News Top: June
Early Check In: What Does It Really Deliver?
Mario Bellinzona | June 13, 2016
Whether guests check in remotely before arrival or show up way before check-in time – room availability makes everyone toe the line By Mario Bellinzona Lately I've been wondering if mobile check-in is all that it's cracked up to be. Sure, it's supposed to zip me from the front door to my room, but depending on the hotel I choose, the time of day, whether I arrive earlier or later than planned, and many other factors, the direct-to-your-room experience doesn't always deliver on its promises. As a frequent traveler myself, I often wonder if other travelers feel as I do about mobile check in. Not only am I unsure if I like it, but I...
Made Hotel to Make Fall Debut in New York City’s NoMad Neighborhood
June 10, 2016
JUNE 2016, NEW YORK, NY – Opening in Fall 2016, Made comes to life as the inaugural hotel project from hospitality entrepreneur Sam Gelin. Spread across 18 stories with 108 guest rooms at the intersection of 29th and Broadway in the NoMad neighborhood, Made takes a reinvented approach towards the guest experience where visitors can spend an entire day and evening comfortably. Treating experience as the new luxury, Gelin's thoughtful approach is seen in the rich, yet conscious, materials used throughout Made's crafted environment, the food and beverage offerings and striking public and private areas, which will include a communal c...
Airbnb vs. Hotels: Study Reveals Consumer Preferences Behind Explosive Growth
iModerate | June 22, 2016
Qualitative study finds boutique properties could help hotels chains bridge the gap with Airbnb DENVER – June 22, 2016 – Airbnb is growing at an explosive rate and gunning to become a full-blown hospitality brand, putting even more pressure on large hotel chains to hold onto their customer base. A new research study by iModerate, a progressive insights firm, reveals the consumer preferences behind this growth and details the personas and different expectations of guests who stay at each type of property. Airbnb Guests Seen as Risk-Taking Extroverts, Hotel Guests as Conservative Introverts iModerate asked 1,500 consumers nati...
A Brief History of Boutique Hotels
BLLA | June 30, 2016
Provided Courtesy of BLLA Hotels haven't changed too much since Joseph and Mary arrived at the inn in Bethlehem and the clerk told them that their reservation had been lost. The hotel industry, of which started with boutique hotels, is closely linked to civilizations, periods, and nowadays, generations. The first wave of facilities offering guests accommodations are evident through biblical and medieval times. Enterprising Greeks developed thermal baths in villages designed for rest and recuperation. Not to be outdone, the imaginative Romans built mansions to provide accommodation for travelers going away for religious retreats. The cre...
Thayer Lodging Embarks on $100 Million Transformation of the Diplomat Resort & Spa, Hollywood, FL
Diplomat Resort & Spa Hollywood | June 8, 2016
HOLLYWOOD, FL – June 8, 2016 – The iconic Diplomat Resort & Spa Hollywood, Curio Collection by Hilton announces the next chapter of the resort's notable legacy. In late 2014, Thayer Lodging Group, a Brookfield affiliated company, acquired the property, announcing conversion plans inclusive of a $100 million make over and rebranding strategy. Multiple companies, together with the property's leadership team, will spearhead the hotel's evolution, inclusive of new room product, development of more than nine restaurants and bars, complete lobby and public space refurbishment, and new programming designed for guests looking to...
U.S. Hoteliers on Alert After First Quarter Occupancy Decline
CBRE Group, Inc. | June 6, 2016
U.S. Lodging Market Forecast To Grow, But At Slower Pace Atlanta – June 6, 2016 – The U.S. hotel market suffered a 0.5 percent decline in occupancy during the first quarter of 2016. This is the first year-over-year decline in occupancy since the fourth quarter of 2009 according to STR. Based upon the recently released June 2016 edition of Hotel Horizons®, the annual occupancy rate for U.S. hotels is forecast to decline in both 2016 and 2017, the result of supply increases outpacing growth in demand. U.S. occupancy levels will persist above the 65 percent mark, thus providing pricing leverage for hotel operators. For 2016...
Why You May Need to Change Your “Competitive Set” Now; STR Adopts New Guidelines
Jim Butler | June 14, 2016
By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group® Hotel Lawyers | Author of www.HotelLawBlog.com To maintain the confidentiality of hotel data, STR imposes certain restrictions on the hotels for which it will provide competitive set data. The Marriott-Starwood merger is shaking up the world of competitive sets with the result that many owners will need to revise the competitive sets specified in their hotel management agreements. As Bob Braun explains in the article below, considering the need to identify appropriate hotels for new competitive sets, and negotiation of amendments to hotel management agreements, it would probably be wis...
Mr. Jason Leung Appointed General Manager of Le Méridien Singapore, Sentosa
Le Meridien Hotels & Resorts | June 14, 2016
SINGAPORE -14 JUNE 2016- Le Meridien Singapore, Sentosa is delighted to announce the appointment of its General Manager, Mr. Jason Leung whose extensive experience as a consummate hotelier stretches over 14 years. Jason was previously with The Westin Resort Nusa Dua, Bali for a total for 7 years where he held various key management roles as Hotel Manager for 3 years, Executive Assistant Manager and the Director of Sales & Marketing where he was responsible for strengthening its position as a world-class family leisure and MICE resort. Jason was also a part of the team overseeing the renovation of the award-winning Bali International...
JQH Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy to Restructure Financial Footing
John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts | June 28, 2016
SPRINGFIELD, Mo.--(June 28, 2016)--John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts (JQH) today announced that the family of companies, the Revocable Trust of John Q. Hammons, and their related affiliates have filed voluntary petitions to restructure under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court of the District of Kansas at Kansas City. JQH held a press conference this morning in Springfield to announce the filing. JQH is a leading private, independent owner and manager of hotels in the United States, including operating more than 1 million square feet of superb meeting space. According to JQH's CEO Jacquie Dowd...
Lotte New York Palace Appoints Rebecca Hubbard as New General Manager
Lotte New York Palace | June 8, 2016
New York, NY (June 8, 2016) – Lotte New York Palace announced today the appointment of long time hotel manager, Rebecca Hubbard, as the new General Manager. Hubbard, approaching her five-year anniversary with the property, has established herself as a leading force in maintaining and growing the property's esteemed reputation through her true passion and extreme dedication. Hubbard joined the Lotte New York Palace team in 2011, bringing with her an extensive background of over 20 years of experience in the industry. Her roots began in guest service with managerial roles at Manhattan East Suite Hotels, Sheraton New York, Sheraton M...
It’s Official: Blackstone Selling Hyatt Regency Waikiki Resort for $800 million
June 7, 2016
June 07--Blackstone Group LP has reached an agreement to sell the leasehold interests in the Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa for $800 million to Mirae Asset Global Investments, according to sources close to the deal. The deal will bring total investment in Hawaii to more than $1 billion for Mirae, a Seoul-based asset management company. The firm also purchased the 540-room Fairmont Orchid Hotel in May 2015 for $220 million. "For Mirae to spend that kind of money in Hawaii in just a year's span makes a big statement about their bullishness on the local market," said Joseph Toy, president and CEO of hotel consulta...
How Hoteliers Can Protect Against USB Attacks
Jeff Parker | June 28, 2016
By Jeff Parker – Vice President of Hotel Technology, Interstate Hotels & Resorts You might be your hotel's biggest problem. ALMOST ALL ATTACKS are traced back to Human Errors, the Villains are trying to trick you into letting them into your network, and they are really smart. While the recent news feels like it, the hospitality sector is not the only target for the villains that are unleashing viruses and other malicious software on. One of the latest attack vectors are USB drives. We have heard of malicious persons sending a marketing piece in the mail with a USB drive with additional information. The unsuspecting user inser...
Groundbreaking Set for Autograph Collection’s The Hotel at Avalon and Alpharetta Conference Center in Suburb North of Atlanta
Avalon | June 20, 2016
ATLANTA (June 20, 2016) – Stormont Hospitality Group, North American Properties (NAP), Long Wharf Real Estate Partners and the City of Alpharetta today announced the highly anticipated groundbreaking for Alpharetta's first luxury hotel and conference center. The Hotel at Avalon, a luxury 330-key hotel, and the connecting 65,000-square-foot Alpharetta Conference Center will celebrate its groundbreaking on June 21, 2016. The $112 million project is the culmination of a public-private partnership to bring a world-class hotel, conference and event facility to the City of Alpharetta, an affluent, northern suburb of Atlanta. The Hotel a...
Sea Island Names David Furnish Director of Sales and Marketing
June 21, 2016
Sea Island, Georgia (June 21, 2016) – Sea Island, a Forbes Five-Star resort on the coast of Georgia, announced today that David J. Furnish has been appointed Director of Sales and Marketing. Furnish joins Sea Island with three decades of hospitality industry experience with a background in sales, marketing and hotel services as well as meeting and convention planning. He will play an integral role managing all revenue-driven activities and coordinating sales and marketing initiatives throughout the resort. Prior to joining Sea Island, David spent 24 years within Marriott International and Gaylord Hotels. Most recently at Gaylord N...
Encore Capital Management Reveals First Renderings for $750 Million Margaritaville Resort Orlando
Encore Capital Managment | June 7, 2016
Orlando, Fla. – June 7, 2016 –The first renderings of Margaritaville Resort Orlando were revealed today, giving travelers from around the world a sneak-peek of a one-of-a-kind vacation escape in the heart of Orlando. Construction recently began on the $750M destination resort, being developed by Encore Capital Management, on 320 acres along U.S. Highway 192 near Toll Road 429 in Western Osceola County. The company's sales center will open in the coming days, with the first phase of the project expected to be completed by the end of 2017. As shown in a new master rendering (above left), the expansive waterfront destination re...
Nashville’s Boom Tilts Towards Upscale
Lana Yoshii | June 16, 2016
Construction is booming in Nashville, Tennessee, particularly in the hospitality industry. This latest wave of hotel construction commenced with the opening of the Music City Center in May 2013. Currently, there are 153 hotels totaling 23,400 hotel rooms in the city of Nashville. In 2015 and through May 2016, five hotels have opened increasing rooms supply by 3%. These properties ranged from 93 to 214 rooms ranging from economy priced hotels to upper-tier extended stay brands (i.e., Residence Inn Vanderbilt/West End). Currently, STR and Pinnacle Advisory Group have identified 46 potential hotel development projects in various stages of ...
Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel, Chicago Appoints Robert Shelley General Manager
Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel, Chicago | June 1, 2016
CHICAGO (June 1, 2016) – Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel, Chicago today announced Robert "Bob" Shelley has been appointed general manager, effective immediately. In this role, Shelley will oversee the hotel's operations and strategy. With over 25 years of experience in hotels, Shelley brings a keen eye and strong knowledge of the hospitality industry. "We are excited to have Robert bring his leadership and industry expertise to Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel, Chicago," said Elias Assaly, vice president, Operations, Managed Hotels, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group. "His innovative approach and proven track record will ensure the hotel continues to be ...
Dream Hotel Group Signs with Al Alfia Holding to Develop Dream Hotel in Doha, Qatar
Dream Hotel Group | June 6, 2016
NEW YORK, NY (June 6, 2016) – Renowned hotel brand and management company Dream Hotel Group LLC signed its first hotel in the Middle East with Qatar-based Al Alfia Holding to develop a Dream Hotel in Doha, the state capital. To cap off a letterhead day, Dream Hotel Group took the opportunity to announce $1.5 billion in new hotel development, including Doha and five other locations, all with independent hotel development partners. Future U.S. locations include Nashville, Dallas, Palm Springs, and two additional New York properties in Times Square and Long Island City. "We are thrilled that the Dream brand of hospitality, marked by ...
Training Your Team for Upselling by Room Type and by Rate Option
Doug Kennedy | June 15, 2016
By Doug Kennedy After several years of solid RevPAR growth, most hotels are now seeing the increases slow. Of course each market is different, but this leveling off seems to mostly be due to an inability to push rate due to a flood of new hotel inventory as well as alternative lodging such as private rentals like HomeAway and AirBnB. Therefore, it is a wonderful time to revisit the topic of upselling with your front desk and reservations colleagues. First, it is important to define upselling by accommodation type vs. upselling by rate. To avoid confusion, I prefer to refer to the later as rate optimization, which I will address first. T...
iRiS Chosen by AccorHotels to Deliver a Mobile Guest Experience Solution for Their Global Hotel Network
iRiS | June 15, 2016
Over 2,500 properties have already gone live with iRiS 'My Web Valet Lite' The partnership forms part of further development to enhance AccorHotel's objective in introducing more mobile driven solutions to their guests iRiS supports an unrivalled portfolio of hotels from luxury to midscale, globally London, UK, June 15, 2016- iRiS deliver digitally-driven innovations to provide a more interactive experience for hotel guests. AccorHotels chosen application 'My Web Valet' is a responsive guest solution accessible via the hotels Wi-Fi network or URL which is available before, during and post stay. Viewable on any d...
What It Takes To Be a Successful Hotel CEO in 2016
Chris Mumford | June 20, 2016
By Chris Mumford and James Houran, Ph.D. What do Belmond, Caesar's Entertainment, Carlson, China Lodging, Jumeirah, Mandarin Oriental, Millennium & Copthorne, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, and Whitbread have in common? The answer is they all announced a change of CEO during the past 12 months. The economy continues to rebound and indications suggest the road ahead is paved for growth, so boards and shareholders are maintaining a close eye on CEO performance as never before. After a quiet 2014 in which there were few changes in CEO, 2015 saw a sharp increase with annual turnover among the world's 50 largest hotel companies hitting 1...
Recently Merged Destination and Commune Appoint Todd Wynne-Parry to Executive Vice President of Global Acquisitions and Developments
Commune Hotels & Resorts | June 22, 2016
Englewood, Colorado – June 22, 2016 – Following the recent merger of the two successful, growing companies, Destination Hotels, the preeminent operator of independent hotels, resorts and residences in the United States, and Commune Hotels & Resorts, the international lifestyle hotel group comprising Joie de Vivre Hotels, Thompson Hotels, tommie, and Alila Hotels & Resorts, are pleased to announce the appointment of Todd Wynne-Parry as Executive Vice President of Global Acquisitions and Development for the combined company. In his new role, Wynne-Parry will lead global business growth efforts and drive the continued e...
Blackstone Group Intends to Sell Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort & Spa to Mirae Asset Global Investments
June 4, 2016
June 04--A Korean asset manager is in talks to buy the leasehold interest in the Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort &Spa, one of Waikiki's landmark Kalakaua Avenue properties. Blackstone Group LP has notified Unite Here Local 5, the union that represents the property's 500 hotel workers, that it intends to sell the Hyatt to Seoul-based Mirae Asset Global Investments. "I think the purchase is well along, but we know that it's still at least 30 days out because they haven't provided the required assurances," said Eric Gill, Unite Here Local 5 financial secretary-treasurer. "Our contract requires that the...
One&Only Resorts Appoint Viktoria Riley as Director of Sales and Marketing, One&Only Ocean Club
One&Only Resorts | June 28, 2016
DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – JUNE 28, 2016 – One&Only Resorts, the award-winning collection of ultra-luxury resorts, announce the appointment of Viktoria Riley as Director of Sales and Marketing, One&Only Ocean Club, effective immediately. In her new role, Riley will direct and oversee the iconic resort's sales and marketing teams, and be responsible for developing and implementing strategic plans to achieve the resort's objectives. "Viktoria's leadership in developing and executing sales and marketing initiatives in the ultra-luxury market demonstrates her incredible value to One&Only Ocean Club," says John...
HVS Design and JN+A Release 2016 Hotel Cost Estimating Guide
Warren G Feldman | June 10, 2016
By Warren G Feldman HVS Design and Jonathan Nehmer + Associates (JN+A) are proud to announce the completion of the 2016 Hotel Cost Estimating Guide. The Guide is a comprehensive listing of capital expenditure construction and FF&E costs for hotel renovations in the USA. ...
