News Archive: February
Hotel Salt Water Pools – Myths Debunked!
hotels university | February 19, 2016
In recent years, salt water (Saline) pools have been growing in popularity vs their Chlorinated pool counterpart. In hotels across the US, we are seeing more and more hotel owners that are exploring salt water as an option. When most people hear 'salt water pool' they have visions of a 5-star luxury resort with water that is safer, healthier and rolls like butter across the skin. Because of this, we wanted to debunk a few of the most common myths about these types of pools. Myth #1: Salt water Pools Are Chlorine Free. 1. This is by far the most common misconception. A salt water pool and a Chlorinated pool both use Chlorine to kill bact...
Starwood CEO, Thomas Mangas, in Letter to Hotel Owners Believes Marriott to Keep Most Brands
February 9, 2016
Feb. 09--Marriott International wants to keep the large majority of brands of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide (NYSE: HOT), the CEO of Stamford-based Starwood told hotel owners, following Marriott's $12.2 billion acquisition of Starwood slated to be completed mid-year. In a February 4 letter to hotel owners following January's Americas Lodging Investment Summit in Los Angeles, Starwood CEO Thomas Mangas said he believes "most, if not all" Starwood brands will survive the combination. In addition to running Starwood's day-to-day business operations, Mangas said his top priority has been to "advocate for ...
Why Guests Still Call Your Voice Reservations Channel And What You Should Do About It
Doug Kennedy | February 22, 2016
By Doug Kennedy If someone would have surveyed hoteliers in the early 2000's as online bookings were growing exponentially each year, few would have predicted that by now anyone would still be calling to make a reservation. Yet here we are in 2016 with the phones still ringing; and ringing they are, with many hotels even experiencing an increase in calls as those who search on smartphones use the "click to call" feature. It is difficult to get hard industry-wide data to benchmark the contribution of voice channels as the margins vary greatly according to a number of factors such as if the hotel is branded or independent, leisure vs. bus...
Forbes Travel Guide Announces 2016 Star Rating Awards
Forbes Travel Guide | February 22, 2016
154 Hotels Across the Globe Achieve the Coveted Five-Star Award, with Forbes Travel Guide Now Rating in 29 Countries and More than 100 of the World's Top Destinations Paris Wins Nine Five-Star Hotel Awards in its First Year as a Forbes Travel Guide-Rated Destination, Joining Macau with the Most Top Hotels Four Seasons Dominates with Six New Five-Star Hotels; The Caribbean and Mexico Emerge with Distinctive Five-Star Winners, Large and Small; The Langham, Chicago Earns a "Double Five" for its Hotel and Spa ATLANTA, FEBRUARY 22, 2016 — Forbes Travel Guide today unveiled its 58th list of worldwide Star Rating recipients, including...
Four Seasons, Alcion Ventures and Bald Mountain Development to Develop Luxury Resort and Residences in Napa Valley
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts | February 4, 2016
TORONTO – February 4, 2016 – Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, the world's leading luxury hospitality company, Alcion Ventures, and Bald Mountain Development today announced plans for a new luxury resort in Napa Valley. Slated to open in early 2018, the resort will feature 85 guest rooms and 20 Private Residence villas. Located in Calistoga, amongst the valleys, mountains and vineyards of northern Napa Valley, the resort will feature its own fully operational winery and hand-farmed vineyard, offering an unprecedented grape-to-glass experience to resort guests and owners. A limited collection of wines will be produced on-site ...
Trump International Hotel, Washington, D.C. Names Mickael Damelincourt Managing Director & Patricia Tang Director of Sales & Marketing
Trump International Hotel, Washington, D.C | February 16, 2016
WASHINGTON, D.C., (February 16, 2016) – The Trump Organization's $200 million redevelopment of the historic Old Post Office building is one of the most highly anticipated openings of the year and has brought together an all-star team – including two top Trump Hotels executives – to open the icon, set to debut September 2016. The esteemed executive team is comprised of seasoned industry veterans hailing from both the Trump Hotels and other notable luxury hotel brands. At the helm of the executive team is Managing Director Mickael Damelincourt, a dynamic Trump Hotels leader who has been with the company since 2007. H...
‘Chef’s Tables’ Driving Market Differentiation for Meyer Jabara Hotels
Meyer Jabara Hotels | February 22, 2016
Private culinary dining experiences are showcasing the talents of Celebrity Chefs and honoring local foods with tableside preparation, education and beverage pairings for VIP guests Danbury, Conn., February 22, 2016]—For Meyer Jabara Hotels, hospitality is not just defined by the 22 properties the company owns or manages, but also by the culinary excellence bestowed on guests and local patrons of its 14 restaurants on America's East Coast. To differentiate its nine award-winning full-service hotels, the company established "The Chef's Tables of Meyer Jabara Hotels." In addition to stimulating awareness of each hotel's Celebrity Ch...
Hotel Lenders Tightening the Screws
Fitch Ratings | February 8, 2016
Fitch Ratings-New York-08 February 2016: Hotel owners will encounter a more challenging debt financing environment during 2016 as lenders respond to the broad repricing of risk (higher) across most debt capital markets and new regulations, says Fitch Ratings. 'Borrowers can expect higher interest rates and tighter underwriting standards for loans backed by hotel collateral as lenders adapt to more challenging debt capital markets conditions,' said Stephen Boyd, Director of Lodging and REITs at Fitch. Sponsor quality will distinguish hotel debt capital access for the balance of this upcycle. 'Unlike loans made earlier in this...
