Minor Hotels to Debut in Singapore With Avani Hotels & Resorts Lifestyle Brand
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Brandt Hospitality Group Getting Great Results From Accounting Software Partner
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Finance & Development
Hotel AG Closes 76 Hotels in Last 11 Months
Hotel AG | October 6, 2014
ATLANTA - October 6, 2014 - Hotel Assets Group, LLC (Hotel AG), announced today the firm has closed 76 hotel real estate transactions in the last 11 months. The transactions included 14 Hilton branded, 15 Marriott branded, 11 full service, and 65 select service hotels. The assets were located across all regions in the US. Many of the hotels were in top MSA markets and covered most brand families. The buyers consisted mostly of REITs and large institutional investment firms, and the clients represented were across all ownership types. Hotel AG currently has 204 active hotel engagements totaling $2.7 billion in real estate value on the ma...
Hotel AG Closes 20 Hotel Transactions in September
Hotel AG | October 1, 2014
ATLANTA - October 1, 2014 - Hotel Assets Group, LLC (Hotel AG), announced today the firm has closed 20 separate hotel real estate transactions in September. The closings consists of 5 Hilton branded hotels, 7 Marriott branded hotels, 3 Wyndham branded hotels, 3 Choice branded hotels and 2 other branded assets. Included in the 20 hotels were 2 portfolios of mostly Hilton and Marriott assets located in the Northeast. Of the hotels sold, 4 were large urban hotels, 11 were in top MSA suburban markets and the balance of the assets were across various market segments. The highest price per room transaction was a large top CBD urban hotel that...
Puzzle Partner Launches Marketing on Demand for Travel Tech Companies Looking for Escape Velocity
Puzzle Partner | September 29, 2014
Start-up accelerator offers a full suite of marketing services without the big agency price tag to drive awareness, deliver leads and create partnerships to help businesses grow profitably Toronto, CA, - September 29, 2014 Puzzle Partner, the premier business consultancy firm specializing in travel and hospitality technology, today announced their new Marketing on Demand (MoD™) program. The turn-key services are scalable and tailored to meet the unique needs of start-ups and companies looking to take their business or product to the next level. "With decades of experience, we've learned a lot over the years, and we know what it takes ...
Lodging Real Estate Trends: Lodging Econometrics Reports Asia Pacific Pipeline Dominated By China
Lodging Econometrics | September 26, 2014
At Q2 2014 the Total Construction Pipeline stood at 3,674 Projects/ 757,207 Rooms. A very high seventy-eight percent of the Pipeline, 2,791 Projects/ 567,409 Rooms, is presently Under Construction. There are just 369 Projects/ 81,901 Rooms Scheduled to Start in the Next 12 Months and 514 Projects/ 107,897 Rooms in Early Planning. China has the largest Pipeline in the world by guest room count. With 2,409 Projects/ 521,452 Rooms it also has nearly two thirds of all Construction Projects in Asia. China is trailed at a distance by India with 370 Projects/ 54,815 Rooms and Indonesia with 338 Projects/ 52,495 Rooms. Respectively, they are r...
The Rainmaker Group Ready To Make Big Splash At G2E 2014
Rainmaker | September 25, 2014
Revenue Management Leader Continues Expansion of Service Portfolio and Staff ATLANTA, GA - September 25, 2014 - The Rainmaker Group will be hard to miss inside the Sands Expo and Convention Center at next week's Global Gaming Expo (G2E) in Las Vegas, as the world leader in automated profit optimization software and services for the gaming/hospitality industry continues to further strengthen its portfolio and expand its staff to meet growing customer demand. "We're very excited to showcase the latest advancements to our GuestREV® and GroupREV® products at our booth (#2813) along the high foot-traffic path of Tropicana Avenue," said Tam...
First Company to Target Hotels with Crowdfunding Launches
Hotel Innvestor, LLC | September 24, 2014
Hotel Innvestor Capitalizes On Recent Legal Changes Newport Beach, Calif. – Marking the first anniversary of SEC regulations that altered the face of crowdfunding for real estate, Hotel Innvestor is entering this emerging market by applying this approach to a first-of-its-kind business model for hotel investment – selling private securities in hotels to accredited investors via crowdfunding. Tim L. Edgar Founder and President Tim L. Edgar has created not only the first nationwide, web-based, hotel-investment-banking portal, but also what we believe is the first company to identify the strength of specializing in any specific commer...
InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta and Park Hyatt Chicago Upgrade to InvoTech RFID Uniform System
InvoTech Systems | September 24, 2014
Long-time InvoTech Customers Upgrade their Uniform Systems with RFID Technology for More Efficient Operations and Cost Saving Benefits LOS ANGELES, CA - September 24, 2014 - InvoTech Systems, Inc. announced two leading city center hotels upgraded their uniform management and control processes with InvoTech's UHF-RFID Uniform System. The InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta and Park Hyatt Chicago have both benefited from the control and accountability established by the InvoTech Uniform System for more than ten years. The RFID upgrade will provide cost saving benefits with more efficient operations by automating manual tasks. Click here for...
Hotel Equities Names Stacey Morgan as Corporate Revenue Manager
Hotel Equities (HE) | September 23, 2014
ATLANTA, GA - September 24, 2014 - Hotel Equities (HE), an Atlanta-based hotel management, ownership and development company, recently named Stacey Morgan the Corporate Revenue Manager. Ms. Morgan will assume responsibility for setting the day-to-day sales strategy for a portfolio of hotels to maximize revenues and profitability. She will also assist in the training and development of the hotels' revenue teams using a variety of new tools such as social media as the discipline of revenue management becomes more and more complex. Stacey is a highly-skilled financial professional who understands the importance of revenue management to the...
Value Place Appoints Kelly Poling as Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer
Hotel Equities (HE) | September 22, 2014
September 22, 2014 - WICHITA, Kan. - Value Place, the largest economy, extended-stay hotel brand in the U.S., has named Kelly Poling as Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. As the leader of Value Place's brand, marketing, and distribution strategies, Ms. Poling will be focused on strengthening the positioning of the brand and driving more guests to its hotels across the country. "It's an amazing time to be joining Value Place," said Poling. "The Company has such a strong foundation and growth trajectory. I'm looking forward to furthering the value proposition for both guests and hotel owners with an additional focus on ...
Beauport Gloucester Hotel Moving Toward Construction
BuildCentral | September 22, 2014
Hotel-Online and BuildCentral Add/Update 335 Hotel Projects to the New Hotel Construction Projects Database Chicago, IL. September 22, 2014 - Hotel-Online and BuildCentral have added or updated 335 hotel projects in the last two weeks to Hotel Construction, a nationwide database of hotel construction projects, openings, and key decision makers (Owner/Developers, Architects and Contractors). These proposed hotels are still in the planning stages. Now is the perfect time to have your product drawn into plans, or offer construction services: 3rd Avenue Hotel (New York, NY) Convention Center and Hotel (Katy, TX) 6080 Collins Hotel (Mia...
Hotel AG Set to Close 20 Hotel Transactions in September
Hotel AG | September 22, 2014
ATLANTA - September 22, 2014 - Hotel Assets Group, LLC (Hotel AG), announced today the firm expects to close 20 hotel real estate transactions in September. The anticipated closings will consist of two hotel portfolios including 13 Hilton and Marriott assets with the remaining consisting of other brand families. Hotel AG as a firm has seen an increase in transactions of 47% and income of 68% year-to-date through September 2014 versus the same period in 2013. "We believe we are seeing the investment window of this cycle. Buyers are taking note of the low interest rates versus the cap rate spreads, and understanding that the delta we are ...
Beam Me Up Scotty – Marriott Unveils 4-D Virtual Travel Experience Teleporting Guests Worldwide
Marriott Hotels | September 18, 2014
BETHESDA, Md., Sept. 18, 2014 -- In its journey to explore the future of travel, Marriott Hotels is taking an unprecedented leap into virtual reality by teleporting travelers to the beaches of Hawaii and downtown London. The brand partnered with Academy Award-winning Framestore to create Marriott Hotel's virtual travel experience, giving consumers a fully immersive, 4-D sensory experience based in Oculus Rift technology. An industry pioneer, Marriott Hotels is embracing innovative technologies to redefine the future of travel for generations to come. And now, travel enthusiasts can see, hear and feel what it's like to be in destinations...
Deloitte Survey: Where There is Reward for Travel, There is Risk
Deloitte's Travel, Hospitality and Leisure Practice | September 17, 2014
Only one-third of consumers feel their frequent traveler accounts are secure enough NEW YORK, Sept. 17, 2014 -- Three-quarters (75 percent) of frequent travelers expect their loyalty program data to be secured to at least the same standard as a financial institution – but only 33 percent feel their accounts are secure enough, according to a new Deloitte study, "Loyalty data security: Are hospitality and travel companies managing the risks of their rewards programs?" Few frequent travelers appear fully aware of the wider risks involved when loyalty data – including travel schedules and other personal data – is lost or stolen. Rough...
Hotel Equities Assumes Management of 77-room Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Marianna in Florida
Hotel Equities (HE) | September 17, 2014
Atlanta, GA-September 17, 2014 - Atlanta-based Hotel Equities (www.hotelequities.com) recently assumed management of the 77-room Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott hotel in Marianna, Florida. "Growing our management portfolio in Florida is both significant and exciting for our firm," said Joe Reardon, Vice President of Marketing and Business Development for Hotel Equities. "We're pleased to create additional opportunities for our associates and a strong partnership with the ownership group. We will begin a renovation on this six-year-old property to continue to ensure our guests the best level of service and quality they've come to ...
The Components of Franchise Fees
Robert Mandelbaum and Gray McDade | September 16, 2014
By Robert Mandelbaum and Gary McDade Hotel franchise companies ("the brands/chains") charge their franchisees a series of fees that cover a variety of services provided by the franchisor. In our firm's annual Trends® in the Hotel Industry survey of operating statements, PKF Hospitality Research, (PKF-HR is a CBRE company) captures four of these fees discretely: Royalty Fees Advertising and Marketing Assessments Loyalty Program Fees Reservation Assessments To gain a better understanding of the fees paid by hotel owners to their franchisors, PKF-HR analyzed the operating statements of 1,304 chain-affiliated hotels in our Trends® d...
The Plasencia Group Announces the Sale of the DoubleTree Grand Key Resort in Key West, Florida
The Plasencia Group | September 16, 2014
Tampa, Fla. (September 16, 2014) – The Plasencia Group is pleased to announce the sale of the DoubleTree Grand Key Resort, located in Key West, Florida. The firm represented the owner of the 215-key resort. RLJ Lodging Trust acquired the property for a purchase price of $77.0 million, or approximately $358,000 per key. According to Dennis Reed, Senior Vice President of The Plasencia Group's Southeast Region, "This transaction was an exceptional deal for both the buyer and seller. Strong barriers to entry coupled with year-round leisure demand make Key West an extraordinary market unlike all but a few in the United States." Mr. Reed le...
Is Revenue Management Only Useful for Luxury Hotels?
Jean Francois Mourier | September 12, 2014
By Jean Francois Mourier In the past, revenue management was a practice that only high-end, luxury properties implemented for two major reasons: first, it was hugely cost prohibitive, and second, it required the hotel to hire a revenue manager to execute the processes (or oversee the revenue management system - RMS). Only properties with large budgets both for revenue management and personnel could actually afford to use revenue management to price their properties, leaving smaller, boutique properties struggling to keep up. But that was yesterday and today, lots of things have changed. Today, revenue management is a practice that all p...
Duetto Scales its Global Sales Solutions Team
Duetto | September 12, 2014
San Francisco and Las Vegas, September 12 2014 -- Duetto, the market leader in hotel profit optimization software, announced the expansion of its sales solutions team with the recent addition of more than 30 experienced professionals joining in six cities. Adoption of Duetto's core revenue strategy solutions continues to accelerate, with exponential growth seen each quarter. New customers include Red Lion Hotels Corporation (NYSE:RLH), and dozens of other hotels and casino hotel groups in 16 countries. Duetto is continuing its aggressive recruiting and hiring worldwide, and expects to make additional announcements in coming weeks. To sp...
Hotel Development Partners Names Robert J. McCarthy as Chairman
Hotel Development Partners (HDP) | September 10, 2014
ATLANTA, GA (September 10, 2014) - Atlanta-based Hotel Development Partners (HDP) recently welcomed Robert J. "Bob" McCarthy to the firm as Chairman. As chairman of the firm's executive board, Mr. McCarthy serves as a driving force in setting forward the strategy for the growth of HDP. His experience in all markets and his strong brand knowledge highlight his ability to lead HDP's expanding portfolio with a focus on Marriott-branded hotels. HDP's active development projects include new Residence Inns in both Miami Beach/Surfside and Dunwoody/Atlanta Perimeter Center as well as the Hampton Inn & Suites Dunwoody/Perimeter Center. More...
Why is This New Report Scaring the #%*! out of Hotel Owners?
Tambourine | September 10, 2014
Hoteliers have always felt the pinch of paying third-party fees to attract and retain guests. Now – with the just released results of a multi-year hotel revenue study - that pinch has turned into a full-blown punch. The study, conducted by Hospitality Asset Managers Association and its resulting whitepaper, The Rising Costs of Customer Acquisition, sums it up: Costs associated with acquiring new hotel customers through distribution channels and marketing rose 2-3 times faster than hotel revenue growth. Here's what the Report uncovered: PROBLEMS More Players, Less Profits In addition to OTAs, meeting planners and bran...
Park Hyatt New York Marks Grand Opening with InvoTech RFID Staff Uniform Protection
Park Hyatt New York | September 9, 2014
How Does Manhattan's Newest Luxury Location Track Uniform Assignments, Maintain Laundry Accountability, and Reduce Labor Expenses? With InvoTech Systems, Inc. Technology LOS ANGELES, CA - September 9, 2014 - When Manhattan's newest luxury hotel, Park Hyatt New York, opened its doors on August 19, , InvoTech Systems, Inc.'s UHF-RFID Uniform System was already at work behind the scenes to maintain garment quality. InvoTech managed installation of durable RFID tags in the hotel's 4,000 uniforms and recorded garment assignments prior to opening to simplify property operations. The InvoTech Uniform System reduces labor expenses associated wi...
Looking for EB-5 Financing? The China “Retrogression” Means You Should Act Sooner than Later!
JMBM | September 9, 2014
By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group® Hotel Lawyers | Authors of www.HotelLawBlog.com 9 September 2014 EB-5 Visas and China "Retrogression" - What's it all about? by Jim Butler and Jonathan Bloch Partners, Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP In the past, when China exceeded its 7% allocation of US Immigrant Investor Visas (EB-5 visas), Chinese applicants were permitted to take advantage of unused EB-5 visas allotted to other countries. But as of the last week of August 2014, the US State Department decided that the issuance of new EB-5 visas to Chinese applicants will be frozen or "retrogress" (move backward) until Octob...
Application Submitted to State Gaming Commission for Rivers Casino and Resort at Mohawk Harbor
BuildCentral | September 8, 2014
Hotel-Online and BuildCentral Add/Update 273 Hotel Projects to the New Hotel Construction Projects Database Chicago, IL. September 8, 2014 - Hotel-Online and BuildCentral have added or updated 273 hotel projects in the last two weeks to Hotel Construction, a nationwide database of hotel construction projects, openings, and key decision makers (Owner/Developers, Architects and Contractors). These proposed hotels are still in the planning stages. Now is the perfect time to have your product drawn into plans, or offer construction services: New Allen Park Hotel (Allen Park, MI) Hilton Hotel (Charleston, SC) Palm Harbor Hotel (West Pal...
Europe’s Construction Pipeline Sluggish as Development in the Middle East Picks Up
Lodging Econometrics | September 4, 2014
At the end of Q2 Europe's Construction Pipeline stood at 807 Projects/ 132,187 Rooms, a scant Year-Over-Year (YOY) increase of 8% by Projects and 1% by Rooms. Overall Pipeline growth has been lackluster since the cyclical bottom established in 2010. Both Projects Under Construction and Annualized Construction Starts experienced a brief peak in Q3 2012 when projects previously stalled in the Pipeline during the Great Recession migrated forward towards construction as lending first became available. However, since that peak, both metrics have trended downward for seven consecutive quarters. Pipeline growth is in the Scheduled to Start in ...
