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Industry Happenings
Hilton San Francisco Union Square Begins $25 Million Room Enhancement Project
Hilton Hotels & Resorts | January 27, 2014
January 27, 2014 - SAN FRANCISCO - The renowned Hilton San Francisco Union Square today announced it is beginning a full renovation of 575 rooms and suites including the addition of 37 more keys. The addition will bring the hotel's total inventory to 1919. This is the second phase of a major enhancement project for the hotel which began in 2012 with the renovation of rooms, suites, and meeting space in Tower 3. This current project is scheduled for completion in April 2015. "The first phase of room renovations received exceptional feedback from our guests and we are excited to continue to improve our accommodations with the launch of th...
Hotel Rates Surge in Markets Hosting Major 2014 Global Sports Events
Pegasus Solutions | January 27, 2014
Pegasus Solutions Releases Booking Data for Super Bowl, Winter Olympics and World Cup DALLAS (January 27, 2014) – Hoteliers in host markets have seen booking increases of as much as 200% and rates doubling ahead of the US Super Bowl, Winter Olympics and the FIFA World Cup. Pegasus Solutions conducted a comparison of net reservations made in 2014 and 2013 for the same January 20 cut-off for same day-of-week arrivals in each region. The world's largest processor of electronic hotel transactions reports affected hoteliers have smartly managed inventory ahead of the expected surges in demand. "We reviewed bookings made through online site...
Hilton Garden Inn Central Park South Opens Doors in New York City
Hilton Garden Inn | January 27, 2014
NEW YORK CITY and MCLEAN, Va. - January 27, 2014 - Hilton Garden Inn, Hilton Worldwide's award-winning brand of upscale yet affordable hotels, announced the opening of the Hilton Garden Inn New York/Central Park South - Midtown West, representing an addition to the brand's growing portfolio of more than 570 hotels worldwide. Situated in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, the hotel offers easy access to popular New York City attractions including Central Park, Times Square and Broadway. Additionally, Hilton Garden Inn New York/Central Park South - Midtown West is near various restaurants and shopping outlets at Columbus Circle and Fifth Ave...
Are Your Employees Your Facebook Friends or Foes? How This Can Impact Your Hotel
Steve DiGioia | January 27, 2014
By Steve DiGioia Have you ever thought how much damage one employee can do to your business? If not, read on... I have always prided myself with having a department staffed with positive and engaged employees even though the F&B business is one with many challenges. My banquet staff is used to working long nights with quick turn-arounds to an early breakfast, that is the business. But it doesn't mean that anyone likes it. One of the new challenges faced today, that was not an issue years ago, is having to deal with the Facebook's of the world and their possible effect on your business. We all know the power that "social media" sites...
Grand Traverse Resort and Spa Near Traverse City, Michigan Names Ryan Buck Director of Sales
Grand Traverse Resort and Spa | January 24, 2014
ACME, Mich., January 24, 2014 - Grand Traverse Resort and Spa near Traverse City, Mich. has named Ryan Buck to the position of Director of Sales. In his position, Mr. Buck is responsible for overseeing all facets of the nearly 600-room Resort's group sales team including revenue management, travel, trade shows, and budgeting. Mr. Buck has nearly 14 years of experience in the hospitality and meetings industry. He comes to Grand Traversed Resort and Spa from the W Hotels of Chicago, Ill. where he was the Complex Director of Group Sales since 2011. Before that, he was Director of Sales and Events at the Renaissance Blackstone Hotel, Chicag...
Dave Pease Appointed as General Manager of the 196-key JW Marriott Denver Cherry Creek in Colorado
JW Marriott Denver Cherry Creek | January 24, 2014
Denver, Colo. (January 24, 2014) - The JW Marriott Denver Cherry Creek is pleased to announce that Dave Pease is now serving as the General Manager. With more than 40 years of hospitality experience, Pease most recently served as the General Manager of the Vail Marriott Mountain Resort. Prior to that, he served as an Area General Manager for Marriott International, overseeing all Denver South Marriott products. He also previously served as the General Manager of the Denver Marriott City Center, the Denver Marriott Tech Center, the Denver Marriott Southeast and the Tulsa Marriott Hotel. A graduate of Cornell University, Pease also served...
GHM Appoints Markus Iseli as General Manager at The 158-room Chedi Muscat on the Gulf of Oman
GHM | January 24, 2014
MUSCAT, Oman (Jan. 24, 2014) - GHM has installed Markus Iseli as general manager of the acclaimed Chedi Muscat on the Gulf of Oman. Iseli most recently managed the pre-opening and soft-opening of the Palazzo Parigi, a Leading Hotels of the World (LHW) member in Milan, Italy. The Muscat posting marks the Swiss native's third stint in the Middle East. He was hotel manager of the Four Seasons in Istanbul from 2000 to 2004, and general manager of the Four Seasons in Damascus from 2004 to 2008. Earlier in his career, he'd worked in the United Arab Emirates and for InterContinental in Turkey. He spent four years in the Sudan at the Hilton, an...
Jale Hashimi Named General Manager for the 240-key Melrose Georgetown Hotel in Washington, D.C.
Melrose Georgetown Hotel | January 24, 2014
WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 24, 2014) - Melrose Georgetown Hotel - a reinvented Georgetown hotel that defines distinct innovative service in a stylish, chic ambiance - proudly announces the appointment of Jale Hashimi as general manager of the Washington, D.C. boutique hotel. Bringing over 20 years of dynamic hotel experience in middle and executive level management, Hashimi has a proven track record of excellence in directing and leading to desired results. "I am delighted for the opportunity to take on such a promising, beautiful hotel as Melrose Georgetown," said Jale Hashimi, general manager of Melrose Georgetown Hotel. "The atmospher...
The 82-key Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, Cedar Rapids North Opens in Iowa
Country Inns & Suites By Carlson | January 24, 2014
MINNEAPOLIS (January 24, 2013) - Country Inns & Suites By CarlsonSM, a leading upper-midscale hotel brand, today announced the opening of Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, Cedar Rapids North, IA. "We are excited about this addition to our portfolio as we grow the brand," said Scott Meyer, senior vice president, Midscale Brands, Americas, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group. "We strive to provide services and amenities that appeal to leisure and business guests alike and this hotel is no exception with easy access to Interstate 380 and proximity to downtown Cedar Rapids." The hotel offers 82 guest rooms and suites, a fitness center, indoo...
Two-Years Plus After Acquisition, Chatham Logding & Cerberus JV Looking to Sell Innkeepers Portfolio
Chatham Lodging Trust | January 24, 2014
January 24, 2014 - PALM BEACH, Fla.--Chatham Lodging Trust (NYSE: CLDT), a hotel real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on investing in upscale extended-stay hotels and premium branded select-service hotels, today announced that the Chatham/Cerberus joint venture is offering for sale the 51-hotel, 6,847 room Innkeepers portfolio. Eastdil Secured is exclusive advisor for the offering. The offering represents a rare opportunity to own a highly-diversified portfolio of newly renovated hotels that are supported by superior locations, leading brands, strong property performance, substantial recent capital investment and compelling, long...
The 133-key Renaissance Aix-en-Provence Hotel Opens in the South of France
Renaissance Hotels | January 24, 2014
Paris, France – January 24, 2014 – Renaissance Hotels, the hotel brand designed to help guests Live Life to Discover, announced today its newest addition in Provence. Located in the heart of the new Forum Culturel district and less than five minutes from Cours Mirabeau, the Renaissance Aix-en-Provence Hotel offers travellers the chance to discover the very best of one of the world's most vibrant destinations. Designed by Marseille architects Claude Sabin Nadjari and Rémy Saada, the five-star hotel features striking and contemporary design and a stunning Provençal garden. Elegant and sophisticated interior design is featured throug...
Dual-Branded Hilton Garden Inn & Homewood Suites by Hilton Opens in Oklahoma City, OK
Hilton Worldwide | January 24, 2014
OKLAHOMA CITY and MCLEAN, Va. - January 24, 2014 - Hilton Worldwide today announced the opening of its newest hotel, the dual-branded Hilton Garden Inn Oklahoma City-Bricktown and Homewood Suites by Hilton Oklahoma City-Bricktown. The opening reinforces Hilton Worldwide's commitment to the dual brand sector, marking the company's 14th dual-branded property in North America, and the 13th featuring Homewood Suites, the leader and anchor in Hilton Worldwide's dual-brand strategy. "We continue to see great success with the dual-branded hotel model, as it caters to a wide array of guests with varying needs and desires," said Phil Cordell, gl...
Knowledge is Power: Lessons in Analytics from Expedia’s ‘Fail-Fast’ Culture
EyeforTravel | January 24, 2014
Knowing your customer better than the competition means more bang for your marketing dollar. In the highly competitive online travel sector, understanding what influences a transaction is essential to success. Expedia, which prides itself on being a data-driven organisation with a strong analytics culture, understands this only too well. It has put in place the necessary infrastructure and resources to be able to unearth consumer insights, and chart the customer journey by user segment. The aim being: to reach travellers with the right message at the right time. According to Ameya Karvir, director, analytics, Expedia, who is scheduled t...
Metasearch OTA Channels
Siteminder | January 24, 2014
The Who, What, Why and How of the Newest (and Potentially, Most Lucrative) Online Distribution Channel Online travel agencies (OTAs) are a vital part of the supply chain and have been largely responsible for the rapid growth in online travel bookings across both mature and emerging markets. While the online channel has been a beneficial one for hotels, it has also placed a strain on budgets due to increased distribution costs (caused by high OTA commissions). In recent years, new online channels have been created with the intention of lowering hotels' distribution costs, without negatively effecting occupancy. Some have been success...
Robert Payne Appointed as Regional Sales Director for CSM Lodging
CSM Lodging | January 24, 2014
Minneapolis, Minnesota, January 24, 2014 - SM Lodging, a division of CSM Corporation, has named Robert Payne regional sales director for the hospitality management and ownership company. Mr. Payne will oversee and lead the sales programs for CSM Lodging's properties in the Milwaukee and Greater Portland markets, as well as the company's full service consortium of hotels. Kate Burda, vice president sales & marketing, made the announcement. "I am very pleased and excited to announce Robert's promotion within our company," said Ms. Burda. "He is an inspiring leader who has a unique ability to lead by example while motivating his team t...
New Castle Names Nora Gomez General Manager of the 117-room Westport Inn in Westport, Connecticut
New Castle Hotels & Resorts | January 24, 2014
SHELTON, Conn. - January 24, 2014 - Officials of New Castle Hotels & Resorts, a leading hotel owner, operator and developer, today named Nora Gomez general manager of the 117-room Westport Inn in Westport, Conn. Gomez previously was the assistant general manager of the Hampton Inn in nearby Shelton, where she was part of the team that earned the brand's prestigious Lighthouse Award in its first year and recently claimed Trip Advisor's number one ranking in the market. A 10-year veteran of the New Castle team, Gomez began her hospitality career as a front desk agent at the Hilton Garden Inn in Norwalk, Conn., earning positions of inc...
Benchmark Hospitality International Names Erik Johnson Vice President, Owner Advisory Group
Benchmark Hospitality International | January 24, 2014
The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, January 24, 2014 - Benchmark Hospitality International®, a leading U.S.-based hospitality management company, has appointed Erik Johnson vice president, owner advisory group, for Benchmark's hospitality owner advisory and asset management business. Mr. Johnson will be based in Benchmark's Atlanta regional office, expanding Benchmark's presence in the southeast. Alex Cabañas, Benchmark's president & CEO, made the announcement. "I am excited to welcome Erik to Benchmark Hospitality International," said Mr. Cabañas. "We've been talking with Erik for a few years about joining the Benchmark family. He c...
New Credit Card Scam in Hotel Corridors 2014 – A Cautionary Tale
HMG Hotels | January 24, 2014
By Randy Hulce, VP Business Development HMG Hotels Hotel Managers Group keeps in contact with general managers in the market areas where we operate, discussing common opportunities and issues. We learned recently of a credit card fraud scam that we had never encountered before. The fraud was committed by gaining access to the Express Checkout Folios tucked under hotel room doors. Creatively deceitful individuals would enter a hotel in the early morning hours, after security had slipped Express Checkout Folios under guest room doors. If a portion of the folio was sticking out from under the door, the scammer picked up the folio, or used ...
Belz Enterprises Establishes Peabody Hotels & Resorts; The Peabody Memphis to be Flagship Property
Belz Enterprises | January 24, 2014
Each Hotel to be Home to Famous Peabody Marching Ducks MEMPHIS, Tenn. (Jan. 24, 2014) -- Belz Enterprises announced today that it has established Peabody Hotels & Resorts, a hotel and resort management venture that will leverage the ongoing brand success of Peabody Hotels. With this strategic shift in focus, the Memphis, Tennessee, based company is moving into asset/brand management within the luxury hotel segment. Belz Enterprises will continue to own and operate The Peabody Memphis just as it has since the Belz family purchased the historic hotel in 1975, restored and reopened it in 1981. "The Peabody Memphis will be the flagship...
Ownership Group Sells Harvest Inn in St. Helena
the Harvest Inn | January 24, 2014
ST. HELENA, Calif. (January 24, 2014) - Rick Swig, managing partner of Not Another Winery, LLC, the owner of Harvest Inn in St. Helena, has announced the sale of the Harvest Inn to Palmer City-Core Hotels LLC for an undisclosed amount. "We thank our local and visiting guests for the pleasure to serve them in St. Helena and the Napa Valley at Harvest for the past 13 years," said Swig. "The success at the Harvest Inn is truly the result of efforts by a tremendous group of team members, who have blessed both guests and ownership with an enduring desire to provide great service and exceed expectations. My appreciation for these individuals ...
The 55-room Pearl Hotel, Rosemary Beach, Florida Joins the Southern Living Hotel Collection
the Southern Living Hotel Collection | January 24, 2014
January 24, 2014 - ROSEMARY BEACH, FL - The Pearl Hotel is pleased to be the newest member of the Southern Living Hotel Collection, a small, curated group of independent, four-and five-star level hotels, resorts and inns that span 18 Southern states. A benchmark of the hotel's success since opening in August 2013, the prestige of this invitation-only organization reinforces that the Pearl delivers genuine, authentic Southern hospitality. Nestled beachside in the idyllic town of Rosemary Beach, The Pearl is a 55-room ultra luxury boutique resort, intimate in scale and classic in style, just like its namesake. Overlooking the picturesque ...
Gemstone Hotels & Resorts to Manage 120-key Essex Culinary Resort and Spa in Burlington, Vermont
Gemstone Hotels & Resorts, LLC | January 24, 2014
PARK CITY, Utah/BURLINGTON, Vt., January 24, 2014 - Gemstone Hotels & Resorts, a full-service hotel management company that specializes in owning and operating luxury and upscale urban hotels and resorts, today announced the company has assumed management of the 120-room, AAA Four Diamond Essex Culinary Resort and Spa in Burlington, Vt. The resort is situated on 18 acres tucked between Vermont's Green Mountains and Lake Champlain. "Essex Culinary Resort and Spa is a hand-in-glove fit with our growing portfolio of 18 luxury and upscale resorts and hotels," said Jeff McIntyre, principal of Gemstone. "Essex is smartly on-trend for toda...
Optii Solutions Launches Innovative Hotel Housekeeping Productivity Solution in North America
Optii Solutions | January 24, 2014
Optii Solutions (Optii) is delighted to announce the North American launch of its ground-breaking hotel and resort housekeeping solution, Optii Keeper. Prestigious properties throughout Asia, the Pacific and Europe are currently enjoying quality improvements and measurable return on investment with the service, including Grand Hyatt Macau, Kowloon Shangri-La, The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore, Four Seasons Hotel Sydney and Radisson Blu Edwardian's The May Fair Hotel, London. Utilizing its cloud-based Software as a Service (SaaS), Optii focuses on hotel housekeeping and brings this essential function into the 21st century, optimizing ...
Hotel Management Agreements: 5 Things to Keep in Mind When You Look for a Hotel Operator
JMBM | January 24, 2014
For the most recent update on this topic, click here By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group® Hotel Lawyers | Authors of www.HotelLawBlog.com 24 January 2014 As the economy and the hotel industry fundamentals continue to improve, hotel values have recovered to pre-recession levels in many of the top 35 hotel markets, the number of hotel transactions has jumped and new capital is pouring into hotels. This new capital -- whether focused on new, ground-up development, or the purchase of neglected assets with a view to deep renovation and rebranding -- is increasingly seeking new brands and management for their hotels. We have not s...
