Rita Gale Appointed Customer Service Manager at Resort Data Processing / February 2004

January 30, 2004

Hotel Online  Special Report Rita Gale Appointed Customer Service Manager at Resort Data Processing  February 3, 2004 - Resort Data Processing, Inc. is pleased to announce the promotion of Rita Gale to Installed Base Customer Service Manager. For the last 12 years, Rita has held a variety of positions at RDP including Support Technician, Office Manager and Inside Sales.  Prior to joining Resort Data Processing, Inc. Rita worked as a psychiatric nurse.   "Rita was a natural choice for this position", says Bob Kippola Vice President of Sales and Marketing. "Not only does she have the technical knowledge and organizati...

January 30, 2004

Hotel Online  Special Report  Randall A. Churchey, Former President of RFS Hotel Investors, Inc., Elected to Innkeepers USA Trust’s Board of Trustees PALM BEACH, Fla., February 25, 2004 — 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 that Randall A. Churchey, formerly president and chief operating officer of RFS Hotel Investors, Inc., a Memphis-based hotel REIT, has been elected to Innkeepers’ board of trustees, effective February 11.  Churchey, 43, also will chair...

Richard Chamberlain Named Executive Chef for Elk Mountain Resort in Southwest Colorado / February 2004

January 30, 2004

Hotel Online  Special Report Richard Chamberlain Named Executive Chef for Elk Mountain Resort in Southwest Colorado Will Oversee In-Cottage Dining and Tarragon New On-Site Restaurant RIDGWAY, Colorado. (February 11, 2004) – Developers Michael and Thomas Forman are pleased to announce the appointment of Richard Chamberlain to the position of Culinary Director of the restaurant and food service at Elk Mountain Resort, a new luxury destination situated on 275 acres of spectacular mountain property in southwest Colorado.  The nationally acclaimed chef and owner of Chamberlain’s Steak and Chop House and Cha...

Using Public Relations As a Complement to Your Hotel Advertising Campaign / Tory Parks / February 2004

January 30, 2004

Hotel Online  Special Report Using Public Relations As a Complement to Your Hotel Advertising Campaign By Tory Parks, Director of Sales & Marketing, Benchmark Hospitality at Del Lago Resort, January 2004 Adding public relations into an advertising campaign is a no brainer, although many people in the hospitality industry and industries alike may not realize the benefits.  Implementing a public relations effort to complement an existing advertising campaign can create top of mind awareness with audiences that you wouldn’t be able to capture with your advertising budget alone.  Advertising will always be an ...

With Hotels Dating Back to the 17th-century, National Trust Historic Hotels of America Often Played Host to Presidents and Sometimes the President Lea

January 30, 2004

Hotel Online  Special Report With Hotels Dating Back to the 17th-century, National Trust Historic Hotels of America Often Played Host to Presidents and Sometimes the President Leaves Behind an Interesting Tale WASHINGTON, D.C., February 11, 2004--Every four years, presidential candidates criss-cross the country in search of votes. In their wake, they often leave behind impressions-and stories-that become part of local lore. For more than two centuries, members of National Trust Historic Hotels of America have played host to presidents from George Washington to George W. Bush, plus a host of presidential hope...

January 30, 2004

Hotel Online  Special Report   Hart Hotel's Portland Harbor Hotel Recognized as Portland’s Best PORTLAND, MAINE – February 11, 2004 - The Portland Harbor Hotel has been designated a Four Diamond Hotel by the Automobile Association of America. The designation makes the hotel the top-rated hotel in Portland, Maine.   “Our original goal when we designed the Portland Harbor Hotel was to be the premier lodging destination in Portland, so we are thrilled that AAA has recognized the quality of this special location with its Four Diamond rating,” David P. Hart, chief executive of Hart Hotels, Inc., said. “Fro...

Encore Enterprises Acquires Four Marriots Properties for $18M; Pineapple Management Services Assigned Management Contracts / February 2004

January 30, 2004

Hotel Online  Special Report  Encore Enterprises Acquires Four Marriots Properties for  $18M; Pineapple Management Services Assigned Management Contracts Gulfport, MS - January 9, 2004 has brought an increase in management contracts for Pineapple Management Services. On January 9, 2004 Encore Enterprises, Pineapple Management Services parent Company closed on the acquisition of 4 more Marriott Hotels and awarded the long term management contract to Pineapple Management Services. Encore Enterprises, led by Chairman, Dr. Bharat Sangani, and President and CEO, Patrick Barber, paid approximately $18M for the pr...

January 30, 2004

Hotel Online  Special Report Buffalo’s Pillars Hotel Re-flagged as a Doubletree Club Hotel Following $500,000 in Renovations ARLINGTON, Va., February 6, 2003 — Interstate Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: IHR), the nation’s largest independent hotel management company, today announced that Buffalo’s Pillars Hotel recently was flagged as a Doubletree Club hotel, one of the Hilton hotel family of brands.  The 100-room hotel is owned by Med Inn Centers of America, LLC, based in Merrillville, Ind., which invested more than $500,000 in renovations to the property to conform to Doubletree’s Club brand standards, includ...

Closing of Two Hotels Help Philadelphia Center City Hotels Record 66% Occupancy in 2003, Matching 2002 Occupancy / February 2004

January 30, 2004

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Closing of Two Hotels Help Philadelphia Center City Hotels Record 66% Occupancy in 2003,  Matching 2002 Occupancy  By Tom Belden, The Philadelphia Inquirer Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News  Feb. 4, 2004 - Heavy advertising and aggressive salesmanship helped fill a surprisingly large number of hotel rooms across the Philadelphia region in 2003, but achieving that result hurt the bottom lines of the hotels, according to figures released yesterday.  Hotels in Center City filled 66 percent of their available rooms in both 2003 and 2002, despite a prediction at the start ...

Benchmark Awarded the Management Contract for Pfizer's New York City Conference Center / February 2004

January 30, 2004

Hotel Online  Special Report Benchmark Awarded the Management Contract for Pfizer's New York City Conference Center NEW YORK, NEW YORK, January 2004…Benchmark Hospitality of The Woodlands, Texas, has announced that it was selected by Pfizer Pharmaceuticals as the operating partner for the company's New York City Headquarters Campus conference center.  Pfizer's extensive conference facilities include 150 meeting rooms totaling over 35,000 square feet of conference space in four buildings on the east side of Midtown Manhattan.  Burt Cabañas, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Benchmark, made the announcem...

2004 Survey Reports Statistics on Pet-Friendly Travel and Pet Related Purchases / February 2004

January 30, 2004

Hotel Online  Special Report 2004 Survey Reports Statistics on Pet-Friendly Travel and Pet Related Purchases Knoxville, TN--February 12, 2004 — BringYourPet.com, a leading pet-friendly lodging directory recently polled thousands of its Web site visitors, newsletter subscribers, and random households regarding their travel and purchase habits. All who participated in the survey own at least one pet. A portion of the results are as follows: 72% stay at designated pet-friendly hotels or lodging more than 3 times a year.  58% would be more likely to lengthen their stay if given the opportunity to travel with their pets....

Pet-Friendly Hotels Join BringYourPet.com to Reach Traveling Pet Owners / February 2004

January 30, 2004

Hotel Online  Special Report Pet-Friendly Hotels Join BringYourPet.com to Reach Traveling Pet Owners Knoxville, TN -- February 25, 2004 — BringYourPet.com announces its most recent additions to its directory. These include properties from Holiday Inn SunSpree, Embassy Suites, Doubletree, Comfort Inn, Red Carnation Hotels, Baymont Inn & Suites, as well as the Victorian Village Inn, Melrose Hotel, Ocean Villa Inn, The Cliffs Resort, Tides Inn and Napa Valley Inn. Brian Bailey, company spokesperson says, “It is our aim to increase incremental revenues for hotels and other pet friendly properties. We recently polled thousan...

New Hotel E-distribution & Reservation System Offers Automated Room Rate and Allotment Management / February 2004

January 30, 2004

Hotel Online  Special Report   New Hotel E-distribution & Reservation System Offers Automated Room Rate and Allotment Management February 9, 2004 - Hotelexchange Pte Ltd. announces the launch of "PELICAN" (U.S. Patent. Pending), a web-based e-distribution & reservation system which provides the hotel industry with more effective ways to distribute room rates and inventories (allotments) to travel agents, corporate clients and Internet users worldwide. Pelican is designed to manage the growing number of reservations that are not made through a GDS. Pelican System gives a hotel 100% rate control, with real-time information...

Eight More Cities to Offer Passkey; Charlotte, Cincinnati, Hartford, Ontario, Richmond, Toronto, Washington D.C., and Wildwoods Join the Passkey-enabl

January 30, 2004

Hotel Online Special Report Eight More Cities to Offer Passkey;  . Charlotte, Cincinnati, Hartford, Ontario, Richmond, Toronto, Washington D.C., and Wildwoods Join the Passkey-enabledSM Network QUINCY, Mass. - February 19, 2004 - Greg Pesik, President and CEO of Passkey International, Inc., announced today that 8 more Convention & Visitors Bureaus (CVBs) have selected Passkey as their housing technology.  Charlotte (North Carolina), Cincinnati (Ohio), Hartford (Connecticut), Ontario (California), Richmond (Virginia), Toronto (Canada), Washington D.C., Wildwoods (New Jersey), will all be offering their meeting planners ...

Club La Costa Resorts & Hotels Ltd. Putting the Park Plaza Brand on New Resort in Mijas on the Costa del Sol / February 2004

January 30, 2004

Hotel Online  Special Report Club La Costa Resorts & Hotels Ltd. Putting the Park Plaza Brand on New Resort in Mijas on the Costa del Sol LONDON (February 2004) Park Plaza Hotels Europe has announced that it has reached agreement with Club La Costa Resorts & Hotels Ltd., the fastest growing vacation ownership company in Europe, to put the Park Plaza brand on Club La Costa's new resort hotel which is due to open in autumn 2006.  It will be the first Park Plaza location in Spain. The new-build resort will be located in Mijas on the Costa del Sol, east of Marbella and west of Fuengirola and Benalmadena.  The 4-star de...

Orient-Express Hotels Ltd. Invests in Hosia Company Ltd., Operator of 5 Unique Hotels in Southeast Asia Under the Brand Name Pansea / February 2004

January 30, 2004

Hotel Online  Special Report Orient-Express Hotels Ltd. Invests in Hosia Company Ltd., Operator of  5 Unique Hotels in Southeast Asia Under the Brand Name Pansea February 2, 2004 - Orient-Express Hotels Ltd. , owner and operator of 39 luxury hotel, tourist train, cruise and restaurant properties in 17 countries today announced it has invested in Hosia Company Ltd., the Hong Kong holding company which owns or part owns and operates 5 unique hotels in southeast Asia under the brand name Pansea.   Mr. James B. Sherwood, Chairman, said that Orient-Express Hotels has been under-represented in hotels in Asia, o...

Gloria Estefan Close to Buying the 107-room Palm Court Resort Hotel in Vero Beach / February 2004

January 30, 2004

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Gloria Estefan Close to Buying the 107-room Palm Court Resort Hotel in Vero Beach By Susan Port, The Palm Beach Post, Fla. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News  Feb. 21, 2004 - Singer Gloria Estefan and her producer husband, Emilio, soon will close a deal to buy the Palm Court Resort Hotel in Vero Beach.  The Miami-based Estefans are buying the hotel to expand the hospitality division of their company, Estefan Enterprises, said Zeida Gonzalez, media relations director. Estefan Enterprises currently operates a boutique hotel on South Beach and five restaurants in Miami and O...

Paul Keeler, VP – Food & Beverage for Hilton Hotels Corporation Named Menu Strategist of the Year / February 2004

January 30, 2004

Hotel Online  Special Report Paul Keeler, VP - Food & Beverage for Hilton Hotels Corporation Named Menu Strategist of the Year BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., February 19, 2004 -- Paul Keeler, vice president - food & beverage for Hilton Hotels Corporation was named Menu Strategist of the Year by Restaurant Business Magazine.  The announcement was made at the publication’s Menus 2004 Conference held recently in Charleston, South Carolina. This top honor was determined by magazine readers who cast their votes online. Keeler is among seven Menu Strategist winners selected from different segments of the restaurant indus...

Hospitality Telecommunications Expert Patricia M. Donohoe Joins The Prism Partnership, LLC to Expand Telecom Practice / February 2004

January 30, 2004

Hotel Online  Special Report Hospitality Telecommunications Expert Patricia M. Donohoe Joins The Prism Partnership, LLC to Expand Telecom Practice Boston, MA, February 9, 2004 - The Prism Partnership, LLC, the leading hospitality technology and marketing consulting firm, today announced that Patricia M. Donohoe has joined the company.  Trish will manage and expand Prism’s hospitality telecommunications practice.  Trish joins Prism after ten years as Principal of PMD Communications, where she provided domestic and international telecommunications consulting to the hospitality industry. Prior to founding PM...

More Hoteliers Consider Flying Own Flag; Difficult to Justify the Enormous Franchise and Royalty Fees / February 2004

January 30, 2004

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive More Hoteliers Consider Flying Own Flag;  Difficult to Justify the Enormous Franchise and Royalty Fees By Kevin Harlin, Times Union, Albany, N.Y. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News  Feb. 9, 2004 - LaQuinta or Cocca's? Sheraton or Prime? Super 8 or Franklin Square?  When it comes to choosing between the national chain name or the unaffiliated inn, it's not just weary travelers making the choice.  Increasingly, hoteliers throughout the country are asking whether they need the name brand to fill their rooms. While the brands offer a national marketing reach and a powerfu...

Open Hospitality Announces Partnerships with Several Premier Hotel Groups / February 2004

January 30, 2004

Hotel Online  Special Report   Open Hospitality Announces Partnerships with Several Premier Hotel Groups February 4, 2004 - Open Hospitality, on the heels of its January debut, signs key partnerships with three hotel companies, the Empire Group (NY), HK Hotels (NY) and Goldman Properties (Miami).  “Our previous online booking engine provider recently began operating on a new platform which prompted us to initiate a bid process. We met with several vendors but with Open’s all-inclusive program and range of products and services included, they became the front runner immediately. The model they presented included not on...

Kimpton Hotels to Open the 112-room Onyx Hotel and Ruby Room in Boston / February 2004

January 30, 2004

Hotel Online  Special Report  Kimpton Hotels to Open the 112-room Onyx Hotel and Ruby Room in Boston Boston, February 5, 2004 – In the Spring of 2004, Kimpton Hotels will open the 112-room Onyx Hotel and Ruby Room in Boston. As the city’s massive Big Dig construction project nears completion, the Onyx Hotel and Ruby Room will be the first luxury property to open in the North Station area, bringing savvy design and contemporary flair to this newly discovered Bulfinch Triangle neighborhood. The Onyx is Kimpton’s second property in the Boston area joining Hotel Marlowe and Bambara Restaurant in nearby Cambri...

2004 the Year of Direct Online Distribution; Now is the Time to Fight Back with a Smart Direct-to-Consumer Internet Strategy / Max Starkov & Jason Pri

January 30, 2004

Hotel Online  Special Report 2004 the Year of Direct Online Distribution;  . Now is the Time to Fight Back with a Smart Direct-to-Consumer Internet Strategy By Max Starkov and Jason Price, February 2004 This past year hoteliers have come to understand the pitfalls of overexposure on the intermediary channel, especially at the expense of one’s own direct online distribution strategy. There is a new realization among hoteliers that direct online distribution cuts costs, preserves brand and price integrity, attracts affluent customers and lessens the dependency on online discounters. Much was learned this past year a...

Hotel Executives Starting to Review Online Lodging Reviews; Comments Like God awful and Run away as fast as you can May or May Not Be Objective / Febr

January 30, 2004

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Hotel Executives Starting to Review Online Lodging Reviews; Comments Like "God awful" and "Run away as fast as you can" May or May Not Be Objective By Tom Stieghorst, South Florida Sun-Sentinel Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News  Feb. 8, 2004 - Ron McClaskey takes just two vacation trips a year, so the last thing he wants is to spoil them with a lousy hotel.  Before last fall's trip, the New Jersey store manager went online to a Web site where users post reviews of Fort Lauderdale area lodgings. After some study, he picked the Sheraton Yankee Clipper for a four-night sta...