J.W. Marriott, Jr. and the Board of Directors of Choice Hotels Receive HVS Executive Search Lodging Leadership Awards / June 2001

February 28, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report  HVS Executive Search Awards Choice Hotels with Most Effective Board of Directors in Leading a Public Company and  J.W. Marriott, Jr. as Lodging CEO Providing Best Value to Shareholders June 4, 2001 - HVS Executive Search, a division of the global hotel consulting firm HVS International, has honored J.W. Marriott, Jr., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE:MAR), as the lodging industry’s top performing chief executive officer of 2000 and Choice Hotels International (NYSE:CHH) as the lodging industry’s top performing board of directors for t...

Radisson Hotels & Resorts Selects HTS Guest LogicTM CRM Software for Major Rollout / June 2001

February 28, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report   Radisson Hotels & Resorts Selects HTS Guest LogicTM  CRM Software for Major Rollout Minneapolis, MN (June, 2001):  Hospitality Technology Solutions, Inc. (HTS) has been named a preferred supplier of Carlson Hospitality Worldwide and has entered into an agreement with them for the license of HTS Guest Logic™  Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software to be installed at up to 100 Radisson hotels and resorts in the United States. Guest Logic will be an integral part of the process by which Radisson recognizes and delivers higher levels of service to Radisson’s most valuable custo...

Michael A. Leven, Donald J. Landry, and William Lehr Elected to the Board of Trustees of Hersha Hospitality Trust / June 2001

February 28, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report Michael A. Leven, Donald J. Landry, and William Lehr  Elected to the Board of Trustees of  Hersha Hospitality Trust  HARRISBURG, Pa. - June 7, 2001-- Distinguished corporate executives Michael A. Leven, Donald J. Landry, and William Lehr, Jr., have been elected effective June 1, 2001 to the board of trustees of Hersha Hospitality Trust (AMEX:HT - news), owner of nationally franchised full service and limited service hotels.  "Each of these three individuals is very familiar with the types of properties we own and each of them is noted for achieving an ambitious pace of growth at any...

HSMAI Recognize the 'Best-of-the-Best' in Chapter Practices / June 2001

February 28, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report  HSMAI Recognize the “Best-of-the-Best”  in Chapter Practices WASHINGTON, DC (June 25, 2001) – The 21st Annual Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association (HSMAI) Frank W. Berkman Chapter Award Program was presented on June 6, 2001, during the Leadership Forum held at the Marriott Camelback Inn in Scottsdale, AZ.  More than 120 HSMAI leaders representing chapters in the U.S., Aruba, Canada, Holland, Ireland, Mexico and Norway joined with the International Board of Directors to recognize the “Best-of-the-Best” in chapter practices. The competition (for the 2000 calendar year) include...

Improvements At Most Properties Recorded by The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited During First Quarter 2001 / June 2001

February 28, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report  Improvements At Most Properties Recorded by  The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited  During First Quarter 2001 Hong Kong, May 7, 2001 - Amid a perceived slowdown in the global economy, the hotel operations of The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited (HSH) for the first quarter of 2001 showed improvements in average room rates and occupancies in most properties during a traditionally low season. Results for January and February were good although March was somewhat disappointing.  "We are watching closely the shifts in market fundamentals in the USA especially," said Pierre Boppe, ...

An Economic Slow Down Means An Increased Need For Sales Training / June 2001

February 28, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report     An Economic Slow Down Means An Increased  Need For Sales Training June 5, 2001 - The prospect of a downturn in demand for hotel accommodations resulting  from an uncertain economic outlook has prompted noted hospitality industry sales and marketing expert Howard Feiertag to launch a series of seminars this summer on the fundamentals of selling in today's marketplace. Entitled Hospitality Sales: Basics and Beyond, the one-day sessions will be held in the following 13 cities across the United States this summer. New York - July 9 Crowne Plaza LaGuardia Cincinnati - July 18 Crowne P...

Tired of Fighting with the Orlando Magic Over Hotel Taxes, Hotelier Harris Rosen is Talking About Buying the NBA Team / June 2001

February 28, 2001

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Hotelier Circulates Offer to Buy Orlando Magic Basketball Team By Scott Maxwell, The Orlando Sentinel, Fla. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News  Jun. 1--Tired of fighting with the Orlando Magic over hotel taxes, hotelier Harris Rosen is talking about buying the team.  In an offer that Rosen is circulating widely -- to everyone except the team itself -- sources say that Rosen wants to buy the team from Amway magnate Rich DeVos for about $140 million. That's considerably more than the $85 million DeVos paid for the team in 1991 -- but considerably less than the team and ...

HPT Buys Four Marriott Hotels for $101.5 Million and Extends Lease and Management Agreement for 35 Hotels to 2019 / June 2001

February 28, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report  HPT Buys Four Marriott Hotels for $101.5 Million and  Extends Lease and Management Agreement  for 35 Hotels to 2019 NEWTON, Mass. - June 18, 2001--Hospitality Properties Trust (NYSE: HPT) today announced that it purchased four hotels from Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) for $101.5 million. These four hotels together with 31 other hotels currently owned by HPT and previously leased to Marriott will be leased to a new taxable subsidiary of HPT and all 35 hotels will continue to be managed by Marriott for an extended initial term through 2019.  The four hotels purchased today ...

February 28, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report StarwoodÂ’s Galaxy Hotel Systems Division to Provide Open XML Links to Web Booking Engines WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., June 26, 2001 - Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) announced today that its Galaxy Hotel Systems division has developed a new two-way web booking engine using eXtensible Markup Language (XML). This initiative will allow all hotels that have the Galaxy/UX product installed to accept reservations directly into their Property Management System (PMS) from the Internet. Starwood recently renamed its Hotel Systems Division of Geac Computers, Inc., a subsidiary of Gea...

Howard Johnson International Inc. Increases Non-smoking Rooms Systemwide To Minimum of 60% / June 2001

February 28, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report Howard Johnson International Inc. Increases Non-smoking  Rooms Systemwide To Minimum of 60% PARSIPPANY, N.J., June 27, 2001 - Howard Johnson International Inc. today announced that it has increased the number of non-smoking rooms systemwide by requiring its properties to designate at least 60 percent of all rooms smoke-free. In a related development, the brand announced that the Howard Johnson® Hotel on Pocahontas Trail in Williamsburg, Va., has become the first smoke-free hotel in the system. “Our guests and our franchisees have told us there is a great demand for non-smoking rooms,Â...

Senior Appointments Made at Holiday Inn Properties in Saudi Arabia, Egypt / June 2001

February 28, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report  Senior Appointments Made at Holiday Inn Properties  in Saudi Arabia, Egypt Cairo, Egypt, June 20, 2001: A number of senior Holiday Inn appointments have been made in the Middle East including a new regional director of operations in Saudi Arabia, and three general managers each in Saudi, and Egypt.   Atieh Hamarneh, backed by 12 years experience at Holiday Inn hotels, takes charge of operations for all Holiday Inn properties in central and east Saudi Arabia, in addition to his role as general manager of the Holiday Inn Riyadh Minhal. His position covers Holiday Inn hotels in Olaya ...

Hilton Grand Vacations Company Moves Ahead with Two Major Ground-Breakings in Las Vegas and Orlando / June 2001

February 28, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report Hilton Grand Vacations Company Moves Ahead  with Two Major Ground-Breakings in  Las Vegas and Orlando ORLANDO, Fla. - June 19, 2001--Hilton Grand Vacations Company (HGVC), Hilton Hotel Corporations's high-quality vacation ownership resorts brand, today continued to strengthen its development efforts for the remainder of 2001.  The company has now launched the development of the first phases of two major resort properties: the 1,500-unit Hilton Grand Vacations Club on the Las Vegas Strip and  the 384-unit Hilton Grand Vacations Club on International Drive in Orlando.  "Wit...

Ritz-Carlton San Juan Hotel, Casino & Spa Owners File for Chapter 11 / June 2001

February 28, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report Ritz-Carlton San Juan Hotel, Casino & Spa Owners  File for Chapter 11 WESTON, Fla. - June 26, 2001-- Green Isle Partners Ltd, S.E. (the “Company”) announced that it filed for relief under chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code on June 25, 2001. The case is now pending before the Hon. Raymond B. Ray, Bankruptcy Judge, in the Fort Lauderdale division of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida. The Company owns the Ritz-Carlton San Juan Hotel, Casino & Spa near San Juan, Puerto Rico. The Hotel is operated by Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company LLC and its affiliate, Ri...

Gold Key Resorts Developing an 11-story, $17 million Time Share Resort in Virginia Beach, Va / June 2001

February 28, 2001

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Developer Breaks Ground on Another Virginia Beach, Va., Resort By Christopher Dinsmore, The Virginian-Pilot, Norfolk, Va. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News  Jun. 28--VIRGINIA BEACH, Va.--Riding the surging popularity of time-share ownership, Gold Key Resorts will break ground today on its third such resort at the Oceanfront.  Gold Key Resorts will formally begin construction of the Boardwalk Resort Hotel and Villas, an 11-story, $17 million project at 16th Street and Atlantic Avenue in a 4:30 p.m. ceremony.  The hotel and time-share resort is scheduled to open by ne...

Despite High General Levels of Connectivity in the Hospitality Industry, Only 58 Percent of Hotel Organizations Surveyed Have a Formal eBusiness Stra

February 28, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report  Despite High General Levels of Connectivity in the Hospitality  Industry, Only 58 Percent of Hotel Organizations  Surveyed Have a Formal E-Business Strategy NEW YORK - June 4, 2001-- Sales and marketing functions, including virtual property tours, loyalty programs, guest history and sales force automation will be among the most significant web-enablement initiatives implemented by the hospitality industry in the coming years, according to a major international study released today by Andersen, the New York University School of Continuing and Professional Studies, Preston Robert ...

Cendant Corporation in Discussions With Galileo International About Possible Acquisition / June 2001

February 28, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report Cendant Corporation in Discussions With Galileo  International About Possible Acquisition NEW YORK, and ROSEMONT, Ill., June 7, 2001 - Cendant Corporation (NYSE: CD) and Galileo International, Inc. (NYSE: GLC) announced today in response to published reports that they are in discussions concerning the possible acquisition of Galileo by Cendant. Terms of the possible transaction were not disclosed and there can be no assurance that a transaction will be consummated. Cendant said that it was exploring the strategic acquisition of Galileo that, if completed, could materially add to Cendant'...

Full Circle from Centralized to ASP – The Resurrection of Old Themes and a Payment Solution / Gary Eng / Hospitality Upgrade Magazine / Summer 2

February 28, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report Full Circle from Centralized to ASP - The Resurrection of Old Themes  and a Payment Solution To view more articles covering technology for the hospitality industry please visit the Hospitality Upgrade Web site or to request a free publication please call (770) 953-2300 or email. This article is from the Summer 2001 issue of Hospitality Upgrade, formerly the Hotel & Restaurant Technology UPDATE magazine. This article is from the Summer 2001 issue of Hospitality Upgrade, formerly the Hotel & Restaurant Technology UPDATE magazine. By Gary M. Eng   ...Exploit the Internet...

Friendly Hotels, One of Europe's Largest Hotel Groups, Preparing for Sale / June 2001

February 28, 2001

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive British Hotel Group Prepares for Sale By Matthew Goodman, Sunday Business, London Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News  Jun. 17--Friendly Hotels, the quoted mid-market British hotel group in which Choice Hotels is a major shareholder, is understood to have put itself up for sale.  The company is thought to have asked its adviser, boutique investment bank English Trust, to explore options for the group, which could lead to its sale.  The company may come under pressure to issue a Stock Exchange statement this week, clarifying its position. Last night, Friendly declined...

Noble Investment Grows to 25 Hotels Following Acquisition of Frankline Marriott Cool Springs Hotel / June 2001

February 28, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report Noble Investment Grows to  25 Hotels Following Acquisition of Frankline Marriott Cool Springs Hotel June 27, 2001 - Atlanta-based Noble Investment Group has purchased the 300-room Franklin Marriott Cool Springs Hotel in Franklin, Tennessee for $32.5 million from a partnership of Stormont Trice Corporation and Regent Partners. Franklin is incorporated with Brentwood in Williamson County, which is among the fastest-growing counties in the United States, is the wealthiest county in the state of Tennessee and is the nation’s 11th wealthiest county.  Cool Springs is Tennessee's strongest an...

Fortune Bay Resort Casino in Northern Minnesota Planning a $10.8 million Golf Course / June 2001

February 28, 2001

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Fortune Bay Resort Casino in Northern Minnesota Planning a $10.8 million Golf Course The Wisconsin State Journal Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News  Jun. 15--A golf course will be the newest attraction at Fortune Bay Resort Casino near Tower.  The casino announced Thursday that the Bois Forte Reservation Council has given the final approval to build an 18-hole championship course near the tribal casino.  The course will be built on about 250 acres of land next to Fortune Bay, much of it on a rocky ridge with views of Lake Vermilion.  "This golf course will help compl...

Four Hotel Developers Make the Short List to Bid on Fort Worth's 400-room Convention Center Hotel / June 2001

February 28, 2001

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Four Developers Selected to Bid on Fort Worth, Texas, Convention Hotel Project By Ginger D. Richardson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News  Jun. 13--FORT WORTH, Texas--Four developers have made the short list to bid on the city's 400-room Convention Center hotel, a $70 million to $80 million project that officials hope will further revive the southern end of downtown.  Public Events Director Kirk Slaughter and other city officials would not release the names of the developers or their partners Tuesday, but said that the city's Economic Dev...

Florida Attorney General Investigates Hotels' Energy Surcharges / June 2001

February 28, 2001

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Florida Attorney General Investigates Hotels' Energy Surcharges South Florida Sun-Sentinel Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News  Jun. 27--The Florida Attorney General's office is investigating hotels that tack on energy surcharges to guests' bills.  The state launched the probe earlier this month into nearly a dozen hotels statewide who add the surcharge without telling consumers beforehand, said Tina Furlow, the assistant attorney general. Customers find out when they check out of the hotel, she added  "When customers call and say what's the room rate, they rely on th...

The Breakers Palm Beach Sued by Former Employee for Racial Discrimination / June 2001

February 28, 2001

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Chauffeur Sues Palm Beach, Fla., Resort for Racial Discrimination By Jay Weaver, The Miami Herald Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News  Jun. 22--A former black chauffeur who drove a vintage Rolls Royce with the vanity license plate "Miss Daisey" at The Breakers is suing the posh Palm Beach resort for alleged racial discrimination that led to his firing last year.  Clarence Eads, 63, claims in a suit filed Wednesday in West Palm Beach federal court that he was subjected to hostile racial epithets by an executive of Flagler System Inc., the owner of the landmark resort. H...

Female Business Travelers' Expectations / Harry Nobles / June 2001

February 28, 2001

Hotel Online  Special Report Female Business Travelers' Expectations E-mail:  hospsvc001@aol.com Harry Nobles & Cheryl Thompson, June 2001 The world of business travel is no longer dominated by business men. Nearly fifty percent of today’s business travelers are women; that number has risen ten percent in the past three years.  All indications point to continued increase.   The classic Men’s Club atmosphere is no longer acceptable and hotels across the country are scrambling to accommodate the unique expectations of these discriminating guests.   Is your property making the necessary adjustments to ensure ...