News Top: October
Suicide at San Francisco’s Marriott Marquis Linked to Assault of Female Hotel Worker
October 14, 2015
Oct. 14--A New Yorker who jumped to his death Sunday at the San Francisco Marriott Marquis and the assault of a female hotel worker found in a luxury suite at the Mission Street tower hours after the suicide are being investigated as related incidents, police said Tuesday. Alexander Damhuis, 26, of Brooklyn, N.Y., was identified as the hotel guest who committed suicide around 10:30 a.m. Sunday, according to the city medical examiner's office. The man jumped from a high-rise roof of the hotel at 780 Mission St. and landed on a fifth-floor deck, police said. He died at the scene. Hours later, at about 5 p.m., police were notified that...
Don’t Drink the Kool-Aid. There is a Downturn Coming
Steve Belmonte | October 29, 2015
That's the opinion of one well known veteran hotelier. Here's what Steve Belmonte, CEO, Vimana Franchise Systems thinks. I sit at industry conferences and listen to the talking heads who predict joy, jubilee and a continuation of the good-times for the foreseeable future. I am frankly, sick to death of hotel company CEOs self-serving predictions during an upturn that the upturn will last forever and if we are in a downturn, well the upturn is right around the corner. Don't buy it. Don't believe it. Our industry is biblical with seven years of feast and seven years of famine. You can rest assured that a downturn is coming. The problem is...
Four Things to Know About Fiber-to-the-Room Solutions
Paul Paolisso | October 13, 2015
by Paul Paolisso In the hospitality industry, the days of free HBO and room service marking a top quality hotel are long gone. Contemporary travelers bring with them a plethora of mobile devices with high data and connectivity needs, in part because many hotel guests also bring or stream their own content. For many travelers, the most desirable hotels are now the properties that offer fast, free Wi-Fi and strong wireless service with the bandwidth capable of supporting multiple connected devices. "Fiber to the room" solutions can help hoteliers ensure their property fits into that "desirable" category, or, perhaps more importantly, to ...
Lodging Forecast 2016 by Bob Rauch
Bob Rauch | October 5, 2015
For the past several years we have put out our forecast for 2016 at the beginning of Q4 as we've had time to analyze the data and hear from industry experts at The Lodging Conference. This year's conference is this week and while there will be a lot of valuable data, 2015 was such a strong year that the indicators for 2016 give us enough confidence to already forecast for next year. Rest assured, I'll pepper my future articles with the insights gleaned from The Lodging Conference, one of our industry's most useful and successful events I might add, but waiting will only delay your planning for a successful 2016. According to UBS, a stro...
When It Comes To Hospitality, “Little Things Mean A Lot”
Doug Kennedy | October 7, 2015
By Doug Kennedy October 7, 2015 Of all of the slogans used by hotel companies over the years, for me the most pithy has to be the one that Sheraton used in its pre-Starwood days: "At Sheraton, little things mean a lot." When it comes to success in the hotel and lodging industry, it truly is the smallest details that make the biggest differences. As my frequent readers know, I often write about what I call the "vanillaization" of the physical hotel experience as brands copy-cat each other in the race to add the latest, niftiest new features and amenities. Yet one aspect of a hotel stay that remains as a true differentiator is a pro-activ...
John Schafer Appointed as Area Vice President and General Manager of Grand Hyatt New York
Grand Hyatt New York | October 29, 2015
NEW YORK (October 29, 2015) – The iconic Grand Hyatt New York is pleased to announce the appointment of hotel veteran and New York native John Schafer as Area Vice President and General Manager. In his new role, Schafer will manage all aspects of the hotel and its day-to-day operations. Ideally located in Midtown Manhattan attached to Grand Central Terminal and steps away from some of the city's best culture and attractions, Grand Hyatt New York features a stunning lobby with two three-dimensional "Awilda" and "Chloe" sculptures from famed artist Jaume Plensa, 1,306 spacious guestrooms and suites ranging from 600 to more than 3,50...
Talk Of Hyatt Buying Starwood Raises Question About Stamford Workers
October 29, 2015
Oct. 29--With news reports saying that Hyatt Hotels Corp. is in talks to buy Stamford-based Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, the natural question is: What happens to the employees in Stamford? The number of employees in Stamford has been falling, even as the company won another tax incentive and loan package from the state in May 2014. At the time of the announcement, Starwood had 980 employees; by the end of the year, it had 847. The state announced an incentive package worth as much as $89.5 million under Gov. M. Jodi Rell in 2009 to lure the company to move from White Plains to Stamford's Harbor Point. The amount of state s...
Condé Nast Travelers Annual Readers’ Choice Award Winners of the World’s Top 100 Hotels & Resorts
October 20, 2015
More than 128,000 travelers took part in our 28th annual Readers' Choice Awards survey—the most in its history—submitting millions of ratings and tens of thousands of comments to help us create a list of winning favorites. The breadth of their top-rated experiences was impressive, from elegant castles in the Irish countryside to tented safari camps trailing the Great Migration across the Serengeti. They chose tiny private islands in the tropics, small culture rich cities in Europe, and intimate river cruises. Most notably, they declared a passion for the authentic, the personalized, the unexpected—finding all three...
The Death of the Neck Tie
Larry Mogelonsky | October 21, 2015
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.lma.ca) Is it just me or is the neck tie going out of style at the hotel workplace? Thinking more broadly, what is future for staff uniforms and how will any such changes affect guests' perceptions or expectations? There's much to consider in uniform design and what it means for a brand, so for now let's focus on that one central piece of chest apparel: the neck tie. Keep in mind that as a baby boomer who has spent most of his days living in and around the Eastern Seaboard of North America, I have perhaps a highly traditional opinion on hospitality neckwear. It used to be that anyone in hotel manag...
Hotel Brands’ Struggle to Understand Airbnb: The IHG Edition
Vikram Singh | October 8, 2015
by Vikram Singh When I'm on Twitter, I'm usually catching up on some of my favorite comedians (mostly comediennes) and posting my own material. But every now and then, some non-comedic items capture my attention. This live tweet caught my eye on September 30. Sean McCracken* with Hotel News Now posted this update from IHG's annual conference. *(Let's get our "release the kraken" jokes out of the way. I bet he hears them a lot.) Wow. The "Solomons" referred to in the above tweet is not some mid-level manager at IHG trying to shake up the crowds. He is the Big Kahuna/CEO of Intercontinental Hotels Group! At first I could not believe that...
Ambitious Developer’s Fast Climb Snagged by Claims of EB-5 Investor Funds Deception
October 24, 2015
Oct. 24--Lobsang Dargey, once an impoverished Tibetan monastery student, shot from obscure immigrant to well-to-do real-estate developer in barely a decade. This summer, having raised more than $125 million from Chinese investors through the EB-5 visa program, he began construction on a 40-story downtown Seattle tower and was finishing up a $60 million Everett project. This month he was scheduled as the main speaker on EB-5 investments at a big Florida real-estate conference. The dapper 42-year-old drove a $212,000 Bentley and owned a $2.5 million Bellevue home that was being remodeled for him, his three children and his wife, Tami, the...
Riu Playacar on Mexico’s Riviera Maya to Reopen Following $32 Million Top-to-Bottom Renovation
Strand Hospitality | October 9, 2015
Palma de Mallorca, October 9, 2015 - On October 10th RIU Hotels & Resorts will reopen the Riu Playacar Hotel after remodeling all of its facilities, transforming it into a completely new resort while remaining faithful to the personality which has characterized it since it opened in 2000. Thanks to the renovation work which entailed an investment of 32 million dollars, the new Riu Playacar offers new services and areas aimed at providing guests a place to relax so that they can enjoy an unforgettable vacation. With its recently debuted style, which is more modern and in line with the interior decoration RIU is implementing in its ho...
Rancho Valencia Resort and Spa in San Diego Appoints Noel Daniel New General Manager
Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa | October 29, 2015
SAN DIEGO, Calif. (October 28, 2015) – Forbes Travel Guide Five-‐Star and AAA Five Diamond resort, Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa is proud to welcome General Manager, Noel Daniel, an established leader in the hospitality industry and brings more than 30 years of luxury hotel experience to the leading resort. "We are thrilled to have Noel join the team at Rancho Valencia as we are confident in her leadership skills and passion for the hospitality industry," states co-‐owner Jeff Jacobs. "Noel's impressive background paired with her proven results will be instrumental in the continued success and momentum of the ...
Labor Costs and Related Expense Reporting in the 11th Edition of the USALI
October 27, 2015
Implementation of the 11th Revised Edition of the Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industry The 11th revised edition of the Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industry (USALI) was published in the spring of 2014, with an implementation date of January 1, 2015. The responsibility for revising the USALI lies with the Financial Management Committee (FMC) of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA). Throughout the implementation process, the FMC has received several questions from the worldwide lodging industry. To answer these questions, the FMC has created a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document on the USA...
Mobile Payments: The New Expectation For Hotels
Kristen Gramigna | October 15, 2015
By Kristen Gramigna Mobile payments are now a common means of accepting payment in stores, food trucks and festivals — but did you know travelers have embraced them wholeheartedly, too? In fact, nearly half of travelers who responded to a survey by the air transport firm SITA said they'd "definitely" use mobile payments during their journey. Here's are a look at why customers now expect that the hotel they choose has embraced mobile payment technology. Mobile guests expect mobile accommodations. The Pew Research Center reports that nearly two-thirds of Americans now own a smartphone, which they use to "navigate the world around t...
Sam Nazarian’s SBE Entertainment Will No Longer Manage SLS
October 5, 2015
Oct. 06--Sam Nazarian, the businessman who led the creation of SLS Las Vegas, is selling his ownership stake in the financially struggling Strip resort and his company will no longer manage the property. San Francisco-based real estate investment firm Stockbridge Capital Partners, which already owns 90 percent of the resort, is buying the 10 percent that Nazarian and his family own, the Wall Street Journal reported this morning. Nazarian's company, SBE Entertainment Group, will transition from a management agreement to a licensing agreement with the hotel. That will allow the SLS branding and operations to continue unchanged, but SB...
Liquidation Sale of Ramada Aberdeen Hotel & Conference Center Opens Thurs., Oct. 29th at 10:00 a.m.
NCL/ National Content Liquidators, Inc. | October 26, 2015
Sale Conducted by NCL/ National Content Liquidators, Inc. Building Coming Down and Everything Must Go! (Aberdeen, South Dakota October, 2015) – The Ramada Aberdeen Hotel and Conference Center has contracted with NCL/National Content Liquidators, Inc., the leading expert in hotel liquidation management, to clear the hotel of its current contents as a prelude to the property's demolition. The liquidation is being held on-site at the Ramada Aberdeen Hotel and Conference Center, located at 2727 6th Avenue SE, Aberdeen, SD ., and is open to both the hospitality industry and the general public. The sale begins at 10:00 am, Thursday, Oc...
Canopy by Hilton Adds Eight to its Portfolio of Over 20 Hotels in Various Stages of Development
Canopy by Hilton | October 6, 2015
MCLEAN, Va. – October 6, 2015 – Hilton Worldwide (NYSE: HLT) today announced that eight new hotels will join Canopy by Hilton's portfolio of more than 20 neighborhoods in various stages of development. Launched last October, Canopy by Hilton is Hilton's newest hotel brand that redefines the lifestyle space. The Canopy by Hilton neighborhood additions include: Canopy West Palm Beach Canopy Denver | Downtown Canopy Washington, D.C. | Southwest Waterfront Canopy New Orleans Canopy Dallas | Uptown Canopy Baltimore | Harbor Point Canopy Minneapolis | Mill District Canopy Chicago | The Loop "Over the past year, momentum ...
Room Service or Is It Food Delivery?
Kirby D. Payne | October 26, 2015
By Kirby D. Payne, Oct 26, 2015 Room service should be more than just food delivery. This article has reminders for full service hotels and ideas for limited service hotels. I admit I am addicted to certain cartoons, including some serial ones. As a result, I regularly turn to the cartoon pages of the daily paper. I could not help but get an extra chuckle when I saw "The Family Circus" by Bill Keane on October 24, 1997. I wish we could reprint it here but they wanted $150 for that, which is reasonable, but would not let us use it on the internet version of this column which is unreasonable as it would have been a nice promo for the...
General Manager Sarah Ferry Opens the 108-room Fairfield Inn & Suites Jamestown in North Dakota
Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott | October 26, 2015
Owned by Buffalo City Holdings, LLC and Managed by Pace's Lodging, LLC. Jamestown, North Dakota - October 26, 2015 - The 108-room Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott in Jamestown, North Dakota is scheduled to open this Friday with its smart, inventive public space and guest room design, and its bright and inviting décor. Located at 930 25th Street SW, the Fairfield Inn & Suites Jamestown will operate as a Marriott franchise, owned by Buffalo City Holdings, LLC and managed by Pace's Lodging, LLC. This is the first Fairfield Inn & Suites in the area to feature the brand's new design and décor, which en...
San Francisco’s First Crowdfunded Hotel? Yotel Seeks Investors for Hotel in Historic Grant Building
October 24, 2015
Oct. 24--The Yotel hotel being constructed inside San Francisco's historic Grant Building at 1095 Market St. will have trendy touches like automated check-in kiosks, retractable beds, control panels for lights and temperature, lobby co-working space and ultra-efficient "cabin" rooms. It has a cutting-edge innovation behind the scenes as well -- crowdfunding. "Because the property is in the heart of Mid-Market, we felt this was a way to get some local tech entrepreneurs interested in and potentially invested in the project," said Justin Palmer, CEO of Synapse Development Group, which is developing the project with...
The Power of Welcome Baskets
Larry Mogelonsky | October 14, 2015
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.lma.ca) "Welcome to our hotel! Help yourself to some complimentary drinks and snacks." This is what's being communicated on the surface whenever a guest arrives at his or her room and is delightfully surprised by a welcome bag or basket of food and beverages. But beneath the surface, it sounds a lot more like this: "Your business is truly appreciated. We understand that you're tired and perhaps mildly stressed from traveling, so relax and recharge your system in the tranquility of your own room while you plan your next move." In this sense, free in-room welcome baskets go a long way to build rappor...
NAVIS Launches New Narrowcast Vacation Rental Edition
NAVIS | October 5, 2015
With a new modular architecture that enables a tailored set of functionality, Narrowcast VR Edition enables companies to choose a scaleable solution to meet their unique needs BEND, OR – Oct 05, 2015 – NAVIS, the leader in integrated hospitality sales and marketing solutions, is today announcing the launch of NAVIS Narrowcast Vacation Rental Edition, a modular and scalable version of their award-winning reservation sales system designed to scale and meet the needs of vacation rental property managers – whether they are managing 75 properties or tens of thousands of units distributed globally. NAVIS' solutions support t...
WoodSpring Hotels and Gold Coast Premier Properties Break Ground for WoodSpring Suites in Miami, FL
WoodSpring Hotels | October 26, 2015
Miami, Fla., October 26, 2015—WoodSpring Hotels, the nation's fastest growing, extended-stay hotel company, and Gold Coast Premier Properties, LLC, today announced the groundbreaking of the WoodSpring Suites hotel near Zoo Miami. "It has been a great experience working with WoodSpring Hotels. They are a strong competitor in the extended stay segment, and we're excited to capitalize on their unique operating model that focuses on the bottom line and in turn offers strong returns," said Raul Garcia, president of Gold Coast. The projected opening date for the hotel is 3Q 2016. Located at Coral Reef Drive and parallel to the Florida T...
TravelClick Acquires ZDirect, A Leading Hospitality CRM
TravelClick, Inc. | October 28, 2015
Acquisition Broadens TravelClick's Technology Solutions; Enables Hoteliers to Create and Drive Deeper Guest Engagement and Increase Revenue Opportunities NEW YORK, October 28, 2015 – TravelClick ("the Company"), a global provider of innovative cloud-based, revenue-generating solutions for the hospitality industry, announced today that it has acquired ZDirect, a leading customer relationship management (CRM) platform in the hospitality sector. The acquisition of ZDirect, which represents the second acquisition made by TravelClick in the last 12 months, is yet another example of the Company's commitment to extending its industry le...
