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Industry Happenings
Salamander Hotels & Resorts Appoints Tracey Slavonia as Chief Sales & Marketing Officer
Salamander Hotels & Resorts | May 1, 2018
MIDDLEBURG, VA (May 1, 2018) – Salamander Hotels & Resorts, the luxury hotel company founded by Sheila Johnson, has appointed Tracey Slavonia as its new chief sales & marketing officer. She will oversee corporate strategic sales, marketing and revenue management initiatives for the company's growing portfolio. The Salamander Signature Collection includes classic luxurious experiences at Salamander Resort & Spa in Middleburg, VA; The Henderson in Destin, FL; NOPSI Hotel in New Orleans; and Hotel Bennett, opening in 2018 in Charleston, SC. The Salamander Golf Collection features three grand golf resorts in Florida: Innis...
Dream Hotel Group Appoints Ryan Walker and Kathryn Barrett to Executive Positions
Dream Hotel Group | May 1, 2018
NEW YORK, NY (May 1, 2018) – Renowned hotel brand and management company Dream Hotel Group, home to its Dream Hotels, Time Hotels and Unscripted Hotels brands, today announced the appointment of Ryan Walker to Vice President of E-Commerce & Digital Strategy and Kathryn Barrett to Vice President of Revenue Management. "As we continue to show tremendous growth, we're constantly looking for exceptional talent to support the velocity of Dream Hotel Group's expansion," said Jay Stein, Chief Executive Officer, Dream Hotel Group. "We are excited to welcome Ryan and Kathryn to our corporate team as we continue to grow our portfolio of...
OTO Development Opens the 121-Room Hilton Garden Inn Annapolis Downtown
Hilton Garden Inn | May 1, 2018
ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Hilton Garden Inn, Hilton's (NYSE: HLT) award-winning, global upscale brand of hotels, today announced the opening of Hilton Garden Inn Annapolis Downtown. Managed by OTO Development, a Johnson Management company, the property offers 121 rooms to travelers seeking generous accommodations in a relaxed atmosphere. Located at 174 West Street, Hilton Garden Inn Annapolis Downtown is ideally located in the capital city's arts district, within walking distance of the Maryland State House, government offices, shopping and dining, and less than a mile from the Naval Academy and Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. "The staff...
Cachet Boutique NYC Enhances Guest Connectivity and Marketing Efforts with BeyondTV by Hotel Internet Services
Hotel Internet Services, Inc. | May 1, 2018
Upscale and trendy New York property leverages HIS platform to communicate brand story to guests while providing the latest in television streaming technology New York — May 1, 2018 — Hotel Internet Services (HIS), a full-service provider of internet services and solutions for the hospitality industry, has announced the successful implementation of its BeyondTV solution at the Cachet Boutique NYC, an ultra luxurious hotel in New York that serves as the U.S. flagship property for the Cachet Hospitality Group. Setting itself apart as an urban cultural oasis and with plans set to revive the world famous Playboy Club in Fall 201...
Danneman Hospitality and TKo Hospitality Management Open 132-Key SpringHill Suites by Marriott in Newark, Delaware
SpringHill Suites by Marriott | May 1, 2018
Newark, DE – May 1, 2018 – Marriott International announced that the SpringHill Suites by Marriott in Newark, Delaware is scheduled to open today. The 132-suite hotel, located at 402 Ogletown Road, will operate as a Marriott franchise, owned by Danneman Hospitality LLC and managed by TKo Hospitality Management of Newport, Delaware. General Manager Scott Craver and Director of Sales Stephanie Patterson lead the management team at the hotel. Whether traveling for business or pleasure the hotel offers guests convenient access to the University of Delaware, the Christiana Mall and Fashion Center, the Bob Carpenter Center, the ST...
Lodging Interactive Launches Industry First Real-Time Reputation Management
Lodging Interactive | May 1, 2018
PARSIPPANY, NJ – May 1, 2018 Lodging Interactive, an award winning digital marketing and social media engagement agency exclusively serving the hospitality industry, today announced the launch CoMMingle Live Real-Time Reputation Management for hotels and resorts. CoMMingle LiveSM provides the highest level of reputation management by writing and posting guest review responses on all major OTA's, social media platforms and for major hotel brands. The service also ensures franchised properties remain in compliance with brand guidelines while maximizing brand quality scores. "There is no question the guest review landscape continues ...
ALICE’s Gillian Feldman Returns to California to Scale Growth in the California Market
ALICE | April 30, 2018
New York - NY - ALICE Senior Sales Executive Gillian Feldman has relocated to Los Angeles to scale growth in the California market. 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. Following its $26M Series B funding in 2017, ALICE acquired California-based concierge software provider GoConcierge. The merger with GoConcierge has allowed ALICE to upgrade their services with existing clients and greatly accelerate the pace of new opportunities. More than two thousand hotels across the country and around the world ha...
Three Ways Hoteliers Can Increase Direct Bookings Today
Vizergy | April 30, 2018
With the constant evolution of the bookings landscape and the hospitality industry overall, comes the indefinite anxiety of optimizing marketing channels to maximize revenue and the questions of "could we be doing more to boost direct bookings?", "How do we decrease customer acquisition costs?", or "how can we minimize revenue lost to OTAs via commissions?" The one initiative within the hospitality space that major brands have taken on with a fury and huge marketing spend is the push to drive more direct bookings and pull business away from Online Travel Agents (OTAs) which charge hotels ever-rising commissions for bookings. While book...
Two Roads Hospitality Assumes Management of The Elms Hotel & Spa in Excelsior Springs, Missouri as Part of Destination Hotels Brand
Destination Hotels | April 30, 2018
DENVER, CO. – April 30, 2018 - Two Roads Hospitality, the international lifestyle company featuring an unrivaled collection of truly individual hotels, resorts and vacation residences, has assumed management of The Elms Hotel & Spa in Excelsior Springs, Missouri as part of its Destination Hotels brand. Located 30 minutes from Kansas City and owned by Chicago-based Horizon-Midway Group with Horizon Hotel Group as its asset management company, The Elms is located 30 minutes from Kansas City, offering luxury and comfort in a historically vibrant setting with 16 acres of landscaped grounds and gardens. The property has served as a...
AccorHotels Appoints Ian Ricci as Vice President of Development for Canada and the Caribbean
AccorHotels | April 30, 2018
AccorHotels North & Central America has announced the appointment of Ian Ricci as Vice President of Development, Canada & Caribbean. In his new role, he is responsible for overseeing the corporate development strategy for AccorHotels' expanding portfolio in Canada and the Caribbean. "We are excited to welcome Ian, as his extensive financial background and hospitality industry experience will be complementary to the team and positively contribute to amplifying the Group's presence in North & Central America," said Greg Doman, Senior Vice President, Development North & Central America, Luxury Hotels Americas & Resident...
Radisson Hotel Group Appoints Saurabh Prakash as Vice President, Commercial, Asia Pacific
Radisson Hotel Group | April 30, 2018
Radisson Hotel Group has appointed Saurabh Prakash as its new Vice President, Commercial, Asia Pacific. Based at the company's Asia Pacific headquarters in Singapore, Saurabh is a member of the Asia Pacific executive committee and will oversee all aspects of the region's commercial activities, including sales, revenue optimization, distribution, marketing and loyalty. "Saurabh's appointment comes at a pivotal time in our company's history, where we are embarking on a major five-year strategic plan to transform and expand our operations," said Katerina Giannouka, President, Radisson Hotel Group, Asia Pacific. "With his proven track recor...
Mr. Suraj Kumar Jha Joins as General Manager at Hotel Crowne Plaza Today Gurugram
Crowne Plaza Today Gurugram | April 30, 2018
Gurugram, April 30, 2018: Mr. Suraj Kumar Jha has been appointed as the General Manager of Hotel Crowne Plaza Today Gurugram – the best city hotel in Gurugram, part of the InterContinental Hotels Group. Prior to this appointment, he was the General Manager with Holiday Inn Mumbai International Airport for over 4 years. Before joining IHG, he served as the General Manager at Hotel Radisson Blu Greater Noida. Earlier, he has worked with Zuri Hotels & Resorts, Unitech's Hospitality arm for the development of Marriott hotels, and Radisson, among others. With a career spanning over two decades of experience in operations, developme...
Hotel Talisa, Vail Appoints Jay R. Spickelmier as Executive Chef
Hotel Talisa | April 30, 2018
Vail, Colo (April 30, 2018) – Hotel Talisa, Vail is excited to announce that Jay R. Spickelmier has been appointed as Executive Chef. With over 15 years of experience in the restaurant and hospitality industries, Chef Spickelmier will oversee the hotel's culinary operations, including Gessner, the hotel's full-service restaurant. A native of Denver, Colorado, Chef Spickelmier joined the former Vail Cascade Resort and Spa in 2011 as The Chef De Cuisine. He remained an integral part of the team as the property underwent a $65+ million renovation, reopening as Hotel Talisa, Vail in November 2017. "I truly enjoyed being a part of Hote...
Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Appoints Alvin Wong as New Director of Sales and Marketing
Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa | April 30, 2018
HONOLULU, HI (April 30, 2018) – Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa announces the appointment of Alvin Wong as the new Director of Sales and Marketing for the resort. A seasoned hospitality veteran, Wong possesses an extensive knowledge of the hospitality industry and the unique qualities of the islands of Hawaii, having previously worked at Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, Sheraton Princess Kaiulani, Sheraton Kauai Resort, Renaissance Ilikai Waikiki Hotel and the Hawaii Prince Waikiki Hotel. Prior to his appointment at Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa, Wong served as Director of Sales and Marketing at Wa...
It’s a New Cycle for South Florida Hotels
Max Comess | April 30, 2018
Real estate indicators from HFF managing director Max Comess and director Alexandra Lalos in HFF's Miami office. Although debatable in terms of the national hotel market, one thing is for certain: We are in the early innings of a new cycle for the South Florida hotel market. Looking back at history, Miami and its neighboring markets (Broward and Palm Beach over to Naples and down to the Keys) emerged from the Great Recession on the leading edge of the top 25 U.S. hotel markets and have generally been a leader in growth and forward indication of the broader national market this cycle. Miami has emerged as the No. 1 U.S. market for Re...
The HVS Quarterly Macau Update
Christy Tung | April 30, 2018
By Christy Tung and Daniel J. Voellm With the introduction of various family-oriented resorts in the Cotai Strip, more diversified tourist base is embracing Macau as a destination, as compared to the casino crowd in the downtown area of old. The wide range of activities offered in these resorts, from gaming to non-gaming, have led tourists to visit Macau. The newly-opened resorts induced demand, notably tourists from mainland China, South Korea, and Japan, which greatly improved hotel performance in both occupancy and average rate (ADR). Macau Visitor Arrivals The results of diversifying Macau tourism from solely a gaming hub to a famil...
2018 Hospitality Industry Outlook – Let the Good Times Roll… for Now
Stuart Pallister | April 30, 2018
by Stuart Pallister The International Hotel Investment Forum held in March (IHIF2018) presents an opportunity to sit back and take stock of where the industry is heading. As Hospitality Insights reported a year ago, the economic outlook at the time was cautious, but the pace of structural change in the industry was accelerating. This year, there was plenty of optimism despite some 'clouds on the horizon' in terms of the economy. There is an absolute wall of money looking at the hotel sector at the moment, said Keith Lindsay, Managing Director EMEA with CBRE Hotels, at the start of a panel discussion on investor's intentions in 2018 an...
Salamander Hotels & Resorts Appoints David Mars as General Manager of The Henderson in Destin, Florida
Salamander Hotels & Resorts | April 30, 2018
DESTIN, FL (April 30, 2018) – Salamander Hotels & Resorts, the luxury hotel company founded by Sheila Johnson, has appointed David Mars as general manager of The Henderson, a Salamander Beach & Spa Resort – northwest Florida's premier luxury destination. Mars brings more than two decades of experience and leadership within the hospitality industry to the position. He joins The Henderson in Destin, FL, after eight years with Montage Hotels & Resorts, where he was the general manager of Spanish Peaks Mountain Club in Big Sky, MT. Previously, he was the resort manager at Montage Deer Valley in Park City, UT, and...
Extended Stay America Appoints Brian T. Nicholson as Chief Financial Officer
Extended Stay America | April 30, 2018
CHARLOTTE, N.C., April, 2018 -- Extended Stay America, Inc. ("ESA") and its paired-share REIT, ESH Hospitality, Inc. ("ESH"), (NYSE:STAY) (collectively, the "Company") today announced that Brian T. Nicholson will be appointed to serve as the next Chief Financial Officer of both companies prior to their May 16, 2018 annual meetings of shareholders. Mr. Nicholson, 48, returns to the Company after serving in executive roles with multi-unit, consumer-facing companies over the past three years. Since 2016, he has served as Chief Financial Officer for The Fresh Market, Inc., a specialty food retailer with over 175 stores, where he also served...
Best Western Hotels & Resorts to Launch BW Premier Collection in Vietnam With 2019 Opening of Saint Simeon Resort
April 30, 2018
(Bangkok – April 30, 2018) Best Western Hotels & Resorts has unveiled plans to launch its BW Premier Collection brand in Vietnam, with a new upscale beach resort in one of the country's most exciting up-and-coming coastal destinations. Saint Simeon Resort, BW Premier Collection is currently under construction in Vung Tau, the largest city in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province on Vietnam's south-central coast, overlooking the East Sea. Exuding contemporary elegance with sharp lines and a sleek design, this resort will showcase the very best of modern Vietnamese hospitality. Just 100 km or a two hour drive from Ho Chi Minh City, Vung Tau ...
Fort Partners and Four Seasons Celebrate Groundbreaking of New Hotel and Private Residences in Fort Lauderdale
Fort Partners | April 30, 2018
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – April 30, 2018 – Positioned along the Atlantic Ocean and the beaches of Fort Lauderdale, Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences Fort Lauderdale, developed by Fort Partners, breaks ground today to become the newest iconic global destination for Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. The development will offer unmatched access to a lifestyle of leading amenities, services and design and will include 90 Private Residences and 130 guest rooms. Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences Fort Lauderdale will mark the third collaboration between Four Seasons and Fort Partners, joining Four Seasons Resort Palm Beac...
Shree Hospitality & Best Western Break Ground on Brand’s First New-Build, Dual-Branded Hotel in Arizona
April 30, 2018
PHOENIX (April 30, 2018) – Best Western Hotels & Resorts celebrated the groundbreaking of the brand's first new-build, dual-branded hotel in Arizona, the home of the company's global headquarters. During a special morning event, members of the Best Western executive team and the hotel's ownership group, Sam Trivedi of Shree Hospitality LLC, welcomed local media and dignitaries with celebratory speeches. The Best Western Plus Executive Residency Phoenix-Happy Valley will combine the best of both brands, offering guests accommodations suitable for leisure, business, extended-stay travel – and everything in between. "Best W...
IDeaS Expands Partnership With Preferred Hotels & Resorts to Over 100 Properties
IDeaS | April 30, 2018
Luxury independent hotels worldwide use IDeaS technology to elevate revenue strategy MINNEAPOLIS – APRIL 30, 2018 – IDeaS Revenue Solutions (IDeaS) is proud to announce that more than 100 Preferred Hotels & Resorts properties have installed IDeaS revenue management technology. With nearly three decades of innovation in hospitality technology, IDeaS' solutions equip this group of independent hotels worldwide with a clear view of their data across more than 100 word-wide hotels with 22,000 guest rooms. Through pricing, forecasting and optimization strategies, Preferred Hotels & Resorts' properties have leveraged IDeaS ...
Fosun International Unveils Asia Pacific’s First Atlantis Resort in Sanya, China
Atlantis Sanya | April 30, 2018
SANYA, CHINA -- April 30, 2018 - China's first Atlantis resort in the city of Sanya has officially opened, culminating four years of anticipation for a CNY 11 billon (close to US Dollar two billion) project, developed by owning company - Fosun International and managed by reputable and global hospitality leisure brand operator, Kerzner International. Atlantis Sanya promises to redefine holidaymaking and propel Hainan Island into a new era of world-class hospitality and tourism. Atlantis Sanya's grand opening, which coincided with the 30th anniversary of Hainan Province Special Economic Zone festivities, was marked by a gala unve...
