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Industry Happenings
Embassy Suites Denver Downtown – Convention Center Makes Food & Beverage Team Appointments
the Embassy Suites Denver - Downtown/Convention Center | March 7, 2014
Denver, Colo. (March 7, 2014) - The Embassy Suites Denver Downtown - Convention Center - a flagship property for the brand and a leading downtown Denver hotel - is pleased to announce that it is elevating its Food & Beverage offerings with the hiring of two exceptional new culinary professionals - Nikolyn Grant as the Director of Catering and Kirby Kiner as the Director of Food & Beverage. The award-winning hotel has also promoted Shane Marcotte to the position of Executive Chef. Managed by Denver's Sage Hospitality, the Embassy Suites Denver Downtown is home to Elements Restaurant & Bar, which serves classic American fare i...
Irish Hotels Federation to Publish TrustScores on IrelandHotels.com in Partnership with TrustYou
TrustYou | March 7, 2014
Dallas, USA & Munich, Germany - March 7, 2014 - This Spring, the Irish Hotels Federation plans to make searching for accommodation in Ireland much easier on travellers. In partnership with TrustYou, the global leader in online reputation management (ORM), the Irish Hotels Federation will feature hotel TrustScores on their consumer website, IrelandHotels.com. A hotel's TrustScore is a figure determined by compiling guest feedback across all review sites to measure how a hotel is ranked. The TrustScore provides guests with one single, easy-to-read figure for comparing hotels. The Irish Hotels Federation represents almost 1,000 hotels ...
Mackinac Island, Michigan’s Mission Point Resort Expands Sales and Marketing Team
Mission Point Resort | March 7, 2014
Mackinac Island, Mich., March 7, 2014 – Mission Point Resort on Mackinac Island heads into the 2014 season with the addition of three new team members: Kerri Malinovich as corporate director, sales, marketing & revenue management; Stacey Ogden as corporate director of marketing; and Kim Corcoran as corporate sales manager. "I'm thrilled to welcome Kerri, Stacey and Kim to the Mission Point family," said Bradley McCallum, Mission Point Resort general manager. "To have this talented group join an already strong team, we are well equipped to spread the word about Mission Point as a great destination for groups, families and couples t...
MICROS Adds iRiS Software Systems to Its MICROS Commerce Platform™
iRiS Software Systems | March 7, 2014
Enabling Mobile Guest Interaction in the Hospitality Industry Columbia, MD - March 7, 2014 - MICROS Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:MCRS), a leading provider of information technology solutions for the hospitality and retail industries, is pleased to announce the addition of iRiS Software System's hospitality guest service applications to the hosted MICROS Commerce Platform™ (MCP). MICROS' recently released MCP provides for the integration of content across a single site, including the integration of multiple third-party solutions. iRiS' award-winning guest service applications, iRiS Valet, iRiS F&B, iRiS Lobby, iRiS Mobile Concierge and iR...
Owned by Philip Murphey, the 89-room BEST WESTERN PLUS Tallahassee North Opens in Florida
Best Western International, Inc. | March 7, 2014
TALLAHASSEE, Fla., March 7, 2014 - Best Western International announces the opening of the BEST WESTERN PLUS Tallahassee North Hotel, located at 2727 Graves Road. Owned by Philip Murphey the 100% smoke-free hotel features 89 guest rooms and seven suites. Hotel amenities include a full complimentary hot breakfast, an outdoor pool, and a free 24-hour fitness center. Each room is equipped with a 37" flat screen television, mini-refrigerator, microwave and free wireless Internet access. For business travelers, the hotel offers a 24-hour business center with complimentary printing and copy services. Free internet access in all public areas. ...
Multi-Million Dollar Renovation Complete for 418-room Boston Marriott Burlington in Massachusetts
Aloft Hotels | March 7, 2014
Burlington, MA (March 7, 2014) - Boston Marriott Burlington has undergone an exciting transformation with the completion of a multi-million dollar renovation of its lobby and public spaces. The 418-room full-service hotel now boasts 14,570 square feet of meeting space including the Celebrate Ballroom, making Boston Marriott Burlington a premiere destination for meetings, business, and leisure travel to the Greater Boston area. A large fireplace is the focal point of the lobby, welcoming guests to unwind on the oversized couches and chairs. Warm tones and light music in the spacious lobby accommodates casual and business needs in a conte...
Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts to Open 11 New Hotels within the Next 12 Months
Centara Hotels & Resorts | March 7, 2014
March 07, 2014 - NEW YORK - Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts today announced another unprecedented year of growth with 11 new hotels expected to open within the next 12 months. With these new openings, Le Méridien is on track to more than triple its portfolio in the Americas since the French-born brand was acquired by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide (NYSE: HOT) in 2005. In 2014, Le Méridien is slated to open hotels in both established and emerging destinations around the world from Chicago to Dhaka, Tampa to Bangkok and New Orleans to Thimphu. "Last year, we signed more new Le Méridien hotels and resorts than any year since ...
Flip.to Gives a Big Boost to dana hotel and spa’s Total Web Traffic
Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott | March 6, 2014
Orlando, FL — March 7, 2014 — In the first two months of going live with Flip.to, the brand advocate platform for hotels, the web traffic for the dana hotel and spa has grown a full 10% year over year. This new traffic consists of friends, relatives & colleagues of current guests directed to the hotel's website to learn more about the hotel and earn an incentive towards a future stay. Liana Clark, Director of Sales and Marketing for the dana, added, "Our hotel has a well established web presence yet we are always looking for inventive ways to drive exposure for our website. Flip.to provides that with a twist. The new lookers are...
Tourico Holidays Establishes New Industry Standard for Hotel Connectivity Programs
Meru Networks | March 6, 2014
Top Hotel Chains Achieve Greater Distribution Success with Enhanced Data Caching Technology from Tourico Holidays ORLANDO, Fla. – March 10, 2014 – Tourico Holidays, a global leader in wholesale travel brokerage, today announced that it has achieved an industry-best 97% sync rate with top hotel brands – including Hilton, Hyatt, IHG and Choice Hotels – enabling them to extend pricing and availability more accurately to Tourico's network of more than 800 online retailers around the world. Recent enhancements to Tourico's data caching technology have enabled the company to mitigate industry-wide challenges with pricing latency and d...
The Plasencia Group Announces the Sale of Midwest Limited Service Portfolio
Courtyard by Marriott | March 6, 2014
Tampa, Fla. (March 6, 2014) – The Plasencia Group is pleased to announce the sale of a 563-key portfolio of four Residence Inn properties in the greater Cleveland, Ohio region. The portfolio consists of the 174-key Residence Inn Downtown, the 175-key Residence Inn Beachwood, the 96-key Residence Inn Mentor, and the 118-key Residence Inn Independence. The firm exclusively represented Moreland Management Company in the sale of the properties to an affiliate of Noble Investment Group of Atlanta, Georgia. According to Rich Conti, Senior Managing Director of The Plasencia Group, "The acquisition of four Residence Inns in key submarkets of ...
Marriott International Names Laura Santoni VP of Global Sales for the Caribbean and Latin America
Grand Pacific Resort Management | March 6, 2014
Miami, FL, March 6, 2014 - Laura Santoni, a 25 year veteran with Marriott, has been announced as the new Vice President of Global Sales for the Caribbean and Latin America. As a key member of Marriott's Global Sales leadership team, Laura will be responsible for providing strategic sales leadership and management oversight to the global sales teams currently deployed throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Working in tandem with the region's sales & marketing leaders, Laura and her team will develop and implement sales strategies that optimize profitable market share from targeted high-value accounts. "Laura's extensive sales an...
Surf & Sand Resort in Laguna Beach, California Welcomes Lindsay Myers as Assistant General Manager
Surf & Sand Resort | March 6, 2014
Laguna Beach, Calif. (March 6, 2014) - Surf & Sand Resort, Southern California's oceanfront luxury resort destination, has announced the appointment of longtime JC Resorts employee Lindsay Myers as the Laguna Beach resort's Assistant General Manager. Myers joined the JC Resorts team nearly ten years ago as a private branch exchange operator and has since moved up through several positions including management roles within the leading hospitality company. Most recently, past positions with JC Resorts have included Corporate Director of Leisure Sales, Rancho Bernardo Inn Front Office Supervisor, Assistant Reservation Manager, and Rese...
MetWest Terra Hospitality Group Appoints Stephanie Mehail as GM at Topnotch Resort in Stowe, Vermont
Topnotch Resort | March 6, 2014
March 06, 2014 (Stowe, Vermont) - MetWest Terra Hospitality Group appointed seasoned hospitality professional Stephanie Mehail to the position of General Manager at Topnotch Resort. Mehail will be responsible for overseeing all operations at the 68-room boutique luxury resort in Stowe, Vermont, fresh off of a renovation and property enhancement of over $15M. She joins Topnotch following two and a half years as General Manager of The Inn at Perry Cabin in St. Michaels, Maryland, overseeing all aspects of the AAA 4 Diamond luxury inn and spa which was ranked by Condé Nast Traveler as the #1 Top Hotel in the Mid-Atlantic region for 2013. ...
Interstate Hotels & Resorts Selected to Manage Ibis Budget Hotels in Derby and Leicester in the U.K.
Interstate Hotels & Resorts | March 6, 2014
ARLINGTON, Va., March 6, 2014 - Interstate Hotels & Resorts - the leading U.S.-based global hotel management company - announces new UK management contracts for ibis budget Hotel Derby and ibis budget Hotel Leicester. The new hotels increase Interstate's rapidly expanding UK portfolio by 154 guestrooms and cements its position as the premier hotel management company in the UK, raising its collection to 49 hotels managed and signed. "Our confidence in the outlook for the UK hotel management sector is evident by Interstate's active pursuit of further expansion opportunities within the UK throughout 2014," said Jim Abrahamson, chief ex...
Newmarket Technology Solutions Help Beijing International Hotel Improve Operations & Increase Growth
Newmarket International, Inc. | March 6, 2014
March 6, 2014 - Portsmouth, NH - Beijing International Hotel, a world-class Chinese luxury hotel, has selected Newmarket International, Inc. ("Newmarket") to provide multiple technology solutions to improve operations and support its business growth. Opened in 1987, Beijing International Hotel is the first luxury 5-star hotel in China. Recognized as a premier destination for banquets, meetings, and conferences, it has almost one thousand guest rooms and 30 function rooms. "With the expansion of the hospitality industry in China, it's critical that hotel operations become standardized yet flexible and customizable. Selecting integrated s...
RTM Uncovers Over $200,000 in Annual Savings For Two Full Service Hotels
Resource Technology Management Inc | March 6, 2014
A hotel management company hired Resource Technology Management Inc., 20+ year hotel industry veterans, to analyze their monthly telecom and utility operating expenditures at two of their full service hotels. After providing a complementary assessment of their monthly expenditures, RTM presented an analysis of their findings and delivered a savings of over $200,000 annually to the two hotels. "RTM analyzed multiple bills and discovered a huge savings in our natural gas services. After providing an alternative from our incumbent natural gas provider, our annual savings were over $130,000! Additionally, RTM discovered an alternative optio...
CIM Group and Denihan Hospitality Group to Build The James Los Angeles to Open in 2016
CIM Group | March 6, 2014
A West Coast Debut for the Brand and West Hollywood's First Ground-Up Hotel in 30 Years March 06, 2014 - LOS ANGELES - CIM Group and Denihan Hospitality Group announced today an agreement to bring The James hotel brand to the Los Angeles area, where it will be situated in the heart of the iconic Sunset Strip at the southeast corner of Sunset and La Cienega Boulevards in West Hollywood. The James Los Angeles, the first new ground-up hotel in West Hollywood in approximately 30 years, will be comprised of two 10-story towers with 286 rooms, two restaurants, rooftop and lobby bars and approximately 10,000 square feet of meeting space – wi...
Pegasus Solutions Evolves Client Learning with the Pegasus Academy
Pegasus Solutions | March 6, 2014
Pegasus Hotel Clients Worldwide Respond to Shift in How Best to Support Busy Hoteliers DALLAS (March 6, 2014) - Pegasus Solutions has seen a dramatic response from hotel clients leveraging the Pegasus Academy, its new approach to client learning. Evolving the idea of "client support", the Pegasus Academy removes passive reliance on access to support staff, instead delivering immediate answers tailored to the busy hotelier and active media consumer. "If I'm a hotelier in Singapore updating my rates in the middle of the night and have a question, the last thing I want to do is complete a form and wait for an answer by phone or email from ...
Hit the Ground Running: Lessons Learned from Opening a Sold-Out Hotel
the Author | March 6, 2014
By: Bill Duncan, global head, Homewood Suites by Hilton and Home2 Suites by Hilton, Hilton Worldwide Every day, new hotels open around the world. No matter what sector these hotels fall under, the opening process is often the same - getting the operations to run smoothly while putting "heads in beds." Hotels usually have a few months to undergo this ramp up process, with the hotel staff learning to work like a well-oiled machine as occupancy numbers slowly increase. What happens, however, when a hotel opens already sold-out? I started my career working the front desk and know how stressful it can be to open a new hotel. Running a sold-o...
Owned and Managed by MCR Development, the 123-suite TownePlace Suites El Paso Airport to Open in TX
TownePlace Suites by Marriott | March 6, 2014
El Paso, Texas - March 6, 2014 - The 123-suite TownePlace Suites by Marriott in El Paso, Texas is scheduled to open on Monday, March 17, 2014. Located at 6601 Edgemere Road, the TownePlace Suites El Paso Airport will operate as a Marriott franchise, developed by Western International, owned and managed by MCR Development, LLC. Located one mile from El Paso International Airport, the hotel offers guests convenient access to Fort Bliss, Biggs Army Airfield, El Paso Zoo and Western Playland Amusement Park. Rates vary depending on length of stay. "We are pleased to introduce the TownePlace Suites brand to the El Paso area," said Loren Nalew...
Top 10 Most Hospitable Airport Hotels in U.S.
LAK PUBLIC RELATIONS, INC. | March 6, 2014
This has been the worst winter on record for flight cancellations in the US: since December 1, 2013, nearly 90,000 flights have been canceled, and in the past week alone, the latest polar vortex led to over 5,000 cancellations and thousands more delays. At least some of these fed up travelers may have experienced a welcome surprise if their unplanned layover landed them at one of the Top 10 Most Hospitable Airport Hotels in weather-challenged U.S. cities, according to Room Key, operators of RoomKey.com. ...
DeKalb Hotel Group Opens its Newly Built 80-room Hampton Inn - DeKalb in Illinois
Hampton Hotels | March 6, 2014
March 06, 2014 - DEKALB, Ill. and MCLEAN, Va. - Hampton Hotels, Hilton Worldwide's global brand of more than 1,900 mid-priced Hampton Inn, Hampton Inn & Suites, and Hampton by Hilton hotels, today announced the official opening of its newest property, the 80-room Hampton Inn - DeKalb, located at 663 South Annie Glidden Road in DeKalb. "Hampton combines quality, innovation, comfort and plenty of value-added extras, making it the brand of choice in the marketplace today," said Michelle Glosser, general manager, Hampton Inn - DeKalb. "Quality accommodations and amenities combined with proactive, friendly service from our team members -...
DeKalb Hotel Group Opens its Newly Built 80-room Hampton Inn – DeKalb in Illinois
Tourico Holidays | March 6, 2014
March 06, 2014 - DEKALB, Ill. and MCLEAN, Va. - Hampton Hotels, Hilton Worldwide's global brand of more than 1,900 mid-priced Hampton Inn, Hampton Inn & Suites, and Hampton by Hilton hotels, today announced the official opening of its newest property, the 80-room Hampton Inn - DeKalb, located at 663 South Annie Glidden Road in DeKalb. "Hampton combines quality, innovation, comfort and plenty of value-added extras, making it the brand of choice in the marketplace today," said Michelle Glosser, general manager, Hampton Inn - DeKalb. "Quality accommodations and amenities combined with proactive, friendly service from our team members -...
The 182-suite Homewood Suites Hamilton Opens in Ontario with GM Olivera Radisic at the Helm
March 6, 2014
Owned by Hamilton 132 Main Street Inc. and Managed by Vrancor Hospitality Corporation HAMILTON, Ontario and MCLEAN, Va. - March 6, 2014 - Homewood Suites by Hilton, Hilton Worldwide's international brand of upscale, all-suite, extended-stay hotels, today announced the opening of its newest property, Homewood Suites Hamilton, Ontario. The 16-story, 182-suite hotel is led by General Manager Olivera Radisic, who has been in the hotel industry for 13 years, and will be supported by Director of Sales Donna Dydynski. "We're thrilled to add Homewood Suites Hamilton, Ontario to our portfolio of hotels in Canada, bringing us to 11 properties thr...
