AAA Establishes AAA Five Diamond Hospitality Scholarship Award / Jan 2001

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report  AAA Establishes AAA Five Diamond  Hospitality Scholarship Award  ORLANDO, Fla. - Jan. 15, 2001 -- AAA has established a AAA Five Diamond Hospitality Scholarship Award that will go annually to one full-time student enrolled in a four-year hospitality management program. The American Hotel Foundation’s (AHF) Annual Scholarship Grant Program will administer the $5,000 scholarship. To be eligible, a student must be enrolled in one of the 80 schools currently affiliated with this grant program. “AAA is delighted to establish this award,” said Michael Petrone, director, AAA Tourism Inform...

Asia Pacific Region Likely to See Rooms Yield Growth in the Double Digits for 2000 / Jan 2001

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report  Asia Pacific Region Likely to See  Rooms Yield Growth  in the Double Digits for 2000 Arthur Andersen Preliminary 2000  Full Year Hotel Operating Performance London - January 25, 2001 - Arthur Andersen, the leading provider of hotel performance data outside North America, today announced preliminary 2000 trading performance data for the regions which its surveys. Initial indications from the Hotel Industry Benchmark Survey are that there was a marked variance in rooms yield (RevPAR) performance, when measured in US$ dollar (US$) terms, across the globe.   Preliminary 2000 Full year ...

Sina Hotel Group Joins HMC's CLUBHOTEL Network / February 2003

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online  Special Report Sina Hotel Group Joins HMC's CLUBHOTEL Network February 24th, 2003 - HMC (Hospitality Marketing Concepts), one of the world's leading providers of travel industry membership and database management programs, was selected by SINA Hotels, located throughout Italy, to develop and manage their loyalty program.  Under the 2-year agreement, SINA’s superior-quality hotels will be promoted through HMC’s worldwide CLUBHOTEL membership program. HMC's CLUBHOTEL (www.clubhotel.com) is a network of hundreds of premier hotel and resort clients around the world.  The CLUBHOTEL membership program offers a...

Larkspur Hospitality Enjoys Operational Savings After Three Months Using Zoho Online Marketplace / Feb 2001

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report Larkspur Hospitality Enjoys Operational Savings After  Three Months Using Zoho Online Marketplace Larkspur Uses Zoho as Key Technology Infrastructure to  Manage Costs at 16 Properties SUNNYVALE, Calif. - Feb. 26, 2001- Zoho Corporation, the premier provider of private marketplace solutions to the hospitality industry, today announced that Larkspur Hospitality, a leading hotel owner and management company has been able to reduce operational costs associated with procurement by an estimated 5% in their first three months of implementing the Zoho solution. Larkspur projects further time and...

Zoho Opens New Customer Service Center in Vancouver, British Columbia / Feb 2001

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report    Zoho Opens New Customer Service Center in  Vancouver, British Columbia SUNNYVALE, Calif. - Feb. 8, 2001-- Zoho Corporation, the premier online marketplace for the hospitality industry, today announced the expansion of its customer service capabilities with the opening of a new Zoho Customer Service Center. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, the new Zoho Customer Service Center will provide day-to-day support for the company’s growing base of properties and suppliers. Zoho’s new service center will provide a single point of contact, making it easier and more convenient for use...

The Board of Directors of Relais & Châteaux Grant Admittance to Malta's Xara Palace Hotel / Feb 2001

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report  The Board of Directors of Relais & Châteaux  Grant Admittance to Malta's Xara Palace Hotel 17th Century Converted Hotel Features Distinctive History,  Medieval Ambiance and Panoramic Island Views - MALTA, Feb. 20, 2001 -  Located in Malta’s fortified capital citadel, Mdina, the Xara Palace has announced its membership in the internationally acclaimed Relais & Chateaux’s hotel group. Formerly owned by Maltese nobles in the 17th Century, the Xara Palace was restored in 1995 to recreate the opulence and charm of that period.       Open since May 1999, this luxury hotel feature...

Magnificent Mile Hotel on the Market – Westin Michigan Avenue Chicago / Feb 2001

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report Magnificent Mile Hotel on the Market —  Westin Michigan Avenue Chicago Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels Appointed to Arrange Sale Chicago, February 15, 2001 -  Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels has been appointed to arrange the sale of The Westin Michigan Avenue Chicago on behalf of The Westin Chicago Limited Partnership. This recently renovated, first-class asset is located at 909 North Michigan Avenue on Chicago’s famed Magnificent Mile in the central business district.  It contains 751 guest rooms and 23 suites. According to Arthur Adler, Managing Director, Americas, of Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels, ther...

Wyndham International Completes 2000 With 61 Fewer Hotels; Branded RevPAR Grows 3.5% for the Year / Feb 2001

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report    Wyndham International Completes 2000 With 61 Fewer Hotels; Branded RevPAR Grows 3.5% for the Year DALLAS - Feb. 6, 2001-- Wyndham International, Inc. (NYSE:WYN) today reported sharply improved operating results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2000. “We successfully completed year one of our three-year plan with very positive results in the fourth quarter. Our plan to transform Wyndham is working,” said Fred J. Kleisner, chairman and chief executive officer. “With 61 fewer hotels than a year ago, we were still able to grow actual EBITDA based on solid growth i...

Professional Hospitality Resources Appoints Three Hotel Professionals for Virginia Beach Operations / Feb 2001

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report     Professional Hospitality Resources Appoints Three  Hotel Professionals for Virginia Beach Operations VIRGINIA BEACH, Va.- February 8, 2000 -  Three hotel management professionals with outstanding performance records have recently joined the staff of Professional Hospitality Resources.  The announcement was made by Evert Maks, president of PHR.   “We are constantly seeking to recruit the best and the brightest professionals for our staff,” said Maks.  “It is also important that our management have a depth of experience in hospitality, by working in many different facets of t...

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report   Las Vegas’ Citywide Hotel Occupancy  Rose to 89.1% in 2000 Nearly 36 Million Visitors in 2000 LAS VEGAS, Feb. 14, 2001 - Las Vegas’ visitor volume increased by 6 percent during 2000 to 35.8 million visitors, according to statistics releases yesterday by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA).  This follows a 10.5 percent increase recorded in 1999 for the destination. “The spectacular resorts that opened in 1999 and 2000 continue to draw visitors to Las Vegas,” said Rossi Ralenkotter, LVCVA vice president of marketing.  “This, coupled with a growing roster ...

Paul Upchurch Joins Marcus Hotels and Resorts as Vice-President of Operations / Feb 2001

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report Paul Upchurch Joins Marcus Hotels and Resorts  as Vice-President of Operations MILWAUKEE, Wis., Feb. 21, 2001— Marcus Hotels and Resorts, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Marcus Corporation (NYSE: MCS), today announced that it has named Paul Upchurch as vice-president of operations.  In his new position, Upchurch will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of eight properties in the company’s hotel and resort portfolio, including the newly developed Hilton-Madison/Monona Terrace in Madison, Wis., opening Feb 26, and the Hotel Phillips currently being restored and slated to open in Kans...

USFS Names the Year 2000 Top GMs, Hotels, and Franchisees for It's Brands / Feb 2001

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report  USFS Names the Year 2000 Top GMs, Hotels,  and Franchisees for It's Brands ATLANTA - Feb. 12, 2001 - Hawthorn Suites, Microtel Inns & Suites and Best Inns & Suites recognizes outstanding achievers, top hotels and franchisees of 2000  Microtel Inns & Suites Hotel of the Year The “Hotel of the Year” award is presented to an individual Microtel hotel that best represents and sets the standard for the brand.  The Rochester, Minn. Microtel Inn & Suites, owned by Larson Investments, was this year’s winner, having achieved an outstanding 499 (out of 500) Quality Assurance score.  The pr...

Hans Turnovszky Named Chief Operating Officer Of The Grand America; Mark Hodgdon Named Managing Director / Feb 2001

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report   Hans Turnovszky Named Chief Operating Officer  Of The Grand America;  Mark Hodgdon Named Managing Director  SALT LAKE CITY, Feb. 14, 2001 - Hans Turnovszky has been named Chief Operating Officer of The Grand America Hotel and the Little America Hotel and Towers.  The Grand America Hotel is a luxury hotel in downtown Salt Lake City scheduled to open March 2001. Turnovszky, a native of Austria, has more than 35 years of experience in hotel management.  Before joining The Grand America and Little America Hotel and Towers, Turnovszky was Vice President of Operations and Development w...

Tom Barker Named General Manager for The Northland Inn in Minneapolis, Minnesota / Feb 2001

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report  Tom Barker Named General Manager for The  Northland Inn, Minneapolis, Minnesota THE WOODLANDS, TEXAS, January 22, 2001…Benchmark Hospitality has announced the appointment of Tom Barker as General Manager for The Northland Inn, a 231-guest suites property located in Minneapolis, Minnesota.   Sam Haigh, Chief Operating Officer for Benchmark, made the announcement. Tom Barker brings a wealth of experience in luxury hotel and conference center management to his new position, as well as a sales and marketing background within other industries.   He began his career in hospitality marketing a...

Two New Texas Hilton Hotels in Austin Airport and Dallas/Park Cities Debut as First Full-Service Hotels for 2001 / Feb 2001

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report Two New Texas Hilton Hotels in Austin Airport  and Dallas/Park Cities Debut as First Full-Service  Hotels for 2001 BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. / Feb. 2, 2001--Hilton Hotels Corporation has announced the openings of the 263-room Hilton Austin Airport and the 224-room Hilton Dallas/Park Cities in Texas, representing the first full-service hotel additions to the Hilton brand portfolio in 2001.  The newly built Hilton Austin Airport is owned by Landmark Hospitality, LP, managed by Bass Hotels & Resorts and operated under a license agreement with Hilton Inns, Inc., a subsidiary of Hilton Hotels Cor...

TynanGroup Managed Every Phase of the Hyatt Tamaya Resort and Spa Development from Design through Completion / Feb 2001

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report   TynanGroup Managed Every Phase of the Hyatt Tamaya Resort and Spa Development from Design  through Completion Resort, Spa, & Golf Course opened January 2001 Santa Ana Pueblo, NM – February 1, 2001 - Developer, TynanGroup, Inc., headquartered in Santa Barbara, CA, is pleased to announce the completion and opening of the 350-room Hyatt Tamaya Resort and Spa, along with the 18 hole “Twin Warriors” golf course.  The resort is strategically located 20 miles from Albuquerque and 40 miles from Santa Fe.  Official opening ceremonies took place on January 15, 2001.     Tamaya, me...

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report    Best Western International, Inc., to Offer  ‘Rooms Chronicle’ To Members Nationwide MINNEAPOLIS (February 6, 2001) —The Rooms Chronicle, the nation's premier educational journal for hotel operations staff, has recently entered into an agreement with Best Western International, Inc., to provide the training and rooms management publication to all Best Western members throughout the United States and Canada. The Rooms Chronicle (TRC), designed as a training tool to help managers and employees improve a hotel’s service and profit levels, has continued to gain renown since its incepti...

Las Mananitas in Cuernavaca, Mexico Rates as World's Best Value; Travel + Leisure Magazine Survey / Feb 2001

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report Las Mananitas in Cuernavaca, Mexico Rates as World's  Best Value; Travel + Leisure Magazine Survey NEW YORK, Feb. 13, 2001 - The results of Travel + Leisure’s fifth annual World’s Best Values survey are revealed in the March issue, on newsstands February 27. T+L readers rated their favorite hotels around the world according to value, which, as seasoned travelers know, is not always the same as dollar amount — no matter what the exchange rate. Editor-in-Chief Nancy Novogrod says, “A number of hotels are making their first appearance on our World’s Best Values list this year. Places in ...

Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts, Inc. Reports 2000 Net Loss of $37,312 million; Casino Development with the 29 Palms Band of Mission Indians is Progress

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report  Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts, Inc. Reports 2000  Net Loss of $37,312 million;  Casino Development with the 29 Palms Band of  Mission Indians is progressing NEW YORK - Feb. 16, 2001--Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts, Inc. (THCR) (NYSE:DJT) today reported earnings and EBITDA for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2000. All references to net revenues and EBITDA for 1999 exclude All Star Cafe lease termination income and Trump World’s Fair closing costs.  THCR’s EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, CRDA and corporate expenses) for the year ended De...

Thomas Arasi Appointed President of Lodgian, Inc.; Robert Cole Continues as a Director / Feb 2001

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report     Thomas Arasi Appointed President of Lodgian, Inc.; Robert Cole Continues as a Director ATLANTA, Feb. 9, 2001 - Lodgian, Inc. (NYSE: LOD) (the “Company”) today announced the appointment of Thomas Arasi as President, Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Company’s Board of Directors.   Until recently, Arasi was a member of the management committee of Bass Hotels & Resorts where he held several top operating positions.  Arasi succeeds Robert Cole who will continue as a director and has been elected chairman of a special committee of the board that will oversee the previously...

SynXis Provides Internet – Base Hotel Reservation Management and Distribution to MeriStar Hotels & Resorts / Feb 2001

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report SynXis Provides Internet - Base Hotel Reservation Management and Distribution to  MeriStar Hotels & Resorts The Industry’s Largest Independent Hotel Management Company Levels the Online Reservations Playing Field for Its Independent Properties McLean, VA - (February 13, 2001) - SynXis Corporation, a provider of Internet-based reservation management systems and distribution to the hospitality industry, announced today that MeriStar Hotels & Resorts (NYSE:MMH) has contracted to use its SynXis Agent™ reservation management and distribution system in its independent hotel properties.  ...

SynXis Announces Availability of Hotel Reservations Software in Seven Languages / Feb 2001

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report SynXis Announces Availability of Hotel Reservations Software in Seven Languages Internationalization of Reservation Management System Provides Local Advantage for European Independent Hotels and Chains Paris, FRANCE – EurHotec, Booth 366 – (February 19, 2001) – SynXis Corporation, a provider of Internet-based reservation management systems and distribution to the hospitality industry, announced today that its SynXis Agent™ reservation management system software is now available in seven languages including US English, UK English, Dutch, German, Spanish, French, and Italian.  The ne...

Bass, Marriott International and Starwood Likely Candidates for Swissotel / Feb 2001

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Parent Company of Swissair Puts  Hotel Business Up for Sale Bass, Marriott International and Starwood Likely Candidates By Matthew Goodman, Sunday Business, London Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News  Feb. 18--SAIR Group, parent company of airline Swissair, has put its hotel division Swissotel up for sale, in a move analysts believe could raise up to UKpound 500 million.  The company is understood to have asked its adviser, investment bank Credit Suisse First Boston, to auction the business and a sale memorandum is expected to be circulated shortly.  The sale is l...

January 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report Summit Hotels & Resorts Makeovers Corporate Image;  Reflects the Company’s Strategy to  Position Itself as a Market Leader February 20, 2001 - Summit Hotels & Resorts today announced a full makeover of its corporate image to reflect the company’s aggressive new strategy to position itself as a market leader in the international hospitality industry.  The company image has been revolutionised to highlight Summit’s e-commerce focused strategy and to provide the company with greater visibility in the international hospitality marketplace.   The purple and platinum colours of Summit’s ne...