HFTP® Acquires Leading Hospitality Industry Brands: Hospitality Upgrade, Hotel-Online, The CIO Summit and The Executive Vendor Summit
Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals | June 25, 2024
Industry Happenings
Omni Bedford Springs Makes Executive Team Appointments; Names Paul Sherlock Director of Operations
the Omni Bedford Springs Resort & Spa | April 16, 2014
Bedford Springs, Pa. (April 16, 2014) - Omni Bedford Springs Resort & Spa in the Allegheny Mountains of Pennsylvania has announced the appointment of Paul Sherlock as director of operations and Brandon Jourdan as director of finance. Director of Operations Paul Sherlock A hospitality veteran with more than 20 years of industry experience and a proven track record of success in providing superior guest services while exceeding business objectives, Paul Sherlock oversees all operations at the historic luxury hideaway, including food and beverage operations at all on-site dining outlets and in-room dining. Sherlock joined Omni Bedford ...
John Lee Appointed Food & Beverage Director of California’s 173-key Lake Arrowhead Resort & Spa
Lake Arrowhead Resort & Spa | April 16, 2014
April 16, 2014 (Lake Arrowhead, California) - Lake Arrowhead Resort & Spa, managed by Crescent Hotels & Resorts and part of Marriott International's exclusive Autograph Collection of upscale independent hotels, has announced the appointment of John Lee as Food & Beverage Director. Drawing on a decade of management experience with hotel-based food and beverage operations throughout Southern California, Lee is responsible for the success of the resort's distinctive dining experience at the AAA Four Diamond-rated BIN189, as well as in-room dining and banqueting for special events. Most significantly, Lee will work closely with ...
DiamondRock Hospitality Sells the 386-room Oak Brook Hills Resort in Illinois for $30.1 Million
DiamondRock Hospitality Company | April 16, 2014
BETHESDA, Md., April 16, 2014 -- DiamondRock Hospitality Company (the "Company") (NYSE: DRH), a lodging-focused real estate investment trust that owns a portfolio of premium hotels in the United States, announced today that it has completed the sale of the Oak Brook Hills Resort which is located in a suburb of Chicago. "Over the past few years, we have transformed our portfolio through strategic divestitures and targeted acquisitions to sharpen our focus on premium lodging assets in urban gateway markets. We are pleased to announce the sale of the suburban Oak Brook Hills Hotel, illustrating our commitment to continuously prune the bott...
Cultivating Employee Engagement Drives Growth
UniFocus | April 16, 2014
Achieving employee satisfaction and retaining loyalty is a challenging balance. When achieved the business rewards are substantial. An engaged employee leads to a satisfied customer, both of which are integral to a thriving business. In order to drive business results focus on the choices of your employees and how involved they want to be at work. Employee involvement is a necessary strategy for any organization to produce and sustain market share all year long. Disengaged employees erode the bottom line and interfere with morale in the operation. Employers with engaged employees have a higher potential to retain and promote employees, ...
The 1,985-room New York Hilton Midtown Completes Phase 1 of Multi-Phase Room Refurbishment Program
Hilton Hotels & Resorts | April 16, 2014
April 15, 2014 - NEW YORK - The 1,985-room New York Hilton Midtown, New York City's largest hotel, announced today the completion of its executive level room refurbishment incorporating 187 guest rooms and 41 suites on floors 39-44 which constitutes the first phase of a complete guest room renovation program planned for the next few years. "The new room design features an inviting, sleek and contemporary design that will provide our guests with a tranquil oasis in the heart of the hustle and bustle of midtown Manhattan," said Mark Lauer, general manager, New York Hilton Midtown. "The unique relaxed approach to the design will provide ou...
NCC PS Enterprises, LLC Acquires The National Conference Center in Leesburg, VA
the National Conference Center | April 16, 2014
LEESBURG, Va., April 16, 2014- The National Conference Center, located in Leesburg, Va., was acquired by NCC PS Enterprises, LLC, today. The National Conference Center is one of the largest conference centers in the nation. The property features 917 rooms and the largest ballroom in Northern Virginia. NCC PS Enterprises, LLC, is a venture between an affiliate of PCCP, LLC, an integrated real estate finance and investment management firm with projects throughout the United States, and affiliates and principals of Stoneleigh Capital, LLC, a Connecticut-based private equity investment company. PCCP, LLC and Stoneleigh Capital, LLC have ext...
Gerard Kiladjian Rejoins New Castle Hotels & Resorts to Lead The Cliff House Resort and Spa in Maine
New Castle Hotels & Resorts | April 16, 2014
OGUNQUIT, Maine/SHELTON, Conn. - April 16, 2014 - Officials of New Castle Hotels & Resorts, a leading hotel owner, operator and developer, today named Gerard Kiladjian general manager of Maine's historic 166-room resort, The Cliff House Resort and Spa, which reopened today for its 142nd season. Earlier this month, New Castle assumed management under an agreement with Rockbridge which recently acquired the landmark. Most recently, Kiladjian was the general manager of the AAA Four-diamond-rated Portland Harbor Hotel. He is a career hotelier who previously served New Castle-managed hotels in various capacities. "Gerard's expertise mana...
Marcus® Hotels & Resorts Names Area Vice Presidents, Jim Waldvogel and Tom Mason
Marcus Hotels & Resorts | April 16, 2014
April 16, 2014 - MILWAUKEE - Marcus® Hotels & Resorts, a division of The Marcus Corporation (NYSE: MCS), today announced that Jim Waldvogel, general manager of the Hilton Minneapolis/Bloomington and Tom Mason, general manager of the Grand Geneva Resort & Spa, will assume additional responsibilities as area vice presidents for the company. Waldvogel will continue to serve as general manager of the Hilton Minneapolis/Bloomington, while also overseeing operations at the company's Crowne Plaza-Northstar hotel in Minneapolis, Minn. and the Hilton Madison and Sheraton Madison in Madison, Wis. Waldvogel joined Marcus Hotels & Reso...
Creativity & Passion Keys to Wowing and Returning Guests
Steven Ferry | April 16, 2014
by Steven Ferry Training at five-star resorts around the world offers a window seat into the more-refined sector of creativity and the achievements of those who are constantly striving to enthrall guests—guests with ever-rising expectations driven largely by access to an ever-expanding field promising and delivering equally exceptional experiences—and so move beyond merely satisfied guests into the heady domain of delighted guests who return again and again, friends in tow. The following anecdotal observations of effective initiatives being undertaken at the sumptuous end of hospitality are just that: neither official and sanctioned...
Aloft Oklahoma City Downtown–Bricktown Opens; The 134-key Hotel is Owned by New Century Investments
Aloft Hotels | April 16, 2014
April 16, 2014 - STAMFORD, Conn. - Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) today announced that its rapidly growing Aloft® brand has arrived in Oklahoma City. Aloft Oklahoma City Downtown – Bricktown opened today in an ideal location within a new mixed-use development in the revitalized Bricktown district. Owned by New Century Investments, new hotel features 134 spacious, loft-like rooms, forward-thinking technology and a lively, social atmosphere. "We are proud to launch Aloft in Oklahoma City's popular entertainment district, where we provide an atmosphere tailored to the next generation of travelers complete with ...
California High School Team Wins HTMP International Competition
American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute | April 16, 2014
Hosted by American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute Orlando, Florida, April 2014-High school hospitality students from Monta Vista High School in Cupertino, California, took home the international title for the second year in a row at the eleventh annual American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (EI) HTMP International Competition held April 9-11 in Orlando. Teams competed for scholarship money and a trip to the International Hotel, Motel & Restaurant Show in New York City this November. Each member of the winning team was awarded $43,500 in scholarships to further their post-secondary hospitality education. The ev...
Prime Hospitality & Shaner Hotels Break Ground on 154-key Playa Largo Resort & Spa in Key Largo, FL
Prime Hospitality Group | April 16, 2014
Part of Marriott's Autograph Collection, the Hotel will Open in Summer 2015 KEY LARGO, FL - April 16, 2014 - Playa Largo Resort & Spa, the newest addition to Marriott's Autograph Collection, is set to open on Key Largo, Florida in the summer of 2015. The construction, which began in early 2014, marks the first new full-service resort to be built on Key Largo in 20 years. Prime Hospitality Group (PHG), a recognized developer in Florida, and Shaner Hotels, one of the foremost owner-operator companies in the hospitality industry, have come together to bring a new level of luxury accommodations to the area. Inspired by Key Largo's rich ...
Destinations Worldwide Struggle To Fire On All Cylinders
TrustYou | April 16, 2014
Some Serve Up Good Eats, Others Great Service, But All Travelers Agree That Hotel WiFi Is A Problem Analysis Of More Than Six Million Hotel Reviews Reveal First Quarter Trends In Travelers' Opinions And Guest Satisfaction Dallas, TX and Munich, Germany - April 16, 2014 - TrustYou, the market leader in travel data analysis and online reputation management for the hospitality and global travel industry, working in conjunction with Donna Quadri-Felitti, Ph.D., at New York University, Preston Robert Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism, and Sports Management, revealed first quarter trends in travel reviews and hotel guest sentiment. Among ...
Travel Tripper Launches Geographic Pricing in its RezTrip CRS
Travel Tripper | April 16, 2014
Travel Tripper announced today the release of a powerful new geographic pricing capability for hotels using its RezTrip CRS. Hotels will now be able to offer different prices in various geographies with a high degree of granularity. Combined with RezTrip's Dynamic Pricing Module, Travel Tripper provides unprecedented pricing power to hotels. Hotels can define geographic segments by continent, country, state and city with the ability to define exceptions at every level. For example a hotel in New York City can extend a special offer to people booking from California and Europe but prevent the offer from being seen or booked from San Fran...
The 214-key Holiday Inn Queretaro Zona Krystal Opens in Mexico; Owned and Managed by Centro Krystall
April 16, 2014
16 April, 2014 - QUERÉTARO, QRO. – InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) [LON: IHG, NYSE: IHG (ADRs)] recently announced the opening of the 214-room, 14-story Holiday Inn® Queretaro Zona Krystal hotel, located on the San Luis Potosi Highway. With this new opening, IHG continues to expand its footprint as well as cross-brand portfolio in the State of Queretaro bringing its total number of hotels here to seven including one Crowne Plaza® hotel, three Holiday Inn® hotels, two Holiday Inn Express® hotels and one Staybridge Suites® hotel. "The Holiday Inn® Queretaro Zona Krystal hotel is conveniently located to ensure a great hotel ex...
Independent Hotels Leverage Maestro PMS Yield Management and Big Data BI to Increase Revenue
Maestro Property Management Solution | April 16, 2014
How Do Independent Operators Use Business Intelligence and Yield Management? For More Effective Marketing, Optimized Rates, and Solid Occupancy Markham, ON - April 16, 2014 - Independent operators have to work harder and smarter than their franchised comp set. One of their secret weapons is NORTHWIND-Maestro PMS technology solutions that help independents increase revenue with more effective marketing and revenue management. The Maestro™ Enterprise Property Management hotel software suite is the industry's leading solution for independent hotels, resorts, and multi-property groups. Click here to learn more about Maestro's solutions fo...
Owned by Operadora de Hoteles Flosol, 115-key Holiday Inn Express Puerto Vallarta Opens in Mexico
April 16, 2014
16 April, 2014 - Puerto Vallarta, Jal. - InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) [LON: IHG, NYSE: IHG (ADRs)] has introduced one of its most successful brands to Puerto Vallarta with the opening of the 115-room, six-story Holiday Inn Express® Puerto Vallarta hotel. Equipped with 15 suites, this is IHG's second hotel in Puerto Vallarta, adding to the company's hotels in the area. "We are excited to be able to bring the Holiday Inn Express brand, one of the fastest growing hotel brands in the world, to this market." said Gerardo Murray, Regional Vice President of Distribution and Commercial Marketing IHG Mexico, Latin America & Caribbean...
Duetto Announces a GameChanger
GameChanger | April 16, 2014
Innovative Cloud Software Leverages New Technology to Boost Revenue at Casino Hotels Las Vegas (April 16, 2014) - Duetto, the market leader in software-as-a-service revenue strategy solutions, unveiled GameChanger, a new web-based application developed exclusively for casino hotels. Staffing a team of highly experienced gaming professionals at its Las Vegas office, Duetto aims to help casino hotels leverage cutting-edge advances in technology and change they way they approach revenue management. Fundamental to Duetto's philosophy, GameChanger ensures casino hotels select and retain their most profitable customers, accounting for dynami...
Newly Built 177-key Hyatt Atlanta Perimeter at Villa Christina to Open in Georgia in May 2014
Hyatt Hotels | April 16, 2014
ATLANTA, GA (April 16, 2014) - Hyatt plans to unveil Hyatt Atlanta Perimeter at Villa Christina in late May 2014. The newly built hotel will have a seamless flow from hotel lobby into the famed Villa Christina. Conveniently located inside the Perimeter and just minutes from Buckhead, Hyatt Atlanta Perimeter at Villa Christina will be situated in an 83-acre development that offers expansive outdoor gardens, meeting and conference facilities and wedding and special event venues, along with fine dining and recreational options. With 177 guestrooms, including 15 suites, Hyatt Atlanta Perimeter at Villa Christina will be able to accommodate ...
Forbes Travel Guide Names Iconic Hotelier Jerry Inzerillo As CEO
Forbes Travel Guide | April 16, 2014
Appoints Three World-Class Executives To Board Of Directors Company Announces Significant International Expansion of Five-Star Rating System ATLANTA, April 16, 2014 -- Forbes Travel Guide—the originator of the Five-Star hospitality rating system and formerly Mobil Travel Guide—announced that Gerard J. Inzerillo, will become Chief Executive Officer effective May 12, 2014, and will lead the brand and 56-year old star rating system as it enters as many as ten new international markets in the coming months. Inzerillo is a lifestyle visionary with more than four decades at the helm of some of the world's leading hospitality co...
Slated to Open in 2016, Development Has Begun for 140-key Aloft Little Rock Downtown in Arkansas
Aloft Hotels | April 16, 2014
April 16, 2014 - STAMFORD, Conn. - Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.® (NYSE:HOT) today announced that its fast-growing Aloft brand has embarked on an adaptive re-use project in downtown Little Rock, Arkansas. Aloft Little Rock Downtown will open in early 2016 as part of a mixed-use development that will bring new life to the historic Boyle Building on Capitol and Main Streets. Owned by Chi Hotel Group, the new Aloft will feature 140 spacious, loft-like rooms, forward-thinking technology and innovative programming. It will be Starwood's first hotel to open in Little Rock. "Aloft Little Rock Downtown will bring distinctive mo...
Windsor Property Management Group Corp. Selects Newmarket Technology Solution to Improve Operations
Newmarket International, Inc. | April 16, 2014
April 16, 2014 - Portsmouth, NH - Windsor Property Management Group Corporation ("WMC Group"), a leading Vietnamese hospitality and property management group, has selected the sophisticated technology solution Delphi from Newmarket® International, Inc. ("Newmarket") to improve overall operations, increase revenue, and better manage sales teams. Incorporated in 2004, WMC Group is a hospitality and property services management company headquartered in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. At present, WMC Group has 4 hotels, 2 properties, 7 restaurants, and 3 leisure destinations across Vietnam in operation. "WMC Group previously had a manual sales ...
Besides Training: How To Maximize Hotel Reservations Conversions
Doug Kennedy | April 16, 2014
by Doug Kennedy Of course one key ingredient of a successful hotel reservations sales program is to train your team on the contemporary sales tactics needed to covert today's over-informed, channel-surfing callers. The most important sales tactics are to ask the right questions to find out where they are at in their buying decision, such as "As I'm checking those dates, what questions can I answer for you about our location or amenities?" and then to provide alluring descriptions that "narrate the pictures they have seen online." Yet too often managers only implement the sale training component, and then if they measure the results at a...
HHM to Re-Brand California’s Historic 122-room Hotel Oceana as Hotel Milo Santa Barbara
Independent Collection | April 16, 2014
PHILADELPHIA, PA (Tuesday, April 16, 2014) HHM announced today that the historic Hotel Oceana in Santa Barbara will re-brand as Hotel Milo Santa Barbara. The Independent Collection (IC) hotel's new name honors the history of its location and the city of Santa Barbara itself, evoking a true beachside boutique experience. Shelley Stearns, the property's General Manager, helped the Collection re-launch and position Hotel Milo. The 122-room Hotel Oceana is the tenth property in the Independent Collection and its first on the West Coast. The IC consists solely of design-conscious hotels in culturally-rich, niche neighborhoods of the iconic c...
