News Top: November
Four-Star Gresham Hotel Group Selects CheckMate Mobile Check-In To Personalize Guest Journey
The Gresham Hotel Dublin | November 24, 2014
Premier Luxury Hotels Implements CheckMate to Power Guest Engagement, Positive Reviews and Increased Revenue from Ancillary Spend San Francisco, CA, (November 24, 2014) - CheckMate, provider of the most advanced mobile check-in platform for building and sustaining engaging guest relationships, announced today that Windward Management / Gresham Hotel Group has selected CheckMate to personalize the journey for guests staying at one of their top-rated hotels. European business travelers looking for a posh pillow to plump might be familiar with Gresham Hotels. The company has five upscale properties in Europe that cater to business traveler...
Four Seasons to Open Five New Properties in 2015; In Hawaii, Florida, Casablanca, Seoul & Bahrain
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts | November 17, 2014
November 17, 2014 - Pull out the pushpins and get ready to add a few more to the "Must Visit" map of the world. Five new Four Seasons hotels and resorts are getting ready to transition from breaking ground to cutting ribbon - and welcoming guests in 2015. With far-flung locations, historic connections and awe-inspiring architecture, these new bastions of luxury promise to widen horizons and deepen appreciation for comfort, superlative service and authenticity. Get ready to make one (or all) of these hotels a home-away-from-home in 2015: Ko Olina, Hawaii: Hawaii is a perennial favourite destination among discerning travellers around the ...
Not All Automatic Minibars are Created Equal…
Bartech | November 25, 2014
The Automatic Minibar Over the past few decades, the hotel minibar has undergone a true transformation, brought on by advancing technology. Like most devices of convenience, minibars have been infused with digital and wireless technologies that make them much more user-friendly and efficient for both hoteliers and their guests. These "automatic minibars" vary widely in their features and functionality, however, due to the variety of methods by which this technology is applied. Following is a guide for hoteliers on how to optimize the cost-savings, operational efficiency and guest satisfaction that the automatic minibar has made possible...
Top 10 Things Great DOSM’s Do Every Day: #5 is a Must!
Tambourine | November 20, 2014
by Dave Spector 1. Determine the Day's Top Priorities and STICK to Them As tempting as it may be, don't flip open your computer and dive right into emailing clients, sales numbers, checking in on your team, etc. While well-intentioned, tackling your day without a plan leaves room for wandering thoughts, for conversations and projects to take longer than they should, and for frivolous activities to take over precious hours that should be dedicated to more pressing matters that impact your hotel's revenue. 2. Evaluate Your Hotel Product Dedicate five minutes to monitor your hotel's review sentiment. Read through your most recent hotel gue...
Dual Build Oceanfront Comes to Myrtle Beach, SC with 100-room Homewood Suites Groundbreaking
November 13, 2014
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. and MCLEAN, Va. - November 13, 2014 - Hilton Worldwide today announced the groundbreaking of Homewood Suites by Hilton Myrtle Beach/Oceanfront to join Hampton Inn Myrtle Beach/Oceanfront as the first dual-branded oceanfront hotel for the company. The property will be the first hotel built in Myrtle Beach since the 2009 opening of the Hampton Inn Myrtle Beach/Oceanfront's second tower at 1801 South Ocean Boulevard. "As the first dual-build, oceanfront property in the Hilton Worldwide portfolio, this property demonstrates the flexibility we are able to offer developers interested in bringing our established brands to ne...
Loews Hotels & Resorts Appoints Jim Cone as Senior Vice President of Marketing
Loews Hotels & Resorts | November 10, 2014
NEW YORK, NY (November 10, 2014) - Loews Hotels & Resorts has announced the appointment of Jim Cone as Senior Vice President of Marketing. With more than a quarter-century of experience in the hotel industry, Cone will oversee many disciplines of marketing for the hotel group, including advertising, brand strategy, direct marketing, customer relationship management (CRM), partnerships, loyalty program development and other initiatives to draw leisure, business and group travelers to 22 Loews properties across the U.S. and Canada. Cone joins Loews Hotels & Resorts following nearly a decade with Hilton Worldwide, most recently ser...
Bellstar Hotels & Resorts Credits Flip.to for Stellar Summer Season
Flip.to | November 12, 2014
ORLANDO, FL - NOVEMBER 12, 2014 - In the extremely competitive Western Canadian destination travel market, Bellstar Hotels & Resorts is a recognized and respected leader. "Flip.to certainly helped us leverage this position and broadcast it to a wider audience, contributing to an above average high season," said Eric Gooden, Marketing Manager for Bellstar. "All of our Bellstar Hotels & Resorts properties are set in destination locations - a mountain retreat, a desert vineyard escape, and a seaside resort on Vancouver Island. That Flip.to provides stellar results in each of these three distinct properties proves its power as a mar...
Receiver Named to Liquidate Assets of Nikesh Patel Including the Unopened Saddle Brook Hotel in NJ
November 13, 2014
Nov. 13--A federal court in Chicago has named a receiver to take over control, and to liquidate, the assets of Florida businessman Nikesh Patel, including the unopened Crowne Plaza hotel in Saddle Brook. Patel, who was arrested on charges of loan fraud just over a month ago, has agreed to cooperate with Michael Nanosky, who was appointed as receiver. Nanosky, president and chief executive officer of Boca Raton, Fla.-based Janus Hotels & Resorts, will take over management of the Alena Hospitality portfolio ? the five hotels Patel owns, which include the former Holiday Inn off Route 80. Nanosky will market and sell those properties, a...
Using Condo Hotels for Financing New Hotel Development
JMBM | November 10, 2014
Traditional condo hotel structures as "non-securities" By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group® 10 November 2014 Click here for the latest articles on Condo Hotels High end hotel development in 2015 Almost every developer of a high end or luxury hotel in 2015 will at least consider using the condo hotel approach as a financing technique for new development, conversion or adaptive reuse projects. Anyone evaluating a condo hotel structure needs to know, that with recent changes in the law, there are now two different approaches available: (1) Non-Security Approach — This is the traditional approach used for almost every c...
Four Things That Impact First Impressions
Katie Scheer | November 17, 2014
By Katie Scheer First impressions are paramount since they are highly accurate; how you are instantly evaluated can make or break your success. And you have heard before that a first impression is made within 5 seconds, but I believe it's faster. Why? Personal experience- I get a feeling about something or a situation within 2 seconds (don't you?). The science- 20 million billion bits of information move around our brains every second, and it calculates sounds, sights, smells, taste, touch, and thoughts in every moment at the same time (from The Phenomenal Experience). This means we need to up our game and make sure that we control the ...
Partnership of Banyan and Inlight Capital Acquires Hampton Inn & Suites in Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Banyan Investment Group | November 21, 2014
November 21, 2014 - Banyan Investment Group alongside InLight Capital LLC has acquired the 101-room, four-floor Hampton Inn & Suites on North Thompson Lane in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, about 25 miles southeast of Nashville. "This is a highly-desirable property in the key Nashville-Murfreesboro market," said Rakesh Chauhan, President and CEO of Banyan. "Our company continues to pursue value-added opportunities, with additional acquisitions expected before year-end." The Hampton Inn features 1,078 sq. ft. of meeting space, a business center, a fitness center, and a seasonal outdoor swimming pool. "The hotel industry is experiencing ris...
Hyatt Acquires Full Ownership of Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort & Spa, Austin, TX for $143 million
Hyatt Hotels Corporation | November 9, 2014
CHICAGO--Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE:H) today announced that a Hyatt affiliate has acquired its partners' 92 percent interest in the 491-room Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa in Austin/Bastrop, Texas, for approximately $143 million. The Company also assumed approximately $65 million of property-level debt. The total price, inclusive of debt, implies a valuation of approximately $450,000 per key. The transaction closed on November 6. "Hyatt Regency Lost Pines is a sought-after destination by both leisure and group guests and has strengthened Hyatt's presence in the Austin area, where Hyatt has a broad spectrum of lodging experi...
Owned and Managed by W.S. Atlantic, LLC, the 103-room Hampton Inn Bar Harbor Opens in Maine
Hampton Hotels | November 21, 2014
November 21, 2014 - BAR HARBOR, Maine and MCLEAN, Va. - Hampton Hotels, Hilton Worldwide's global brand of more than 1,900 mid-priced Hampton Inn, Hampton Inn & Suites, and Hampton by Hilton hotels, today announced the official opening of its newest property, the 103-room Hampton Inn Bar Harbor, located at 12 Norman Road. The hotel is owned and managed by W.S. Atlantic, LLC. It is the 14th Hampton property in the state. "We are thrilled to open the newest Hampton Inn located in Bar Harbor overlooking Frenchman Bay and the mountains of Acadia National Park. Our guests will enjoy breathtaking ocean views, spectacular sun rises over th...
NYU School of Professional Studies to Launch New Certificate Program in Conference Center Management
NYU School of Professional Studies | November 6, 2014
NEW YORK, November 10, 2014 – Conference centers today represent a distinct, highly complex segment of the global meetings industry, and today's managers face unique challenges that require appropriate skills and training. To help address the needs of this growing hospitality and tourism sector, the NYU School of Professional Studies Tisch Center for Hospitality and Tourism (sps.nyu.edu) will launch a new Certificate in International Conference Center Management this spring, one of the first noncredit certificate programs that specifically focus on international conference center management. Developed in consultation with the Internat...
Developer George Schott & Ocean Properties Get OK for 120-Key Extended-Stay Hotel in Augusta, Maine
November 13, 2014
Nov. 13--AUGUSTA -- A proposal to build a new hotel on Western Avenue was approved by the Planning Board Wednesday despite concerns from other hotel operators that there are already plenty of hotel rooms in the area and the new competition could take business away and potentially put one or more of them out of business. The 120-room, four-story hotel proposed for Western Avenue is amid a cluster of hotels in that area of west Augusta now, including a relatively new Hampton Inn on the other side of Western Avenue, a Super 8 motel next door to the south, a Motel 6 just up Edison Drive, a Quality Inn and Suites nearby on Whitten Road and t...
HPL Hotels & Resorts Appoints Andrew Khoo as Vice President, Operations
HPL Hotels & Resorts | November 17, 2014
17 November 2014, Singapore - HPL Hotels & Resorts is pleased to announce the appointment of Andrew Khoo as the Vice President, Operations. A passionate Singaporean hotelier with a career spanning over 40 years, Andrew graduated from The Ealing Hotel School, London, United Kingdom and pursued his career with THF Hotels. He has held senior roles in the region with Goodwood Park Hotel, Raffles International, CDL Hotels & Resorts and HPL Hotels & Resorts. In his new role, Andrew will be responsible for the operational performance and maintenance of service quality standards across the Group's portfolio of 11 hotels and resorts ...
Jubliee Hotels Group, LLC New Owner of Hotel Memphis
BuildCentral | November 10, 2014
Hotel-Online and BuildCentral Have Updated 173 Hotels in the Last Two Weeks with Changes in Personnel, Property Management or Ownership Chicago, IL. November 10, 2014 - Hotel-Online and BuildCentral have reported 173 changes in personnel, property management and ownership in the Hotel Profiles database over the last two weeks. Many hotels are getting a fresh start with a new Owner, Property Manager or General Manager. Recommend your product or service to someone who might be looking for a change. Hotels Under New Management: Crowne Plaza Portland-Lake Oswego (Lake Oswego, OR) The Heritage House Resort (Little River, CA) Adoba Hotel...
Of Matchboxes and Other Hotel Freebies
Larry Mogelonsky | November 12, 2014
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.lma.ca) Picture this: I'm dining out at an upscale restaurant and when the bill arrives, it comes with a branded matchbox for each person at our table. Twenty years ago, this would've been nothing out of ordinary, maybe even a slightly nicer touch over leaving a bowl of matchbooks at the entrance or on the bar. But with the declining number of smokers as well as prohibitive laws against lighting up in public establishments, complimentary matchboxes are now somewhat of a rarity. While I'm not condoning a resurgence of cigarette consumption, from a branding and marketing perspective, perhaps we gave ...
INTEREL Announces New Product Releases and Expands its Global Footprint
INTEREL | November 12, 2014
Dubai, 12 November 2014: INTEREL, the world's fastest growing manufacturer of integrated room technologies in the luxury hospitality industry, has announced the release of a series of new global products as well as the establishment of a local presence in Asia and the Americas. The company's online room management system offers highly innovative and intelligent solutions for the modern hotelier. Through a combination of cutting-edge technology and uniquely simplified design, the system allows hotel operators to optimize their energy monitoring and consumption and to deliver a greater guest experience. The hospitality industry's most adv...
Mark Heywood Appointed General Manager of New World Manila Bay Hotel
New World Hotels & Resorts | November 25, 2014
Mr. Mark Heywood has been appointed general manager of New World Manila Bay Hotel, whose management will be assumed by New World Hotels & Resorts on 1 January 2015. He will help to oversee the transition from the current operator to a successful renovation and rebranding of the property. Mr. Heywood has more than 35 years hotel experience, most spent in Asia and including 23 years in hotel general manager positions. Most recently, he was area manager and general manager at Marco Polo Hong Kong Hotel for five years following 19 years as general manager of various Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts properties in the Philippines, Hong Kon...
Doors Re-Opened for Hilton Mauritius Resort & Spa Upon Completion of Major Renovation
Hilton Mauritius Resort & Spa | November 17, 2014
November 17, 2014 - MAURITIUS - Hilton Mauritius Resort & Spa announced today the re-opening of its newly renovated resort, after the completion of major renovations since its opening in 2001. "This renovation shows our passion in providing new and innovated experiences," said Dominique Dmytryszyn, general manager, Hilton Mauritius Resort & Spa. "At Hilton Mauritius Resort & Spa we always strive to meet the demands of our international and domestic clients with the highest levels of service." The renovation work throughout the property includes upgrades of the resort guest rooms with creation of new Grand Deluxe rooms catego...
New ‘TREATS’ Concept, a Walk-Up or Walk-In Shop, to be Introduced in Nearly 2,000 Hampton Lobbies
Hampton Hotels | November 12, 2014
To Enhance Food and Beverage Offerings MCLEAN, Va. - November 12, 2014 - Hampton Hotels today announced a new design update to increase food and beverage retail options within current and future Hampton Hotels. The new concept, TREATS, features a walk-up or walk-in shop filled with snacks, toiletries, local merchandise and drinks, including water, soda, single-serve beer and wine, for purchase. The concept includes two separate designs; a walk-in solution for hotels with an existing Suite Shop space and a walk-up solution for hotels without an existing food and beverage retail offering. Both options will be located conveniently within t...
Ronald & Beverly Brown of 434 Holdings Inc. Present Plans for Another Downtown La Crosse, WI Hotel
November 1, 2014
Nov. 01--Another new hotel could be in the works for downtown La Crosse, this one in the shadow of the Cass Street bridge. Ronald and Beverly Brown have lined up a major national franchise for a 92-room hotel at 434 S. Third St., where Habitat for Humanity La Crosse Area formerly had its ReStore, according to a recent letter to the city's public works director. The letter did not identify the franchise. The project would include two other Third Street properties, now occupied by Hilton Medical and Chapter II. The Browns' corporation, 434 Holdings Inc., has agreements to purchase all three sites this year and in 2015, according to the le...
Aariana Hospitality International Is AHLEI’s Newest Partner in Malaysia
the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) | November 13, 2014
Orlando, Florida, November 2014 - The American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) has signed an international partner agreement with Aariana Hospitality International, a new hospitality management company in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The company offers management services, technical services, procurement, and training services, including pre-opening, performance management, and talent development. Aariana Hospitality International's executive team has more than 100 years of hotel experience and is led by president and CEO Reginald T. Pereira. Pereira was the CEO of the Malaysian Association Hotels, a position he held for se...
