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Industry Happenings
Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association Names John Belden Recipient of J. Patrick Leahy Lifetime Achievement Award
Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association | May 23, 2018
Today, the Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association (IHLA) honored the hospitality industry's finest at its 23rd annual Hospitality Awards Luncheon. Held in conjunction with the National Restaurant Association Restaurant-Hotel Show at McCormick Place, more than 400 professionals gathered to honor those who have made outstanding contributions to the hospitality industry in Illinois over the past year. Hosted by Catherine De Orio, host of the Emmy award-winning television review show, "Check, Please!" and Executive Director of the Kendall College Trust, the afternoon was regaled with inspiring stories of stewardship and positive indust...
Salamander Hotels & Resorts Appoints John Speers as Vice President of Operations
Salamander Hotels & Resorts | May 23, 2018
MIDDLEBURG, VA (May 23, 2017) – Salamander Hotels & Resorts, the luxury hotel company founded by Sheila Johnson, has appointed John Speers as its new Vice President of Operations. Prior to joining Salamander, Speers was Senior Vice President at Capital Properties where he oversaw a collection of luxury properties including the Chatham Bars Inn in Chatham, MA, and the Inn at Perry Cabin in St. Michael's, MD. A seasoned luxury hospitality professional with a track record in achieving Forbes Five Star and AAA Five Diamond ratings, Speers previously served as the General Manager of Faena Hotels in Miami Beach and as Managing Direc...
Ryan Matthew Littman Appointed Director of Food and Beverage for 1840-Room Sheraton Dallas Hotel
Sheraton Dallas | May 23, 2018
DALLAS – Sheraton Dallas Hotel, part of Marriott International, announces it has hired a new Director of Food and Beverage. Ryan Matthew Littman will serve as Director of Food and Beverage of the 1840-room hotel, which features three dining outlets. Littman brings to Sheraton Dallas more than 28 years of experience in the restaurant industry with 27 years spent at Marriott International. Most recently, Littman served as Director of Food and Beverage at JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort and Spa where he managed a team of eight chefs and seven restaurant managers. Littman previously held both director and chef positions at...
Benchmark Resort & Hotels and Gemstone Collection Celebrate Summer Cyber Week with Offers Up to 50% Off
Gemstone Collection | May 23, 2018
The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, May 2018 … Extraordinary travel values are just a click away as luxury hotels and resort properties from Gemstone Collection and Benchmark Resorts & Hotels celebrate Summer Cyber Week from Tuesday, May 29 through June 4, 2018. Travelers can choose from an array of award-winning hotels in America's most exciting destinations with sunsationalvalues of up to 50% off accommodations and services. Full details of each hotel's getaway offers are shown at www.BenchmarkCyberSale.com and www.GemstoneCyberSale.com. "It's our way of celebrating the anticipation and eagerness that comes with the arrival of ...
Struggling With Self-Managing AV Services? Help Is on the Way With AVaStar
AVaStar | May 23, 2018
New SaaS solution enables hoteliers to be in the AV business 'for' themselves . . . not 'by' themselves Visit Booth #1019 at HITEC, June 18 to 21, at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston [Gaithersburg, Md.—May 23, 2018]—Self-managing technology requirements for meetings and events can be stressful for small hotel operators, especially those who don't have the luxury of working with an outsourced technology provider. Sales-and-catering teams have a lot of information to manage and multiple systems to track and communicate meeting planners' needs – including audiovisual technology. Staff are often responsible...
Take A Chance
Ken Greger | May 23, 2018
By: Ken Greger Now and then, when hiring people, we as leaders are heard to say, "I'll take a chance on this person." That all seems simple enough, but it is only half the story. In fact, every time an employee joins your organization – whether or not you feel you are "taking a chance" – the truth is that every employee is taking a chance on you, on your company. They are proceeding in good faith. Have you ever considered this? Because, with this, comes a responsibility to deliver on the promise, in a fashion just as committed as your expectation of the employee. And, now that you are thinking about this perspective, ask you...
The Rainmaker Group Continues to Make a Mark in the APAC Region as It Partners With SKYCITY Entertainment Group
Rainmaker | May 23, 2018
Company to Implement Rainmaker's Industry-Leading Revenue Optimization Solutions at Two Properties in New Zealand ALPHARETTA, GA. — May 23, 2018 —The Rainmaker Group (Rainmaker), a leading provider of cloud-based hospitality revenue and profit optimization software, today announced that SKYCITY Entertainment Group has selected Rainmaker's guestrev® and revintel® to drive revenue at two SKYCITY locations. The agreement marks Rainmaker's expansion in the Australian & New Zealand markets. SKYCITY Entertainment Group (NASDAQ: SKYTY), owns six casinos across five locations in Australia and New Zealand. The company sou...
Learn Why More Than 2,000 Hotel Properties Worldwide Use ALICE’s Award-Winning Technology
ALICE | May 23, 2018
ALICE will showcase the company's industry-leading technology at HITEC 2018. Stop by Booth 2319 for a live demo. ALICE, the hospitality industry's leading operations platform, will showcase its complete suite of hotel management and guest engagement products at this year's HITEC in Houston, June 18-22, at Booth 2319. Schedule an appointment with the ALICE team here. ALICE joins all staff departments onto a single operations platform to streamline staff operations and enhance the guest experience. ALICE's suite of products include front of house tools for your Concierge, Front Desk and Guest Services teams, and back of house tools for M...
Nobody Asked Me, But… No. 196: Hotel History: The Broadmoor Hotel, Colorado Springs, Colorado (779 rooms)
Stanley Turkel | May 23, 2018
by Stanley Turkel, CMHS Hotel History: The Broadmoor Hotel, Colorado Springs, Colorado (1918) For over a century, dreamers, farmers, investors, and even a Prussian Count have held a vision of the magnificence in store for the Colorado Springs area. It took the foresight, dedication and incredible vision of one man, Spencer Penrose, to bring the dream to reality… and to make it wonderful enough to last 100 years. Even before it was the Broadmoor Dairy Farm, the land at the base of Cheyenne Mountain was a ranch where corn was grown for making brooms. Willie Wilcox, who came to the area seeking his fortune and hoping to find a cure ...
Crete’s Nikos Igoumenidis on Emerging Trends and Sustainable Tourism
Phil Butler | May 22, 2018
By Phil Butler Dr. Nikos Igoumenidis is a Heraklion, Crete native elected to the Hellenic Parliament to represent his region, home city, and Crete back in 2015. A cardiologist by profession, he's a former Director of Cardiology at the clinic of the University General Hospital of Heraklion (PAGNI), and currently responsible for tourism on behalf of SYRIZA parliamentary group. We had the privilege recently of discussing with Dr. Igoumenidis the character of Crete hospitality and tourism to come including emerging alternative tourism trends such as; wellness/medical tourism, cultural tourism, and the underdeveloped rural tourism niche....
General Manager Edmond Martinez Welcomes Guests to New 100-Suite Residence Inn by Marriott in Denver, Colorado
Residence Inn by Marriott | May 22, 2018
DENVER – May 22, 2018 – The 100-suite Residence Inn by Marriott in Denver, Colorado is scheduled to open today. Located at 6762 Tower Road, the all-suite Residence Inn Denver Airport/Convention Center will operate as a Marriott franchise, owned by DIA Development, LLC and managed by Baywood Hotels Inc. of Columbia, Maryland. Located six miles from Denver International Airport, the Residence Inn Denver Airport/Convention Center offers its guests convenient access to Gaylord Rockies Convention Center, Dick's Sporting Goods Park and The Shops at Northfield Stapleton. The extended-stay hotel is also nearby to Buckley Air Force B...
The Lismore Hotel Appoints Joseph ‘Joey’ Sieg as Executive Chef
The Lismore Hotel | May 22, 2018
Eau Claire, WI (May 2018) – The Informalist, 205 South Barstow Street, Eau Claire, located at The Lismore Hotel, announced today the restaurant's new Executive Chef, Chef Joseph 'Joey' Sieg. Joining the restaurant with 16 years of industry experience, Sieg will oversee and manage all kitchen operations and will work to expand the culinary staff's skills and creativity through innovative strategies and imaginative recipes. Sieg aims to provide a relaxed yet innovative culinary experience for the community while driving profits for the restaurant and hotel. "We are thrilled to have Chef Sieg join and lead our amazing team here at th...
Owned and Managed by Easton’s Group of Hotels, Embassy Suites by Hilton Opens in Montreal
Embassy Suites by Hilton | May 22, 2018
MONTREAL, Quebec and MCLEAN, Va. - Embassy Suites by Hilton, a global brand of upscale, all-suite hotels from Hilton (NYSE: HLT), announced today the opening of a new hotel in Montreal. Embassy Suites by Hilton prides itself on offering guests an approachable and stress-free experience at each of its hotel properties. The cutting-edge Embassy Suites by Hilton Montreal Airport is located on the Island of Montreal near the junction of the scenic St. Lawrence and Ottawa Rivers. It is conveniently located less than 15 minutes away from Montreal–Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport and its situation along the Route Trans-Canada...
Concord Hospitality Opens Westerville, Ohio’s First Full-Service Hotel, the Renaissance Westerville-Polaris
Renaissance Hotels | May 22, 2018
Columbus – May 22, 2018 – Renaissance Hotels announced today its newest concept is now open for business in central Ohio, bringing the first full-service hotel to Westerville. The Renaissance Columbus Westerville-Polaris Hotel (Renaissance Westerville) opened its doors to guests Tuesday along with the Two-One restaurant, named after the 21st Amendment in honor of the community's rich history in prohibition. Located off of Polaris Parkway and near Uptown Westerville, the modern American lake house-inspired hotel features 222 rooms and 15,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and banquet space with the capacity to seat...
Crescent Hotels & Resorts Opens 134-Suite Crowne Plaza® – Farmington Hills Following Renovation and Rebranding
May 22, 2018
(FARMINGTON HILLS, MI) (May 22, 2018) – Everett House Partners announces today that the 134-suite Crowne Plaza® – Farmington Hills, previously the Holiday Inn® Farmington Hills, has recently opened. Located at 37529 Grand River Avenue, the property is approximately 20 minutes from downtown Detroit and offers shuttle service to nearby offices and local attractions. In addition to being owned by Everett House Partners, the property is managed by Crescent Hotels & Resorts, who manages several other IHG hotels. Larry Brown, General Manager, Crowne Plaza – Farmington Hills said: "With its proximity to Farmi...
It Takes Two to Build, But Only One to Destroy
Georges Panayotis | May 22, 2018
By Georges Panayotis How can we imagine developing a product and a brand that are disembodied, cut off from their source of inspiration, with no link to what should feed them and help them progress? Today, large companies suffer from two major ills: a brutal and merciless transformation that does not wait for latecomers, the rupture that is on everyone's lips; and obvious management problems. Managers have been sidelined, in favor of robotisation, financiers and great strategists without anticipating in the medium term the devastating effects of a lack of management. Because those managers who are operational, who are the lines of ...
Radisson Signs With Public Service Pension Fund for Park Inn by Radisson Lusaka Longacres in Zambia
Radisson Hotel Group | May 22, 2018
Radisson Hospitality AB, publicly listed on Nasdaq Stockholm, Sweden and part of Radisson Hotel Group, is adding a new territory to its expanding portfolio with the signing of Park Inn by Radisson Lusaka Longacres in Zambia. Radisson Hotel Group's Africa portfolio consists of 83 hotels and more than 17,500 rooms in operation and under development. Located in the Longacres suburb of Lusaka, the hotel will be situated in a prime location within the city's concentration of embassies, diplomatic missions and United Nations (UN) offices. It will form part of a mixed-use development, including a 9000m2 shopping mall, which – along with ...
OpenTravel Alliance Releases 2018A 2.0 Object Model Publication for Hospitality
OpenTravel Alliance | May 22, 2018
Austin, TX, USA – (May 22, 2018) – OpenTravel Alliance, the not-for-profit responsible for developing and maintaining interoperability for disparate systems in all verticals of the travel industry, has published the 2018A 2.0 Object Suite Publication. This release is primarily focused on hospitality and includes functionality for key actions associated with booking a hotel. Functions of the 2018A Object Suite Publication include searching for hotels, checking availability, creating offers and orders and booking reservations. Part of the larger 2.0 Object Model, 2018A Object Suite Publication affords implementers with the sam...
Q&A With Kristie Goshow, CMO at Preferred Hotels & Resorts
Matt Peterson, Los Angeles | May 22, 2018
By Matt Peterson Quick quiz, what do these leaders have in common — "Jack Welch of GE, Steve Jobs of Apple, Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook, Steve Wynn of Wynn Casino Resorts, Elon Musk of Telsa, Richard Branson of Virgin, and Donald Trump of well… Trump"? They are all past and present individuals that arguably have developed their company brands around "cults of personality." But leader-centred enterprises are quickly becoming outdated and irrelevant, as consumers across all service and product offerings become more educated, connected, mobile and discerning. And perhaps even selfish. That is, the proverbial script has flipped...
HEBS Digital’s smartCMS® Wins a Stevie® Award for The Fifth Consecutive Year at the 2018 American Business Awards®
HEBS Digital | May 22, 2018
NEW YORK, NY (May 22, 2018) – HEBS Digital wins a bronze Stevie® Award at the 2018 American Business Awards® for best New Product – Software in the Content Management Solution category for its smartCMS®, a revenue generating content management solution for hoteliers. This is the fifth consecutive year HEBS Digital has taken home a Stevie® Award. For its 16th year, the American Business Awards® accepted over 3,700 nominations to be judged by a panel of more than 200 industry professionals. HEBS Digital is excited to receive this honor and to continue bringing its cutting-edge products and services to its c...
2018 Compilation: Best Hotel Management School Rankings
EHL | May 22, 2018
When you are deciding which undergraduate or graduate hospitality degree program to attend, rankings can help you compare different programs that have caught your eye. We compiled the best hotel management school rankings out there. So, what are best universities for hospitality and tourism management in the world? The ranking methodologies vary, but EHL is the only university present in the top 5 across all rankings. Eduniversal Best Masters Ranking 2017 Eduniversal classifies and highlights Masters programs which prepare and graduate the most competent students into the global workforce based on the following criteria: The reputati...
Charlestowne Hotels Appoints Kevin Kruse as General Manager of The Bristol Hotel Opening Fall 2018
The Bristol Hotel | May 22, 2018
Bristol, VA – May 22, 2018 – Charlestowne Hotels announces the appointment of Kevin Kruse to general manager of The Bristol Hotel, the city's first boutique property, slated to open in early Fall 2018. He will lead the management operations for the eight-story, 65-room historic revitalization of downtown Bristol's notable Executive Plaza building. The hotel, managed by Charlestowne Hotels, will include a regionally-inspired restaurant serving authentic Appalachian cuisine, lively rooftop bar and prime event space. Kruse is a native of Western Tennessee and a veteran of both the United States Marine Corps and luxury hotel ind...
Aprirose and Hilton Confirm Plans to Convert Five UK Hotels to Doubletree by Hilton Portfolio in 2018
Aprirose | May 22, 2018
LONDON and MCLEAN, Va . -- DoubleTree by Hilton, one of Hilton' s (NYSE: HLT) 14 market-leading brands, is set to add five new hotels to its rapidly expanding UK portfolio, following a franchise agreement between real estate investment company Aprirose and Hilton. The hotels will be managed by RBH - formerly Redefine|BDL Hotels - and are located in Stratford-upon-Avon, Oxford, Glasgow, Cambourne, and Forest Pines (Yorkshire) and are expected to welcome their first guests under the upscale brand later this year. Patrick Fitzgibbon, senior vice president, development, EMEA, Hilton said: "With the addition of these outstanding hot...
Auditing the Auditors, Part I of III: A Report Card on Independent Quality Assurance
Steven Ferry | May 22, 2018
By Steven Ferry Don Quixote tilted his lance at windmills: we tilt ours at service standards that do not meet expectations, which is why I am spending a perfectly beautiful Florida spring Sunday inside, banging away on the keyboard when sensible people are beaching, sailing, golfing, etc. Why? We tried unsuccessfully on several occasions over the years to give independent QA providers, standards for the butler service being offered by (463) luxury hotels around the world so they could incorporate those standards into their own and help raise butler-service levels in the hospitality industry in a way that our small organization could ...
