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Industry Happenings
Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa Appoints Elyse Graver as Regional Sales Manager
Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa | October 11, 2013
DESTIN, Fla. (October 10, 2013) - Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa, the largest full-service beachfront resort on Northwest Florida's Gulf Coast, has announced the appointment of Elyse Graver as the resort's newest regional sales manager. Based in Plano, Texas, Graver will direct the resort's sales efforts into the Texas and the West Coast territories. "Texas has long been a key leisure market for the resort and we are looking to build upon this success by providing enhanced connectivity to our meeting planners in Texas and to the West We believe Elyse has the skill and experience needed to bring the resort together with pla...
BEST WESTERN PLUS Intercourse Village Inn in PA Completes Renovation; Increases Rooms from 40 to 89
Best Western International, Inc. | October 11, 2013
PHOENIX (October 11, 2013) - After a 12 month labor of love the BEST WESTERN PLUS Intercourse Village Inn completes an extensive top to bottom renovation of the hotel. Located in the Pennsylvania Amish Country, renovations to the hotel included adding a third story and upgrading the hotels amenities and guest rooms and suites- almost doubling the number of rooms from 40 to 89. "Throughout our 30 years as a member of the community, we have taken great pride in our commitment to guest service and comfort," explained Kurt Thomas, the hotel's second generation owner. "We believe that with our new renovations we will exceed the expectations ...
Benchmark Hospitality International Names Kirk Coleman Director of Corporate Information Technology
October 11, 2013
The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, October 2013 ... Benchmark Hospitality International®, a leading U.S.-based hospitality management company, has named Kirk Coleman director of corporate information technology. Gerald Lampaert, vice president of information technology, made the announcement. Mr. Coleman is based in Benchmark's Home Office in The Woodlands, Texas, near Houston. "It is a real pleasure to announce Kirk's new position within our company, which represents a promotion for him," said Mr. Lampaert. "He had done a superb job supporting the IT needs of Benchmark Hospitality system-wide, which is particularly important to our portf...
Owned and Managed by Tharaldson Hospitality Management, Residence Inn to Open in Largo, MD
Residence Inn | October 11, 2013
Largo, Maryland - October 10, 2013 - The 101-suite Residence Inn by Marriott in Largo, Maryland is scheduled to open this Monday, October 14, 2013. Located at 1330 Caraway Court, the Residence Inn Largo Capital Beltway will operate as a Marriott franchise, owned and managed by Tharaldson Hospitality Management of Fargo, North Dakota. Located two miles from FedEx Field and 16 miles from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, the Residence Inn Largo Capital Beltway offers its guests convenient access to Six Flags America and Washington, D.C. Rates vary depending on length of stay. "We are pleased to introduce Residence Inn hotels in t...
Choice Hotels Adds Five More Hotels to its UK and Ireland Portfolio
Choice Hotels | October 11, 2013
ROCKVILLE, Md., Oct. 11, 2013 -- Choice Hotels Europe, part of Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), one of the world's largest hotel companies, today announced five more properties, located in The Midlands and Hampshire in England and in Dublin, Ireland, have been added to its portfolio. The Midlands now benefits from two more Choice Hotels brand properties with the addition of Quality Hotel Wolverhampton, formerly The Connaught Hotel, and Quality Hotel Birmingham Airport/NEC, re-opening its doors for business under new management. This brings the number of Choice Hotels properties in the region to seven. The 60-room Quality H...
Owned by Lowen 1025 Elm, LP, Homewood Suites by Hilton™ Dallas Downtown Opens
Homewood Suites by Hilton | October 11, 2013
Hotel Transforms Historic Building as Part of Brand's Adaptive Re-Use Program DALLAS and MCLEAN, Va. - October, 2013 - Homewood Suites by Hilton, Hilton Worldwide's international brand of upscale, all-suite, extended-stay hotels, announces today the opening of its newest property in Dallas, Texas. The new downtown Dallas hotel, which was formerly the United Fidelity Life Insurance building, showcases Homewood Suites' innovative adaptive re-use program which converts historic and existing buildings conducive to an extended-stay footprint. The 10-story, 130-suite Homewood Suites by Hilton Dallas Downtown, owned by Lowen 1025 Elm, LP, will...
The 192-suite Homewood Suites by Hilton Nashville Vanderbilt Opens in Tennessee
October 11, 2013
Owned by TN West End Avenue and Managed by Vista Host NASHVILLE, Tenn. and MCLEAN, Va. - October 11, 2013 - Homewood Suites by Hilton, the international brand of upscale, all-suite, extended-stay hotels, announces today the opening of its newest property in Nashville, Tenn. Joining new hotels this year in Orlando, Denver and Columbus, and future openings in Dallas, San Antonio and New York City, the Nashville debut demonstrates Homewood Suites' strong urban development commitment and the overall demand for extended-stay hotels. Located in the trendy Midtown/West End district, the Homewood Suites by Hilton Nashville Vanderbilt will be th...
Boston’s Hotel Commonwealth to Expand Adding 94 Rooms & an Additional 14K sf of Event Space
Hotel Commonwealth | October 11, 2013
BOSTON, Oct. 10, 2013 -- Hotel Commonwealth, an award-winning, independent boutique hotel located in Boston's Back Bay, today announced plans to add 94 hotel rooms and more than 14,000 square feet of elegant indoor/outdoor event space to complement the property's existing 149 hotel rooms and 30,000 square feet of restaurant and retail space. The expansion reflects the innovative vision and commitment to excellence of Hotel Commonwealth's sponsors, Fundamental Advisors and Sage Hospitality. The new facility is expected to open mid-2015 and further enhances the hotel's polished ambiance of urban luxury. "This project represents an excitin...
Omaha, Nebraska’s Historic Federal Building Transformed into 152-room Residence Inn Hotel
Residence Inn by Marriott | October 11, 2013
First Hospitality Group Celebrates Grand Opening OMAHA, Neb., October 11, 2013 - What was once Omaha's historic Federal Building has now been transformed into the new Residence Inn Omaha Downtown and is celebrating its grand opening today. Located on 15th and Dodge Streets, the 152-room, all-suite property will offer guests a unique hotel experience blending history with modern-day comforts and conveniences. The hotel, which is on the National Register of Historical Places, was built in the early 1930s by architect Thomas Rogers Kimball and first opened its doors in 1934. The building serviced several different government branches throu...
The 106-suite Residence Inn by Marriott Opens in Albany, New York
Residence Inn | October 11, 2013
Albany, New York - October 11, 2013 - The 106-suite Residence Inn by Marriott in Albany, New York is scheduled to open tomorrow. Located at 124 Washington Avenue Extension, the Residence Inn Albany Washington Avenue will operate as a Marriott franchise, owned and managed by Tharaldson Hospitality Management of Fargo, North Dakota. Located next to Crossgates Mall and six miles from Albany International Airport, the Residence Inn Albany Washington Avenue offers its guests convenient access to the SUNY College of Nanoscale Science & Engineering, Times Union Center and Empire State Plaza. Rates vary depending on length of stay. "We are ...
Lodging Industry Suffering Weekly Losses of $57.6 million Due to Government Inaction
AHLA | October 11, 2013
Hoteliers Press Administration, Congress for Swift Resolution to Shutdown Washington, D.C. - October 10, 2013 - Faced with an ever-increasing economic hit to the domestic travel and tourism industry resulting from the ongoing government shutdown and the looming breach of the federal debt ceiling, the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) and hoteliers from across the country sent a letter to President Barack Obama and all 535 members of the United States Congress pressing for a swift, bipartisan resolution. "For every day that passes that President Obama and Congress are not at the negotiating table seeking an end to this...
Lodging Insights Video Update: PKF Discusses Current Industry Issues, Challenges and the Future
PKF Hospitality Research | October 11, 2013
ATLANTA, Ga., October 9, 2013 - Mark Woodworth and Jack Corgel report from Ithaca, NY on current issues facing the lodging industry. ...
IHG Expands the Holiday Inn Express Brand in Brazil with Five Upcoming Openings in 2014 and 2015
Holiday Inn Express | October 11, 2013
Slated for Belem-Ananindeua, Porto Velho, Marilia and Rio Branco and a Newly-Signed Holiday Inn Express® Hotel in Manaus MIAMI (Oct.11, 2013) - InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) today announces that the Holiday Inn Express® brand is expanding in Brazil with the openings of the Holiday Inn Express® Belem-Ananindeua hotel, the Holiday Inn Express® Porto Velho hotel and the Holiday Inn Express® Marilia hotel expected to open later this year. IHG also has plans for a new-build Holiday Inn Express® Manaus hotel, scheduled to open in 2014. The Holiday Inn® Express brand is the ideal choice for the smart traveler, offering them a grea...
Development Underway for $170 Million 327-key Kimpton Grand Cayman Resort in the Caribbean
SB Architects | October 9, 2013
MIAMI, Oct. 9, 2013 - The first international resort for Kimpton Hotels will open on the Caribbean Island of Grand Cayman in 2016, marking an important milestone both for San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels and for the re-emergence of resort development in the Caribbean. Dart Realty (Cayman) Ltd. has hired San Francisco and Miami-based SB Architects to design the new $170-million hotel, the first development along the island's famous Seven Mile Beach in over a decade and the highest structure on the island to date. "Our goal is to craft a modern Caribbean aesthetic that sets the tone for future development across Grand Cayman. As the des...
RLJ Lodging Trust Acquires 106-room SpringHill Suites Portland Hillsboro in Oregon for $24 Million
RLJ Lodging Trust | October 9, 2013
BETHESDA, Md. - October 09, 2013 - RLJ Lodging Trust (the "Company") (NYSE: RLJ) today announced that it has acquired the 106-room SpringHill Suites Portland Hillsboro (the "Hotel") for a purchase price of $24.0 million, or approximately $226,000 per key. The purchase price represents a forward capitalization rate of approximately 10.0% on the Hotel's projected 2014 net operating income. The Company purchased this asset with cash available on its balance sheet. "We continue to expand our presence on the West Coast with a great addition to our portfolio," commented Thomas J. Baltimore, Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer. "This ac...
Viceroy Hotel Group Opens Manhattan’s 240-room Viceroy New York
Viceroy Hotel Group | October 9, 2013
NEW YORK, Oct. 9, 2013 - Viceroy Hotel Group announced today the opening of Viceroy New York, marking the next generation of luxury hospitality and the company's first branded property in Manhattan. Uniting the hottest names in hotel development, architecture, design, nightlife and cuisine, the hotel is a haven for travelers seeking individuality coupled with a new interpretation of modernity. Feeding off the vibrancy of the city that never sleeps and the iconic bustle of West 57th Street, Viceroy New York sets a new bar for modern Manhattan hoteliers. Bringing back the practice of putting one firm in control of both the building's arch...
Fairfield Brand Debuts to Asia with Opening of Fairfield Bengaluru Rajajinager in India
Fairfield by Marriott | October 9, 2013
BENGALURU, INDIA - October 09, 2013 - Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) expands its brand offering today in Asia with the opening of its first Fairfield by Marriott hotel in Bengaluru, India. Known as an established leader in the moderate tier segment, the brand offers guests a productive stay with well-designed rooms and consistent and reliable service at an exceptional value. Considered a growth engine for the company's expansion in Asia with 12 hotels signed in India and additional properties signed in Nepal and Indonesia, Fairfield represents an excellent opportunity for Marriott International to move into new locations and m...
Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau Names Kathy Semmes, DOS, Regional Sales, Washington, D.C.
Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) | October 9, 2013
Miami (October 9, 2013) - The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) has named Kathy Semmes to the position of Director of Sales, Regional Sales, Washington, D.C. announced William D. Talbert III, CDME, GMCVB President and CEO. "I am delighted that Kathy has joined us as Director of Sales to head-up our Regional Sales efforts in Washington, D.C," said Talbert. "She is a well-known and highly respected industry professional with over 25 years experience with Marriott. Her invaluable national relationships, industry knowledge and years of experience are a welcomed addition to our D.C. sales efforts." "Kathy has a very impr...
PROFILES IN SUCCESS-Myrtle Beach Seaside Resorts Engages Guests with Proactive Reputation Monitoring
Myrtle Beach Seaside Resorts | October 9, 2013
Multi-Property Operator uses Maestro Guest Experience Measurement (GEM) to Leverage the Power of TripAdvisor and Social Media with Real-Time Responses to Online Guest Surveys October 9, 2013 - Myrtle Beach Seaside Resorts has a social media secret that increases guest satisfaction, loyalty, and the bottom line. The company operates six oceanfront resorts on the highly competitive South Carolina coast and uses an online guest engagement survey tool from NORTHWIND-Maestro™ PMS to keep guests returning and referring new business. A 2012 Nielsen Global Trust in Advertising Survey found that 92% of interviewees "trusted completely..." reco...
Owned by Boutique Hotel LP & Managed by Midas Hospitality, Aloft Beachwood in Beachwood, Ohio Opens
Aloft Hotels | October 9, 2013
STAMFORD, Conn.--October 9, 2013-- Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT), today announced the opening of an Aloft hotel in Beachwood, Ohio, a fast-growing, up-scale suburb of Cleveland. Aloft Beachwood is the second Aloft in greater Cleveland, following the recent opening of Aloft Cleveland Downtown. Owned by Boutique Hotel LP and managed by Midas Hospitality, Aloft Beachwood features an urban design aesthetic with 135 stylish guest rooms including seven suites, 1,890 square feet of meeting space, and a lively social atmosphere. "Aloft Beachwood offers travelers an exciting new option in Cleveland's east side suburban...
Gordon Overing Named Executive Managing Director of Bitter End Yacht Club on Virgin Gorda, BVI
Bitter End Yacht Club | October 9, 2013
VIRGIN GORDA, British Virgin Islands - October 9, 2013 - Gordon Overing (53) has been named Executive Managing Director for the Bitter End Yacht Club, a five-star luxury watersport resort on Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands, with corporate headquarters in Chicago and Connecticut. Returning to the resort after seven years, Overing will oversee a refresh of the resort and conversion of the south end to residential villas as well as the day-to-day operations, sales and marketing, and management of 180 employees for the 84-room resort. "Gordon understands the Bitter End Ethos. He brings a unique balance of extensive remote luxury ...
Waterford Hotel Group Appoints Duane Schroder to Corporate Team as Regional Hotel Director
Waterford Hotel Group | October 9, 2013
WATERFORD, CT (October 9, 2013) --- Waterford Hotel Group has announced the promotion of Duane Schroder to the position of Regional Hotel Director for the company. Schroder, who most recently served as General Manager for the 393-room Hilton Hartford, will be responsible for overseeing the operations of several Waterford Hotel Group properties. Waterford is a leading hotel and convention center management firm and currently manages 29 properties in eight states, representing more than 3,500 hotel rooms nationwide as well as the Connecticut Convention Center. As Regional Hotel Director, Schroder's duties include developing and maintainin...
SpeedRFP™ and Cloud-Based eRFPs – From Present to Future
October 9, 2013
by Kelly Foy, CEO, Elite Meetings International Santa Barbara, CA - October 2013 We've all heard a lot about "the cloud." Companies on Wall Street are making billions touting their ability to help companies transition into cloud-based environments, and a cottage industry of consultants is offering assistance in understanding what the cloud is, and means, to business. There's no reason to believe the cloud will have anything less than a huge impact in the meeting and hotel industries - industries valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars - but as any meeting or hotel professional knows, the devil is in the details: at the end of the...
Chesapeake Hospitality Hires Louis Schaab as Chief Financial Officer
Chesapeake Hospitality | October 9, 2013
GREENBELT, Md., Oct. 9, 2013 -- Chesapeake Hospitality, one of the country's fastest growing third-party hotel management companies, announced today that it has added Louis Schaab as Chief Financial Officer to its leadership team. Kim Sims, president of Chesapeake Hospitality, made the announcement. With more than 20 years of finance and accounting experience, Schaab has deep and recognized experience within the hospitality industry, most notably serving as senior vice president of finance at MeriStar Hotels and Resorts in Washington, D.C., where he built and managed a team of 15 finance and accounting professionals. Schaab also served ...
