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
Development Begins for Hilton Garden Inn Port-au-Prince Louverture Airport to Open in Haiti in 2016
Hilton Garden Inn | April 11, 2014
MCLEAN, Va. - April 11, 2014 - Hilton Worldwide today announced the signing of a management agreement with CAB, S.A. to operate the new build Hilton Garden Inn Port-au-Prince Louverture Airport. Scheduled to open in 2016, this new Hilton Garden Inn hotel in Haiti will introduce the Hilton Garden Inn brand to the Caribbean and debut the company's first hotel in Haiti. "We are excited the Hilton Garden Inn brand continues to grow around the world and we are looking forward to opening in Port-au-Prince," said Adrian Kurre, global brand head, Hilton Garden Inn. "Value-conscious guests will enjoy their stay with an award-winning upscale and ...
Holiday Inn London Heathrow Undergoing Complete Refurbishment of 280 of its 616 Rooms
IHG UK & I Managed Hotels | April 11, 2014
April 11, 2014 - Holiday Inn London Heathrow M4 J4, one of Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG)'s Company Managed Hotels, has invested in cutting-edge new look guest bedrooms. The hotel is carrying out a complete refurbishment of 280 of its rooms, designed to suit the needs of the modern business traveller. The refurbishment reflects pioneering design based on industry insight, leading trends and technology and guest feedback. Five concept rooms were originally refurbished and opened up to customer feedback, with the best elements of each room then being integrated into the final design, offering guests a state-of-the-art experience with...
Bulk TV & Internet Chosen as a Strategic Free-to-Guest Supplier for Hilton Worldwide
Bulk TV & Internet | April 11, 2014
Bulk TV & Internet (Bulk TV), a leading provider of DIRECTV services for hotels, announces their strategic supplier agreement with Hilton Worldwide to provide individual hotel owners with an option for in-room entertainment services across the company's hotels in the U.S. This agreement marks the first comprehensive and strategic relationship between a hospitality company and a TV programming provider. Bulk TV is a preferred partner to provide these services to Hilton hotels, and currently provides services to upwards of 300,000 rooms nationwide. "We're looking forward to expanding our partnership with Hilton Worldwide and to provid...
JD Power Reports Marriott Ranks First in Customer Satisfaction with Hotel Loyalty/Rewards Programs
J.D. Power | April 11, 2014
Recommendations from Hotel Staff as well as Friends and Family are Key Drivers of Customer Awareness and Adoption of Hotel Loyalty Programs WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif.: 11 April 2014 - Marriott Rewards1 ranks highest among hotel loyalty/rewards programs with an overall customer satisfaction score of 707 on a 1,000 point scale, according to the inaugural J.D. Power 2014 Hotel Loyalty/Rewards Program Satisfaction ReportSM released today. The report measures customer satisfaction by examining five factors (in order of importance): account maintenance/management (23%); ease of redeeming points/miles (22%); ease of earning points/miles (18%); r...
Lodging Insights Video: PKF Discusses Recent Hotel Development Pipeline Concerns & Growth Factors
PKF Hospitality Research | April 11, 2014
ATLANTA, Ga., April 10, 2014 - Mark Woodworth and Jack Corgel discuss recent concerns over the hotel development pipeline and what factors will facilitate supply growth over the next few years. ...
Jeanne Blair, CHTP to be Honored at HITEC 2014 as CHTP of the Year
Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) | April 11, 2014
AUSTIN, TEXAS, USA (April 11, 2014) - Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals(HFTP®) will honor Jeanne Blair, CHTP as the 2014 Certified Hospitality Technology Professional (CHTP) of the Year at HITEC 2014. The CHTP of the Year honors the individual that scored the highest on the CHTP certification exam in a given year. HITEC 2014 will be held at the Los Angeles Convention Center, June 23 - 26, 2014 in Los Angeles, Calif. Blair's hospitality career began when she moved to beautiful Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. Banff boasts grand hotels, such as the Fairmont Banff Springs that draw millions of tourists each year. A...
Hospitality Funding, LLC Advises on Acquisition of The Comfort Suites Park Place, Milwaukee, WI
Hospitality Funding | April 10, 2014
Palm Beach, FL — Hospitality Funding has facilitated the purchase of The Comfort Suites Park Place in Milwaukee, WI. The 120-room select service hotel is the fifth transaction in the last six months to be acquired through a $50 million equity Joint Venture and related $100 million debt facility raised by Hospitality Funding, LLC. Hospitality Funding advised the buyer group, which consists of a leading hospitality asset management firm and a US-based investment management company. When assessing the transaction, the buyer considered the following: The hotel is located minutes from the Milwaukee County Zoo and Marquette University, an...
Superstar Chef Ferran Adrià & Leading Culinary Media Explore Evolution of Gastronomy
Abadia Retuerta LeDomaine | April 10, 2014
The 'Culinary Conclave' was Held at Spain's LeDomaine Hotel Sardón de Duero, Spain - April, 2014: Leading culinary media from around the world convened March 29-30, 2014 at Abadia Retuerta LeDomaine, the historic winery and hotel in Spain's Duero wine region, for an unprecedented conclave to explore the evolution of gastronomy. World-renowned Spanish chef Ferran Adrià presided over the seminal event, dubbed the Culinary Conclave, appropriately held within the walls of an award-winning, 900-year-old winery that is emerging as one of Spain's top culinary destinations. Video of the Culinary Conclave "At this historic conclave, leading c...
Benchmark Hospitality Names Jarrad Evans Vice President of Business Development & Strategy
Benchmark Hospitality International | April 10, 2014
The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, April 2014 ... Benchmark Hospitality International®, a leading U.S.-based hospitality management company, has appointed Jarrad Evans vice president of business development & strategy. Mr. Evans will be based in Benchmark's Home Office in The Woodlands, Texas, north of Houston. Alex Cabañas, Benchmark's president & CEO, made the announcement. "I am very pleased to welcome Jarrad to Benchmark Hospitality," said Mr. Cabañas. "As I reflect on the past eight years of business development initiatives by our company, I am so excited to have Jarrad join us, bringing new relationships and experiences as...
Waterford Hotel Group Names Sherri Mancini as Assistant Director of Sales for Hartford Sales Cluster
Waterford Hotel Group | April 10, 2014
HARTFORD, CT (April 10, 2014) --- Sherri Mancini has been promoted to Assistant Director of Sales and Marketing for Waterford Hotel Group's full-service Hartford portfolio. In her new role, Mancini will provide additional leadership support and sales revenue generation to the current Hartford sales team. Mancini joins the Hartford team from her most recent position as Director of Business Development for Waterford, a position she had held since 2007. Previously, she had served as Group Sales Manager for the Mystic Marriott Hotel & Spa in Groton, CT, and Catering Sales Manager and Senior Group Sales Manager for Omni Hotels and Starwo...
White Lodging Names Six New General Managers in Q1 2014
White Lodging Services Corporation | April 10, 2014
MERRILLVILLE, Ind., April 10, 2014 -- White Lodging is pleased to announce the following individuals have been named general managers within the last month across the company. Brandon Maynard has been promoted to be the general manager at the Homewood Suites Milford in Milford, Ohio. Maynard started his career in White Lodging in 2008 as an operations supervisor at the SpringHill Suites Louisville before being promoted to the cluster sales coordinator for outside sales at the Residence Inn, Courtyard and SpringHill Suites in 2010. Later that year, he became the front office manager at the Courtyard Louisville before being named the assi...
Construction Begins for the 194-room Hotel Granduca Austin in Texas
Interfin Companies LP | April 10, 2014
AUSTIN, Texas, April 10, 2014 -- Construction will begin this week on a new luxury hotel – the Hotel Granduca Austin. A joint venture between Houston-based Interfin Companies LP and Riverside Resources of Austin, the hotel will sit atop the hillside near Bee Caves Road and Loop 360. Riverside Resources is also developing a seven-story office building and associated parking garage in conjunction with the 194-room hotel which is scheduled for completion in late 2015. The hotel is based on innovative Houston developer Giorgio Borlenghi's vision of old-world Italian sophistication and modern luxury similar in style to the original Hotel G...
Homewood Suites by Hilton Opening Six New Hotels in Canada by Q2 2014
April 10, 2014
April 10, 2014 - MCLEAN, Va. - Homewood Suites by Hilton, Hilton Worldwide's international brand of upscale, all-suite, extended-stay hotels, continues its expansion into Canada, with two new hotel openings in Q1 2014, and four more properties slated to open in the market in Q2 2014. The brand's eleventh Canadian property in Hamilton, Ontario, opened on February 21. Homewood Suites Winnipeg Airport-Polo Park opened March 12, and is the brand's twelfth property in Canada and first hotel in the Manitoba market. The brand's wave of Canadian hotel openings comes on the heels of what Scotiabank highlighted in a recent report on the Canadian ...
The 364-room Courtyard by Marriott Hangzhou Qianjiang Opens in China
Courtyard by Marriott | April 10, 2014
Hangzhou, China, April 10, 2014 – Marriott International continues dynamic growth in China with the opening of the Courtyard by Marriott Hangzhou Qianjiang. Located in Hangzhou Qianjiang CBD area within walking distance to Qian Tang River, the 364-room hotel is the exciting new addition to the Courtyard brand in Asia – making it the 11th Courtyard hotel in China. "Marriott International's portfolio in China continues to expand and we're thrilled to open our second Courtyard branded hotel in the heart of Hangzhou. The upper moderate Courtyard by Marriott brand is known for offering business and leisure guests a refreshing stay with f...
South Carolina’s Wild Dunes Resort Promotes Sales & Marketing Team Members
Wild Dunes Resort | April 10, 2014
CHARLESTON, S.C., April 10, 2014 - Located just 30 minutes from downtown Charleston, Wild Dunes Resort, by Destination Hotels & Resorts is thrilled to announce the promotion of three outstanding team leaders, Ivie Parker, Jody Harris and Eric Pease. Ivie Parker: Director of Marketing Former Marketing and Communications Manager, Ivie Parker has been promoted to Director of Marketing at Wild Dunes Resort. Parker has elevated the resort's public relations platform to new heights through implementing new revenue drivers, developing creative campaigns and strong acquisition strategies and serving as Destination Hotel & Resort's Marke...
Reinhold Johann Appointed as General Manager of the Pan Pacific Hotel and Serviced Suites Tianjin
Pan Pacific Hotels Group | April 10, 2014
Singapore, 10 April 2014 - Pan Pacific Hotels Group has announced the appointment of Reinhold Johann as General Manager of Pan Pacific Hotel and Serviced Suites Tianjin, its fifth "Pan Pacific" property in China scheduled to open later this year. A German hotelier with over 25 years of industry experience spanning Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia Pacific, Reinhold joins the Group from Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts where he was most recently Area General Manager and Assistant Vice President for Banyan Tree Lang Co and Angsana Lang Co in Vietnam. Through intensive operational as well as sales & marketing efforts, Reinhold success...
Brand Yourself
Jana Love | April 10, 2014
by Jana Love Did you know that 1 out of every 4 working adults in the U.S. is a salesperson (The Simple Truths of Selling, by Todd Duncan)? That certainly means there's a lot of competition in this profession, and success can't come easy. How do you separate yourself from the crowd and get noticed? What makes a successful salesperson today and in this economy? This would be a great time for me to introduce a new ground breaking sales technique that is a sure thing. To tell you the truth, there isn't one. The business section of any book store is filled with resources on learning how to sell, how to be a better sales person, improving sa...
Interstate Hotels & Resorts Honors Distinguished Associates and Hotels of the Year
Interstate Hotels & Resorts | April 10, 2014
ARLINGTON, Va., April 10, 2014 - Last week, 37 esteemed awards were presented by Interstate Hotels & Resorts - the leading U.S.-based global hotel management company - during its 2014 global leadership conference, "The Power of One." Announced annually each first quarter, Interstate recognizes strategic innovators among the Company's expansive bench strength of more than 26,000 associates worldwide. The pinnacle award categories included in the honors are the General Manager and Hotel of the Year in the Full-Service, Crossroads® Select-Service and International divisions of the Company, as well as the "Thomas F. Hewitt Leadership A...
Owned by DeBartolo Development, Managed by Banyan Investment, 254-key Aloft Atlanta Downtown Opens
Aloft Hotels | April 10, 2014
April 10, 2014 - STAMFORD, Conn. - Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.® (NYSE:HOT) today announced the grand opening of Aloft Atlanta Downtown, the first Aloft hotel in the state of Georgia. Owned by Tampa-based DeBartolo Development, LLC, and managed by Atlanta-based Banyan Investment Group, the 10-story property in downtown Atlanta underwent a multi-million dollar transformation prior to conversion. Aloft Atlanta Downtown offers 254 spacious, loft-like rooms, forward-thinking technology and a vibrant, social atmosphere. "We are thrilled that Aloft has arrived in Atlanta, the largest economic and cultural center in the South...
Waramaug LS Hotels Acquires the 120-room Comfort Suites Park Place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Waramaug LS Hotels | April 10, 2014
BOCA RATON, FLORIDA, April 10, 2013 - Waramaug LS Hotels, a privately held investment group, announced today they have acquired the 120-room Comfort Suites Park Place, Milwaukee, WI. This is Waramaug LS Hotels' fifth acquisition in the last six months. Located minutes away from the Milwaukee County Zoo and a short drive from popular attractions including Menomonee Falls, Marquette University, BMO Harris Bradley Center, Wisconsin Center, Miller Park, and Milwaukee Harbor, along with the Milwaukee River Walk, which connects the city's many waterfront neighborhoods. "The hotel has strong investment potential, located in a market ripe with ...
Merchant Link Provides Integrated Point-to-Point Encryption to MICROS Clients in the US and Canada
MICROS Systems, Inc. | April 10, 2014
SILVER SPRING, MD (April 10, 2014) - Merchant Link, a leading provider of payment gateway and data security solutions, is pleased to announce that TransactionShield® Point-to-Point encryption [P2PE] is available on MICROS RES, MICROS OPERA and MICROS Simphony 2 solutions in the US and Canada. Merchant Link partnered with MICROS to develop an integrated solution that encrypts sensitive card data at the swipe on MICROS workstations or via external card readers. TransactionShield protects data in-flight from the point of interaction (POI) and as it travels through a merchant's IT environment. Depending on the implementation, the POI may b...
Shift4 Announces VT4™ for Fast, Secure Mobile Payments
Shift4 Corporation | April 10, 2014
LAS VEGAS - Wednesday, April 9, 2014 - Shift4 Corporation, the provider of DOLLARS ON THE NET®, the world's largest independent payment gateway, today announced VT4™, the fastest, most secure mobile payment solution for enterprises. Accessible through a mobile app or a Web browser, VT4 turns mobile devices into a convenient point of sale. The solution was unveiled this morning at TRANSACT 14: Powered by ETA. "A lot of the mobile technologies on the market today simply don't provide the features that larger businesses require," said Dave Oder, Shift4's CEO. "Many merchants sacrificed security and PCI compliance in the rush to adopt ea...
Anantara Opens the 150-room Anantara Emei Resort and Spa in Southwest China
Anantara Hotels | April 10, 2014
Bangkok, April 10, 2014: Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas' has opened its third resort in China - Anantara Emei Resort & Spa - the first and only luxury international hotel in this corner of southwest China. Opening a window to China's ethereal beauty and cultural mystique, the new 150-room resort resides at the foot of majestic Emei Mountain in Sichuan Province. Mount Emei is a mecca for pilgrims, nature and culture buffs. Translating as "lofty", this majestic mountain is the highest of China's Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains and a UNESCO World Heritage Site of legendary sanctuaries, ancient trees, waterfalls, streams and springs...
U.S. Travel’s 2014 IPW Hosts Largest Number of Travel Buyers in More Than a Decade
The U.S. Travel Association | April 10, 2014
CHICAGO (April 10, 2014) - Nearly 1,400 international and domestic travel buyers, the highest since 2001, attended the U.S. Travel Association's 46th annual IPW, the travel industry's premier international marketplace. This week more than 6,200 travel suppliers and buyers from over 70 countries, including 500 international and domestic media, convened in Chicago at McCormick Place for the show, the largest single generator of travel to the U.S. The delegation from China, a critical emerging travel market, set a record with 109 attendees. Over the course of three days at IPW, more than 95,000 business meetings take place for intensive de...
