Prime Hospitality Reflagging 38 of 43 HomeGates to Wellesley Inn and Suites / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Prime Hospitality Reflagging 38 of  43 HomeGates  to Wellesley Inn and Suites FAIRFIELD, N.J., Sept. 23, 1999 - Prime Hospitality Corp. (NYSE: PDQ) announced that it expects its third quarter earnings per share to be approximately $.02 lower than its prior estimate of $.30 per share. The Company attributed the revision principally to the impact of Hurricane Floyd which severely affected hotel bookings throughout the Eastern seaboard due to evacuations, extensive flooding and travel restrictions including suspension of airline service to several major markets. The Company has also comp...

Pratt, Kansas, Holiday Inn Express Receiving 24 Room Expansion / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Pratt, Kansas, Holiday Inn Express  Receiving 24 Room Expansion HUTCHINSON, KS  September 7, 1999 - New construction slated for the Pratt, Kansas, Holiday Inn Express will provide an additional 24 guest rooms making it the largest hotel in the city of Pratt, Steven C. Olson, CEO and President of the Leisure Hotels Group of Companies announced today. Groundbreaking for the new addition is set for October 1999 with a completion date of April 2000. The new guest rooms, which will bring the total number of units to 68, will be located to the northeast of the existing facility consistent ...

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Point Clear Holdings, Inc. Acquires Marriott’s  Grand Hotel Resort & Golf Club;  John Irvin Reappointed as GM ATLANTA –(September 16, 1999)— Point Clear Holdings, Inc., based in New York, announced today they have purchased Marriott’s Grand Hotel Resort & Golf Club in Point Clear, Alabama from its previous owner, a subsidiary of Host Marriott Corporation.  Point Clear Holdings has selected Atlanta-based Stormont Trice Corporation to manage the property. Stormont Trice will continue to operate the property as a Marriott under a new franchise agreement with Marriott International, Inc., ...

Atlantic Hospitality and Pyramid Hotel Management, Inc Choose Preston Phillips to Design New Inns / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Atlantic Hospitality and Pyramid Hotel Management Choose Preston Phillips to Design New Inns Atlanta, Georgia – August 28, 1999 - Similar to Preston Phillips designed Holiday Inn Express in Tyler, Texas, this mid-market hotel will also be designed to meet the new Holiday Inn Express prototype design standards.  The hotel will be located in Allen, Texas targeting the business traveler.  Due to a very limited time schedule, Atlantic Hospitality, the owner/developer of the 3-story, 74 guestroom hotel selected Preston Phillips due to their ability to deliver the project in six weeks.  Located ...

Diane Parmerlee Senior Vice President–Development at Wyndham / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Diane Parmerlee Senior Vice President--Development  at Wyndham DALLAS - Sept. 20, 1999 - Wyndham International, Inc. (NYSE:WYN) today announced that Diane Parmerlee has been named senior vice president—development.  In her new capacity, Parmerlee will assume additional responsibility for overall development. She will help lead a multi-faceted effort, including acquisitions, new development, management contracts, asset conversions and targeted franchising to expand the Wyndham presence in major urban, suburban and resort markets.  Parmerlee, who had been senior vice president—development pl...

Repair Work from Hurricane Floyd and In-progress Renovation Forces Sheraton Grand Resort to Temporarily Close / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Repair Work from Hurricane Floyd and In-progress Renovation Forces Sheraton Grand Resort  to Temporarily Close PARADISE ISLAND, The Bahamas, Sept. 17, 1999 - Officials of the Sheraton Grand Resort have elected to temporarily close the 340-room resort operations until the first quarter of 2000 so that guests will not be disturbed or inconvenienced during the property’s in-progress renovation and repairs from Hurricane Floyd.  “We feel this is a positive move in light of the fact that we have been undergoing our second multi-million dollar renovation in two years, and have now incurred some m...

The Rise of Sub-Regional Tourism – Bloc by Bloc / PATA / September 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report   The Rise of Sub-Regional Tourism -   Bloc by Bloc   The Rise of Sub-Regional Tourism -   Bloc by Bloc September 1999 - The drive to more closely integrate Pacific Asia trade and economic development plans via regional and sub-regional cooperation blocs is giving a major impetus to regional travel and tourism, and indeed augurs well for its future. Travel and tourism, and transportation, figure highly on the list of development priorities of these emerging blocs. The infrastructure and telecommunication links being set in place to create this growth will ...

Joseph Oliveri Named Vice President of Operations for USFS Management, Inc. / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Joseph Oliveri Named VP of Operations  for USFS Management, Inc. ATLANTA (Sept. 27, 1999) - Atlanta-based U.S. Franchise Systems, Inc.  (Nasdaq: USFS) has announced the appointment of Joseph Oliveri as vice president of operations for its management company, USFS Management, Inc.  U.S. Franchise Systems is the franchisor for the Microtel Inn & Suites, Hawthorn and Best Inns & Suites hotel brands. Oliveri will be responsible for the oversight and management of all three brands in the southern U.S.  According to Douglas Longerbone, president of USFS Management, “We are extremely fort...

Spas Providing Hotels with a Competitive Edge / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Spas Providing Hotels with a Competitive Edge LARCHMONT, N.Y.—Sept. 29, 1999 - In order to be competitive in today’s environment, hotels need to add spas, according Spa Business Monthly published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.  “There is absolutely no question that the hotels developing spa facilities are prospering,” said Christopher Dauer, Editor-in-Chief of Spa Business Monthly. “The evidence is overwhelming.”  “In a recent survey of resort/hotel managers by Health Fitness Dynamics, 97% of managers said that a spa was a marketing advantage, 83% said that it increased thei...

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Occidental Hoteles Group Experiencing a Fast Growth; Now Spain’s 5th Largest Hotel Chain 23 September, 1999: Occidental Hoteles has completed a capital increase of 11,967 million pesetas, which entails the entry of La Caixa and other strategic partners. Following this increase, the shareholding of Occidental Hoteles is structured as follows:   Management Team led by Gregorio de Diego 34.32% Mercapital Group 30.63% La Caixa 27.50% Others 7.55% Total  100.00% Occidental Hoteles will be chaired by Luis Rullán Colom and Gregorio de Diego will be the Group’s...

Is a Higher AAA Rating Right for Your Property? / Harry Nobles / September 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Is a Higher AAA Rating Right  for Your Property? E-mail:  hospsvc001@aol.com by Harry Nobles, September 1999  When  I was at AAA the question  I was most often asked by owners and managers was  “How can I get a higher rating?”  My answer then and now is the same:  “Before you think about a higher rating, you should first determine if your property is already at its optimum rating.”  I define optimum  rating as the rating at which your property is best positioned to compete with local competition in both price and product, and which can be sustained over a period of ti...

Consistency: The Hallmark of a Fine Hotel / Harry Nobles / September 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Consistency: The Hallmark  of a Fine Hotel E-mail:  hospsvc001@aol.com by Harry Nobles, September 1999  I have always believed that consistency of product and service delivery is an essential characteristic of any fine hotel.  In my opinion, the importance of consistency increases in direct correlation to rate charged, the property’s image and reputation, and the AAA or MOBIL rating.   During my tenure at AAA,  I always tried to show appropriate toleration for minor inconsistencies at the economy/budget limited service properties.  I constantly reminded myself that their r...

Newmarket Announces International Deals, Installations, Appointments / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Newmarket Announces International Deals, Installations, Appointments PORTSMOUTH, N.H. (September 2, 1999)  Newmarket International today announced recent installations of its enterprise-level sales automation applications from its growing list of international customers.  These installations are managed by Newmarket's Europe, Africa, Middle East (EAME) Division in London, and its Asia Pacific Division in Singapore. Dan Hiza, Newmarket's managing director for EAME, announced that Delphi 7.1.2 has been installed at several properties, including the Novotel London Hammersmith, the Sheraton...

LodgeNet Widens its Services by Utilizing NetHotel / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report LodgeNet Widens its Services  by Utilizing NetHotel 10 Mbps Internet Service for Hotel Guests GIVATAYIM, Israel, Sept. 21, 1999 - NetGame Ltd., a 42.7% owned affiliate of BVR Technologies Ltd.  (Nasdaq: BVRTF), announced today that business travelers will now be able enjoy the benefits of high speed Internet access from the comfort and convenience of their own hotel rooms with the acknowledgment of an agreement between NetGame Ltd., a leading provider of high speed data-over-cable solutions, and LodgeNet Entertainment Corporation (Nasdaq: LNET), the leader in providing in-room interactive e...

Brian Neste and Donna Hayes Named to Key Posts at Daylight Software / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Brian Neste and Donna Hayes Named to Key Posts  at Daylight Software DOVER, NH September 20, 1999 -- As part of the company's expansion, Daylight training executive, Brian Neste has been promoted  to the position of director of account management, and Donna Hayes as director of installations and training.  In his new post as director of account management, Brian Neste will manage Daylight's team of customer liaisons to establish and maintain true partnerships with Daylight Software's customers.  Account Management provides project management including coordinating product roll out schedul...

HEI Hotels, Ltd to Manage the Soon to Open 245-room Renaissance Nazareth Hotel / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report HEI Hotels, Ltd to Manage the Soon to Open 245-room Renaissance Nazareth Hotel Nazareth, Israel, September 3, 1999 -  Marriott International, Inc. (MAR/NYE) announces the scheduled opening of the new 245 room Renaissance Nazareth Hotel in November 1999.  The Renaissance Nazareth Hotel will be managed by HEI Hotels, Ltd. which has entered into a twenty year lease. The Renaissance Nazareth is prominently situated on the main gate of Nazareth looking the picturesque Jezraeel Valley near the Mountain of Jump, one of the principal holy Christian sites in Nazareth. The hotel is strategically ...

New York Hotels Brace for Record Tax Bills / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report New York Hotels Brace for Record Tax Bills NEW YORK, NY, September 9, 1999 - Growth in the New York hotel market may be slowing, but the tax bite will continue to increase.  Significant increases in real estate tax bills for the current tax year may be followed by further increases in bills for the next tax year beginning July 2000. After decades in which hotel revenues were largely disregarded by tax assessors valuing hotels, tax assessments for hotels in New York City now closely correlate to net operating income.  Because increases in what are called “actual” or “target” assessm...

Wilson & Associates Completes $12 Million Redesign of the Washington Monarch Hotel / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Wilson & Associates Completes $12 Million  Redesign of the Washington Monarch Hotel Washington, D.C., Sept 16, 1999 - A jewel of the capital city is now shining even brighter following the completion of a $12 million redesign project. The 415-room Washington Monarch Hotel, formerly known as the ANA Hotel, will host more than 600 of Washington's civic leaders and social elite on Tuesday, September 21, 1999, during a gala event to unveil its luxuriously redesigned guest rooms and meeting facilities.   Washington Monarch Hotel Deluxe Guest Room Washington Monarch Hotel Lobby ...

Maritz, Wolff Co. Acquires Historic Miramar Hotel in Santa Monica, California / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Maritz, Wolff  Co. Acquires Historic Miramar Hotel  in Santa Monica, California  LOS ANGELES, Sept. 9, 1999 - Maritz, Wolff Co., a Los Angeles-based private investment fund that owns several of the world’s finest hotels and resorts, announced today that it has finalized the purchase of the historic Miramar Hotel in downtown Santa Monica from an affiliate of Fujita Corporation, a Japanese construction company based in Tokyo, Japan. The 302-room hotel is located on five acres at the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Ocean Avenue. The new owners plan a multi-million dollar renovation tha...

Hilton Consolidating Customer Information on a Global Basis with MICROS-Fidelio System / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Hilton Consolidating Customer Information on a Global Basis with MICROS-Fidelio System BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., WATFORD, UK, and BELTSVILLE, Md.- Sept. 21, 1999--In an effort that will further build and strengthen its strategic alliance, Hilton International (HI) and Hilton Hotels Corporation (HHC) have announced joint plans to each license the MICROS-Fidelio Customer Information System (CIS) from MICROS Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:MCRS).  The powerful CIS will allow Hilton to consolidate customer information on a global basis, enabling it to maximize sales and marketing activity and to enhance servic...

Stars and Diamonds Name of Mexico's Hotel Rating System / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report “Stars and Diamonds” Name of Mexico's  Hotel Rating System Cancun, Mexico - 2 Sep 1999 - During the XXV Tianguis in Acapulco, Mexico´s Secretary of Tourism, presented the new Mexican hotel rating classification, called “Stars and Diamonds”.  This system is the result of several years of extensive research, and has integrated criteria from various sources like AAA, Mobil, Michelin, Small Luxury Hotels, Relais et Châteaux, The Leading Hotels of the World and Spain’s ITQ2000, among others.  “Stars and Diamonds” has been sponsored by the Mexican Hotel Association, as ...

MeriStar Hospitality Corporation Re-Flags Properties in Annapolis, Maryland and Alexandria, Virginia to Radisson Brand / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report MeriStar Hospitality Corporation Re-Flags Properties in Annapolis, Maryland and Alexandria, Virginia to Radisson Brand WASHINGTON - Sept. 8, 1999 - MeriStar Hospitality Corporation (NYSE: MHX), the nation’s third largest hotel real estate investment trust (REIT), today announced that it has converted the 219-room former Holiday Inn Annapolis in Maryland and the 253-room former Ramada Plaza Old Town in Virginia to the Radisson brand. Respectively renamed the Radisson Hotel Annapolis and the Radisson Hotel Old Town Alexandria, the hotels have undergone multi-million dollar renovation ...

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Daytona’s Mary Ann Richardson Named Florida’s Hotelier Of The Year ORLANDO—Mary Ann Richardson, CHA, has been named Florida’s “Hotelier of the Year” by the Florida Hotel & Motel Association (FH&MA).  The award was made to the Daytona Beach hotelier at the statewide lodging industry’s annual conference on Wednesday, Sept. 1 at the Renaissance Orlando Resort. Richardson was chosen by her colleagues for this award—the Florida lodging industry’s highest honor—due to her continued dedication to the hospitality business and her outstanding professional and personal accomplish...

Grupo Real Developing the 100 Room Comfort Airport Hotel in San Salvador / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Grupo Real Developing the 100 Room  Comfort Airport Hotel in San Salvador San Salvador (August, 1999) – San Salvador-based Grupo Real has broken ground on a Comfort Hotel, a mile and a half from the International Airport of San Salvador. A mid-2000 opening is planned. A short drive from El Salvador’s sandy beaches, and 45 minutes from the capital city, the Comfort Airport Hotel is part of an extensive development comprising a tourist complex laid in a natural landscape, as well as industrial and commercial facilities which will certainly contribute to the economic growth of t...