wayne B. Goldberg Named Executive Vice President of Operations,  A. Brent Spaeth Named Executive Vice President of Corporate Administration DALLAS (Feb. 24, 2005) – La Quinta Corporation today announced that David L. Rea has been promoted to President and Chief Operating Officer.  He will continue to report to Francis W. (“Butch”) Cash, who will remain the Company’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.  Mr. Rea will have responsibility for company owned hotel operations, sales and marketing, information sy...

Dave Berkus Lays Out Hospitality Technology Trends at Alcatel Forum 2005 / February 2005

January 30, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report Dave Berkus Lays Out Hospitality Technology Trends at Alcatel Forum 2005 Los Angeles, California: - February 23, 2005 - Hospitality technology veteran and HFTP Hall of Fame member, Dave Berkus, partner in Hospitality Automation Consultants, LTD, presented his vision of hospitality technology trends to an attentive group of worldwide hoteliers last week at the Hospitality Industry Conference  at the Alcatel Forum 2005 in Paris, France. Berkus focused his remarks upon the reach of technology beyond the room, taking advantage of new capabilities in wide area networking and customer relati...

Fredericksburg Inn & Suites Completes $1.3 million Exterior Renovations / February 2005

January 30, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report Fredericksburg Inn & Suites Completes $1.3 million Exterior Renovations Dallas, TX, February 22, 2005:  Hospitality Management Corporation and Croesus Partners, Inc., recently announced the completion of a $1.3 million dollar exterior renovation to the Fredericksburg Inn & Suites in Fredericksburg, Texas.   The renovation focused on bringing a “Hill Country” look to the property and included a new roof, new paint, new stone masonry, and the addition of a second resort-style swimming pool with in-ground hot tub and an outdoor open-air cabana with fireplace and TV. High-speed wireless...

New Video from Educational Institute Teaches Skills for Professional Courtesy Van Service / February 2005

January 30, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report New Video from Educational Institute Teaches Skills for Professional Courtesy Van Service ORLANDO, Fla., February 2005—Courtesy van drivers often provide the first and last impressions that guests have of a property. A new training video from the Educational Institute of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, “Professional Courtesy Van Service,” shows drivers how to provide high-quality service that will exceed guests’ expectations while providing a safe driving experience. Topics covered in this 23-minute video include: Detailed instructions for inspecting vehicles for safety and ap...

Condo Hotels – How to Make Them Work / Jim Butler and Guy Maisnik / February 2005

January 30, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report The Global Hospitality Advisor . Condo Hotels -  How to Make Them Work February  2005 This is Part I of a two-part series. For Part II Click Here. This article by Jim Butler and Guy Maisnik was originally published in the February 2005 issue of Urban Land Magazine by the Urban Land Institute (ULI), © 2005. ULI is the copyright owner of the article. This article is reprinted with the permission of ULI. Perhaps the greatest satisfaction of working in the real estate industry is that a single transaction can produce so many winners. Properly structured deals can offer up rewa...

The Condo Part of Condo Hotels; A Primer on How to Create a Common Interest Development / David Waite, JMBM / The Global Hospitality Advisor / Februa

January 30, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report The Global Hospitality Advisor The "Condo" Part of Condo Hotels;  A Primer on How to Create a "Common Interest Development February  2005 By David Waite The recent success of projects where condominiums have been married with a hotel component has created a new development (and redevelopment) model for both condo and hotel projects. It is also one offering great profit potential for developers of condos and hotels alike. While condo developers need to learn a great deal about hotels in order to be successful with this model, the same is true of hotel developers learning about ...

Sunland Hotels Pte. Ltd, Planning Re-branding and Expansion of their Coco Palm Resort Portfolio in the Maldives / February 2005

January 30, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report Discount Hotels London, Sydney, Rome, AmsterdamParis, Melbourne, Lisbon, Barcelona, Berlin, Hong Kong, New York, Auckland Discount Hotels London, Sydney, Rome, AmsterdamParis, Melbourne, Lisbon, Barcelona, Berlin, Hong Kong, New York, Auckland Sunland Hotels Pte. Ltd, Planning Re-branding and Expansion of their Coco Palm Resort Portfolio in the Maldives February 14, 2005 - Sunland Hotels Pte. Ltd, a fully owned Maldivian Company known for owning and managing award winning Coco Palm Resort and Spa, is pleased to announce the re-branding and expansion of th...

Co-ops, Consortiums, and Clusters; Pros, Cons, and Cautions For Hotel Owners / Ronald A. Nykiel and James C. Makens / February 2005

January 30, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report Discount Hotels London, Sydney, Rome, AmsterdamParis, Melbourne, Lisbon, Barcelona, Berlin, Hong Kong, New York, Auckland Discount Hotels London, Sydney, Rome, AmsterdamParis, Melbourne, Lisbon, Barcelona, Berlin, Hong Kong, New York, Auckland Co-ops, Consortiums, and Clusters - Pros, Cons, and Cautions For Hotel Owners by Ronald A. Nykiel and James C. Makens February 2005 Introduction:  Historically, when the hospitality industry is in a downturn such as in the early 1990s and after September 11, 2001, there is an accelerated interest in achieving e...

January 30, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report Cleveland’s Lodging Market: A Slow Climb Back by: David J. Sangree, MAI, CPA, ISHC and Joseph Pierce February 2005 Nationwide, the hospitality industry rebounded in 2004 from what had been a two year slide following the events of September 11, 2001. In 2004, Cleveland remained a buyer’s market for the lodging industry, but significant improvement in occupancy levels coupled with modest improvements in ADR provided the market’s first increase in RevPAR since 2000. The prospect for continued improvement in 2005 of both occupancy and rate remains good. Occupancy and ADR’s The improvement in ...

Bonnie Waltman, Helen Arthur & Paul McCook Appointed to Executive Positions at The Clarion Hotel & Conference Center Antietam Creek in Hagerstown, Mar

January 30, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report Bonnie Waltman, Helen Arthur & Paul McCook Appointed to Executive Positions at The Clarion Hotel & Conference Center Antietam Creek in Hagerstown, Maryland HAGERSTOWN, Md. (February 2005) -- The Clarion Hotel & Conference Center Antietam Creek, a 210-room meetings hotel in Hagerstown, Md., owned and managed by affiliates of Magna Hospitality Group, L.C., is re-emerging as one of the top places to meet in the Washington-Baltimore Corridor by naming three hospitality veterans to executive sales, marketing, and food and beverage positions.   Bonnie Waltman, has returned to Hagerstown as ...

January 30, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report Franchise Sales Director Tesh Patel Receives Choice Hotels’ Highest Sales Achievement Award – the  Victor G. Trapani Award for Sales Excellence SILVER SPRING, Md.  (Feb. 22, 2005) -- Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE:CHH) recently honored its top-selling franchise sales and development team with awards for outstanding sales performance and dedication in 2004.  The awards celebrate record franchise development for the company in 2004, with 552 new contracts executed, the most in a single year in the company’s history. “2004 was a year of record achievements in system growth,”...

Cheyenne, Wyoming Considering a $33 million, 133,000 sq ft Convention Center; Consultant Suggests Center Would Draw Events its First Year / February

January 30, 2005

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality ExecutiveBy Kelly Milner, Wyoming Tribune-EagleKnight Ridder/Tribune Business News Jan. 30, 2005 - CHEYENNE -- As Cheyenne considers building its own convention center, a Washington, D.C., think tank says the nation has too much convention space and its use is declining. But local officials say that data does not negate the need for a convention center here. "Space Available: The Realities of Convention Centers as Economic Development Strategy" was released last week by the Brookings Institution. The Brookings Institution is an independent, nonpartisan organization devoted to research, analysis and ...

The Cendant Name Doesn't Appear On Any Hotel Facade, But Sold 20% of All Midpriced and Economy Hotel Rooms in the United States and Canada Last

January 30, 2005

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality ExecutiveBy Kevin G. DeMarrais, The Record, Hackensack, N.J.Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Feb. 13, 2005 - Like a landscaper, Steven Rudnitsky is pruning the dead wood, nourishing the existing stock and filling in holes with new growth. It's all part of his job as chairman and chief executive of the Cendant Hotel Group, the world's biggest and perhaps least-known hotel franchiser. The Cendant name doesn't appear on any hotel facade; the company doesn't own a single piece of real estate, a single bed. But Parsippany-based Cendant owns some of the best known brands in the industry, which it fr...

Carlson Hotels Opened 14 New Properties During January 2005 / February 2005

January 30, 2005

Hotel Online  Special Report Carlson Hotels Opened 14 New Properties During January 2005 MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (Feb. 21, 2005) ---- Carlson Hotels Worldwide today announced that the company opened 14 new properties in its global portfolio of brands during January 2005.  Three new Radisson Hotels & Resorts properties opened in the U.S. and Europe; Country Inns & Suites By Carlson welcomed three new hotels in the U.S., including the brand's first property in a central urban location; and Park Inn started 2005 with the addition of seven hotels in Germany and one in Denmark.  These additions bring Radisson's upsc...