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Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals | June 25, 2024
Industry Happenings
Fairfield Inn & Suites Hotel To Open In Santa Fe, New Mexico
The Sage Agency | January 11, 2018
The 81-room Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott in Santa Fe, New Mexico is scheduled to open this Friday, January 12, 2018 with its smart, inventive public space and guest room design, and its bright and inviting décor. Located at 3625 Cerrillos Road, the Fairfield Inn & Suites Santa Fe will operate as a Marriott franchise, owned and managed by Fine Hospitality Group of Brea, California. Located four miles from historic Santa Fe Plaza featuring notable art galleries, museums and shops, the Fairfield Inn & Suites Santa Fe offers guests convenient access to Palace of the Governors, the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, the Canyon...
Five New Year’s Hotel Resolutions
Chamberlin Public Relations | January 10, 2018
Hoteliers, the New Year is a great chance to make some changes on how you run your property. If you're looking for some new ideas or inspiration for 2018, here are some resolutions you can make now that can have big payoffs by next December. 1. Enhance Your Website A good website will do so much more than show off pictures of your hotel. New technology makes connecting with potential guests easier than ever. From the moment they land on your website, you can start communicating through a chat program like Provide Support, MeOkay, or LiveChat - answering questions, fielding requests and giving a personal touch. Once the conv...
General Manager Susan Fierros Welcomes Guests to New Courtyard Hotel in Central Islip, New York
Courtyard by Marriott | January 10, 2018
Central Islip, NY – January 11, 2018 – Courtyard by Marriott Long Island Islip/Courthouse Complex is scheduled to open its doors in Central Islip, New York this Wednesday, January 10, 2018. Featuring an innovative lobby space as well as Courtyard's latest contemporary room design, the new hotel provides flexibility and choices that allow guests to optimize and elevate their travel experience. Located at 11 Court House Drive, the 125- room hotel will operate as a Marriott franchise, owned and managed by The Briad Group of Livingston, New Jersey. Whether traveling for business or pleasure, the Courtyard Long Island Islip/Court...
IHG Debuts in Algeria with Opening of 242-Room Holiday Inn Algiers – Cheraga Tower
January 10, 2018
New Delhi, India, 11th January, 2018: InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG®), one of the world's leading hotel companies, today announced the opening of Holiday Inn® Algiers – Cheraga Tower. This opening marks the company's debut in the country and with this addition, IHG now has 25 operational hotels across 9 countries in Africa. Featuring 242 well-equipped rooms, Holiday Inn® Algiers – Cheraga Tower is strategically located west of Algiers and is in close proximity to international business centres and embassies. Additionally, guests staying at the hotel will have easy access to popular tourist spots such as Down...
Holiday Inn Warsaw City Centre Opens in Poland Under Management Agreement with UBM Polska
January 10, 2018
IHG® (Intercontinental Hotels Group®), one of the world's leading hotel companies, is proud to announce the opening of Holiday Inn® Warsaw City Centre. Located on the border of Śródmieście and Wola at the junction of Żelazna, Złota and Twarda Streets, the hotel is an excellent choice for both business and leisure guests. Almost undergoing a complete rebuild after the war in 1945, Warsaw is fast becoming a destination for tourists from around the world. The city holds a story of how residents of Warsaw worked to reconstruct their city in part from the paintings of the Venetian painter Bernardo Bellotto, making it t...
Barceló Hotel Group Appoints Alejandro Sánchez as Executive Chef for Royal Hideaway Playacar
January 10, 2018
Riviera Maya, MEXICO, January 2018. Royal Hideaway Playacar, one of Barceló Hotel Group's star properties and a longtime leader of the Riviera Maya's hotel industry, is happy to announce that Chef Alejandro Sánchez has joined its team as the Gastronomic Director of the luxury resort. Sánchez' presence at Royal Hideaway Playacar will take the luxury resort's cuisine offerings to the next level – the Andalusian chef's resume boasts years of culinary experience, and includes a coveted Michelin Star. "With the addition of Chef Alejandro Sánchez as our Gastronomic Director at Royal Hideaway Playacar, the cul...
Casual Dining: A Fresh Perspective
Bill Conn | January 10, 2018
By Bill Conn and Greg Palmer Restaurant industry studies and reports have brought much attention to the shift in consumer choices and the flattening of year-over-year same store sales growth that the Casual Dining segment has been experiencing in recent years. However, there are still many exciting growth opportunities and ways that Casual Dining can flourish. Overall the restaurant industry is on the rise, with sales for 2017 expected to peak at around $800 billion according to the National Restaurant Association's 2017 Outlook report. While Full Service (which includes Casual Dining) is seeing a decline in sales growth the Full-Servic...
How a Small Guest Services Team Delivers Five-Star Service
ALICE | January 10, 2018
Luxury Napa Valley hideaway Milliken Creek Inn & Spa, a member of the prestigious Four Sisters Inns collection, is using ALICE's concierge technology, ALICE Concierge, to help their four-person front desk team provide guests with the kind of exceptional concierge service expected of a much larger team. Guests of Milliken Creek Inn, a 12-suite boutique that sits on a lush three acres overlooking the Napa River, count on the property's guest services team to help them take full advantage of everything this idyllic wine country hotel and locale have to offer. For the Inn's four front desk staff (who not only double as the property's co...
Lake Lawn Resort Selects Solution Suite from Rainmaker to Increase Profitability and Outperform the Competition
Rainmaker | January 10, 2018
Wisconsin Resort Implements Rainmaker's Industry-Leading Revenue Optimization Solutions ALPHARETTA, GA. — Jan. 11, 2018 — The Rainmaker Group (Rainmaker), a leading provider of cloud-based hospitality revenue and profit optimization software, today announced that Lake Lawn Resort in Delavan, Wis., has selected a comprehensive solution suite, including guestrev®, grouprev®, revcaster® and revintel®, to optimize hotel revenue and drive competitive advantage at the 271-room property. The agreement expands Rainmaker's footprint in the upscale hotel and resort market. Lake Lawn Resort, located less than 90 minutes...
Travelers Seeking Character and Amenities Before Luxury
Kacey Bradley | January 10, 2018
By Kacey Bradley With budget airlines and bus companies sweeping not just the nation, but also the world, traveling domestically and internationally has become more feasible for almost anyone. Whereas travelers may be willing to skimp when it comes to their transportation, however, there's one area of globetrotting where most are willing to splurge: their accommodations. The industry is experiencing a trend toward smaller boutique hotels and away from the typical massive hotel model. Why? A few reasons. For one thing, travelers are more interested in a hotel room that they can Instagram than a space that simply has the basics, like a be...
Why Your Guests Return, and Why They Don’t: Your Employees
Chris Dornfeld | January 10, 2018
By Chris Dornfeld Every company, to a greater or lesser extent, has to be about customer service. In the hospitality industry, it's much simpler than that. Hospitality is customer service. The people who make or break that guest experience are, of course, your employees. And not so much your highly trained, top-dollar employees, but those on the phones and on the floors and in the rooms day after day after day, interacting face to face with your guests. Those are substantial stakes. It's a grand opportunity if your employees are up to It. It's a curse if they're not. For the sake of your business, they have to be. And given the nature o...
Boutique & Lifestyle Lodging Association (BLLA) Connects Travel and Hospitality Industry Executives for 5th Annual Executive Women’s Conference in L
the Boutique & Lifestyle Lodging Association (BLLA) | January 10, 2018
Conference to feature hospitality, travel & tourism executives for one-day event, March 8th at the SLS Beverly Hills Hotel Los Angeles, CA, January 10, 2018 – BLLA is pleased to announce the fifth installment of the Executive Women's Conference, focusing on elevating the voice of women in an industry that benefits so much from their impassioned efforts. The event is taking place on March 8th which is International Women's Day. After the Golden Globe Awards Sunday night and the 'Times Up' message and action, this conference is perfectly positioned to bring together professional women who work in travel and hospitality. Internat...
Hotel Trends in Technology for 2018
Larry Mogelonsky | January 10, 2018
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) We all know that the future holds many fascinating possibilities about what can be adapted to improve the overall guest experience. The question is what should be acquired and implemented. With this as a guide, I've selected the following hospitality technology trends for the coming year not wholly on wow factor but far more so on practicality and ROI. 1. Wielding Your CRM It's been a long road from simply trying to comprehend what a CRM is to full data terminal integration and leveraging the inferences based from these interconnections. In 2018, those ambitious hoteliers who have f...
A Top Priority in 2018: 7 Steps to Achieve Hotel Website Accessibility and ADA Compliance
the Author and HEBS Digital | January 10, 2018
By Max Starkov Background: There are approximately 48.9 million Americans with some form of disability. People with disabilities spend over $17.3 billion annually on travel, and the economic impact is at least double that figure since many of them travel with at least one or two other adults (Open Doors Organization). The vast majority of them use the Internet to plan and book travel. Many travel consumers with disabilities use desktops, tablets, smartphones and other devices to access the Internet with the help of assistive technologies, including text-to-speech screen readers, refreshable Braille displays, keyboard navigation, and cap...
Austria Trend Hotels, in Partnership with Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, Open the Radisson Blu Park Royal Palace Hotel, Vienna
January 10, 2018
VIENNA / BRUSSELS - January 10, 2018 Radisson Blu, the iconic hotel brand driven by innovation and design, is proud to announce the opening of its second hotel in Vienna, Austria. The modern 233-room Radisson Blu Park Royal Palace Hotel, Vienna, a rebranding of an existing hotel, opened its doors under a new umbrella to offer memorable and unique experiences that meet the promises of the iconic, stylish and sophisticated hotel brand. The hotel is located next to Schönbrunn Palace – one of the most important cultural and historical monuments in the country. "The capital of Austria remains a focal market for our growth journey,...
Developed by BGR Mining & Infra Ltd., Hyatt Place Hyderabad/Banjara Hills Opens
Hyatt Place | January 10, 2018
CHICAGO (January 10, 2018) – Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) announced the opening of the first Hyatt Place hotel in Hyderabad, in the Indian state of Telangana. Developed by BGR Mining & Infra Ltd., Hyatt Place Hyderabad/Banjara Hills offers a fresh perspective on the uncomplicated stay experience that is a hallmark of the Hyatt Place brand. The Hyatt Place brand is rooted in extensive consumer insights indicating that guests seek stylish, comfortable, seamless experiences that accommodate guests' lifestyles and familiar routines. To embody this, the brand offers casual hospitality and purposeful service in a smartly desig...
Japan’s Hoshino Resorts to Launch New Hotel Brand, OMO, in Spring 2018
Hoshino Resorts | January 10, 2018
TOKYO -- The leading Japanese hotel management company, Hoshino Resorts Inc. (Yoshiharu Hoshino, CEO) is launching a new hotel brand, OMO, with its first hotel scheduled to open doors in spring 2018. This is the company's fourth hotel brand, following HOSHINOYA, RISONARE, and KAI. OMO will cater to tourists who normally stay at medium-range economy hotels that are frequented by business travelers, but who are seeking accommodation that is more personal and tourism-oriented. Hotels will be built in city centers rather than in traditional resort areas. The first two will be launched in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, and Otsuka, Tokyo. Brand Concept...
Interview: First Hotels – A Hotel Technology Perspective
StayNTouch | January 10, 2018
In an Interview, Johan Applegren, Manager Cost & Revenue Center at Tribe Hotels AS shared his insights about finding a new PMS platform for First Hotels and why they selected StayNTouch® As head of a newly established center with a focus on revenue management, analysis, business development and cost efficiency at all Tribe owned hotels (First Hotels) in Scandinavia, Johan's responsibilities include: Following up revenue managers for all our hotels in Scandinavia Strategies for optimizing revenue and results Analysis of hotel performance and results Total profit management Johan has been in operations all his life working h...
Strand Hospitality Services Assumes Management of the Hampton Inn & Suites Navarre, Florida
Strand Hospitality Services | January 10, 2018
(Navarre, Fla.) January 10, 2018 – Strand Hospitality Services, a leading provider of hospitality operations, consulting and advisory services, recently announced that it has assumed management of the Hampton Inn & Suites Navarre, located at 7710 Navarre Parkway, Navarre, Florida. Ideally situated just three miles from the white sandy beaches of Florida's Emerald Coast between Pensacola and Destin, the hotel boasts 102 spacious guestrooms and suites with amenities such as; free Wi-Fi, an outdoor swimming pool, fitness center, business center and meeting space. The hotel also features a contemporary lobby which offers an appeal...
Spending by International Visitors Sharply Down in 2017, U.S. Government Data Shows
The U.S. Travel Association | January 10, 2018
WASHINGTON (January 10, 2018)—International travelers to the U.S. spent 3.3 percent less through November of 2017 than at the same point the previous year, according to the November International Trade report released Friday by the Commerce Department's Bureau of Economic Analysis. The 3.3 percent spending drop translates to losses of $4.6 billion spent in the U.S. economy and 40,000 jobs. Travel had outperformed overall U.S. export growth during the prior five years; the industry generated an $87 billion trade surplus in 2016, without which the U.S. trade deficit that year would have been 17 percent higher. Overall, the U.S. ...
Local Measure Partners with Forbes Travel Guide as the Official Social Intelligence Provider for Luxury Hotels in 2018
Local Measure | January 10, 2018
Sydney and New York – January 10, 2018 - Local Measure, the leading location-based social intelligence platform for hospitality and tourism, has joined with Forbes Travel Guide, the global authority on luxury travel, as the Official Social Intelligence Provider in 2018. Local Measure already partners with many of the world's finest Forbes Travel Guide Four- and Five-Star hotels, along with luxury hospitality brands such as Fairmont Hotels, Raffles Hotels and Banyan Tree. Forbes Travel Guide is the only independent, global rating system for luxury hotels, restaurants, and spas. "We are delighted to announce this partnership as we l...
Wyvern Hotel in Punta Gorda, Florida Reopens Following Renovation Led by General Manager Deanne Gabel
| January 10, 2018
PUNTA GORDA, Florida – (Jan. 10, 2018) Known for its breathtaking rooftop view of Punta Gorda and Charlotte Harbor, its 88 Keys Restaurant and Art Deco Piano Bar and commitment to displaying the works of local artists such as Gabriele Childs, Jill Lindsay and Howard Spielman through a partnership with the Visual Arts Center Punta Gorda, the iconic Wyvern Hotel celebrates its grand reopening today with an impressive lineup of community leaders. Those on hand will include Mayor Rachel Keesling, Punta Gorda Chamber of Commerce President John Wright, Charlotte County Tourism Director Lorah Steiner, Visual Arts Center Punta Gorda Execu...
Hotel in Atlanta Benefits from Expanded Use of Clear Sky Software’s Inventory Control Systems
Clear Sky Software | January 10, 2018
CHARLOTTE, North Carolina – January 10, 2018 –Clear Sky Software, Inc. ® announced today that The Atlanta Marriott Marquis has implemented the company's food inventory control system, called Clear Sky FOOD. The Marquis has been a customer of Clear Sky for many years using the company's Clear Sky BEVERAGE inventory software. Clear Sky FOOD is a comprehensive, perpetual inventory system that tracks and controls all food products. Functions include purchasing/ordering, receiving, electronic requisition, outlet transfers/issues/returns and physical inventory. Rounding out the features include Clear Sky's interfaces to major ...
Florida’s Iconic LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort Reveals $30 Million Property-Wide Renovation
LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort | January 10, 2018
NAPLES, Fla. (January 10, 2018) – The all-new LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort, a Noble House Resort located on the idyllic Naples beachfront, is pleased to share "how we've transformed 50" with travelers and locals alike. In celebration of the new year and the resort's 50th anniversary, Naples' favorite beach retreat is thrilled to announce its $30 million property-wide renovation, along with new offerings for guests to experience the essence of LaPlaya Living. "As we revel in our 50th anniversary this year, LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort continues to showcase quintessential Floridian elegance while transforming '50' with a moder...
