News Archive: May
Palace Resorts Celebrates Grand Opening of The 1,300-Key Grand at Moon Palace Cancun
Palace Resorts | May 26, 2017
Following the successful completion of a multimillion-dollar project, Cancun's newest awe-inclusive resort welcomes Mexican President, dignitaries, government officials and industry leaders to celebrate in style. MIAMI, Fla. (May 25, 2017) – Palace Resorts - the company that sets the standard in five-star, all-inclusive resort accommodations – is proud to celebrate the opening of The Grand at Moon Palace Cancun. On May 25, 2017, Palace Resorts welcomed Mexican President, Enrique Pena Nieto, alongside dignitaries and government officials for in inaugural ceremony at The Grand at Moon Palace Cancun. Additional respected digni...
Boutique “Soft Brands” Defined
Frances Kiradjian | May 1, 2017
by Frances Kiradjian, Founder & Chair, BLLA Looking at the large online travel agencies recently you might be surprised to spot a few new names among the Starwoods and Marriotts. Tribute? Curio? Quorvus? Could these be new independent David's taking the hotel-world Goliaths by storm? Of course, these aren't new companies by any stretch of the imagination, but fresh incarnations of those same hospitality superpowers that have dominated the industry for decades. Independent in ethos, but multinational in outreach, these are the new hotel 'soft brands', they've come out of the blue, and they're opening up everywhere. But what is a soft...
The Impact – And Importance – Of Virtual Reality in the Hotel Industry
Alan E. Young | May 12, 2017
By Alan E. Young, President, Puzzle Partner Imagine a traveler considering a stay at your hotel. Your potential guest "virtually" walks through one of your luxury suites, exploring all the amenities and even taking in the sweeping view from the window. Or a guest staying in your hotel aims their smartphone in any direction to discover information about nearby attractions and to find their way to the pool. Welcome to the world of augmented reality (AR). AR essentially takes virtual reality (VR) to the next level. Instead of immersing users in a different world, AR superimposes digital content over the real world. AR captured the world's ...
Meliá Nassau Beach – All Inclusive Unveils $19 Million Renovation
May 3, 2017
NASSAU, BAHAMAS – May 2017 – Meliá Nassau Beach - All Inclusive, an all-encompassing family-friendly resort located on stunning Cable Beach, announces the completion of its $19 million renovation, which began in late 2014. Part of the Meliá Hotels & Resorts brand of Meliá Hotels International, the 694-guest room resort situated in the western district of Nassau has been completely transformed into a Caribbean oasis that's the perfect destination for couples, groups and families. Of the hotel's 694 guest rooms, 102 rooms are part of THE LEVEL, Meliá Hotels & Resorts' elevated service concep...
The Hotel Room of the Future
May 30, 2017
By Stuart Pallister What will the hotel room of the future look like? Ecole hôteliere de Lausanne, which has been promoting blue-sky thinking on innovation and the future of hospitality, staged a contest last year and then produced an impressive video based on the two winning concepts. If EHL's vision on YouTube is anything to go by, we'll check into our room in 2033 and then be able to select – courtesy of virtual reality or VR – our preferred location, whether it's, say, Lake Geneva or perhaps the Seychelles. Nowadays, we have wi-fi, a telephone and probably a flat-screen TV. But as hotel guests become increasingly t...
What Makes the Better Hotel Investment? Luxury or Lifestyle?
May 1, 2017
by Stuart Pallister If you're looking to buy a hotel, what makes more sense as an investment? A high-end luxury hotel or a lifestyle, boutique establishment? We would all like to be rich enough to buy a trophy hotel in central London, Paris or Singapore. Imagine the kudos in being able to invite your friends round for dinner. But in reality, what presents the better value in terms of returns? "Lifestyle hotels, boutique hotels, when they started were very trendy, unique and quirky," says Ramsey Mankarious, founder and CEO of Cedar Capital Partners. Speaking recently at a panel discussion at Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne, he s...
Purchase Price Allocations for Hospitality Assets
Tim Sauer | May 10, 2017
By Tim Sauer I recently attended a presentation where the presenter used a hamburger as an analogy for a cost-segregation study. While most people just see a hamburger, he sees a beef patty, lettuce, tomato, cheese, and a bun. That is to say, he doesn't see a single piece of real estate, but numerous smaller assets that comprise the larger asset. The same can be said of a purchase price allocation (PPA). Introduction to Purchase Price Allocations As the name implies, the objective of a purchase price allocation is to allocate the purchase price of an asset to its component parts. Unlike a cost-segregation study, which allocates cost for...
THE LONG READ: Redefining Luxury in Hospitality
May 4, 2017
by Suzanne Godfrey If you ask friends and colleagues who appreciate the finer things in life 'what defines a luxury hotel?', you'll likely get a range of responses from mod cons – with everything from a decent restaurant to a spa – to seamless, exceptional service and décor. All at a price justifying the offering and experience. In the classroom, when I polled my students, words such as 'elegance', 'glamorous', 'experience', 'personalized service', 'perfection', and 'amazing' came up. But so too did words like 'classic', 'tradition', 'super-modern' and 'design'. On a recent fact-finding trip to Paris I set out to disc...
