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Industry Happenings
The Beverly Hilton Appoints Matthew Morgan as Executive Chef
The Beverly Hilton | March 27, 2018
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. – March 27, 2018 – The Beverly Hilton today announced the appointment of Chef Matthew Morgan as Executive Chef. In his new role, Morgan will oversee the menus and operations for the hotel's many high-profile events and galas, including the Golden Globe Awards Show, Oscar Nominee Luncheon, Pre-Grammy Gala and the Milken Institute's Global Conference. Additionally, he will be responsible for the menus and staff of signature restaurant, CIRCA 55, banquet operations and in-room dining. "Chef Morgan was a natural selection as our new Executive Chef," said Sandy Murphy, general manager for The Beverly Hilton....
Prince Hotels & Resorts Names Brad Doell as Director of Sales and Marketing for Hawaii’s Mauna Kea Resort
Prince Resorts Hawaii | March 27, 2018
HAPUNA BEACH, HI (March 27, 2018) – Mauna Kea Resort, the crown jewel of the Kohala Coast and home to Mauna Kea Beach Hotel and Hapuna Beach Resort, announced today the strategic executive appointment of Brad Doell as director of sales and marketing. This addition to the management team marks an exciting time for Mauna Kea Resort as it is poised to introduce the transformation of Hapuna Beach Resort to The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort in spring 2018 following a multi-million-dollar renovation. "Building a strong and forward-thinking executive team that inspires others is our priority," said Craig Anderson, vice president of resort o...
Grace Hotels Appoints Alice Bouman as General Manager for Grace Vanderbilt in Newport, Rhode Island
Grace Vanderbilt | March 27, 2018
March, 2018 (Newport, Rhode Island): Grace Hotels (www.gracehotels.com), the award-winning luxury hotel group, announces the appointments of hospitality veteran Alice Bouman as General Manager and culinary expert Anthony Theocaropoulos as Executive Chef at Grace Vanderbilt. In her new role as General Manager, Bouman will oversee the day-to-day management of the property including all staff, guest services, and marketing initiatives. With nearly 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Bouman joins the Grace team following her role as Resort Manager at the Wequassett Resort and Golf Club in Harwich, Massachusetts. Overseeing a...
Bettina Haeberle Appointed Area Director, Sales & Marketing for Bürgenstock Selection
March 27, 2018
LUCERNE, Switzerland, March 27, 2018 –Bettina Haeberle has been appointed to the new position of Area Director of Sales & Marketing for the Bürgenstock Selection that encompasses the new Bürgenstock Hotels & Resort Lake Lucerne, the Royal Savoy Hotel & Spa in Lausanne and the Hotel Schweizerhof Bern & THE SPA. In addition to directing sales and marketing campaigns and initiatives for the hospitality group, she will also oversee the sales offices and the public relations agencies in the U.S., UK, Germany, Middle East and Asia. Ms. Haeberle will focus her efforts on the Bürgenstock Resort, Switzerland&...
Wharf Hotels Promotes Jorgen Christensen General Manager of New Luxury Sky Hotel, Niccolo Changsha
Wharf Hotels | March 27, 2018
27 March 2018 (Hong Kong) – Wharf Hotels is pleased to announce the promotion of Mr Jorgen Christensen as General Manager of Niccolo Changsha, slated to open towards the end of 2018, as the fourth contemporary urban chic hotel under the Niccolo Hotels collection. Crowning the top floors of Changsha International Finance Square (IFS), the 452-metre towering city landmark is comprised of a luxury sky hotel, Niccolo Changsha, high-fashion retail and corporate offices. IFS is located in the Hunan capital's premier address, Furong District, a new entertainment and business hub. Jorgen will oversee the new hotel's 243 sophisticated gues...
Omni Hotels & Resorts Promotes Daniel Surette to Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing
Omni Hotels & Resorts | March 27, 2018
DALLAS (March 27, 2018) – Omni Hotels & Resorts today announced Daniel Surette's promotion to senior vice president of sales and marketing. In his role, Surette will continue to lead the brand's sales strategy to position Omni as a leader in the luxury hospitality marketplace. In addition, he will oversee revenue management, marketing and loyalty. Surette will continue to report to newly appointed president, Peter Strebel. "In the short time Dan has been with the Omni family, he's successfully implemented changes throughout the business, not only positively impacting his teams, but also the brand as a whole," said Peter Strebe...
BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, Names Eric Gavin Senior Vice President Sales & Marketing
March 27, 2018
The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, March 2018 … BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, has appointed Eric Gavin senior vice president sales & marketing. This marks a return to Benchmark for Mr. Gavin. Ted Davis, chief sales and marketing officer, made the announcement on behalf of the company. "I am very pleased to welcome Eric back to Benchmark," said Mr. Davis. "He returns to us at a time when we are growing rapidly and ramping up our sales and marketing talent. Eric brings exceptional leadership experience and previous success in sales operations at the regional and national level. We are glad to have him back with us ...
Orchard Hotels of San Francisco Partners With Hotel Internet Services to Implement Advanced Wi-Fi With Voice-Activated Television and Casting Solution
Hotel Internet Services, Inc. | March 27, 2018
Eco-Friendly boutique hotel brand enhances guest internet with HIS Wi-Fi and adds content casting with integrated Amazon Alexa voice-controlled BeyondTV system San Francisco — March 27, 2018 — Hotel Internet Services (HIS), a full-service provider of internet services and solutions for the hospitality industry, has announced the successful installation of its industry-leading Wi-Fi and BeyondTV platforms at the Orchard Hotel and Orchard Garden Hotel in San Francisco, California. Although located in a city well known for technology innovation, both properties suffered from the common issue of poor quality internet connection...
Riegel Extending Table Linen Life With colorGUARD Technology
Riegel Linen | March 27, 2018
Riegel spun-polyester linen products with colorGUARD are worry-free for laundries [Johnston, S.C.— March 27, 2018] — Textile degradation is an ongoing problem in the hospitality industry. Whites don't stay white . . . stripes fade and bleed . . . and the colors Ivory, Sandalwood and Black and can be unstable. To prevent these problems, Riegel, a division of Mount Vernon Mills, has created Linen Life solutions™, a worry-free textile program that uses colorGUARD™ technology to extend the lifecycle of the textile and ensure a color-rich product from the first wash to the last. "Laundries have been dealing with shade...
Travel and Hospitality Tech Innovator Felix Laboy Joins NAVIS Advisory Board
NAVIS | March 27, 2018
Former Sabre Hospitality and WayBlazer executive joins as the newest member of NAVIS board BEND, Ore. (March 27, 2018) – NAVIS, the leader in reservation sales and marketing technology for hotels, resorts and vacation rentals, announced that industry visionary Felix Laboy has joined its board. Laboy joins an elite advisory team which includes Tom Gonser, founder of DocuSign, and Sanjay Dholakia, former Chief Marketing Officer of Marketo. Felix Laboy has three decades of experience across a wide-ranging portfolio of leadership positions in the hotel, travel and technology industry. Most recently, he was CEO of WayBlazer, the world'...
StayNTouch Brings PMS Mobility to Innovative New Brand, Origin Hotel
StayNTouch Inc. | March 27, 2018
Bethesda, MD – MARCH, 27th 2018 – StayNTouch, an innovator in mobile technology and Property Management Systems (PMS) for hotels, is pleased to announce it has partnered with the Origin Hotel, a new hotel brand focused on local experiences. StayNTouch has deployed its Rover PMS™ and Zest™ products at the first Origin Hotel in Red Rocks, Colorado with plans for deployment at upcoming hotels in Lexington, Kentucky, Raleigh, North Carolina and Westminster, Colorado. "Our focus is on expanding the hotel guest experience by sharing the best places to eat, drink and things to do in our communities" said Martin Hanson o...
OpenTravel Hosts Series of Virtual Hackathons, With the First Taking Place Now!
OpenTravel Alliance | March 27, 2018
OpenTravel is accepting hackathon submissions until April 8 AUSTIN, TEXAS, USA (March 27, 2018) — OpenTravel Alliance (OpenTravel) is hosting a series of virtual hackathons, with the first taking place now. Register and submit your web-based application until April 8, 2018. The online event, sponsored by LinksRez, is designed to enhance the experience of the connected travel consumer. The challenge includes creating a web-based application that enhances the connected consumer's travel experience in a unique way, utilizing at least one of the provided APIs that implement OpenTravel messaging. API providers include: LinksRez, IATA a...
The Rainmaker Group Kicks Off 2018 With Record-Setting Performance
Rainmaker | March 27, 2018
Company experiences astounding sales increase of 187 percent year-over-year ALPHARETTA, GA – March 27, 2018 – The Rainmaker Group (Rainmaker), a leading provider of cloud-based hospitality revenue and profit optimization software, today announced that it has kicked off 2018 with record-breaking performance and growth. In January alone, the company experienced a sales increase of 187 percent year-over-year. In addition, the company's service revenue, which includes pricing services and revenue best practices consulting, showed an increase of 107 percent. In January and February, Rainmaker expanded its reach in both the number...
Affordable Durable Terry Slippers for Hotels Spas
Petop | March 27, 2018
The Peptop Hospitality Collection offers a complete line of hotel slippers, indoor slippers, spa slippers, Bedroom slippers, airplane slippers, etc, used widely in the hotels, airplanes, sanatoriums and workshops. Slippers from The Peptop Hospitality Collection may be either plain or printed or embroidered as per the customers' needs. The size of the slippers may be between 11 inches to 8 inches and may be custom made as per your wish. We also have velour and towel slippers that may be washed a several times. They are popular options in slippers we have. We can also print or embroider your initials and write your name. If you want busin...
Fulcrum Hospitality LLC Completes Another Hotel Acquisition and Adds to Senior Leadership Team
Fulcrum Hospitality LLC | March 26, 2018
The Seattle Marriott Redmond Hotel marks Fulcrum's 11th acquisition, while Ellen Brown is the latest senior industry executive to join Fulcrum's team. New York, NY - March 27, 2018 – This morning, Fulcrum Hospitality LLC ("Fulcrum") announced the acquisition of the 262-room Seattle Marriott Redmond Hotel in Redmond, Washington, partnering with a fund managed by AllianceBernstein, L.P. Marriott International, Inc. will continue to operate the property. Fulcrum will also serve as asset manager of the hotel on behalf of the collective ownership group. "We are thrilled to be investing in a hotel strategically located in the heart of s...
SCG America and Interstate Hotels & Resorts Open DoubleTree by Hilton Pomona Following Multi-Million Dollar Renovation
SCG America | March 26, 2018
POMONA, Ca. - DoubleTree by Hilton, one of Hilton's 14 market-leading brands, opens its doors today to DoubleTree by Hilton Pomona. Following a multi-million-dollar renovation, guests arriving to the San Jose Hills can enjoy the hotel's complete facility redesign, enhanced technology features, eco-friendly structures, including the new Vita Italian Bar & Grill for on-property dining experiences. This modern property is the perfect getaway for travelers seeking city experiences or looking to bask in mountain views. Ideally situated 30 minutes from Los Angeles, Calif., the hotel is just moments away from Pomona Fairplex & ...
Pavilions Hotels & Resorts Appoints Ellen van Wittmarschen as General Manager of The Toren Amsterdam
The Pavilions Hotels & Resorts | March 26, 2018
(HONG KONG, 26 March 2018) Ellen van Wittmarschen, General Manager of The Toren Amsterdam, has successfully transitioned the stylish, highly-rated boutique hotel to The Pavilions Hotels collection in the heart of one of Europe's most desirable cities. The Toren Amsterdam was recently voted Number 1 in The Netherlands for Service as part of the TripAdvisor Traveler's Choice Awards 2018. A proven leader with 25 years of experience, Ellen has worked with some of the biggest names in the hospitality industry over the course of her career, including Hilton, Accor Hotels and Carlton Hotel Collection. She now brings her extensive knowledge...
Capstone Development Selects Chartwell Hospitality to Manage Eleven New Properties
Chartwell | March 26, 2018
Chartwell Hospitality, a Tennessee-based development and third-party management company, is set to manage 11 properties owned by Capstone Development. The company has managed eight additional Capstone hotels for the past several years. "Our relationship began with Capstone in 2014, when they purchased the Hampton Inn & Suites Elliston Place and Hampton Inn Vanderbilt/West End in Tennessee," Kevin Green, COO of Chartwell Hospitality, said in a statement. Over the ensuing years, both companies sought out other opportunities to partner hotels and management agreements. "Two years later, Chartwell Hospitality sold Capstone six hotels in...
Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort & Spa Names Erin Patin as Director of Sales and Marketing
Hyatt Regency Lost Pines | March 26, 2018
Austin, Texas (March 26, 2018) – Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort & Spa, one of Texas' leading resorts located right outside Austin, has announced Erin Patin as its new Director of Sales and Marketing. She joins the property from Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa where she was Director of Group Sales. "We are thrilled to welcome Erin to the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines team," said Dave Jacobs, General Manager at Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort & Spa. "Given her tremendous amount of skill, enthusiasm, and the proven ability to drive results with her vast experience working with Hyatt, I am very excited to have her onboard." As...
Emaar Hospitality Group Appoints Mehdi Morad as General Manager for Dubai’s Address Boulevard
Address Hotels + Resorts | March 26, 2018
Dubai, UAE; March 26, 2018: Emaar Hospitality Group has appointed Mehdi Morad as General Manager of Address Boulevard, a city lifestyle resort in Downtown Dubai that has established its credentials as one of the most sought-after hospitality destinations in the city. Address Boulevard opened in 2017 under Emaar Hospitality Group's Address Hotels + Resorts, the premium luxury hotel and serviced residences brand. Mehdi's focus will be on strengthening the positioning of the hotel, delivering the promised aspirational hospitality standards, and undertaking new initiatives to drive operational performance and productivity. Mehdi has a prove...
Next Story Group Appoints Darren Edmonstone as CEO and Andreas Flaig as Group Chief Development Officer
Next Story Group | March 26, 2018
March 26, 2018 – Anand Nadathur, Group Chief Executive Officer of Singapore-based Next Story Group, today announced two key additions to his executive team in support of the group's ambitious expansion. Next Story Group welcomes Darren Edmonstone as Chief Executive Officer of Next Hotels & Resorts, and Andreas Flaig as Group Chief Development Officer. Formerly known as SilverNeedle Hospitality, the company transformed itself into Next Story Group in 2017 through the acquisition of Brand Karma, a pioneer in hospitality social media, digital marketing, and virtual reality; and the launch of Kafnu, a new lifestyle-oriented shared...
Hospitality Financial Leadership – Creating and Using Your Own Labor Productivity Tools
David Lund | March 26, 2018
By David Lund With major wage increases in many jurisdictions, it is more important than ever to have a system for planning and measuring labor productivity in your hotel. This article explains how you can do this and it is not just for the big boys, you can utilize this system in any size operation. I am working with a client who is just in the throes of getting this going in one of his hotels. It is a bit of work but well worth the effort as the results are going to pay off big time. I want to share what is working for him because I know it will work for you as well. The first thing to create is a baseline for current productivity in ...
AVANI Signs With ALFAHIM for AVANI Hotel Suites & Branded Residences in Dubai Set for 2020 Opening
AVANI Hotels & Resorts | March 26, 2018
Bangkok, March 26, 2018: AVANI Hotels & Resorts is thrilled to announce an exciting new addition to its growing pipeline with the signing of AVANI Hotel Suites & Branded Residences currently being developed in Dubai by ALFAHIM, one of the UAE's largest conglomerates. Scheduled to open in 2020, the 48-story new-build property will be the third AVANI in Dubai and will represent the launch of AVANI residences in the region. Offering great visibility for the brand, AVANI Hotel Suites & Branded Residences will be located in a prime area of the city, directly overlooking the iconic Palm Jumeirah, adjacent to Dubai Marina and Media...
What Do Young Hoteliers Look for in Their Career?
Young Hoteliers Summit and the Rankings | March 26, 2018
What motivates a recently graduated student to work for an international hospitality brand? If you are unsure about the answer to this question, you might risk losing the race for talent. In the new era of asset light strategies, the acquisition and retention of young talent is becoming a strategic function for global hospitality companies. Winning companies should embrace new talent strategies to outperform their competitors in their respective markets, and better prepare for upcoming challenges from disruptive hospitality companies. For the 9th year in a row, the Young Hoteliers Summit Employer Rankings Report explores career path mot...
