HFTP® Acquires Leading Hospitality Industry Brands: Hospitality Upgrade, Hotel-Online, The CIO Summit and The Executive Vendor Summit
Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals | June 25, 2024
Industry Happenings
Hawaii’s 806-key Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa Completes Over $12 Million in Updates
Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa | March 21, 2014
March 21, 2014 - LAHAINA, Hawaii - Located on the pristine shore of Ka'anapali Beach, Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa announces more than $12 million in resort wide updates. From fire knife dancers to a bar hidden by two dazzling waterfalls, Hyatt Regency Maui continues to offer guests unparalleled experiences while providing authentic Hawaiian hospitality for the entire family. Highlights from Hyatt Regency Maui's renovations include: Drums of the Pacific Luau and Sunset Terrace One of the island's best and most authentic Polynesian luaus, Drums of the Pacific Luau has been updated to enhance the attraction's overall experience. The ...
How Airbnb is Impacting the Hotel Industry | Interview with Doubletree Global Head John Greenleaf
Bloomberg TV | March 21, 2014
March 20 (Bloomberg) –- Doubletree By Hilton Global Head John Greenleaf discusses the company's expansion strategy and the "Cookie Care" campaign. He speaks with Stephanie Ruhle and Alix Steel on Bloomberg Television's "Market Makers." (Source: Bloomberg) ...
DePalma Hotel Corp.‘s Recent Growth Drives Name Change to DePalma Hotels & Resorts; Adds NJ Hotel
DePalma Hotels & Resorts | March 21, 2014
DePalma adds 440-key "Hotel Bridgewater-Somerset" in Somerset, NJ to portfolio of managed hotels with 60-day pipeline expectations for additional managed properties in Texas, Oklahoma, and Colorado. Arlington, TX, March 21, 2014: Brian DePalma, President & CEO of DePalma Hotel Corporation announced today the evolution of DePalma Hotel Corporation to become DePalma Hotels & Resorts. "We have doubled our managed key count within the trailing 12 months with an extension of properties under management in a wider variety of property types such as boutique resorts, beach-front hotels, and convention properties" said DePalma. "The DePa...
What Do Hotel Bookings Tell Us About the Economy? | Interview with Choice CEO Stephen Joyce
Bloomberg TV | March 21, 2014
Choice Hotels International President and CEO Stephen Joyce discusses the company's growth and Facebook's acquisition of WhatsApp on Bloomberg Television's "In The Loop." (Source: Bloomberg) ...
Kempinski to Open 12 Hotels in 9 Countries in 2014
Kempinski | March 21, 2014
Toronto, March 21, 2014 Kempinski Hotel Fleuve Congo Kinshasa (Republic of Congo) Takeover and opening on March 01, 2014 Located in the Democratic Republic of Congo's capital city, in Gombe district by the Congo River, a half-hour drive from Kinshasa's N'Djili International Airport, Kempinski Hotel Fleuve Congo Kinshasa features 237 elegant rooms and suites, which showcase panoramic views of the city, the Congo River and Brazzaville, the capital of Congo. The hotel also features three restaurants and three bars, five fully-equipped function rooms, an auditorium seating 300, two floodlit outdoor tennis courts, an outdoor swimming pool, a...
An NYC Brand Debut, Melia Hotels Begins Development of 313-room Innside Manhattan to Open in 2016
Melia Hotels Internationa | March 21, 2014
PALMA DE MALLORCA, Spain, March 21, 2014 -- The newest addition to the Innside by Melia hotel brand will bring a lifestyle business experience, efficient and smart service, contemporary design and the latest technology to New York City's NoMad area when it opens 2016. With the signing of a new hotel in New York City, Melia Hotels International continues progressing with its global growth strategy, which during 2013, achieved the milestone of hotels in 40 countries around the world. The new Innside Manhattan will be located in a 20-story new-ground-up-construction building on West 27th Street, between Sixth and Seventh Avenues. Just a fe...
The 265-room Holiday Inn New Delhi International Airport Opens in India
Holiday Inn New Delhi International Airport | March 21, 2014
New Delhi, India, 21 March, 2014: InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has announced its entry into the newly-built development of Aerocity with the opening of Holiday Inn New Delhi International Airport. It is the second Holiday Inn hotel in the capital and ninth in the country. The 265-room hotel is located in close proximity to Delhi's domestic and international airports. With Gurgaon and South Delhi located a few kilometres away, it is an ideal destination for business, leisure and transit travellers and the hotel is well connected via a national highway and the Airport Metro, providing convenient and quick access to Connaught Place ...
HeBS to Speak on Meta Search Marketing at EyeforTravel’s Online Marketing Strategies Conference
HeBS Digital: | March 20, 2014
NEW YORK, NY – March 20, 2014 – HeBS Digital's President & CEO, Max Starkov, will speak at EyeforTravel's Conference titled "Online Marketing Strategies for Travel 2014: The Americas & Caribbean," June 2, 2014 at the Ritz Carlton Miami. Alongside Amy Labroo, Director of Global Marketing and eCommerce for Wyndham Hotels and Resorts and Quentin Moores, Director, DerbySoft, Starkov will discuss the many facets of search marketing and meta search marketing as part of a session called "The Great Search Debate Continues: Analyze How The Rise of Meta Will Impact the Search Landscape." Some of the topics discussed will be how to tai...
The 94-room Verb Hotel is On Track to Open in Boston’s Fenway Neighborhood in Summer 2014
The Verb Hotel | March 20, 2014
Under Development by Samuels & Associates, Weiner Ventures and Spot-On Ventures; To Be Managed by Crescent Hotels & Resorts (Boston, MA, March 20, 2014) - The Verb, opening summer 2014, sees the dynamic reimagining of a classic mid-century motel, which will reconnect it with the rich musical and artistic roots of Boston's Fenway neighborhood. Building on the legacy that began when the Fenway Motor Hotel first opened its doors at 1271 Boylston Street in 1959, the unconventional 94-room hotel will seamlessly meld the best of Boston's past, with the vibrant, spirited culture of the modern-day Fenway neighborhood. Samuels & Asso...
Chicago’s Famed Purple Hotel Site to Become Mixed-Use Including 160-key SpringHill Suites Lincolwood
First Hospitality Group, Inc. | March 20, 2014
A Joint Venture Between First Hospitality Group and North Capital Group ROSEMONT, Ill., March 20, 2014 -- First Hospitality Group, Inc. (FHG) announced today a joint venture with Skokie, Ill.-based North Capital Group, LLC to reinvigorate the property that was once home to the Pritzker family's first Hyatt in Chicago: the iconic Purple Hotel. The new hotel under development will open as a SpringHill Suites in the fall of 2015 as part of a larger mixed-use project called The Shoppes at Lincoln Pointe. First Hospitality Group Inc. President and COO Robert Habeeb made the announcement. On the site that encompasses more than 50 years of his...
CSM Lodging Names Shand Luce DOSM for The Depot Renaissance Minneapolis & Residence Inn at The Depot
CSM Lodging | March 20, 2014
Minneapolis, Minnesota, March 20, 2014 - CSM Lodging, a division of CSM Corporation, has promoted Shand Luce to director of sales and marketing for both The Depot Renaissance Minneapolis Hotel and The Residence Inn at The Depot Hotel. Both properties are situated within an historic 19th Century train depot complex. Kate Burda, vice president sales & marketing, made the announcement. "I am so pleased to announce Shand's promotion," said Ms. Burda. "He has demonstrated extraordinary leadership and remarkable results in his previous role with our company, and we look forward to his continued success in his new position as leader of our...
Pegasus Solutions Expands Business Intelligence Offering for Hotels Worldwide
Pegasus Solutions | March 20, 2014
Next Generation of PegasusView Market Performance Analytics Global Hotel Booking Data DALLAS (March 20, 2014) – Pegasus Solutions is expanding its business intelligence offering for hotels worldwide with development of the next generation of PegasusView Market Performance Analytics. Leveraging data derived from the only global hotel booking switch, which is owned by Pegasus, the new Market Performance Analytics tools will provide useable market reports drawn from billions of global hotel transactions that totaled $14 billion in 2013 alone. "Pegasus is uniquely positioned as the only company that provides global industry data drawn fro...
Ronald E. Morin Named as GM for The 202-room Edgewater in Madison, WI; Undergoing $100-M Renovation
The Edgewater | March 20, 2014
MADISON, Wis., March 20, 2014 - The Edgewater announced today the appointment of Ronald E. Morin as general manager and senior vice president of The Edgewater, an historic Madison property that is undergoing a $100-million revitalization. As general manager, Morin will oversee the 202-room hotel and welcome guests through its doors when it opens in August 2014. Morin comes to The Edgewater with nearly 30 years of hospitality experience at The Grove Park Inn in Asheville, N.C. His career began humbly, busing tables at the hotel. He developed a passion for the industry that eventually led to a number of management and executive leadership...
HFTP Contributes Expert Education to the 2014 AAHOA Annual Convention & Trade Show Program
AAHOA | March 20, 2014
Austin, Texas, USA (March 20, 2014) - In continuance of its strategic partnership with the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA), Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®) has co-produced sessions for the AAHOA Annual Convention and Trade Show taking place March 19 - 22 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center and Philadelphia Marriott Downtown in Philadelphia, PA. "With so many members that are experts in their respective fields in hospitality finance and technology, HFTP often participates in allied associations' conferences where we can lend our knowledge to fellow colleagues," said Frank Wolfe, CAE, HFTP CEO...
MSI and IBC Hotels Extend Partnership Exclusive MSI CloudPM™ Pricing Offered to Members
March 20, 2014
Phoenix - March 20, 2014 - Multi-Systems, Inc. (MSI), a leading hotel cloud services hospitality technology provider, has extended its partnership with InnDependent Boutique Collection (IBC Hotels, Inc.), division of InnSuites® Hospitality Trust. The new partnership provides their 4,000+ non-branded hotel members exclusive pricing of MSI's hotel cloud property management system, MSI CloudPM™. Pamela Barnhill, President and COO of InnSuites Hospitality Trust, said, "Part of our mission and success with IBC Hotels is being transparent in conveying independent hoteliers added security, heightened presence, and greater leveraging not oth...
Scrub Island Resort Names Michael Wedderburn as Executive Chef & Katie Rowles as Executive Sous Chef
Scrub Island Resort, Spa & Marina, BVI | March 20, 2014
BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS (March 20, 2014) - Scrub Island Resort, Spa & Marina, the first luxury resort development in the British Virgin Islands in more than 15 years and first member of the Autograph Collection® in the Caribbean, has announced the appointment of Michael Wedderburn as the resort's new executive chef and Katie Rowles as the new executive sous chef. Jamaican-born Chef Wedderburn will oversee the resort's three main restaurants: Caravela, the fine-dining outlet featuring refreshing modern Caribbean cuisine with an American twist; Tierra!Tierra!, a casual, open-air restaurant overlooking the pool; and One Shoe Beach Bar ...
Maybourne Hotel Group Appoints Knut Wylde as Hotel Manager at Claridge’s in London, England
March 20, 2014
March 20, 2014 – Maybourne Hotel Group, London's leading owner and operator of renowned luxury hotels Claridge's, the Connaught and the Berkeley, is delighted to announce the appointment of Knut Wylde as Hotel Manager of Claridge's in Mayfair where is role will officially commence on 17th March, 2014. Knut Wylde joins Claridge's from Coworth Park a 5-star country house hotel, part of the Dorchester Collection where he held the position as Director of Operations since 2011. Prior to joining Cowarth Park, Knut spent 8 years at some of London's most prestigious properties including The Savoy, St Pancreas Renaissance Hotel, 45 Park Lane a...
Napa’s 322-key Meritage Resort and Spa Completes 157-room Renovation and Donates Items to Charities
The Meritage Resort and Spa | March 20, 2014
Solano-Napa Habitat for Humanity and St. John's Thrift Store Receive Doors and Furniture NAPA, Calif. (March 20, 2014) - As part of The Meritage Resort and Spa's on-going efforts to give back to the community, while ensuring its guests have the best experience in the Napa Valley, The Meritage has teamed with two local charities to donate items from its hotel rooms that would otherwise end up in landfills and recycling facilities. The Meritage Resort has just completed renovations of the 157 rooms in its main building that opened in 2007 and donated doors, desks, chairs, lamps, flat-screen televisions, bedframes, and sofas to Solano-Nap...
Owner 10-12 MLane to Develop $32 M, 190-room Hotel Indigo NYC Financial District Hotel, Opening 2016
March 20, 2014
20 March, 2014 - ATLANTA – InterContinental Hotels Group's (IHG) Hotel Indigo® brand has signed its fifth location in New York City in the financial district, bringing guests together with another of the city's distinct neighborhoods. Every Hotel Indigo hotel is uniquely designed to reflect the culture, character and history of the surrounding neighborhood. This hotel will pay homage to how time has shaped the precision work done in the area, from its roots in engraving, jewelry and watchmaking to the meticulous trading on today's Wall Street. "The financial district has long been known for its commercial success, but it's recently e...
Walk A Mile In A Lender’s Shoes; Getting Your Hotel Financed
Greg Morris | March 20, 2014
By Greg Morris You're well into planning a new hotel. You've picked the market, you've seized on a segment, a seasoned management team is ready to work with you, and you've locked down a trophy flag. A lender will talk to you if you come to the bank armed with all this, even if it's your first venture into hotel development. It's common sense: Lenders offering conventional loans want to avoid risk and make money. So fortifying yourself with expertise, insight and the best possible location for the project presents an appealing picture. Oh, yes. The other factor in this complex equation is a development plan backed by 30 to 35 percent eq...
Guest-tek™ Acquisition of iBAHN Takes Hotel Technology to a Higher Level
March 20, 2014
Calgary, Alberta - March 20, 2014 -Guest-tek has finalized its acquisition of iBAHN's business assets. This significantly increases both the size of Guest-tek's company operations and the global reach of its international customers. It also means customers of hospitality technology can now benefit from the combined advantages of both companies. "Global customers of each company will be wondering what this means for them," says Arnon Levy, CEO of Guest-tek. "With a standardized global offering for all Guest-tek and iBAHN customers they can now expect an even higher level of the technologies and services they rely on." For nearly two deca...
The Algonquin Resort Reopens in St. Andrews-By-The-Sea, New Brunswick, CA After $35 M Upgrade
Southwest Properties | March 20, 2014
A Canadian Debut for the Autograph Collection, the Property is Owned and Operated by Southwest Properties and New Castle Hotels and Resorts SHELTON, Conn., USA/ HALIFAX, N.S./SAINT ANDREWS, N.B., CANADA - March 20, 2014 - Officials with New Castle Hotels and Resorts, Southwest Properties and Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) today unveiled the greatly anticipated renovation to New Brunswick's landmark Algonquin Resort. The iconic resort is the nation's first Autograph Collection hotel, Marriott International's exclusive portfolio of independent hotels. The Southwest/New Castle team purchased the hotel from the provincial govern...
Comanche Nation of Oklahoma Selects Agilysys Solution Suite
Agilysys | March 20, 2014
Point-of-Sale, Property Management System to be Implemented Enterprise-Wide ALPHARETTA, GA. - March 20, 2014 - Agilysys, Inc. (Nasdaq: AGYS), a leading provider of innovative hospitality software solutions and services, today announced that The Comanche Nation of Oklahoma has selected the Agilysys InfoGenesis™ POS system for its casino properties throughout the state - Comanche Nation Casino, Comanche Red River Hotel Casino, Comanche Spur Casino and Comanche Star Casino. In addition, Comanche Nation has selected the Visual One™ Property Management System for the new Comanche Red River Hotel, which is scheduled to open April 1. "When...
Former Google CIO, Douglas Merrill, to Open HITEC 2014
HFTP | March 20, 2014
Austin, Texas, USA (March 20, 2014) - Former Google CIO, Douglas Merrill will address the 2014 Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC®) attendees during the opening session on the relevant topics of organizational security and data protection. Merrill will speak to on Monday, June 23 at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, Calif. In addition, HITEC has secured two other experts to give keynote presentations later in the week. As the former CIO and vice president of engineering at Google, Merrill oversaw a team of 1,500, as well as all aspects of technology and several high profile projects, one of...
