Analysis-Companies Boost Social and Climate Reporting Amid ESG Backlash
November 4th, 2024
The Alexander, Miami Beach, Selects TravelCLICK as Electronic Distribution Partner / July 2004
March 31, 2004
Hotel Online Special Report The Alexander, Miami Beach, Selects TravelCLICK as Electronic Distribution Partner . CHICAGO (July 19, 2004) – Ray Cohen, president and co-CEO of TravelCLICK, announced today that The Alexander All-Suite Oceanfront Resort in Miami Beach has selected TravelCLICK's iHotelier booking engine for its GDS and website connectivity. The Alexander will be using TravelCLICK’s technology platform to manage its distribution activities through its local Internet channels. Said David Dohmen, General Manager of The Alexander, “We selected TravelCLICK's booking engine because it is critical for an ...
Omitting the Assessment Phase of Hotel Staff Training May Hurt Customer Service and the Bottom Line / Paul R. MacKinnon / July 2004
March 31, 2004
Hotel Online Special Report Omitting the Assessment Phase of Hotel Staff Training May Hurt Customer Service and the Bottom Line by Paul R. MacKinnon, July 2004 Picture yourself in this scenario. You just found out the team building event your company is conducting involves skydiving. You are all excited because skydiving is something you have always wanted to do. However, in order to minimize the expense of putting the program together the decision was made to purchase the skydiving training program minus any instructor assessment. “So what,” you say, “it will still be fun.” The day of the event you spend the morning ...
The 250-room Traders Hotel, Dubai Opens; Owned by Zubair Corporation, the Property is the Sixth Traders Hotel for Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts / July
March 31, 2004
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 The 250-room Traders Hotel, Dubai Opens; Owned by Zubair Corporation, the Property is the Sixth Traders Hotel for Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts Dubai, U.A.E. (July 2004) - The four star deluxe Traders Hotel, Dubai opened this month and debuted the Traders brand in the Middle East region. The 250-room hotel, which ...
Class-action Suit Inititated Over Controversial Practice of Deducting Credit-card Processing Fees from Food Servers' Tips / July 2004
March 31, 2004
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality ExecutiveBy Kelly Pate Dwyer, The Denver PostKnight Ridder/Tribune Business News Jul.y 26, 2004--A Denver lawyer is leading a class-action fight that ultimately could affect the way restaurants do business here and across the country. Tim Fox of Denver's Fox & Robertson is one of two attorneys battling a Houston restaurant chain, Landry's Restaurants Inc., over a controversial business practice -- deducting credit-card processing fees from food servers' tips. "The business owner has decided to accept credit cards," Fox says. "-- That ought to be a cost of doing business." The Denver Post in a Jul...
Are You Deducting Credit-card Fees from Servers' Tips? An Under-the-Radar Practice / July 2004
March 31, 2004
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality ExecutiveBy Kelly Pate Dwyer, The Denver PostKnight Ridder/Tribune Business News July 14, 2004 - Inside the city's swankiest high-end restaurants, an illegal but increasingly common practice goes on each day: The owners take more than 2 percent of servers' tips to help cover costs of processing credit cards. Tamayo, Zengo, Restaurant Kevin Taylor and others do it. The operators say it's a cost of doing business. Some believe it's legal. Not so, according to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. "The employer can't do it," said Mike McArdle, director of the department's Labor Standards Di...
Half a million Britons Own Timeshares; Many are Delighted with their Decision. Others Bitterly Regret It / July 2004
March 31, 2004
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality ExecutiveBy Toby Walne, Financial Mail on Sunday, LondonKnight Ridder/Tribune Business News July 25, 2004 - Gudrun ushers me out to a spacious veranda packed with other visitors for a chat. The middle-aged German woman is one of about 60 sales staff who deal with more than 250 people a day in a well-rehearsed operation at Club La Costa, a complex set in more than 27 acres of parkland about 15 miles from Marbella. The old-fashioned concept of buying weeks at individual locations is dead, she tells me. Gudrun picks up an ashtray to demonstrate her point: "It is not as if you own this [pretending th...
The Timeshare Sector Reporting Revenue Growth for 10 Years Straight; Moving from Dogs to Darlings in the Tourism Industry / July 2004
March 31, 2004
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality ExecutiveBy Kyle Stock, The Post and Courier, Charleston, S.C.Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News July 19, 2004 - Timeshares, long reputed to be the province of unctuous and manipulative salesmen, have slowly but surely moved from dogs to darlings in the tourism industry. The sector has posted sizable revenue growth for more than 10 years straight, often while hotel companies suffered losses. South Carolina, which is second only to Florida in number of timeshare units, has cashed in on that trend. And with demand still surging, more and more of the Palmetto State coast is expected to be sold off on...
Tim Gao Named Chief Executive Officer of the Teda Hotels Management Company Limited / July 2004
March 31, 2004
Hotel Online Special Report Tim Gao Named Chief Executive Officer of the Teda Hotels Management Company Limited Former Sheraton, Holiday Inn Executive Joins Top Chinese Hotel Management Company HONG KONG, July 20, 2004 - Teda Travel Group, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: TTVL), announced today it has appointed Mr. Tim Gao, as its Chief Executive Officer of the Teda Hotels Management Company Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Teda Travel Group. Mr. Gao is well respected in the hotel management industry in China and brings more than 15 years of operating experience in hotel management to the Group. Mr. Gao said...
Terra Nova Corporate Housing Now Operating as Marriott ExecuStay Southern California / July 2004
March 31, 2004
Hotel Online Special Report  Terra Nova Corporate Housing Now Operating as Marriott ExecuStay Southern California Washington, D.C. – July 19, 2004 – Hitting a 30-market franchise milestone, Marriott ExecuStay, the corporate housing division of Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE:MAR), today announced two new franchise agreements that have more than doubled its Southern California portfolio and added additional coverage in the Midwest. Effective July 1, 2004, Terra Nova Corporate Housing (Terra Nova) now operates Marriott ExecuStay Southern California. Founded in 1996 by Lori Tonne, Maureen Retsek, and...
Some 200 Companies Exhibiting at the IH/M&RS Technology Market / Aug 2004
March 31, 2004
Hotel Online Special Report Some 200 Companies Exhibiting at the IH/M&RS Technology Market WHITE PLAINS, NY, July 29, 2004…Technology, one of the five markets at the 89th annual International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show® (IH/M&RS), will provide participants with new products, services and education to prepare them for the latest technological advancements within the hospitality industry, November 13 – 16, 2004, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. “The Technology market at the IH/M&RS displays products that are at the forefront of the hospitality industry,” said Christian Falkenberg, show m...
The 272 room Crowne Plaza Tampa, Managed by Quorum Hotels, Will Drop Franchise and Operate Under the Name, The Quorum Hotel / July 2004
March 31, 2004
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality ExecutiveBy Randy Diamond, Tampa Tribune, Fla.Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News July 13, 2004 - TAMPA, Fla. -- You can find most major hotel chains in Tampa's West Shore business district, but one name you won't be able to find soon will be Crowne Plaza. The owners of the 272-room Crowne Plaza Tampa hotel on West Shore Boulevard have decided to drop their chain affiliation and operate under a new name, The Quorum Hotel. On Sept. 1, the hotel's franchise agreement expires with Intercontinental Hotel Group, owners of the Crowne Plaza chain. Mark Shire, Crowne Plaza Tampa marketing director, said t...
WPM Construction Building 23-story Embassy Suites Adjacent to Tampa Convention Center / July 2004
March 31, 2004
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality ExecutiveBy Randy Diamond, Tampa Tribune, Fla.Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News July 30, 2004 - TAMPA, Fla. -- Ground will be broken Monday to begin building a 23-story Embassy Suites Hotel in downtown across from the convention center, the developer of the delayed project said Thursday. It would be the first new lodging establishment downtown in more than four years. "It's a definite," said Richard Parks, vice president of WPM Construction, the hotel's developers and owners. Parks said the groundbreaking will be at 11 a.m. Monday. WPM officials had disclosed they were building the hotel in Nov...
The Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort and Spa Appoints Three Executives to Management Team / July 2004
March 31, 2004
Hotel Online Special Report The Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort and Spa Appoints Three Executives to Management Team Santa Ana Pueblo, NM (July 12, 2004) – The Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort and Spa has appointed three new executives to the resort’s management team: Gene Roche, human resources director; James McAnally, rooms executive and Troy Wood, director of catering and convention services. They report to the resort’s general manager, Steve Dewire. “We’re excited about the breadth of experience our new managers bring to the resort,” said Dewire. “They will play an integral role in the resort’s growth on an in...
Tom Storey Appointed Executive Vice President, Development – Fairmont Hotels & Resorts Inc. / July 2004
March 31, 2004
Hotel Online Special Report Tom Storey Appointed Executive Vice President, Development - Fairmont Hotels & Resorts Inc. TORONTO, July 6, 2004 - In a continued effort to grow its luxury brand, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts Inc. ("Fairmont" or the "Company") (TSX/NYSE: FHR), today announced a new development structure that is intended to accelerate growth through future acquisitions, joint ventures and new development opportunities. In response, William Fatt, Chief Executive Officer of Fairmont, is pleased to announce the appointment of two seasoned industry executives who will be responsible for the Company's growth.   Â...
Tom Higgins, President and CEO of Best Western, to Step Down / July 2004
March 31, 2004
Hotel Online Special Report Tom Higgins, President and CEO of Best Western, to Step Down PHOENIX, July 20, 2004 - Tom Higgins, President and CEO of Best Western International, announced today that he will not renew his contract when it expires. His last day with the company will be August 13, 2004. "During the time I have spent at Best Western, our team has achieved many goals and reached new heights. Although our successes have been very rewarding for me, I have decided to move on to new challenges. This was a difficult decision, but I have every confidence that it is the right one for me and my family," said Hig...
Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels Promotes Executives in New York, Miami and San Francisco / July 2004
March 31, 2004
Hotel Online Special Report  Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels Promotes Executives in New York, Miami and San Francisco NEW YORK, MIAMI and SAN FRANCISCO, July 29, 2004 – Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels has promoted three team members across the Americas region, recognizing its executives who have shown outstanding achievement. In New York, Thomas Fisher was promoted to executive vice president. In Miami, Christian Charre was promoted to senior vice president. In San Francisco, Anwar Elgonemy was promoted to vice president. "Each of these individuals have made considerable contributions to the firm and have demonstrated the a...
Thompson Calhoun Fair Brokers Sale of the AmeriHost Inn – Hudsonville, Michigan / July 2004
March 31, 2004
Hotel Online Special Report Thompson Calhoun Fair Brokers Sale of the AmeriHost Inn - Hudsonville, Michigan ATLANTA, Georgia, July 16, 2004 - Thompson Calhoun Fair, LLC, an Atlanta-based hotel real estate firm, announced today that it advised Arlington Hospitality in the disposition of the AmeriHost Inn in Hudsonville, Michigan. The 61-room hotel is located at 3301 Highland Drive in Hudsonville, Michigan. The property, located close to Interstate 196, is comprised of one two-story building and features a spacious indoor pool, a small meeting room accommodating up to 30 people, a continental breakfast area located in ...
Accor's Base Backpacker Group Acquires 326 bed Hostel in Sydney / July 2004
March 31, 2004
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 Accor's Base Backpacker Group Acquires 326 bed Hostel in Sydney 7 July 2004: The Accor-founded Base Backpacker Group has made its most strategic addition to date with the takeover of a major hostel in Sydney, which will be converted into base's first Sydney hostel after an extensive refurbishment.  Base has acqu...
Swig Co., Which Co-developed the Chicago Fairmont Hotel in 1987, Buys Out its Saudi Partner; Transaction Values the Hotel at More than $150 million
March 31, 2004
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality ExecutiveBy Thomas A. Corfman, Chicago TribuneKnight Ridder/Tribune Business News July 23, 2004 - Swig Co., which co-developed the Chicago Fairmont Hotel in 1987, has bought out its Saudi partner in a transaction that values the high-end hotel at more than $150 million. The sale is another sign of a quickening in hotel investment activity that is outpacing the improvement in occupancy and room rates. Regular rooms at the Chicago Fairmont cost around $200 a night, while suites are more than $350. "Some buyers think there is some good upside potential," said hotel consultant Ted Mandigo, president ...
Sunstone Hotel Investors, LLC Opens $9 million Residence Inn Rochester Mayo Clinic; Fifth Sunstone Hotel Property in Rochester, Minnesota / July 2004
March 31, 2004
Hotel Online Special Report Sunstone Hotel Investors, LLC Opens $9 million Residence Inn Rochester Mayo Clinic; Fifth Sunstone Hotel Property in Rochester, Minnesota ROCHESTER, Minn. - July 23, 2004--Sunstone Hotel Investors, LLC officially opened the Residence Inn Rochester Mayo Clinic at a ribbon cutting ceremony held on the sun deck with the impressive Mayo Clinic as the backdrop. The $9 M, seven story, 80-suite hotel provides its guests with direct access to the Mayo Clinic and all of downtown via climate-controlled pedestrian walkway. The hotel, located at 441 W. Center Street, will operate as a Marriot...
The Secret to Increasing Revenue $1.5 million in One Year: Spidey Sense Pays Off for Sunstream Hotels & Resorts / July 2004
March 31, 2004
The Secret to Increasing Revenue $1.5 million in One Year: Spidey Sense Pays Off for Sunstream Hotels & Resorts July 27, 2004 - SunStream Hotels & Resorts, based in Naples and Fort Myers Beach, Florida, is one of the many Hospitality Industry companies that have caught the bug, the S.P.I.D.E.R. bug that is! “Our third-party booking revenues were up $1.5 million in 2003 over 2002, and I believe that was due substantially to our implementation of EZYield” says Jaci Bennet, (Bennett) Director of Electronic Distribution (Strategic Distribution Manager) for SunStream. “Updating availability, rates, allocations and stay...
Are Small Resorts Unfairly Treated by the AAA and Mobil Rating Criteria / Harry Nobles / July 2004
March 31, 2004
Hotel Online Special Report Are Small Resorts Unfairly Treated by the AAA and Mobil Rating Criteria E-mail: info@optimumrating.com July 12, 2004 - Will your lodging operation benefit from a AAA or Mobil rating? Is it worth your time, money, and effort to meet AAA and Mobil’s exacting criteria for a specific rating? With more than 40 million members using AAA TourBooks and many thousands of Mobil Travel Guides purchased every year, there can be no doubt that approval by these prestigious organizations brings guests to your door. This is more true for some type properties than for others; many roadside motel...
Noble House Hotels & Resorts Repositioning the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort as an Independent Property / July 2004
March 31, 2004
Hotel Online Special Report Noble House Hotels & Resorts Repositioning the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort as an Independent Property Noble House Hotels & Resorts Will Reinvent and Re-brand With $7 Million Transformation DAYTONA BEACH, FL (July 14, 2004) - Noble House Hotels & Resorts announced today plans for a major renovation and re-branding of the current Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort, located at 2637 South Atlantic Avenue. The resort, which has been an icon on the sands of Daytona Shores for years, is currently in the midst of $7+ million in additions and renovations that inclu...
Mark Hemstreet's Independently Owned Shilo Inns Mark 30 Years / July 2004
March 31, 2004
Hotel Online Special Report  Mark Hemstreet's Independently Owned Shilo Inns Mark 30 Years PORTLAND, OR – July 8, 2004 - It was 30 years ago that Mark Hemstreet opened his first Shilo Inn on Northeast 82nd Avenue in Portland. Since then, Shilo Inns has grown to become one of the largest chains of independently owned hotels in the Western United States. Shilo Inns will be celebrating its 30th Anniversary all month long at all 42 Shilo locations. “Our 30th Anniversary is an achievement we can all take pride in,” says Hemstreet. “I’d like to dedicate this achievement to all the hard-working, dedicated Shilo em...
