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Industry Happenings
The HVS Quarterly Taiwan Update
Christy Tung | April 19, 2018
By Christy Tung and Daniel J Voellm The positive impact from Taiwan's tourism source market diversification supported its increase in visitor arrivals, which witnessed a 10.1% YoY rise to 3.1 million in 2017 quarter four. To compensate for the loss of mainland Chinese tour groups, Taiwan strategically improved its relationships with other Asian countries, particularly in Southeast Asian countries. Notably, South Korea passed the 1 million visitor arrivals mark in the fourth quarter. Amid the shift of source markets, hotel players in Taiwan experienced the rebalancing towards more value-based demand. Overall Visitor Arrivals From the tim...
Olympia Hotel Management Wins 4 Prestigious Brand Awards from Hilton Garden Inn and an Award from Hampton Inn
Olympia Hotel Management | April 18, 2018
April 19, 2018. Portland, Maine. Olympia Hotel Management has won prestigious recognition from Hilton Garden Inn and Hampton Inn for two properties that it manages, continuing its history of best in brand performance with Hilton. Four 2017 brand awards were given to The Hilton Garden Inn Durham-University Medical Center in North Carolina by Hilton Garden Inn, which recognized the exceptional performance of both the hotel and its team members from a field of more than 700 HGI hotels worldwide. The Hilton Garden Inn Durham-University Medical Center won: Connie Hotel of the Year in North America, named after Hilton founder Conrad Hilton ...
Craving M&Ms! Brand, Management, and Strategy
Georges Panayotis | April 18, 2018
By Georges Panayotis M&MS these are three magic letters to keep as a mantra. M for marque -brand- an image and notoriety that are indispensables to any company. M for management because without people, without their skills, a company is nothing. And, finally, S, for strategy, because without any long-term vision, a business cannot survive. To keep brands alive, it is necessary to be surrounded by designers, marketers, disruptors, chief digital officers who can develop brands and attractive products. Thanks to the creativity of the human mind they will find a way to speak to the client more readily than any algorithm or computer. It ...
Guests Take Mobile Control of Their Journey With Maestro PMS Pre Check-In, Privacy Options, and Amenity Requests
Maestro PMS | April 18, 2018
Mobile Pre-Arrival Requests for Amenities, Parking, Early Check-In Empower Staff To Provide High-Touch Service Markham, Ontario – April 18, 2018 – Mobile convenience is an essential and expected part of today's guest journey. Maestro PMS property software offers operators and guests a complete variety of mobile guest services that begin with pre-registration, pre-arrival amenity requests, mobile check-in, and in-house service requests. Maestro PMS President Warren Dehan said, "We understand the importance of mobile to our clients and their guests. Maestro provides an array of mobile-driven property software systems that str...
The Hotel Group Reopens the Kansas City Airport Marriott Following a Multi-Million Dollar Renovation
The Hotel Group | April 18, 2018
Seattle, WA (April 18, 2018) – The Hotel Group, (THG) an award-winning hotel management and ownership company, celebrated the completion of the multi-million-dollar transformational renovation of its Marriott in Kansas City, Missouri, located at 775 Brasilia Avenue. "We are excited to officially open our doors and welcome the community to our new Marriott Kansas City Airport," said Douglas Dreher, President and CEO. "Our recent renovation has not only transformed our property, yet reimagined it. This is the largest renovation in our company history and the thoughtful and innovative updates will allow us to maximize the hotels airp...
Atlanta Marriott Perimeter Center Undergoing Multimillion-Dollar Transformation
Atlanta Marriott Perimeter Center | April 18, 2018
ATLANTA, Ga. (April 18, 2018) – This summer, guests and meeting planners at the Atlanta Marriott Perimeter Center will discover a wide range of updated amenities and enhanced meeting spaces, as the landmark hotel completes its nine-month, multimillion-dollar renovation. In addition to the hotel's 18,000 square feet of meeting space, the renovation encompasses numerous exterior cosmetic changes and major improvements to all 344 guestrooms. "The transformation is truly remarkable and is bringing the property up to a new modern standard befitting our location in one of Atlanta's fastest growing business and leisure travel areas," sai...
AccorHotels Signs With DMCC for First SO/ Project in the Middle East Set for 2020 Opening in Dubai
Epelboim Development Group | April 18, 2018
Dubai, April 18, 2018 – SO/, AccorHotels' audacious and spirited luxury brand, has announced its debut property in the Middle East with the SO/ Uptown Dubai. The disruptive art and experience driven property will fully embody the concept of a Kaleidoscopic Utopia, reflecting Dubai's urban charm with the hotel's convention-defying, colorful and lively design concepts. SO/ Uptown Dubai, set to open to guests by late 2020, will feature 188 rooms in addition to 215 branded residences. Inspired by edgy and bold architecture, interiors for the luxury property will be brought to life by the Rockwell Group, featuring modular and contempor...
KSL Capital Partners and Davidson Hotels & Resorts Acquire Florida’s 349-Room Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort for $190 Million
Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort | April 18, 2018
DENVER, April 18, 2018 -- KSL Capital Partners, LLC (KSL), a private equity firm specializing in travel and leisure investments, is pleased to announce that an affiliate of KSL has acquired the Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort, the oceanfront resort and entertainment destination located on the Hollywood Beach Broadwalk in Hollywood, Florida. The 349 guest room and suite flagship property for the Margaritaville brand offers an abundance of live entertainment in an oceanfront setting and features eight diverse restaurant and bar concepts, a full-service spa and three pools providing the ideal venue for guests to kick back and enjoy t...
Suburban Capital, Inc. to Develop $26.3 Million Hyatt Place at Pembroke Park in Virginia Beach
| April 18, 2018
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (April 18, 2018) — Suburban Capital, Inc., a privately held commercial real estate company headquartered in Virginia Beach since 2000, announced plans to build a 92,000-square-foot Hyatt Place at Pembroke Park at 281 Independence Blvd. The company owns and operates more than 2,500,000 square feet of commercial real estate in six states throughout the Southeast. Suburban Capital's portfolio is comprised of office, retail, hotel and industrial properties, as well as Happy Boxes, a proprietary self-storage brand with more than 6,000 units. "This announcement of Hyatt Place continues to validate Town Center and our...
RIU Hotels & Resorts Acquires Zanzibar’s Hideaway of Nungwi Resort & Spa from Emerald Hotels
RIU Hotels & Resorts | April 18, 2018
RIU Hotels & Resorts has just added Zanzibar to the catalogue of exotic destinations the chain offers to its loyal customers. The Riu Palace Zanzibar is a luxury hotel with 102 rooms and suites located on the northern tip of Unguja, the main island of the archipelago of Zanzibar, less than an hour from the airport and the capital, Zanzibar City, the centre of which is known as Stone Town. RIU formalised the purchase of the hotel today, 18 April 2018, from the Emerald hotel chain, which up to now has operated the hotel as the Hideaway of Nungwi Resort & Spa. The New Riu Palace Zanzibar will be the perfect complement to RIU's ...
IHG® Signs Agreement With Al Hokair Hospitality for Development of at Least 10 Holiday Inn Express® Hotels in Saudi Arabia
IHG | April 18, 2018
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG®), one of the world's leading hotel companies, has signed a Master Development Agreement (MDA) with Saudi Arabian business conglomerate, Al Hokair Group, which will see the debut of Holiday Inn Express® brand in Saudi Arabia, with a rollout of at least 10 Holiday Inn Express® hotels over next 15 years. This significant development, which was announced at Arabian Hotel Investment Conference (AHIC), complements IHG's robust pipeline in the Kingdom and cements its position as one of the leading operators in the country, as well as consolidating its partnership with the Al Hokair Group. Al Hoka...
MCR Acquires SpringHill Suites by Marriott Richmond North Glen Allen in Virginia for $10.85 Million
MCR | April 18, 2018
NEW YORK – April 18, 2018 – MCR, the seventh largest hotel owner-operator in the United States, today announced that it has acquired the 136-room SpringHill Suites by Marriott Richmond North Glen Allen located in Glen Allen, VA, for $10.85 million. The property is located at the intersection of I-295 and I-95, with close proximity to major distribution hubs and corporate office parks. "We are pleased to make this investment in the Richmond area, a region MCR has successfully invested in previously," said Tyler Morse, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Partner of MCR. "Given the variety of demand generators and the continue...
L’Auberge Del Mar Taps Summer Shoemaker as Operations Director
April 18, 2018
SAN DIEGO – L'Auberge Del Mar, A Destination Hotel, has tapped Summer Shoemaker as director of operations for the 121-room seaside resort located just north of San Diego. In her new position, Shoemaker will oversee guest services, culinary operations, spa and housekeeping operations and report directly to L'Auberge Del Mar's general manager Terry Buchholz. "We are thrilled to have Summer join our team," said Buchholz. "She is an experienced hotel and event operations professional whose experience and passion for the hotel industry will be instrumental to our day-to-day operations." Shoemaker spent over 10 years with Estancia H...
Javier Tor Appointed New Director for Marketing and Business Management, OD Hotels
OD Hotels | April 18, 2018
Madrid, Spain (April 18, 2018) -- Balearic boutique hotel group OD Hotels has appointed Javier Tor Nuevo as Director for Marketing and Business Management. Based in the company's headquarters in Ibiza, Tor takes over management of the company's branding activities and assumes responsibility for the marketing of the company's five operating hotels, located in Ibiza, Mallorca and Barcelona. Additionally, Tor will lead the launch of the company's leap into the international market with OD Côte d'Azur and OD Miami opening in 2019 and 2020 respectively. The appointment is effective immediately. For over 20 years in the industry, Tor ha...
BENCHMARK® Names Scott Ward Director of Sales & Marketing for Santa Barbara Beach & Golf Resort in Curacao
Santa Barbara Beach & Golf Resort | April 18, 2018
The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, April 2018… BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, has named Scott Ward director of sales and marketing for Santa Barbara Beach & Golf Resort, a Benchmark Resorts & Hotels property in Curacao. John MacMullen, Benchmark's regional director of sales and marketing for Florida and the Caribbean, made the announcement. "Scott has an impeccable reputation as a sales and marketing professional across the Caribbean region, so Benchmark jumped at the opportunity to secure him as part of our team," said Mr. MacMullen. "He is an experienced and knowledgeable leader who will bring new energy and...
Indian Hotels Company Limited to Debut Taj Brand in the Holy City of Makkah in Partnership With Umm Al Qura
Umm Al Qura (UAQ) | April 18, 2018
Mumbai, April 18, 2018: In a major milestone, The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) the leading hospitality company in South Asia, today announced its foray into the Holy City of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, with a partnership with Umm Al Qura Development and Construction Company in the prestigious King Abdul Aziz Road (KAAR) project, one of the largest urban rejuvenation projects in the city of Makkah. Commenting on the signing of this agreement, Mr. Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer at The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) said, "We are honored to partner with Umm Al Qura Development and Construction Compan...
Aqua-Aston Hospitality Appoints Chris Port as New Chief Development Officer
Aqua-Aston Hospitality | April 18, 2018
HONOLULU--Aqua-Aston Hospitality, a top hospitality company known for its owned brands in Hawaii, the continental United States, and Costa Rica, announced the appointment of Chris Port to the role of chief development officer. He reports to Kelvin Bloom, chief executive officer, Aqua-Aston Hospitality. In this role, Port is responsible for the expansion of Aqua-Aston Hospitality by optimizing the potential of its existing portfolio of hotels and resorts, and focusing on the company's growth in the markets it currently serves, as well as by identifying new markets. "We are very pleased to announce the addition of Chris to our execut...
SOPHY Hyde Park: A Groundbreaking Hotel Evokes the Best of Historic Hyde Park’s Architecture & Design
SOPHY Hyde Park | April 18, 2018
Chicago, IL – April 18, 2018. For locals and visitors alike, Hyde Park holds a unique place in the history of Chicago. This historic neighborhood, home to the University of Chicago and one of the most racially and culturally diverse areas in the city, has a rich legacy of intellectual, artistic and cultural innovation that continues to this day. The developers and designers of the first luxury boutique hotel in Chicago's South Side in over a generation took inspiration from this unique heritage when creating SOPHY Hyde Park. The name of this new 98-room boutique hotel is rooted in the Greek word "sophia," meaning wisdom and dedica...
Hotel & Club Associates, Inc. Appoints Zach Spurgeon to Partner
Hotel and Club Associates, Inc. | April 18, 2018
Greensboro, NC - Hotel & Club Associates, Inc. is pleased to announce that Zach Spurgeon, MAI, CHIA, has recently been promoted to Partner at the firm. Zach has been an associate with Hotel & Club for the past 12 years, concentrating on the valuation and feasibility of hotel properties nationwide. "We expect Zach to continue to enhance Hotel and Club's reputation for providing clients with thoroughly researched, well supported, and comprehensive value opinions and consultations," said David Pope, MAI, SRA, SGA the Principal at Hotel & Club Associates (HCA). Zach Spurgeon is a 2004 graduate of N.C. State University,...
U.S. Hotels Operating at Highest Level of Efficiency Since 1960
CBRE Group, Inc. | April 18, 2018
Cost Controls Perpetuate Profit Growth Atlanta – April 18, 2018 – U.S. hoteliers enjoyed an eighth consecutive year of increasing profits in 2017 despite another slowdown in the rate of revenue growth. According to the recently released 2018 edition of Trends® in the Hotel Industry by CBRE Hotels' Americas Research, total operating revenue increased by 2.0 percent in 2017 for the average hotel in its survey sample. Fortunately, by limiting the growth in operating expenses to 1.9 percent, managers at the Trends® properties realized a 2.2 percent increase in gross operating profits (GOP) for the year. "It is becoming i...
Top Three ‘Best US Hotels in 2018’ Rely on dormakaba Electronic Locks
dormakaba | April 18, 2018
Half of U.S. News & World Report 'Top Hotels Worldwide in 2018' Trust dormakaba Locks MONTREAL, QC, CANADA – April 18, 2018 – dormakaba, the provider of Saflok™ and Ilco™ electronic locks, congratulates its clients in the U.S. News & World Report 2018 'Best Hotels' list. The top three hotels in the publication's U.S. ranking are the Four Seasons Resort Lanai, The Peninsula Chicago, and The Langham, Chicago. All use dormakaba electronic locks for reliable, secure guestroom access. For more information on dormakaba electronic hotel locks, click here. The Langham, Chicago Director of Safety and Risk John Wa...
Owned by Ragosta Hotels Collection, Iconic 82-Key Palazzo Montemartini in Rome Joins Radisson Collection
Radisson Hotel Group | April 18, 2018
Brussels - April 18, 2018 - Radisson Hotel Group is excited to welcome the elegant Palazzo Montemartini in Rome to Radisson Collection, effective June 2018. Built back in 1881, Palazzo Montemartini is now a prestigious hotel in the heart of Rome, situated near the Baths of Diocletian and the church of Santa Maria degli Angeli designed by Michelangelo. In style and setting, Palazzo Montemartini is a true individual, embodying the essence of Radisson Collection – which combines great design with a truly authentic flavour, a vibrant social scene and a unique location. The Palazzo is made up of 82 stylish rooms and suites, as well as ...
HVS Market Pulse: New Orleans, LA
Lauren Hock | April 18, 2018
By Lauren Hock New Orleans has continually been voted one of the top leisure destinations in the country; in 2017, the city and select institutions ranked top on lists from Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure, Southern Living, and Food & Wine, among others. By March 2018, the city had earned new accolades from almost 30 publications, notably starting off the year as the first stop on the New York Times' "52 Places to Go in 2018." The city's visibility increased in many ways in 2017, from hosting the relocated NBA All-Star Game, to providing the backdrop for the movie Girl's Trip, and counting down to 2018 for the central ti...
Using Wine to Show How Much Customers Care About Industry Jargon
Larry Mogelonsky | April 18, 2018
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) To use wine as an case study but feel free to ruminate on your own example, a big part of the sales process is helping customers decide upon what bottle or glass to buy. While it's always a delight to exchange a few sentences with a fellow oenophile who understands some of unique qualities of specific growing regions or varietals, most of the time we end up dealing with beginners who know the difference between red, white and rose, and not much else. A problem arises when we attempt to sell to these neophytes by using jargon that they may not fully comprehend. The response to the qu...
