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Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals | June 25, 2024
Industry Happenings
Hotel Tech Sales Has Changed: Decisions Are Made Before Buyers Even Call
Alan E. Young | May 31, 2018
By Alan E. Young According to a recent survey by Forbes, B2B customers progress more than 70% of the way through the decision-making process before engaging a sales representative. This stands as an alarming realization for some companies, as they may find themselves resorting to aggressive last-minute sales tactics and discounts in an attempt to seal the deal within that final 30%. And, yet — for those who truly understand the value that content brings (holistic, value-focused and cadence-savvy content, specifically) brings, these findings come as no surprise. Further to that, they are seen in a favorable light, because that 70% ...
StayNTouch Brings PMS Mobility to New Hotel in London
StayNTouch Inc. | May 31, 2018
Bethesda, MD – MAY 31, 2018 – StayNTouch, an innovator in mobile technology and Property Management Systems (PMS) for hotels, is pleased to announce it has partnered with The East London Hotel, a stylish new hotel in the heart of London's East End. StayNTouch has deployed its Rover PMS™ and Zest™ products which will be available for the opening in mid-summer. "The area surrounding the hotel is full of activity and energy and is attracting a forward-thinking audience. We have designed a progressive hotel that breaks the branded mold by providing much greater service flexibility to our guests," said Adi Hodzic, Pre...
Paramount Hotel Group Adds 108-Room Hotel Indigo Newark Downtown to Management Portfolio
Paramount Hotel Group | May 30, 2018
Newark, New Jersey, May 30, 2018 – Paramount Hotel Group, a growing full-service third-party hotel management company, announced today that it has been awarded the management contract for the Hotel Indigo Newark Downtown. Ethan Kramer, President of Paramount, made the announcement. The Hotel Indigo is located at 810 Broad Street in Newark, New Jersey at the southernmost end of the Passaic River, just one block from the Prudential Center and a short walk to the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC). The 12-story, 90,000 square-foot hotel building was erected in 1912 and designed by Cass Gilbert as the National State Bank. With ...
Acquired in 2016, YTL Hotels Completes Renovation of The 77-Key Glasshouse in Edinburgh
YTL Hotels | May 30, 2018
New York, NY – May 30, 2018 – YTL Hotels has completed refurbishments of The Glasshouse, Edinburgh. First acquired by YTL Hotels in 2016, the 77-room luxury boutique hotel now boasts a bright reception area, and updates throughout the common areas and guest bedrooms have fully transformed the overall look and feel of the hotel. Historical features of the hotel have been carefully preserved, with nods to the building's 230-year history tastefully maintained throughout the hotel. The rooms & suites at The Glasshouse boast panoramic views of Edinburgh through the bedroom floor-to-ceiling windows. With the contemporary ...
DUR Hospitality and IHG Open the 304-Room Crowne Plaza Riyadh Palace
IHG | May 30, 2018
IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), one of the world's leading hotel companies has today announced the opening of Crowne Plaza Riyadh Palace in partnership with DUR Hospitality. The 304-room hotel adds to the growing portfolio of IHG hotels in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Crowne Plaza Riyadh Palace is strategically located in the Ministries Quarter, a popular business district that is close to major Saudi financial institutions and Government offices. The hotel is conveniently located 15 minutes from King Fahd Stadium and the King Fahd Cultural Centre, and is less than 30 minutes' drive from King Khalid International Airport, making it...
Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Opens in Melbourne, Florida Led by General Manager Kevin Arcieri
Fairfield Inn & Suites | May 30, 2018
Melbourne, Florida – May 30, 2018 – The 116-room Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott in Melbourne, Florida is scheduled today Wednesday, May 30, 2018 with a new décor that provides guests with a feeling of warmth and calm while traveling. Located at 2400 Town Center Avenue, the Fairfield Inn & Suites Melbourne/Viera will operate as a Marriott franchise, owned and managed by Sycamore Investment Group of Orlando, Florida. Located in TownCenter Viera next to Avenue Viera, the Fairfield Inn & Suites Melbourne/Viera offers guests convenient access to the USSSA Space Coast Complex, Kennedy Space Center and the Br...
Owned and Managed by Sunridge Hotel Group, New Residence Inn by Marriott Set to Open in Provo, Utah
Residence Inn by Marriott | May 30, 2018
Provo, UT – May 30, 2018 – The 100-suite Residence Inn by Marriott in Provo, Utah is scheduled to open this Monday, June 4, 2018. Located at 1290 South University Avenue, the all-suite Residence Inn Provo South University will operate as a Marriott franchise, owned and managed by Sunridge Hotel Group of Mesa, Arizona. Located two miles from downtown and five miles from the Provo Municipal Airport, the Residence Inn Provo South University offers its guests convenient access to Brigham Young University, Utah Valley University and the Provo Temple. Rates vary depending on length of stay. "We are pleased with the continued growt...
The Rise of Reservation Re-Sale (and Why Airbnb Is Involved)
Lily McIlwain | May 30, 2018
By Lily McIlwain A robust cancellation policy is an integral part of the revenue management strategy for many hotels. Requiring a 24- or 48-hour notice period (the latter of which is becoming increasingly common amongst large chains) or offering non-refundable rates provides a level of protection against last-minute drop-outs and guests making bookings at multiple properties for the same dates. The tactic is ever more necessary as guests increasingly demand the type of flexibility they're told to expect by online travel agents and other third-party sites. Booking.com was rapped earlier this year for 'misleading' advertising ...
GDPR: Why Hoteliers Should Take the new EU Regulations Very Seriously
Stuart Pallister | May 30, 2018
By Stuart Pallister New EU rules on data protection - or GDPR - , seven years in the making, come/came into effect on May 25. The advice from IT experts to hoteliers is: take the new rules very seriously or risk heavy fines of up to 20 million euros or four percent of the company's global turnover, whichever is higher. At the recent Young Hoteliers Summit, staged at Ecole hôteliere de Lausanne, Nick Price, CEO of NetSys Technology and CIO of citizenM Hotels, touched on the challenges posed in a keynote address. He said the new General Data Protection Regulation or GDPR was significant as the hospitality industry holds a lot of dat...
Park Hotel Group Unveils Phased Renovation of Singapore’s 343-Room Grand Park City Hall
Park Hotel Group | May 30, 2018
Park Hotel Group, one of Asia's leading hospitality companies, today revealed the first look of its flagship hotel Grand Park City Hall. Located on Coleman Street in the heart of Singapore's Civic District, the luxury hotel is in the final phase of its transformative masterplan which is scheduled to complete by the third quarter of 2018. The 343-room Grand Park City Hall hotel including its modern European Tablescape Restaurant & Bar are a part of Park Hotel Group's upcoming mixed-use lifestyle precinct comprising City Hall Square, a new dining, shopping and entertainment destination that is set on the conservation site of St. Grego...
After Strong First Quarter CBRE Lifts 2018 U.S. Lodging Forecast
CBRE Group, Inc | May 30, 2018
Atlanta – May 30, 2018 – Based on better than expected first quarter performance, CBRE Hotels' Americas Research (CBRE) has enhanced its outlook for 2018. According to STR, U.S. hotels enjoyed a 3.5 percent increase in revenue per available room (RevPAR) during the first quarter of 2018, exceeding the 2.5 percent RevPAR gain expected by CBRE for the period. Accordingly, CBRE now is forecasting a 2.8 percent annual increase in RevPAR for U.S. hotels in 2018, a 0.3 percentage point enhancement over the 2.5 percent mark published in CBRE's March 2018 Hotel Horizons® report. "We continue to be impressed by the ability of the...
Dallas Suites RE and Aimbridge Hospitality Complete Sheraton Suites Market Center Dallas’ Multi-Million Dollar Renovation
Dallas Suites RE, LLC subsidiary of Spring Valley Hospitality | May 30, 2018
Project Completion includes the addition of Arbor Kitchen, the newest restaurant in the Dallas Design District (DALLAS) June 5, 2018 – Sheraton Suites Market Center Dallas hotel, completes a six-month, multi-million dollar, full-scale property renovation including 253 suites, meeting spaces, lobby and common gathering areas, new outdoor patio, upgraded internet, extended fitness center with new Life Fit equipment, entertainment area, and newly appointed Sheraton Club Lounge, as well as the launch of Arbor Kitchen, a brand new farm-to-table restaurant. The property is owned by Dallas Suites RE, LLC and managed by Aimbridge Hospital...
BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, Promotes Jarrad Evans to Senior Vice President, Business Development & Strategy
May 30, 2018
The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, May 2018 … BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, has named Jarrad Evans senior vice president, business development & strategy. Alex Cabañas, Benchmark's CEO, made the announcement. "It is with great pleasure that we announce Jarrad's new position within our company," said Mr. Cabañas. "He has been and continues to be an active part of our dramatic growth over the past four years, and, given what's in the pipeline, this growth will continue for the foreseeable future. Jarrad's strong leadership in business development, relationship building with our ownership clients, and ...
Intelity to Showcase 10 Years of Technology Innovation at HITEC Houston
Intelity | May 30, 2018
Mobile apps for service delivery, check-in/out and room keys, plus in-room solutions that engage guests via tablets, mobile devices and AI voice commands, will be on display in Booth 2127, June 19 to 21, at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston [Orlando, Fla. — May 30, 2018] — Next month, Intelity – the 2018 "Official Mobile and In-Room Technology Provider of the Forbes Travel Guide" – will showcase its award-winning mobile and in-room technologies at HITEC Houston. At this premier technology event that combines top-notch education with the world's largest hospitality technology exposition, hoteliers w...
Headspace and KEYPR Partner to Deliver Guided Meditation App to Hotels
KEYPR | May 30, 2018
Collaboration brings popular app-based meditation to millions of hotel guests through the KEYPR hospitality platform Los Angeles, CA (May 30, 2018) - KEYPR®, the technology company whose enterprise cloud platform is the leader in guest experience and hospitality management, announced today that it has partnered with Headspace to deliver its wildly popular guided meditation and mindfulness sessions to hotel rooms worldwide via KEYPR's in-room tablets. "Wellness is a huge priority in hospitality today, and undoubtedly all travelers can benefit from a few minutes of calm," said Dan Kessler, VP of Business Development and Partnersh...
Speculating on the Technological Future for Hotels
Larry Mogelonsky | May 30, 2018
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) For many hoteliers, forecasting the future of our industry typically centers upon financial data prognostications and, for instance, whether RevPAR growth will translate into higher property valuations. Setting aside dollars and cents, however, the future holds many profound changes for hospitality, some of which we are currently at full tilt grappling with while others are still quite nascent. The good news is that there will always be a real need for temporary lodgings, both for leisure as well as business travel, all of which is coalescing into a hybrid form given the cringe-wort...
Oxford Hotels & Resorts Rebrands Former Hotel Indigo to Claridge House Chicago Following $9 Million Renovation
Claridge House Chicago | May 30, 2018
(CHICAGO; May 30, 2018)—Oxford Hotels & Resorts, LLC, the Chicago-based hotel management and branding affiliate of Oxford Capital Group, LLC, proudly announces the opening of Claridge House Chicago, the latest lifestyle property in Chicago's Gold Coast. Claridge House Chicago's service and atmosphere encourage a sense of welcoming and belonging at the hotel, reflected in its mantra, "Our House… Your Home." Formerly known as Hotel Indigo, the hotel commenced a $9 million transformation, resulting in the renovated, boutique hotel featuring 165 guestrooms and the upcoming on-property restaurant, Juniper Spirits & Oyste...
Hotel Colonnade Coral Gables Appoints Benjamin Caban as Director of Sales
Hotel Colonnade Coral Gables | May 30, 2018
CORAL GABLES, FLA (MAY 2018) – Hotel Colonnade Coral Gables has recently appointed Benjamin Caban as director of sales & marketing for the historic 157-room property. Caban has previously held positions as area director of sales and marketing and director of sales & marketing at Beachwalk Resort; director of sales and marketing at Sonesta Bayfront Hotel Coconut Grove; sales manager for the Hyatt Regency Coral Gables, and as corporate group sales manager for the Sheraton Miami Mart Hotel. At Hotel Colonnade, Caban will be responsible for the sales department of the hotel managing a group of sales managers and overseeing the...
The St. Anthony Hotel Welcomes Thomas Stone as Food and Beverage Director
The St. Anthony | May 30, 2018
San Antonio, TX (May 30, 2018) – The St. Anthony Hotel is pleased to welcome new Food and Beverage Director, Thomas Stone. He will oversee all of the property's culinary offerings including the soon-to-open Gallery on the Park restaurant, as well as The St. Anthony Club, along with banquets and catering for meetings and special events. "Bringing Thomas Stone aboard to lead our culinary team is another step forward as we continue to elevate the caliber of our culinary experience," said Mark Yanke, President and Managing Director of The St. Anthony Hotel. "Just as we restored this historic property to its former glory, we are also e...
Introducing the Industry’s First Competitor Group Pricing Predictor
Quality Track International, Inc. | May 30, 2018
Make better group pricing decisions with GroupMetrix Are you making group pricing decisions based mainly on internal factors such as displacement analysis and incremental revenue, but unable to accurately consider outside factors such as competitor pricing? No one would ever consider setting a transient pricing strategy without reviewing competitor positioning, but every day Revenue Managers make group pricing decisions based largely on internal factors. GroupMetrix by Quality Track has developed a proprietary algorithm which is able to provide instant competitive group pricing forecasts for your competitors. Through an exhaustive analy...
IHG and Operadora MBA Celebrate Signing of First avid™ hotels Property in Mexico
IHG | May 30, 2018
IHG® (InterContinental Hotels Group) and Mexico-based Operadora MBA today announce the signing of the first avid™ hotels property in Mexico located in Fresnillo, Zacatecas. Executives from both companies celebrated the signing in a private ceremony in Mexico City. Jorge Apaez, Chief Operating Officer, Mexico, Latin America & the Caribbean, IHG, said: "The first signing in Mexico of IHG's new high-quality midscale brand, demonstrates further momentum for avid hotels. New hotel signings continue to exceed expectations, and total more than 100 avid hotels across the U.S., Canada and now Mexico, almost one every other day...
Montage Deer Valley Appoints Catherine Kirchheimer as Director of Sales and Marketing
Montage Deer Valley | May 30, 2018
PARK CITY, Utah (May 30, 2018) – Ahead of the summer season, Montage Deer Valley appoints Catherine Kirchheimer as the resort's new director of sales and marketing bringing extensive experience to Montage Deer Valley to aid in the sales and marketing efforts of the year-round mountain resort. "We are thrilled to welcome Catherine to the Montage Deer Valley leadership team," said Allen Highfield, general manager, Montage Deer Valley. "She brings a fresh perspective to the resort as well as wide-ranging experience in sales and marketing to support the continued success of Montage Deer Valley." In a return to Park City, Kirchheimer o...
Shephard’s Beach Resort Maximizes Guest Connectivity With Advanced Wi-Fi and BeyondTV by Hotel Internet Services
Hotel Internet Services, Inc. | May 30, 2018
Luxury Florida property enhances internet speed and reliability while addressing guest demands for the latest in online streaming entertainment CLEARWATER BEACH, Fla. — May 30, 2018 — Hotel Internet Services (HIS), a full-service provider of internet services and solutions for the hospitality industry, has successfully implemented an advanced Wi-Fi upgrade alongside its industry leading BeyondTV video streaming platform at Shephard's Beach Resort in Clearwater Beach, Florida. The property, which attracts leisure guests due to its breathtaking gulf views, had begun experiencing a decrease in guest satisfaction due to a slow a...
The Hotel Group Selected to Asset Manage Radisson RED Downtown Portland Opening Fall 2018
The Hotel Group | May 30, 2018
Seattle, WA, May 30, 2018 — The Hotel Group (THG), a national hotel management and investment company, announced that they were selected to provide services for the Radisson RED Downtown Portland project. In its capacity as asset manager, THG will act as the owner's representative on behalf of owner and developer, Walter Bowen of BMP Real Estate Group. The property is currently under construction and is expected to open this Fall as the second Radisson RED in the United States. The 180-room and suite hotel is part of the 20-story mixed-use Broadway Tower in South West Portland's Central Business District. The Radisson RED Downtown...
