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Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals | June 25, 2024
Industry Happenings
New at Digital Signage Expo 2018 – Emerging Tech Talks
DSE | December 8, 2017
Atlanta – Digital Signage Expo (DSE), the world's largest international trade show and educational conference dedicated to digital displays, interactive technology and digital communications networks, announced today that it will debut Emerging Tech Talks at DSE 2018. These will be presented as 45-minute sessions in a special on-floor theater dedicated to emerging technologies and will include topics such as: The Role of AI, Machine Learning, Robots in the Future of Connected Commerce The Role of Public Kiosks in the Smart City Facial Recognition Technology: Does it have a Place in Luxury Beauty Experience? The Digital Canvas...
Air Berlin Bankruptcy Hits Berlin Hotels Hard
Fairmas GmbH | December 8, 2017
Unexpected declining revenues due to slump in passenger numbers Berlin, 08. December 2017: Berlin hotel revenues for November 2017 decreased significantly compared to the previous year. Current figures from the Fairmas Benchmarking prove the negative impact of the discontinued flight operations of Air Berlin on the capital's hotel industry. The occupancy of Berlin hotels declined by 4.2% compared to the same month last year. The capital's five-star deluxe hotels were hit the hardest by the downturn with minus 6.9%. At the same time, the preliminary report by Flughafen Berlin Brandenburg GmbH (FBB) as of 05.12.2017 shows a dramatic decli...
BENCHMARK Names Joseph L. Stamile Director of Food & Beverage for The Heldrich, New Brunswick, New Jersey
The Heldrich Hotel | December 7, 2017
The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, December 2017 … BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, has named Joseph L. Stamile director of food & beverage for The Heldrich, a Benchmark Resorts & Hotels property located in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Colin Ankersen, general manager, made the announcement. "I am very happy to welcome Joseph to The Heldrich," said Mr. Ankersen. "He has extensive food and beverage leadership experience at a variety of properties and operations within New Jersey. We look forward to his active participation as part of our executive team. Joseph Stamile brings over a decade of experience in ...
Gild Hall, a Thompson Hotel Appoints Lindsey Sears as Director of Sales
Gild Hall, a Thompson Hotel | December 7, 2017
NEW YORK (DECEMBER 2017) – Thompson Hotels' Gild Hall, a neighborhood gem in the heart of downtown Manhattan, has appointed Lindsey Sears as director of sales. Sears, a veteran to the hospitality industry of over nine years, was most recently associate director of sales at Hotel 50 Bowery, also included within Two Roads Hospitality's portfolio, where she led sales efforts for the first New York City outpost of Joie de Vivre. "Lindsey's vast experience spearheading sales strategy for luxury properties coupled with her familiarity of New York City's upscale hotel industry will guide the continued success of Gild Hall into the future...
INNSIDE New York Appoints Kristine Chiu as Director of Sales and Marketing
December 7, 2017
New York, NY (December 7, 2017) – Meliá Hotels International, Spain's leading hotel chain, is pleased to announce Kristine Chiu, an established and results-driven hotel professional with over 15 years of experience, as the new Director of Sales and Marketing of its flagship New York property, INNSIDE New York. With her in-depth experience and knowledge of the New York City Market, prior to starting at INNSIDE New York, Chiu was recently the Director of Sales at the Sheraton Tribeca. Prior to this, she was the Director of Sales and Marketing at Triumph Hotels, including Hotel Belleclaire and Hotel Edison. Previous positions ...
Best Western® Hotels & Resorts Appoints Jim Cosgrove as New Board Chairman
December 7, 2017
PHOENIX (December 7, 2017) - Best Western Hotels & Resorts today announced that its Board of Directors has elected Jim Cosgrove as Board Chairman for 2018. Cosgrove brings deep industry knowledge and experience to his new position, as he is a second-generation Best Western-branded hotel owner and has served in several leadership roles throughout his time with the company. His upbringing in hospitality, combined with his extensive involvement in the brand, will be instrumental in continuing Best Western's momentum and paving the way for another groundbreaking year. "I am pleased to announce Mr. Cosgrove as our new Board Chairman as h...
Curio Collection Debuts in Belize with Opening of Mahogany Bay Resort & Beach Club in Ambergris Caye
Curio Collection by Hilton | December 7, 2017
SAN PEDRO, Belize AND MCLEAN, Va. - Designed for those seeking relaxed adventure, Mahogany Bay Resort & Beach Club, Curio Collection by Hilton is now welcoming travelers in Belize's stunning Ambergris Caye. Marking Hilton's first property in the country - and one of the first resorts from a global brand in Belize - the elegant hotel features 205 cottage and villa-style rooms across a 60-acre waterfront site with 10 distinct dining outlets, bay and beach clubs, and meeting and event spaces. "As we continue to grow our portfolio of Curio Collection properties across Latin America, we are proud to expand our footprint with...
Cannes’ Iconic Hotel Martinez Set to Reopen Spring 2018 and Join The Unbound Collection by Hyatt Brand
The Unbound Collection by Hyatt | December 7, 2017
CHIGAGO--December 7, 2017--Hyatt Hotels Corporation today announced that Cannes' historic Grand Hyatt Cannes Hotel Martinez is set to re-open in spring 2018 as Hotel Martinez and will join The Unbound Collection by Hyatt brand, a global collection of unique and independent stay experiences. Hotel Martinez will be the second hotel in Europe to join The Unbound Collection by Hyatt, which launched in 2016. It will join Hotel du Louvre in Paris, which opened in 2016 and four additional properties globally: The Confidante Miami Beach; The Driskill in Austin, TX; The Royal Palms Resort and Spa in Phoenix, AZ; and Carmelo Resort & Spa in U...
RLJ Lodging Trust Expands Relationship with Interstate Hotels and Resorts
RLJ Lodging Trust | December 7, 2017
BETHESDA, Md.--December 7, 2017--RLJ Lodging Trust (the "Company") (NYSE: RLJ) today announced that it has expanded its relationship with Interstate Hotels and Resorts ("Interstate") in connection with White Lodging's sale of management contracts to Interstate. The transaction is expected to close on or about January 31, 2018. The terms of the original White Lodging contracts will remain in effect. "This transaction will result in Interstate Hotels becoming our largest management company," commented Ross H. Bierkan, President and Chief Executive Officer. "We value our long-standing relationship with White Lodging and thank them for thei...
Rosewood Hotel Group Introduces New Hotel Brand, KHOS, to Serve New Generation of Business Travelers
Rosewood Hotel Group | December 7, 2017
HONG KONG, Dec. 7, 2017 -- Rosewood Hotel Group introduces a new hotel brand -- KHOS™ -- an innovative concept for business hotels with a distinct lifestyle orientation inspired by the energy, art, innovation, creativity, style and dynamism of modern-day Asia. KHOS aims to turn the traditional notion of a business hotel on its head -- designed specifically for the modern business traveller, for whom the conventional boundaries of work and play no longer exist, and who is no longer willing to sacrifice style, inspiration, socialising and wellness for the predictable functionality of a traditional business hotel. Derived from the Mo...
Dimension Development Assumes Management of the Hilton Indianapolis Hotel & Suites
Dimension Development | December 7, 2017
INDIANAPOLIS, Dec. 7, 2017 -- Dimension Development is named management company of the Hilton Indianapolis Hotel & Suites in downtown Indianapolis Indiana. This addition marks their 60th hotel in the portfolio. "This is an important milestone for us as we will continue to work with our ownership partners in selecting high quality hotels in desirable markets that provide great returns," said Craig Stechman, Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Dimension Development. Located in downtown Indianapolis, IN, the Hilton Indianapolis Hotel & Suites is walking distance to the convention center, Circle Centre Mall,...
HVS Market Pulse: Tampa, FL
Mallory B. Hall | December 7, 2017
By Mallory B. Hall and Jeffrey D. Pennington Tampa's warm weather and relatively inexpensive cost of living are just a couple of the reasons people and companies are relocating to the Tampa Bay area from far and wide. Continued investment by both the public and private sectors is anticipated to set the stage for continued growth. These factors, among others, are driving hotel demand and room-night production, which is leading to an increase in new hotel developments. Area Developments The first phase of a multibillion-dollar development in Downtown Tampa officially broke ground in September 2017 with the Morsani College of Medicine and ...
Chatham Lodging Acquires 219-Room Embassy Suites by Hilton in Springfield, Virginia for $68 Million
Chatham Lodging Trust | December 7, 2017
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., December 7, 2017—Chatham Lodging Trust (NYSE: CLDT), a hotel real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on investing in upscale, extended-stay hotels and premium-branded, select-service hotels, today announced that it has acquired the 219-suite Embassy Suites by Hilton in Springfield, Virginia for $68 million, or approximately $310,000 per suite. Chatham funded the purchase through available cash from its recently completed 5,000,000 share offering that raised approximately $109 million dollars. With this acquisition, Chatham has invested approximately 81 percent of the proceeds from the share offering. "Th...
The Perry Hotel Key West at Stock Island Marina Appoints New Culinary Team
The Perry Hotel Key West at Stock Island Marina | December 7, 2017
KEY WEST, FL — December 2017 — The Perry Hotel Key West at Stock Island Marina has announced the appointment of a new culinary team for their on-site restaurants Matt's Stock Island Kitchen & Bar and The Salty Oyster Dockside Bar & Grill. The team will oversee all food & beverage operations of the new waterfront hotel that opened its doors this summer on the private, 220-slip Stock Island Marina. Food & Beverage Manager Stephen Belie brings in-depth knowledge and training in all aspects of food and beverage operations to The Perry's executive team. Over the past 15 years, he's honed his skills in innovative r...
Shanghai Leads China’s Construction Pipeline Followed by Guangzhou, Chengdu and Beijing
Lodging Econometrics | December 7, 2017
December 7, 2017 – PORTSMOUTH, NH – Analysts at Lodging Econometrics (LE) report that according to the recent China Construction Pipeline that the Total Pipeline has 2,435 Projects/538,836 Rooms, up 5% Year-Over-Year (YOY). There are 1,732 Projects/364,809 Rooms Under Construction, up 4% by projects YOY. Projects Scheduled to Start Construction in the Next 12 Months are at 308 Projects/69,972 Rooms, up by one project YOY, while projects in Early Planning at 395 Projects/104,055 Rooms are up by 9%. The top hotel companies in China's Construction Pipeline are: Hilton Worldwide with 292 Projects/72,382 Rooms, Marriott Internati...
CBRE Hotels Arranges Sale of the Hyatt Place San Diego/Vista-Carlsbad Hotel
CBRE Group, Inc. | December 7, 2017
Newport Beach, California – December 7, 2017 – CBRE Hotels has arranged the sale of the 150-room Hyatt Place hotel at 2645 South Melrose Drive in Vista, California for an undisclosed price. CBRE Hotels represented the seller, an affiliate of Irvine-based CoreCapital, who had purchased the hotel in 2014. Brighton Management, the self-represented buyer, will also manage the hotel. The four-story hotel that opened in 2012 offers approximately 1,200 square feet of meeting space, and provides food and beverage service through its 24/7 Guest Kitchen, Gallery Market and Bakery Café. Rod Apodaca and Bob Kaplan of CBRE Hotels ...
BENCHMARK®, a Global Hospitality Company, Sweeps HSMAI Adrian Awards
HSMAI | December 7, 2017
Brand Positioning Initiatives, Marketing Platforms Win 15 Awards The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, December 2017 … They are the "Oscars of the Travel Industry", coveted trophies of gold, silver and bronze that showcase the creative talent of marketing teams around the globe. The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International's prestigious Adrian Awards set the Gold Standard for travel marketing excellence. This year, BENCHMARK®, global hospitality company, swept the Adrian's with 15 prizes for achievements in branding, web design, public relations, social media and destination marketing. The honors spanned both cor...
Bradenton / Sarasota Area Selected to Host International Medical Tourism Conference on 2/23
the Bradenton Area Convention & Visitors Bureau | December 7, 2017
Event to Focus on Emerging Trend: Bringing Best Practices from Hospitality to Healthcare BRADENTON, FLA., December 7, 2017 – The Association of North America Higher Education International (ANAHEI) has selected the Bradenton / Sarasota Area to host its upcoming Global Medical Management Services – The Patient as a Guest (GLOMED 2018) on February 23, 2018. Themed "Bringing Best Practices from Hospitality to Healthcare (H2H) for Maximizing Quality of the Patient/Guest Experience," the international medical tourism conference will take place at the Art Ovation Hotel in Sarasota and is expected to draw hundreds from around the g...
Nobody Asked Me, But… No. 188: Hotel History: The Pierre Hotel, New York City*
Stanley Turkel | December 7, 2017
Hotel History: The Pierre Hotel (1930) 5th Avenue and 61st Street, NYC Did you read last year that the penthouse triplex at the Pierre Hotel in New York City was for sale for $125 million, the highest price ever listed for a New York hotel residence? At 13,660 square feet, that works out to $9,150 per square foot. The major feature of the triplex is the 3,500 square foot Grand Salon which originally was the Club Pierrot, an exclusive supper club when the hotel opened in 1930. But in the depths of the Depression, the Club was disbanded soon thereafter. Later, the Pierre Roof ballroom was the favored site for debutante receptions, wedding...
Fitch’s 2018 Outlook for U.S. Lodging: Fitch Predicts Uninspiring Growth, with Some Upside Risk from Brighter Corporate Outlook
Fitch Ratings | December 7, 2017
Sector Outlook and Rating Trajectory Fitch's Sector Outlook: Stable Fitch Ratings has a stable U.S. lodging sector outlook for 2018, based on expectations for continued, low-single-digit (0%–2%) RevPAR growth. Higher average daily rates (ADR) will drive industry RevPAR; new supply will exceed demand growth, resulting in modest occupancy losses. The larger brand owners will continue to generate outsized unit growth driven by scale economies. Rating Trajectory: Static Fitch has a Stable Rating Outlook for the lodging sector during 2018, with most issuers managing leverage within their stated target range. Credit protection metrics w...
Why Boston’s Best Hotel Decided to Give Its Staff an Upgrade
ALICE | December 7, 2017
The iconic Boston hotel XV Beacon has selected ALICE to enhance their internal communication, concierge operations, and guest engagement. The award-winning property (Travel + Leisure's #2 Best Hotel in the U.S, and #1 Best Hotel in Boston and #1 in the state of Massachusetts, as voted by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler), implemented ALICE's housekeeping and maintenance software ALICE Staff, ALICE's concierge software, ALICE Concierge, and ALICE's guest text messaging solution, ALICE Guest, in August of this year. ALICE is the hospitality industry's leading operations technology, connecting every department of the hotel with on...
Heal Your Hotel Sales Pipeline! The Secret To Relieving RFP Fatigue
Lure Agency | December 6, 2017
The original concept of the RFP was created with good intentions. It was originally developed as a standardized process for submitting clear and consistent information between the planner and the property. Boost Efforts With This Hotel Sales Technique Most recently, online platforms hit the market in a big way enabling companies to distribute dozens of RFPs with ease. This shift of enablement has increased submissions. The volume has spiked and managing the process has become overwhelming, decreasing response time and ultimately conversion rates. Can't we all agree? Responding to RFPs can be a daunting, but necessary, task that requires...
McWHINNEY and Sage Hospitality Debut The Elizabeth Hotel, an Autograph Collection Hotel, in Fort Collins, Colorado
The Elizabeth Hotel | December 6, 2017
FORT COLLINS, Colo., Dec. 6, 2017 -- Today, The Elizabeth Hotel officially opens its doors in historic Old Town Fort Collins as part of Autograph Collection Hotels' diverse portfolio of more than 125 hotels around the world - all one-of-a-kind properties that champion values of vision, design and craft. Guests of The Elizabeth Hotel can enjoy locally inspired art, music and craft beer at the hotel, serving as an introduction to the city's culture and lifestyle. Cultivated by McWHINNEY, a Colorado-based national real estate development company, and Sage Hospitality, the hotel's operator, the 164-room hotel invites guests to e...
IHG Celebrates Groundbreaking of New Brand, avid™ hotels, in Oklahoma City
December 6, 2017
IHG® (InterContinental Hotels Group) celebrates today the first groundbreaking of its new midscale brand, avid™ hotels, in Oklahoma City. The groundbreaking comes only two months after the brand was launched, well ahead of initial projected timing. Since launching avid hotels, developer interest and demand continues to be strong, with more than 100 franchise applications received, including 34 which have already been converted to signed deals for avid hotels locations across the U.S. Additionally, avid hotels is now franchise ready in Canada, further demonstrating the brand's rapid start and growth potential. Projected to...
