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Industry Happenings
Hyatt Regency Appoints Gino Caliendo as General Manager of Hyatt Regency Los Angeles International Airport
Hyatt Regency Los Angeles International Airport | July 30, 2018
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (JULY 30, 2018) – Hyatt Regency Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) announced that Gino Caliendo has been appointed General Manager of the 580-room hotel. In this position, Caliendo is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the hotel's management. Some of his responsibilities include managing the recently opened Hyatt Regency LAX with 580 rooms, as well as working with staff of 350 colleagues. He is also involved with budgets and forecasting, guest satisfaction, and owner/community relations. "I am thrilled to inherit such an incredible property and team. Managing an airport hotel that sells out frequent...
Meliá Hotels International Appoints Jorge Martinez as General Manager of Meliá Braco Village
July 30, 2018
JAMAICA (July 30 2018) Meliá Hotels International (MHI), one of the largest hotel companies worldwide with more than 370 hotels throughout 40 countries, is pleased to announce the appointment of Jorge Martinez as General Manager of Meliá Braco Village in Rio Bueno, Jamaica. In this new role, Martinez will oversee day-to-day operations of the beachside, all-inclusive 232-room boutique hotel and ensure ongoing initiatives and activations are aligned with the Meliá Hotels & Resorts brand standards, while also bringing fresh innovative ideas to the property. Martinez brings with him over twenty-five years of experie...
Nordic Choice Hotels Gives ALICE Insight to Their Particular Brand of Scandinavian Innovation
ALICE | July 30, 2018
Nordic Choice Hotels, one of the largest hotel groups in Scandinavia, has pioneered innovation in multiple fields as a way to optimize service delivery across their diverse portfolio of hotel brands. With investigations into everything from space travel to food nanotechnology, it's no wonder why Nordic Choice Hotels is one of Norway's top 10 most innovative companies. In 2017, Nordic Choice Hotel adopted ALICE's hotel operations platform to help elevate their guest satisfaction and operational excellence. ALICE's Co-founder and President Alex Shashou sat down with Nordic Choice's Head of Business, Christian Lundén, to discuss...
Paramount Lodging Advisors (PLA) Sells the Four Points by Sheraton & Banquet Center Sacramento International Airport
Paramount Lodging Advisors | July 27, 2018
Sacramento – Paramount Lodging Advisors has successfully sold the 100-room Four Points by Sheraton & Banquet Center Sacramento International Airport. The PLA team members representing this sale were Senior Managing Director, Scott Griemsmann and Associate Subu Thiagarajan. This PLA-arranged sale is one of the highest price per key transactions (PPK) in the Sacramento region and one of the highest PPK Four Points by Sheraton trades in the country. JMK Hotels LLC/The Kehriotis Family purchased the hotel. Future plans for this hotel include a $2-million full-scale renovation to include an exterior refresh, all guestrooms, common ...
IHCL’s Ginger Hotels Signs With Hotel Sethna Plaza Annexe for New Hotel in Bharuch, Gujarat
Ginger Hotels | July 26, 2018
Mumbai, July 26, 2018: Ginger is pleased to announce the signing of a new hotel in Bharuch, a key city of Gujarat. The brand is present in 6 cities in the state namely Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara and Vapi with hotels under development in Surat and Sanand. With this new addition, Ginger will have 10 hotels with a combined inventory of close to 800 rooms in Gujarat. Deepika Rao, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Ginger said, "We are delighted to expand our presence in Gujarat and enter Bharuch by partnering Hotel Sethna Plaza Annexe. The modern day Bharuch is one of the biggest industrial areas in the state. The hotel will be ...
Phoenix American Hospitality Management Completes $5 Million Renovation Project at Six Hyatt Place Properties Across United States
Hyatt Place | July 26, 2018
DALLAS (JULY 2018) – Phoenix American Hospitality (PAH) Management announces the completion of a $5 million renovation project at six Hyatt Place properties across the United States. The renovation of each hotel includes updates to the lobby, meeting rooms, guestrooms, pool area, fitness area, and exterior. PAH Management is an opportunistic hotel fund manager, managing 13 hotel properties across the United States. The properties included in this renovation are: Hyatt Place Alpharetta/North Point Mall Hyatt Place Charlotte/Arrowood Hyatt Place Dallas/Park Central Hyatt Place Greenville/Haywood Hyatt Place Roanoke Airport/Val...
BENCHMARK® Names Wayne Thomas Director of Food and Beverage for the Doug Pitcock ’49 Texas A&M Hotel and Conference Center
July 26, 2018
The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, July 2018… BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, has named Wayne Thomas director of food and beverage for the Doug Pitcock '49 Texas A&M Hotel and Conference Center, currently under construction in College Station, Texas. The Benchmark Resorts & Hotelsproperty is expected to open in August. Greg Stafford, general manager, made the announcement. "I am very happy to welcome Wayne to our team," said Mr. Stafford. "He brings important food and beverage management experience to our property, in addition to a strong culinary background as executive chef. We look forward to his leadership ...
KO’A KEA HOTEL & RESORT NAMED NO. 1 RESORT HOTEL IN KAUAI AND NO. 3 RESORT IN HAWAII FOR TRAVEL + LEISURE’S ANNUAL READER’S CHOICE AWARDS
Meritage Collection | July 26, 2018
Irvine, Calif. (July 24, 2018) – Pacific Hospitality Group (PHG) is pleased to announce Ko'a Kea Hotel & Resort has been ranked as the Top Resort Hotel in Kauai and No. 3 Resort in Hawaii for the Travel + Leisure Reader's Choice Awards 2018. Located on the Hawaiian island of Kauai at Poipu Beach, the oceanfront property is part of PHG's growing luxury and lifestyle hotel portfolio known as the Meritage Collection. With an ambiance curated towards guests experiencing the ultimate in rejuvenation, relaxation, and romance, all with the true Aloha spirit of service, Ko'a Kea remains as the boutique resort of choice for vacationers...
IHG Unveils Debut Locations for Kimpton® and voco™ Brands in the UK Through 12-Property Agreement With Covivio
IHG | July 26, 2018
IHG® (InterContinental Hotels Group®) has today confirmed the UK debut locations for its boutique brand Kimpton® Hotels & Restaurants and its recently launched upscale brand, voco™ Hotels. This move follows the announcement made in May of an agreement with Covivio (formerly Foncière des Régions), to rebrand and operate 12 high-quality open hotels in the UK and one pipeline hotel. Nine of the hotels join IHG's brand portfolio today, making IHG the UK's leading luxury hotel operator. The remaining three open hotels are expected to join IHG's portfolio in Q3 2018. Kenneth Macpherson, Chief Executive ...
Chartwell Hospitality Names David Sundermann as Area General Manager for Green Hills Region in Nashville
Chartwell | July 26, 2018
Chartwell Hospitality, an integrated hotel operations and development company, has hired David Sundermann as Area General Manager in the Green Hills region of Nashville, Tenn., where Chartwell operates both the Hilton Nashville Green Hills and the Residence Inn Nashville Green Hills. In this role, Sundermann and newly appointed Director of Sales Kristen McBryde will oversee the daily operations of the Hilton while driving the sales aspect of both hotels, totaling 327 rooms. Sundermann brings 14 years of hospitality management experience and most recently worked with Winegardner & Hammons, Inc., where he served as General Manager/Dir...
The Siegel Group Nevada Acquires Portfolio of Three Extended-Stay Properties for $9.36 Million
The Siegel Group Nevada, Inc. | July 26, 2018
LAS VEGAS — The Siegel Group Nevada, Inc. (www.siegelcompanies.com), a real estate investment and management company announced today that it had acquired a portfolio of three extended-stay properties for just under $9.36 million for an average of $28,000 per key. This portfolio acquisition increases the number of Siegel-branded properties throughout the United States to 51. With these acquisitions, The Siegel Group expands its Siegel brands into the new markets of Alabama and Mississippi and a second location in Louisiana which are in addition to the company's other properties situated throughout Nevada, Arizona, Texas, New Mexico...
Hotels: Are you a Clunker or a Sports Car?
Stephan Wiesener | July 26, 2018
By Stephan Wiesener "The most successful technological innovation should feel so natural to the user that it's almost completely invisible. We only notice things when the user experience is awkward or clunky, or when it simply doesn't work." Otto Berkes, CTO CA Technologies This quote is more than two years old, and yet, the hospitality experience still feels clunky, both for hotel staff, as well as for guests. Just think of the check-in experience at most hotels: the front desk staff must ask the guest key details (name, etc.), look up the reservation, make sure the guest has the right room assignment and that the roo...
York Investment Properties and Choice Hotels Break Ground on the Cambria Hotel Fort Mill in South Carolina
Cambria Hotels | July 26, 2018
ROCKVILLE, Md., July 26, 2018 -- Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH) and York Investment Properties, LLC have broken ground on the Cambria Hotel Fort Mill. The 127-room property is expected to open in 2019 and will be situated within a mixed-use development site containing an apartment complex, retail center, and office space. The Fort Mill property is one of several Cambria hotels slated to open throughout the Carolinas in the coming years. Located near the state border at 335 Armistead Lane in Fort Mill, S.C., the new Cambria hotel is close to the bustling business corridor of Charlotte, N.C., which is home to several Fortun...
Five Important Considerations When Selecting a Learning Environment
The National Conference Center | July 26, 2018
Leesburg, Virginia, July 2018 … The National Conference Center, the award-winning conference center and one of the nation's largest training facilities on the East Coast, has released Five Key Considerations When Selecting a Learning Environment. The considerations have been presented as a white paper. Learning and training, the most important reasons for meetings and conferences, have evolved from the traditional classroom to a wide range of room formations and teaching styles. Many venues claim to offer the perfect setting for any program, but in reality, the venue that is perfect for an executive outing may not work for an exp...
Choosing the Right Online Marketing Channel, a Concern for Business Owners
TripAdvisor | July 26, 2018
Online Reputation Management, Mobile Experience and Driving Direct Bookings Critical Areas of Focus for U.S. Travel Businesses, According to New TripAdvisor-Ipsos MORI Study NEEDHAM, Mass., July 26, 2018 -- TripAdvisor, Inc. (NASDAQ: TRIP) today announced the results of its 2018 "Hospitality Sector Report" in partnership with Ipsos MORI showcasing the top concerns and areas of focus for travel businesses, including hotels, restaurants, experiences, tours and attractions listed on TripAdvisor. The results of the study reveal a U.S. travel industry adapting to an increasingly mobile marketplace, focused on online reputation mana...
Wharf Hotels Appoints Bernard Teo as General Manager of Marco Polo Changzhou
Wharf Hotels | July 26, 2018
26 July 2018 (Hong Kong) – Wharf Hotels is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Bernard Teo as General Manager of international deluxe hotel, Marco Polo Changzhou, located in southern Jiangsu province. With over 25-years of experience in hospitality including 2 successful openings in Beijing and Perth for Frasers Hospitality, Bernard has held senior positions with international luxury hotel groups. His background is anchored in sales and revenue optimisation, and in his new role, Bernard will build upon the strong corporate and MICE business for Marco Polo Changzhou whilst steering the hotel to drive a higher return on perfor...
OLS Hotels and Resorts Appoints Rob Robinson as Vice President
OLS Hotels & Resorts | July 26, 2018
HONOLULU, JULY 26, 2018 - OLS Hotels & Resorts, a leading hotel management company of 22 hotels and resorts throughout the U.S., is pleased to announce the appointment of Rob Robinson to vice president. In his new role, Robinson will oversee OLS Hotels & Resorts' Hawaii operations while working with Chief Executive Officer Ben Rafter and team to expand the company's footprint in the Hawaiian market. The partnership between Robinson and Rafter marks an exciting new era for Hawaii's hospitality industry, as both leaders will use their extensive experience in Hawaii to develop and manage boutique properties across Hawaii's tourism ...
Sheraton Appoints Sean Verney as General Manager of Sheraton New York Times Square
July 26, 2018
NEW YORK, NY (July 26, 2018) – The Sheraton New York Times Square hotel is proud to announce the appointment of Sean Verney as General Manager. A 35-year hotel and hospitality industry veteran, Verney was most recently General Manager of The Westin New York at Times Square. Previously, Verney held leadership positions at the Sheraton New York Times Square and at the Sheraton Parsippany Hotel, which afforded him a deep understanding of all aspects of food and beverage, event services, rooms and hotel operations. His innate interest in the industry is in his roots, as his first hospitality job was working in an upstate New York rest...
Guest Loyalty Technology Gets Personal at Rodd Hotels & Resorts
Maestro PMS | July 26, 2018
With 7 Luxury Resorts, Hotels and Golf Destinations, Rodd Hotels & Resorts Leverages Enterprise-wide Multi-Property Loyalty and Property Management Software from Maestro Markham, Ontario – July 26, 2018 – "We are a family-owned hotel chain that prides itself in knowing our guests and personalizing their stay with us. Our success is based on recognizing each guest, providing the experience they value, and rewarding their loyalty. Maestro's Multi-Property Hotel Management and Loyalty System are essential to our operation," said Mike Robertson, Marketing Manager for Rodd Hotels & Resorts. Rodd Hotels & Resorts oper...
HSMAI and Level60 Partner on Revenue Management Curriculum Tools and New Student Certification
HSMAI | July 26, 2018
(McLean, VA, July 26, 2018) The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) is pleased to announce a partnership with Level60 Consulting (Level60) to offer hospitality faculty members a course and classroom tools to teach revenue management, leading to a new HSMAI student certification. Designed expressly for faculty, the course and classroom tools will enable full-time and adjunct professors to customize existing classes or create new classes with the most current principles of revenue management. All instructional materials are provided free of charge and designed to be easily imported into learning management sy...
Revenue Strategy Summit Key Conference Takeaways Shared by hotelAVE
hotelAVE | July 26, 2018
Rethink Sales Deployment: Electronic RFPs continue to grow in volume while group size decreases. Should hotels have reactive vs. proactive sales people to handle this change? Should brands still enforce mandatory responses to all leads as group planners cast wider nets? Should hotels designate a person on the sales team to handle all incoming leads and distribute based on the hotel's needs and likelihood of booking, in other words, a lead catcher? Outlook is Cautiously Positive Despite Forward Group Weakness: In recent past downturns, the industry has had a strong group cushion to mitigate the negative effects in the next downturn. ...
Hotel Zetta Reveals Its Secret to the Reason Why People Come Back to Stay at Their Hotel: Hardworking Staff and ALICE
ALICE | July 25, 2018
Hotel Zetta has selected ALICE to enhance their internal communication, housekeeping operations, and guest engagement at their vibrant boutique hotel. ALICE is the hospitality industry's leading operations technology, connecting every department of the hotel with one platform for all staff communication and guest requests. ALICE recently acquired concierge software provider GoConcierge to augment its technology and customer service offering. Part of the Viceroy Hotel Group's collection of "urban retreats", Hotel Zetta joins sister properties Hotel Zelos and Hotel Zeppelin on the ALICE platform, allowing consistent staff operations and g...
The More You Give the More You Get
Shep Hyken | July 25, 2018
By Shep Hyken There is an old saying: It is better to give than to receive. The interpretation of this is that giving is an act of kindness. There is another old saying: The more you give, the more you get. So, is the act of giving truly an act of kindness, even if you know you'll receive something back, and even if you don't know exactly what it is? I think so, especially if the act of giving has no strings attached – even if giving more means you get more, then it truly is an act of kindness. This is true in life, and part of life is business. Giving is part of the customer experience. Customers like to receive, and when they do...
Vail Marriott Mountain Resort Launches $25 Million Renovation
Vail Marriott Mountain Resort | July 25, 2018
VAIL, Colo. (July 25, 2018) – Currently underway, Vail Marriott Mountain Resort will launch the property's approximate $25 million reimagination this summer with a new guest room experience and transformed meeting spaces. The complete makeover will infuse modern amenities and luxurious Vail sophistication into the landmark resort. The comprehensive project is geared towards travelers with high-tech attributes and indoor-outdoor design that embraces the year-round destination with its chic, mountain modern aesthetic. "With this extensive reimagination, we are looking to infuse Vail's charm throughout the resort and truly connect gu...
