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Industry Happenings
Park Hyatt Sanya Sunny Bay Resort Appoints Hotel Manager Mr. Marc Walz
Park Hyatt Sanya Sunny Bay Resort | January 3, 2018
SANYA, China, Jan. 3, 2018 -- Park Hyatt Sanya Sunny Bay Resort announced the appointment of its new hotel manager Mr. Marc Walz, who will be responsible for the management and operations of the resort. Mr. Marc Walz has been selected as Hotel Manager of Park Hyatt Sanya Sunny Bay Resort effective 8 January, 2018. Marc graduated from Maritim Hotel Stuttgart School and commenced his hospitality career with Hyatt in September 2001 as Outlet Manager at Hyatt Regency Cologne. He continued to grow his career in Food & Beverage as Assistant Director of Food & Beverage in locations such as Grand Hyatt Dubai and Park Hyatt Beijing. In A...
Foxwoods Resort Casino Names Jesse Luis as Vice President Of Development
Foxwoods Resort Casino | January 3, 2018
MASHANTUCKET, Conn., Jan. 3, 2018 -- Foxwoods® Resort Casino, the premier resort destination in the Northeast, today announced that Jesse Luis has joined the team as Vice President of Development. Luis brings over two decades of experience in real estate and hospitality growth initiatives to the resort. "We are thrilled to have Jesse join our team as the Vice President of Development," said Felix Rappaport, President & CEO of Foxwoods. "Jesse's impressive experience, which includes strategically expanding everything from popular quick service restaurants to luxury resort hotels, will prove invaluable as Foxwoo...
Omni Hotels & Resorts Opens Omni Hotel at The Battery Atlanta, Official Hotel of the Atlanta Braves
Omni Hotel at The Battery Atlanta | January 3, 2018
ATLANTA, Jan. 3, 2018 -- Omni Hotels & Resorts announces the opening of its newest property, Omni Hotel at The Battery Atlanta. As the official hotel of the Atlanta Braves, the property is located in The Battery Atlanta, the city's newest mixed-use development and home to SunTrust Park, the Coca-Cola Roxy music venue, shopping, dining and premier office space. "The Omni Hotel at The Battery Atlanta is our latest partnership in a series of distinct collaborations with high-profile developments adjacent to iconic attractions," said Jim Caldwell, chief executive officer of Omni Hotels & Resorts. "The Battery Atla...
Hansji Corporation Opens Downtown Phoenix’s Newest High-Rise Hotel Featuring Two Marriott Brands Under One 20-Story, 320-Room Roof
Hansji Corporation | January 3, 2018
(Phoenix, Ariz.) Marriott International, Inc. recently opened downtown Phoenix's newest landmark, a combined 200-suite Residence Inn hotel and 120-room Courtyard hotel in the heart of the city's sports and entertainment district. Soaring over the NW corner of Central and Madison Avenues (132 S. Central Ave.), the Residence Inn/Courtyard by Marriott Phoenix Downtown share an all-new 20-story tower featuring an indoor swimming pool, a fitness center and 5,733 square feet of meeting space to accommodate functions of up to 270 people. The closest hotels to the Talking Stick Arena and Chase Field, both of these stylish urban properties offer...
Rockbridge and Pinnacle Hotel Management Acquire Marriott in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
Rockbridge | January 3, 2018
COLUMBUS, Ohio, January 3, 2018 - Rockbridge announced today the acquisition of the Marriott in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. The acquisition is a joint venture between Rockbridge and Pinnacle Hotel Management, who will also manage the hotel. The property will undergo an extensive renovation that is scheduled for the third quarter of 2018. The renovation will touch nearly every aspect of the hotel, resulting in an overall improved guest experience for both business travelers and vacationers. Planned updates include re-concepting the lobby, restaurant/bar area, fully renovating all guest rooms, refreshing all meeting space, and expanding ...
Arash Azarbarzin Appointed President of SH Group
SH Group | January 3, 2018
NEW YORK, Jan. 3, 2018 -- SH Group, the hotel brand management company created and owned by Starwood Capital Group, today announced the appointment of Arash Azarbarzin as President, effective immediately. In his new role, Azarbarzin will oversee all operations and expansion for SH Group. SH Group currently operates the fast growing 1 Hotels, a nature-inspired luxury lifestyle brand with locations in Manhattan, Brooklyn and South Beach, as well as the five-star luxury Baccarat Hotel brand. "Arash is a superb addition to our team who has the expertise and talent to guide the unparalleled 1 Hotels and Baccarat Hotels & Resorts to ...
New Year, New Travel Priorities. Study Says: Experiences Win Over Possessions
Expedia.com | January 3, 2018
Expedia and the Center for Generational Kinetics find travel at the top of everyone's wish list BELLEVUE, Wash., Jan. 3, 2018-- Today Expedia.com® released the results of a multi-generational travel study, exploring consumer behavior and travel preferences of American adults from Generation Z (age 18-22) to Baby Boomers (age 55-65).1 Results illustrate that people are shifting away from a society of stuff (products like clothes, electronics, jewelry), to a society of experiences, and are specifically saving for travel. "Insights into younger generations preferences are as good as a crystal ball, and currently their trends ...
Cendyn Chief Sales & Marketing Officer Tim Sullivan Named One of Top 25 Extraordinary Minds by HSMAI
Cendyn | January 3, 2018
Boca Raton, Florida – January 3, 2018 – Cendyn, the leading provider of hotel CRM and hotel sales platforms in the hospitality industry, announced today that Chief Sales and Marketing Officer Tim Sullivan has been honored with the Top 25 Extraordinary Minds accolade by the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International. The HSMAI Top 25 Minds award recognizes leaders in sales, marketing and revenue optimization within the travel and hospitality industry who stand out through their creativity and innovation, cutting-edge campaigns, triumphs in challenging situations and efforts that resulted in dramatic gains. "T...
HVS Market Pulse: Fort Worth, Texas
Hunter Dietz | January 3, 2018
By Hunter Dietz , Kathleen D. Donahue Anchoring the west end of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, Fort Worth features the old and the new. Also known as "Cowtown," the cattle industry initially spurred economic development in the city. Today, glass and steel skyscrapers share the sidewalks of Downtown with renovated historic districts, such as the Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District and Sundance Square. The following article details new developments in and around Fort Worth's primary neighborhoods that affect the area's hotel industry. Fort Worth's Economy Despite plummeting oil and gas prices and increased activity in o...
Modus Hotels Selects Vertical Booking CRS for Enterprise-Level Hotel Distribution Across Their Entire Portfolio
Modus Hotels | January 3, 2018
Portland, Ore – January 03, 2018 – Vertical Booking, a recognized leader in global reservation technology, is pleased to announce that Washington, D.C. based Modus Hotels has selected Vertical Booking to provide reservation solutions for their collection of boutique hotels. "We are in the business of creating personally delivered experiences that are focused on each guest," said Aaron Katz, President and CEO of Modus Hotels. "The best technology is a must have for us to meet the constant shifts in the industry, and our guests changing needs. Vertical Booking's proven solutions will empower Modus Hotels to become even more su...
Meyer Jabara Hotels Selected to Manage Choice Hotels First Cambria in Baltimore
Meyer Jabara Hotels | January 3, 2018
Management contract marks the fourth hotel operated by MJH in Baltimore; Hotel expected to open at the end of 2019 [Danbury, Conn., January 3, 2018]— Meyer Jabara Hotels (MJH) continues to expand its presence in Baltimore by signing an agreement with the owners of Sandalwood Management and KPG Hotels to manage the companies first upscale Cambria Hotel in Baltimore. The 14-story, 144-room hotel, originally known as the American Building, was the first office building constructed following the Great Baltimore Fire in 1905. The property, located at 231 East Baltimore Street, is expected to open by the end of 2019. This is the fourth ...
Bedford Lodging and Aimbridge Hospitality Open Dual-Branded Fairfield Inn & Suites and Residence Inn in Broomfield, Colorado
Fairfield Inn & Suites | January 3, 2018
Broomfield, Colorado – January 3, 2018 – Marriott International, Inc. today announced that a dual-branded 90-room Fairfield Inn & Suites and 122-suite Residence Inn property opened this December in Broomfield, Colorado. Located at 455 Zang Street, the hotel is owned by Bedford Lodging of Dallas, Texas and managed by Aimbridge Hospitality of Plano, Texas. The hotel features a mountain lodge themed décor, complete with earthy colors, rustic woods and natural textures. The property will share an outdoor swimming pool, a modern fitness center, an in-house movie room, a lobby bar, a complimentary shuttle and 3,110 squa...
Hotel Trends in F&B for 2018
Larry Mogelonsky | January 3, 2018
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) Just as they did a century ago, hotel restaurants have a mantle to uphold by striving to be culinary leaders in their respective locales. To do so in today's competitive foodservice landscape, however, requires constant ingenuity. Everyone knows about the big push to offer healthier options, incorporate any purported superfoods and raise the profile of local producers through farm-to-table programs. Much like nearly every other customer who will set food in your eatery, I would expect that your team already have those three well in hand. Below are five more to consider as the New Ye...
Cal Ripken, Jr. Announced as Guest Speaker at the 2018 Inspire User Conference and Executive Summit
Agilysys | January 3, 2018
Baseball's "Iron Man" to Speak at Agilysys' Three-Day User Conference in Las Vegas ALPHARETTA, GA. — January 3, 2018 — Agilysys, Inc. (Nasdaq: AGYS), a leading global provider of next-generation hospitality software solutions and services, today announced that baseball's "Iron Man" Cal Ripken, Jr. will be a guest speaker at the upcoming Inspire User Conference and Executive Summit, hosted annually by Agilysys. The industry-leading event designed to help attendees build guest loyalty, grow revenue and learn how to protect their technology investment with new Agilysys products and capabilities, is always popular with Agilysys ...
Logan Stephenson Named Executive Chef at Sedona’s Kimpton Amara Resort and Spa
| January 2, 2018
There's a new executive chef leading the charge at SaltRock Southwest Kitchen in Sedona at Kimpton Amara Resort and Spa, and he's looking to draw inspiration from his upbringing to bring more local fare to the menu. Born and raised in a small town in Louisiana, Logan Stephenson grew up hunting and fishing for his food, but slowly got away from that as his career advanced in more metropolitan areas. Now in Sedona, Logan is ready to reembrace the slower pace of life and take a foraged approach by partnering with local wineries, fisheries and farmers to bring more indigenous ingredients to the SaltRock cuisine (new menu coming this spring!...
Three Hotel Design Trends for 2018
OBM International | January 2, 2018
The rate at which our industry continues to evolve is staggering. Hospitality investors and managers are busy trying to understand which trends will help their properties stand out. OBMI asked its design team to share some of their insights and predictions on the direction of the hospitality industry in 2018. This is what came up: TREND 1: FASHION BRANDS SUITING UP It's not unusual seeing a fashion brand partnering with a property to create a particular suite or spa, but it seems that now they've jumped in with both feet. Recent trends have fashion brands associating their famous names to hotel properties with varying degrees of involve...
Harmony Hospitality Opens 186-Key Embassy Suites by Hilton Wilmington Riverfront in North Carolina with General Manager Zachary Brigman at the Helm
Embassy Suites by Hilton | January 2, 2018
WILMINGTON, NC and MCLEAN, Va. Jan. 2, 2018 – Embassy Suites by Hilton, a global brand of upscale, all-suite hotels from Hilton (NYSE: HLT), announced today the opening of the 186-suite Embassy Suites by Hilton Wilmington Riverfront. The hotel is owned and operated by Harmony Hospitality, Inc. Embassy Suites by Hilton prides itself on providing guests an approachable and stress-free experience at each of its spacious, all-suites hotel properties. Embassy Suites by Hilton Wilmington Riverfront offers a location connected to the Wilmington Convention Center and steps away from top restaurants, shops and activities in historic downto...
Teneo Hospitality Group Adds North Carolina’s Historic 428-Room Pinehurst Resort to Portfolio
Pinehurst | January 2, 2018
$30 Million Renovations to Enhance Resort Eden Prairie, MN, January 2018 … It's a landmark and a legend, a luxurious spa and health center, a renowned meetings hub and the place where golf in America was born. The storied Pinehurst Resort is a destination in itself, rising amid 2,000 acres of woodlands, lakes and links in North Carolina. Now, Teneo Hospitality Group, the premier global firm representing 300+ independent and luxury branded hotels, resorts and DMCs, welcomes this iconic resort to its rapidly expanding portfolio. Teneo will drive group sales for the award-winning resort and promote its $30 million Capital Refurbishm...
Owned and Managed by Shanghai Baolian Real Estate Co., Delta Hotels by Marriott Shanghai Baoshan Opens in China
Delta Hotels by Marriott | January 2, 2018
Delta Hotels, part of Marriott International, Inc., today announced the official grand opening of the 339-room Delta Hotels by Marriott Shanghai Baoshan in China, marking the inaugural entry of the premium North American hotel brand into the booming Asia-Pacific market, and crowning a stellar year of rapid growth for the brand, which expects to expand its global portfolio to 66 properties worldwide by the end of 2018. "We are very excited to introduce the first Delta Hotels by Marriott to the Asia Pacific region," said Mike Fulkerson, Vice President, Brand & Marketing, Asia Pacific at Marriott International. "Delta Hotels is a premi...
Kautilya Spencer Completes Renovation and Rebranding of Former Studio 6 to Hawthorn Suites in Manchester, Connecticut
Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham | January 2, 2018
Manchester, CT, January 2, 2018 -- Kautilya Spencer LLC, a Hotel Management Company based in Manchester, CT, today announced that the former Studio 6 at 191 Spencer street Manchester, CT has undergone a $2 million renovation and has become the newest member of the Wyndham hotel chain. Opened as Hawthorn Suites in June 2016, the two-story, 104-room hotel features a number of notable upgrades, including: redesigned bedrooms and baths, and redesigned lobby and public areas Additional highlights include new outdoor pool, business center, fitness center, and guest laundry. Rooms feature cable, flat-screen televisions, upgraded bedding, furni...
Mario Lopez Promoted to Executive Chef of Grand Velas Riviera Maya
Grand Velas Riviera Maya | January 2, 2018
Riviera Maya, Mexico (December 29, 2017) – Mario Lopez has been promoted to Executive Chef of the AAA Five Diamond Grand Velas Riviera Maya, one of Mexico's Foodie Resorts. In his new position, he oversees the "Beyond All-Inclusive, Beyond All Compare" resort's AAA Five Diamond restaurant, Cocina de Autor, the first all-inclusive restaurant in the world to win this prestigious distinction. Additionally he is responsible for five other gourmet specialty restaurants, multiple bars, 24-hr insuite service and the catering operation of the 539 all suite, uber luxury resort. The appointment is effective immediately. Originally from Mexi...
HVS Market Pulse: Seattle, Washington
Kirsten Z. Smiley | January 2, 2018
By Kirsten Z. Smiley My, oh, my! The famous catchphrase coined by Seattle Mariners' longtime sportscaster, Dave Niehaus, is ever so fitting as we look at how Seattle has changed over the last ten years. Seattle enjoys a diverse economy rooted in manufacturing, biotechnology, high technology, telecommunications, health care, and tourism. Metro Seattle, especially Downtown Seattle and Bellevue, is experiencing a period of exponential growth anchored by tech giants, such as Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and Expedia. The area is also home to several Fortune 500 companies, such as Boeing, Costco, PACCAR, Weyerhaeuser, Starbucks, and Nordstrom. ...
How Hospitality Brands Can Give Prospects What They Want and When
Lure Agency | January 2, 2018
As a hospitality brand, you may have noticed that in today's digital world, it's harder than ever to catch a prospect's attention. With information so easily available to anyone searching for it, you may be wondering how you can make your content stand apart. How can you give your prospects what they want and when? Well, we've got the answer. Content personalization. The Future Of B2B Content Marketing … Personalization! Personalized content is a relatively new method of digital marketing that has proven super effective, for not only grabbing your prospect's attention but also building a stronger bond. If you've ever used Amazon ...
Hospitality Financial Leadership – Financial Statement Analysis and Your Hotel Career
David Lund | January 2, 2018
If you google the words "financial statement analysis," you will get a long list of definitions like this one by Wikipedia: "Financial statement analysis (or financial analysis) is the process of reviewing and analyzing a company's financial statements to make better economic decisions. These statements include the income statement, balance sheet, statement of cash flows, and a statement of changes in equity. Financial statement analysis is a method or process involving specific techniques for evaluating risks, performance, financial health, and future prospects of an organization." What it will mean to you as a leader in the hospit...
