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
Montage Hotels & Resorts to Manage The Inn at Palmetto Bluff in Bluffton, South Carolina
Montage Hotels & Resorts | December 23, 2013
$100 Million 150-room Expansion Planned PALMETTO BLUFF, S.C. - Dec. 23, 2013 - Montage Hotels & Resorts announced today its first East Coast resort, as it takes over management of The Inn at Palmetto Bluff, to be renamed The Inn at Palmetto Bluff, a Montage Resort, on February 1, 2014. Crescent Communities ("Crescent") - a diversified real estate investment, development and operating company - is investing more than $100 million to expand the resort located in Bluffton, South Carolina. This announcement is the second new hotel announcement for Montage, a hotel, resort and residential management company, having previously announced i...
Hotel Equities & JV Partner HDP to Develop 132-key Hampton Inn and Suites in Atlanta, Georgia
Hotel Equities (HE) | December 23, 2013
Atlanta, GA - December 23, 2013 - Atlanta-based Hotel Equities (www.hotelequities.com) signed a definitive agreement with Hilton Hotels to develop an upscale Hampton Inn & Suites in the Sterling Pointe development with its joint venture partner, Hotel Development Partners (HDP). The project will include four outparcels targeted for high-end restaurants and retail. Hotel Equities will manage the hotel and assist with the development. Opening is projected for early 2015. "We have seen pent-up demand for quality lodging assets in Atlanta's Perimeter Center area, making the location and timing for this project ideal." said Brad Rahinsky...
Carey Watermark Investors Acquires the 553-room Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel for $139 Million
Carey Watermark Investors | December 23, 2013
NEW YORK, Dec. 23, 2013 -- Carey Watermark Investors Incorporated (CWI), a non-traded real estate investment trust ("REIT") focused on investing in lodging and lodging-related properties, announced that it has acquired the Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel, a 553-room full-service hotel, located at 1 West Wacker Drive across from the Chicago River in downtown Chicago, for $139 million. Key Facts Strong market: The hotel is an institutional quality asset located in Chicago, the third largest metropolitan area and lodging market in the United States; the financial, industrial, agricultural, transportation and tourism center of the Midwe...
New Owner for Former Naniloa Volcanoes Resort
BuildCentral | December 23, 2013
Hotel-Online and BuildCentral Have Updated 193 Hotels in the Last Two Weeks with Changes in Personnel, Property Management or Ownership Chicago, IL. December 23, 2013 - Hotel-Online and BuildCentral have reported 193 changes in personnel, property management and ownership in the Hotel Profiles database over the last two weeks. Many hotels are getting a fresh start with a new Owner, Property Manager or General Manager. Recommend your product or service to someone who might be looking for a change. Hotels Under New Management: Residence Inn Pittsburgh Cranberry Township (Cranberry Township, PA) Best Western Campbellsville Inn (Campbel...
The 144-key Generations Riviera Maya by Karisma to Open February 2014 in Mexico
Karisma Hotels & Resorts | December 23, 2013
MIAMI (December 23, 2013) - Karisma Hotels & Resorts, creator of the unique Gourmet Inclusive® concept, is pleased to announce the introduction of Generations Riviera Maya by Karisma in February 2014. The latest addition to the newly-launched Generations Resorts by Karisma brand, Generations Riviera Maya will feature all-suite oceanfront accommodations - the largest in the Riviera Maya at 1,200 square feet - with unlimited butler service, and swim up infinity suites up from the first to fourth floors. As a part of the Gourmet Inclusive concept, Generations Riviera Maya will include gourmet à la carte meals, premium alcoholic and n...
Fibra Inn Acquires the 214-room Holiday Inn México Coyoacán in Mexico City
Fibra Inn | December 23, 2013
MONTERREY, Mexico - December 23, 2013 - Deutsche Bank Mexico, S.A., Institucion de Banca Multiple, Division Fiduciaria, Fideicomiso F/1616 or Fibra Inn (BMV: FINN13) ("Fibra Inn" or "the Company"), a Mexican real estate investment trust specializing in the hotel industry serving the business traveler, announced today that it concluded the acquisition of its first hotel located in Mexico City: the Holiday Inn Mexico Coyoacan hotel, a full service hotel that includes 214 rooms and an adjacent 1,500 m2 lot. The acquisition was paid in cash using proceeds from the initial public offering that took place on March 13, 2013. The total price pa...
Top Guest Rated U.S. Hotels of 2013 from Hotels.com
December 20, 2013
DALLAS, Dec. 20, 2013 -- To help vacation-goers get a jump start on travel plans for 2014, the experts at Hotels.com® recognized some of the most Outstanding (average guest review rating of 4.6 and above) hotel properties across several categories. Based on insights from the over 10 million verified Guest Reviews found on Hotels.com, the following hot-spots emerged as clear favorites among guests this year and are bound to stay on top in 2014. Which hotels would you add to the list? Tell the hotel experts on Twitter @hotelsdotcom with #bestof2013. Best Ski Hotels A few of the topnotch amenities that the best ski hotels of 2013 all have...
PM Hospitality Strategies Names Tara Kucharski Director of Sales for Westin Wilmington in Delaware
PMHS | December 20, 2013
WILMINGTON, Del./WASHINGTON, D.C., December 20, 2013 - PM Hospitality Strategies (PMHS), a hotel management company, today announced the appointment of Tara Kucharski as director of sales for the soon-to-open Westin Wilmington connected to the Chase Convention Center on the Riverfront in Wilmington, Del. The 180-room, four-star hotel is slated to open in the spring of 2014 and is a joint venture between Buccini/Pollin Group and Westport Capital. PMHS is overseeing construction, providing pre-opening services and will operate the hotel upon opening. A native of the Wilmington area, Kucharski has worked her entire career in the hospitalit...
Benchmark Hospitality Names Jeff Livingston Director of Sales & Marketing for Chaminade Resort & Spa
Chaminade Resort & Spa | December 20, 2013
The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, December 20, 2013 - Benchmark Hospitality International, a leading U.S.-based hospitality management company, has named Jeff Livingston director of sales & marketing for Chaminade Resort & Spa, a Benchmark Resort® located in Santa Cruz, California, featuring majestic views of Monterey Bay. Kevin Herbst, Benchmark's general manager at the resort, made the announcement. "It is such a pleasure to welcome Jeff to Chaminade and to Benchmark Hospitality," said Mr. Herbst. "His track record of success in hotel sales and marketing will be invaluable to our resort, as will his vast knowledge of the west c...
Hilton Signs Agreement to Rebrand Paris Landmark as Hilton Paris Opéra
Hilton Hotels & Resorts | December 20, 2013
PARIS and MCLEAN, Va. - Hilton Worldwide has reached an agreement which will see it rebrand the historic Concorde Opéra hotel under its Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand in late 2014. The iconic hotel, in Paris' fashionable 8th arrondissement, was recently acquired by Blackstone Real Estate Partners Europe IV ("Blackstone"). The Concorde Opéra will undergo a significant investment programme to restore and reinvigorate the 124 year old landmark prior to rebranding as the Hilton Paris Opéra next year. Rob Palleschi, global head, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, said, "Paris has long been considered one of the world's great tourist destinat...
Stout Street Hospitality Purchases Historic Mayfair Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri
Stout Street Hospitality | December 20, 2013
Property Closes for Multi-Million Dollar Renovation; Will Reopen as Magnolia Hotel St. Louis St. Louis, Mo. - Dec. 20, 2013 - Leigh Hitz, president and chief executive officer for Denver-based Stout Street Hospitality, today announced that the company has purchased the historic Mayfair Hotel in downtown St. Louis from Chicago-based UrbanStreet. Stout Street Hospitality has closed the Mayfair for an extensive renovation and the company will reopen the rebranded hotel in early summer 2014 as Magnolia Hotel St. Louis. A total investment of $19 million will be made into the hotel between the purchase and a full property restoration. "Stout...
Choice Hotels Promotes Patrick Pacious to Chief Operating Officer
Choice Hotels | December 20, 2013
ROCKVILLE, Md., Dec. 20, 2013 -- The board of directors of Choice Hotels International, Inc., (NYSE: CHH) today announced the promotion of Patrick Pacious to chief operating officer, effective January 1, 2014. In this role, he will be responsible for global operations, identifying and leading growth initiatives through oversight of the strategic planning process, executing the company's global distribution strategy, brand management, marketing and harnessing information technology and data analytics to maximize business performance. An officer and member of the executive team of Choice Hotels, Mr. Pacious continues to report to Choice H...
Lodging Insights Video Update: PKF Discusses Recent Events at Federal Reserve & Possible Impact
PKF Hospitality Research | December 20, 2013
ATLANTA, Ga., December 20, 2013 - Mark Woodworth and Jack Corgel discuss the recent events at the Federal Reserve and what, if any, impact the new developments might have on the hospitality industry. ...
PolyU Study Finds Strategic Planning Needed for Chinese Hotels
PolyU's School of Hotel and Tourism Management | December 20, 2013
December 20, 2013 - Hoteliers in China are optimistic about the future of the Chinese hotel industry but there is still much to be done before China can become the world's top tourist destination, according to Dr Kam Hung of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. In a recently published research article, Dr Hung identifies the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats associated with the hotel industry from the perspective of Chinese hoteliers. Her findings will provide the government with a better understanding of the issues that need to be tackled so that a strategic plan can ...
Boomerang Hotels Opens GuestHouse International in Cameron, Missouri; Owned by Nalin (Neil) Patel
Boomerang Hotels | December 20, 2013
(Hendersonville, Tennessee and Aberdeen, South Dakota, December 20, 2013) - Boomerang Hotels announces the opening of the newest GuestHouse International® Inn in Cameron, MO. Located at 2210 US Highway 36 E, the Cameron GuestHouse International® , previously a Best Western is owned by Nalin (Neil) Patel, of Sandip, L.L.C. "GuestHouse International allows us to tailor our business to our guests," said Neil Patel, of Sandip, L.L.C. "Thanks to Boomerang Hotels we can continue to operate based on our guest and market needs and our hotel doesn't have to lose its character." The newest GuestHouse International® Acorn Inn in Cameron, MO fea...
Flora Hospitality Plans UAE Expansion with 4 New Properties to Open Between 2014 and 2016 in Dubai
| December 20, 2013
DUBAI, December 20, 2013 - One of the leading non alcoholic hospitality brands in the UAE and India, Flora Hospitality has unveiled plans for an extensive expansion with 4 new properties expected to open between 2014 and 2016 in Dubai. With currently seven hotels and hotel apartments open in the UAE, it is one of the region's fastest growing hospitality industry players that caters for discerning travelers with a mix of modernity and a unique sense of Arabian hospitality. With an investment of more than AED 750 million, Flora Hospitality has selected prestigious locations in Dubai for its new hotel projects and expects to be able to off...
2013: A Five-Star Year for HeBS Digital Clients
HeBS Digital | December 20, 2013
NEW YORK, NY December 20, 2013 - HeBS Digital, the leading hotel digital technology, full-service digital marketing and website revenue optimization consulting firm, again led its roster of hospitality clients to success in 2013, using an array of innovative services, technology, and products. Clients had access to and took advantage of the latest digital technology and premier marketing strategies in the industry, and it paid off. In 2013, HeBS Digital clients won 29 major industry awards for hotel desktop and mobile websites, multichannel marketing campaigns, meta search marketing campaigns, software programming, and interactive appli...
Hotel Yearbook 2014 Provides Insights From 25 Industry Leaders on the Future of the Hotel Business
The Hotel Yearbook | December 20, 2013
The Hotel Yearbook and Hsyndicate announce the publication of The Hotel Yearbook 2014, the 8th edition in this annually appearing series. Made up of exclusive editorial contributions from more than two dozen opinion leaders from around the world, the publication focuses on the future of the hotel industry and the trends and innovative ideas that will have an impact on its development. Rounding out the contents is an extensive series of country reports written and compiled by the consultants of Horwath HTL. Each report gives a brief snapshot of the country's hotel business landscape in 2013 and then an insider's perspective on the outloo...
Conrad N. Hilton College–Lima Raises the Level of Hospitality Education in South America
Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management | December 20, 2013
HOUSTON—Thirteen Peruvian hospitality students earned degrees from the University of Houston Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management on Dec. 20, 2013, without ever having to leave the comforts of their home country. They were the first class of graduates from the Conrad N. Hilton College–Lima, an international academic partnership between Hilton College and the Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola in Lima, Peru. The program is administered by USIL's Center for American Education. After two years at USIL, students can apply for admission to the Conrad N. Hilton College. Once admitted, they spend their second two year...
Best Western’s Development Pipeline in Latin America Includes 29 Hotels for 2014 to 2015
Best Western International, Inc | December 20, 2013
PHOENIX (Dec. 20, 2013) - Best Western International has announced plans for rapid expansion in Mexico, Central and South America with 29 hotels in the 2014 to 2015 pipeline. Though growth is strong throughout the region, South America is the hottest area for hotel development thanks to improving economies and Brazil hosting both the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro. Best Western is doing its part to meet the growing hospitality demands in Brazil. The brand currently has 16 hotels operating in the country and is working with a development partner Incortel to add 30 new properties in the next five years. All of these proje...
BBG-BBGM Joins HOK to Create One of the World’s Leading Hospitality Design Firms
HOK | December 20, 2013
Friday, 20 December 2013 - NEW YORK and SHANGHAI – HOK, a global design, architecture, engineering and planning firm, announced today that architecture and interior design firm BBG-BBGM's New York and Shanghai employees have joined the company. BBG-BBGM's primary business has been hospitality design, with a focus on luxury hotels and resorts. The addition of BBG-BBGM's people to HOK's practice in New York and Shanghai positions HOK among the world's leading hospitality design firms. "The addition of a premier hospitality design firm to our already strong hospitality group provides immediate benefits for HOK's clients worldwide," said ...
RIDA Development & Houston First Corporation to Develop 1,000-key Houston Marriott Marquis in Texas
Marriott Hotels | December 20, 2013
Flagship Hotel to Open in 2016 Bethesda, Md., – December 20, 2013 – RIDA Development Corporation in conjunction with the Houston First Corporation will develop a 1,000-room Marriott Marquis in the heart of Houston. The hotel, which will have over 100,000 square feet of meeting space, will be across the street and connected via skyway to the Houston Convention Center. It is scheduled to break ground in 2014 and open in 2016. Situated in downtown Houston, the hotel will have direct access to the Discovery Green, CBD theater district, University of Houston, upscale shopping, dining and underground Houston. In addition, there will be 20...
Development Begins for 134-room Hilton Garden Inn in São Paulo, Brazil; Expected to Open in 2016
Hilton Garden Inn | December 20, 2013
MCLEAN, Va. - December 20, 2013 - Hilton Worldwide announced plans to open the first Hilton Garden Inn in Brazil. The company signed a management license agreement with HDauff Empreendimentos Imobiliarios Ltda to operate the new Hilton Garden Inn hotel in São Jose do Rio Preto, São Paulo. The hotel will be built in Georgina Business Park, a business epicenter with an innovating concept that unites high technology and nature preservation, located in a strategic point in the south of the city, considered the most valued and distinguished region of São José do Rio Preto. "Bringing Hilton Garden Inn to Brazil is a tremendous milestone f...
Jumeirah Group to Operate Luxury Resort Currently Under Development in Muscat, Oman; To Open in 2017
Jumeirah Group | December 20, 2013
Dubai, December 2013: Jumeirah Group, the global hotel company and a member of Dubai Holding, has signed a management agreement with Saraya Bandar Jissah SAOH to operate a luxury resort in Muscat, Oman. The resort is currently under development and is expected to open in 2017. When complete the resort will consist of two hotel components, one consisting of 206 rooms and the other of 106 rooms, located in the picturesque cove of Bandar Jissah, near Qantab, nestled between the Hajjar Mountains and the Gulf of Oman. The resort lies 15 minutes south of the city centre and 40 minutes from Seeb International Airport. The overall development w...
