April 30, 1999

Hotel Online  Special Report   Business Travelers Say They Can’t Maintain Current Pace with Current Tools / Yankelovich Partners BOULDER, Colo. - Nov. 9, 1999 - For the majority of American business travelers, the Technology Age may prove more cumbersome than helpful when obtaining information needed for the job, according to a new Yankelovich Partners survey released today by netLibrary, provider of the most comprehensive online collection of trade, reference, scholarly and professional eBooks. More than half of survey respondents say they are overwhelmed with the glut of information resources avail...

UK Based HotelHub Utilizing Pegasus Electronic Distribution for Hotel Booking / Nov 1999

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online  Special Report UK Based HotelHub Utilizing Pegasus  Electronic Distribution for Hotel Booking DALLAS and LONDON, Nov. 15, 1999 - Pegasus Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: PEGS) today announced that HotelHub, a company that provides Internet-based corporate travel management systems, has signed on to use Pegasus Electronic Distribution for hotel booking capabilities. HotelHub, based in London, is a division of the UK-headquartered Polyglobe Group. Pegasus Systems is a leading provider of hotel industry transaction processing and electronic commerce services and owns and operates its own Internet tra...

Merv Griffin's The Blue Moon Hotel Employs Leonard Parker Company for Procurement Services / Nov 1999

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online  Special Report Merv Griffin's The Blue Moon Hotel Employs  Leonard Parker Company for Procurement Services November 18, 1999 - The Blue Moon Hotel and its sister Hotel Les Suites, owned by famed entertainer Merv Griffin, is a fresh and delightful addition to its pastel-colored neighborhood on Miami Beach’s South Beach Art Deco District.  Leonard Parker Company recently completed the procurement services for all FF&E (furniture, fixtures and equipment) and OS&E (operating supplies and equipment) items for the hotels. Included in the assignment, the lovely Cheeky Monkey Restaurant fea...

Westin Website Redesigned with Simpler Navigation / Nov 1999

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online  Special Report Westin Website Redesigned  with Simpler Navigation SEATTLE, Nov. 29, 1999 - As an industry innovator, Westin today launches its redesigned website, www.westin.com, with enhanced features, simpler navigation and all new capabilities. These improvements further enhance the recent Westin website renovation announced in February.  “We are dedicated to building profitable one-on-one relationships with frequent travelers and believe the web is a primary vehicle for accomplishing this,” remarked Sue Brush, VP and Westin brand manager for Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide, I...

Creator and Owner Scott K. Ginsburg and Executive Chef George Papadopoulos Open the Restaurant Voltaire in Dallas / Nov 1999

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online  Special Report Creator and Owner Scott K. Ginsburg and  Executive Chef George Papadopoulos  Open the Restaurant Voltaire in Dallas DALLAS, Nov. 11, 1999 - Eighteenth Century French philosopher and writer Voltaire lived his life by challenging the status quo. The restaurant Voltaire promises to do the same by offering a unique dining experience to the Dallas area. A 13,000-square-foot, 335-seat restaurant, Voltaire offers the perfect balance between comfort and energy, through carefully detailed choices of light, color, ambiance, service and cuisine. Voltaire’s successful formula ...

Liquor Licensees in Victoria BC Claim Sales Down Due to Smoking Ban / Nov 1999

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online  Special Report Liquor Licensees in Victoria BC Claim Sales Down  Due to Smoking Ban VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA - November 25, 1999 - The Hospitality Industry Standing Committee on Indoor Air Quality today criticized as “absolute fiction” a Canadian Press report last week which stated that the Victoria-area smoking ban has not injured the hospitality business in that city.  Citing misleading use of statistics, the Hospitality Group said the report “missed the facts”.  The report said liquor sales were up in Victoria-area pubs, restaurants and hotels. Hospitality Committee spok...

U.S. Franchise Systems Teams with Hospitality Associates, Converting and Constructing 50 Hotels Throughout Western and Mountain Western U.S. / Nov 19

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online  Special Report U.S. Franchise Systems Teams with Hospitality Associates, Converting and Constructing 50 Hotels Throughout  Western and Mountain Western U.S.  ATLANTA (Nov. 15, 1999) – Spokane, Wash.-based Hospitality Associates, one of the largest hotel management companies in the West, and Atlanta, Ga.-based U.S. Franchise Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: USFS), have joined forces to convert and construct 50 hotels throughout the West and Mountain West U.S. to Best Inns & Suites and Hawthorn Suites properties.  Of the 50 properties, 12 Bests and 18 Hawthorns have already opened, and five Hawt...

Patel, Welch and Hymans Appointed as Brand Vice Presidents at U.S. Franchise Systems / Nov 1999

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online  Special Report Patel, Welch and Hymans Appointed as  Brand Vice Presidents at U.S. Franchise Systems ATLANTA (Nov. 15, 1999) – U.S. Franchise Systems (Nasdaq: USFS) has filled three newly- created senior management positions to bolster a centralized marketing approach to fully support the Company’s increasing numbers of Microtel Inn & Suites, Hawthorn and Best Inns & Suites properties.    Commented Mike Leven, president and CEO of USFS, “With more than 1,150 hotels open or in development systemwide [as of Sept. 30, 1999], each brand has grown large enough that it needs a full-tim...

U.S. Franchise Systems Opened 69 Hotels and Broke Ground or Began Conversion on 56 Properties During the Third Quarter 1999 / Nov 1999

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online  Special Report U.S. Franchise Systems Opened 69 Hotels and Broke Ground or Began Conversion on 56 Properties  During the Third Quarter 1999 ATLANTA, Nov. 1, 1999 - U.S. Franchise Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: USFS) has reported a net profit from continuing operations of $0.16 per primary share for the third quarter ended September, 30, 1999 compared to a net profit of $0.01 per primary share for the same period in 1998. Net income from continuing operations increased 30-fold to $3,279,000 in the third quarter of 1999 from a net income of $109,000 in the third quarter of 1998. After giving effe...

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online  Special Report UK’s Travel Inn Invests in Intranet Reservations  System for Maximum Occupancy 17 Nov 1999 - Whitbread subsidiary Travel Inn, the UK’s favourite place to stay - has invested over $1.6million (£1million) in a new Intranet based Chain Management Solution (CMS) to be provided by London based Innsite Hotel Services.  The new system will allow all the elements of Travel Inn’s booking system to be linked to each other for the first time, with the potential to incorporate the Central Reservations Service and more than 218 Travel Inns throughout the UK.  The Intranet wil...

Training in the Hospitality Industry: A Strategic Model of Training, Development and Educating Employees / Andreas Gunawan Putra / Nov 1999

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online  Special Report Training in the Hospitality Industry: A Strategic Model of Training, Development and Educating Employees By Andreas Gunawan Putra, 1 November 1999  Introduction  In today’s competitive business environment, hospitality industry executives are faced with abundant challenges, one of the most important being how to lower overhead while revenues are increasing.  This has become exceptionally vital for the large ‘chain’ hotel companies that deal with significant competitions form the independent hotel management companies.  In recent times, the hospitality industry h...

Maturation of Sales Offices Leads Trendwest Resorts to Strong 3rd Qtr / Nov 1999

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online  Special Report Maturation of Sales Offices Leads Trendwest Resorts  to Strong 3rd Qtr Reports 51% Increase in Net Income REDMOND, Wash. - Nov. 2, 1999 - Trendwest Resorts, Inc. (Nasdaq:TWRI), one of the nation’s leading timeshare companies, today reported quarterly net income of $8.9 million, or $0.52 per diluted share, for its third quarter ended September 30, 1999. This represents a 50.8% increase over net income of $5.9 million or $0.34 per diluted share for the same period last year. Vacation Credit and Fractional Interest sales increased 35.5% to $63.0 million, compared with ...

STAYBRIDGE SUITES® by Holiday Inn has Six Hotels Open with 71 in the Development Pipeline / Nov 1999

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online  Special Report STAYBRIDGE SUITES® by Holiday Inn has Six Hotels Open with 71 in the Development Pipeline Naples, Florida Opened on  November 3 ATLANTA (November 9, 1999)—STAYBRIDGE SUITES® by Holiday Inn is fast making its mark on the extended stay segment.  Today there are six hotels open, with six more to open in the next six weeks.  Another 71 are currently in the development pipeline.  The brand’s first location, in Alpharetta, Georgia, is quickly approaching its one-year anniversary, exceeding earnings expectations and receiving overwhelmingly positive comments through custo...

The Doral Court and Doral Tuscany Transforming into W Hotels / Nov 1999

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online  Special Report   The Doral Court and Doral Tuscany  Transforming into W Hotels NEW YORK, Nov. 8, 1999 - W New York - the court * the tuscany (formerly the Doral Court and Doral Tuscany) officially join the ranks of W Hotels, the newest brand of Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide, Inc. on November 29, 1999. Acquired by W Hotels in 1996, the two properties have undergone an extensive, multi-million-dollar renovation of guestrooms and reconfiguration of public spaces. Among Manhattan’s most fashionable addresses, the historic properties on East 39th Street, between Lexington Park Avenue...

Millennium Partners and Ian Schrager Hotels to Re-develop The St. Moritz Hotel / Nov 1999

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online  Special Report   Millennium Partners and Ian Schrager Hotels  to Re-develop The St. Moritz Hotel   NEW YORK, Nov. 8, 1999 -  -- Millennium Partners announced today that it has entered into a joint venture agreement with Ian Schrager Hotels to re-develop The St. Moritz Hotel into a mixed-use building and The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. has signed an agreement to manage the hotel component. The St. Moritz Hotel, whose historic facade overlooks Central Park, will undergo a complete exterior renovation. The existing 689-room hotel will be totally refurbished and reconfigured a...

SpringHill Suites' 32 Properties Posting a Year-to-date Occupancy of 72% / Nov 1999

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online  Special Report SpringHill Suites' 32 Properties Posting a  Year-to-date Occupancy of 72% WASHINGTON, Nov. 10, 1999 - Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) announced today that SpringHill Suites, the company’s new moderately priced all-suite brand for business and leisure travelers, marks its one-year anniversary with a total of 32 hotels and nearly 60 additional properties in the development pipeline.  On average, SpringHill Suites will open a new hotel every other week through year-end 2000. The brand has also posted year-to-date occupancy rates of approximately 72 percent (based ...

Meliá Boutique Hotels Launched with Acquisition of 9 Hotels in Paris / Nov 1999

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online  Special Report Meliá Boutique Hotels Launched with  Acquisition of 9 Hotels in Paris November, 1999 - Sol Meliá has signed an agreement for the acquisition by the Spanish company of 8 hotels in the centre of Paris along with an additional franchised property, giving a total of 500 rooms. This is the Spanish company’s first move into the French capital and has involved an investment of 13,000 million pesetas – 78.13 million euros -.  Sol Meliá has also announced that it will be spending a further 1,500 million pesetas - 9 million euros – in the renovation of the properties to ad...

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online  Special Report Sol Meliá’s Operational Profits Increased by 28% During 3rd Qtr; 15 New Hotels Join Ranks November, 1999 - Sol Meliá’s operational profits, before interest, repayments and taxes, (EBITDA) have increased by 28% at the close of the third quarter, totalling 26.738 million pesetas – 160,7 million Euros -. At the same time, the Company’s total consolidated production has risen to 84.194 million pesetas – 506,02 million Euros -, which represents an increase of 19% compared with the third quarter of 1998. With regard to the net consolidated profits obtained by Sol Meliá f...

Accor Opens 241 room Hotel Sofitel Zhengzhou in the Henan Province Capital City / Nov 1999

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online  Special Report Accor Opens 241 room Hotel Sofitel Zhengzhou  in Henan Province Capital City 1 November 1999: Accor has opened its newest hotel in China – the 5-star Hotel Sofitel Zhengzhou – in the heart of the bustling Henan Province capital city. The soft-opening of the hotel’s rooms follows the Sofitel’s first function, held a month earlier, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China.  Zhengzhou is growing rapidly as a commercial centre, and Accor has considerable experience of the destination, having operated the Novotel International Zhengzhou since...

Siegel Sez- UPDATE THIS / November 19, 1999

April 30, 1999

Siegel Sez -  UPDATE  THIS !  November 19, 1999 - Issue #8 T E C H N O L O G Y  NEWSTAND  by Jon Inge  NEWS YOU CAN USE   by Mark Haley Squire.com    by Michael Squires      Hospitalitys Location for Automation   T E C H N O L O G Y  NEWSTAND  by Jon Inge  NEWS YOU CAN USE   by Mark Haley Squire.com    by Michael Squires    Hospitalitys Location for Automation I am walking down 8th Avenue in New York City, the Sunday night of the International Hotel/Motel and Restaurant Show. I had this great idea of walking from the Javits Center to the Crowne Plaza H...

Siegel Sez- UPDATE THIS / November 5, 1999

April 30, 1999

Siegel Sez -  UPDATE  THIS !  November 5, 1999 - Issue #7 T E C H N O L O G Y  NEWSTAND  Compiled by  Jon Inge and Mark Haley    Notes from FS/TEC ’99       Hospitalitys Location for Automation   T E C H N O L O G Y  NEWSTAND  Compiled by  Jon Inge and Mark Haley    Notes from FS/TEC ’99     Hospitalitys Location for Automation Atlanta GA, Nov 5, 1999 - I can be such an idiot sometimes. I have traveled quite a bit in my life and you would think I would know better.  I left Atlanta on Saturday to go to the Foodservice Technolo...

Boutique Hotel Group Unveils $15 Million Expansion and Renovation at The Shoreham Hotel, New York City / Nov 1999

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online  Special Report Boutique Hotel Group Unveils $15 Million  Expansion and Renovation at  The Shoreham Hotel, New York City New York, NY - November 10, 1999….Midtown Manhattan’s Shoreham Hotel will celebrate tonight with a jazz party held in the hotel lobby and in the new Shoreham Restaurant & Bar.  The hotel, which just completed a $15 million expansion and renovation, will debut its newly designed lobby and lounge featuring cutting-edge use of light and materials including marble, stainless steel and opaque glass.  “This is an exciting time for The Shoreham Hotel,” said Kinsey ...

WorldRes.com Providing Independent Hotel Properties to the Sabre® Network / Nov 1999

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online  Special Report WorldRes.com Providing Independent  Hotel Properties to the Sabre® Network SAN MATEO, Calif. - Nov. 2, 1999 - WorldRes.com™, an online hotel distribution network for leisure travel, announced a new agreement with Sabre (NYSE:TSG), the global leader in information technology for the travel and transportation industries, bringing WorldRes.com’s entire inventory of independent hotel properties to the Sabre® network. Teaming with WorldRes.com enables Sabre to grow its property base by adding a vast selection of unrepresented independent leisure properties, many of which...

Smith Travel Research daySTAR Program Now Tracks Trends by Day of Week / Smith Travel Research / November 1999

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online  Special Report Smith Travel Research "daySTAR" Program  Now Tracks Trends by Day of Week -- Daily Occupancy by Day of Week forTotal U.S. Week Ending November 13, 1999 -- Hendersonville, TN - November 19, 1999 - Smith Travel Research (STR), the global leader in lodging industry performance tracking, has announced a major advancement in U.S. lodging industry performance tracking. STR now tracks U.S. industry occupancy, average room rate and revenue per available room by individual day.  Companies that provide STR daily performance data are currently receiving daily hotel performance reporting v...