News Top: September
Be Inspired By Hotel Interior Design Trends 2018
Kacey Bradley | September 22, 2017
By Kacey Bradley Domestic interior design gets all of the attention, but we know better: the hotel industry has its own scene that's just as exciting and ever changing. As such, it's up to hospitality professionals and hotel owners to keep tabs on design trends and, in the process, wow clients with modern updates and fresh décor choices. To make that task a bit easier, we've gathered the following list of five of the industry's soon-to-be trending design tips. Get ahead so that, by the time 2018 rolls around, your accommodation exudes the modernity that you and your customers seek. 1. Don't Be Afraid of Brights Many interior d...
An Analysis of Franchise Fees
Robert Mandelbaum | September 20, 2017
By Robert Mandelbaum In the current market environment of modest growth in revenue, hotel owners and operators are paying extra attention to their operating expenses. Per the June 2017 edition of Hotel Horizons®, RevPAR growth in the U.S. is forecast to remain under 3.0 percent from 2018 through 2021. Therefore, it will be management's ability to control expenses that will enable profits to grow. One expense that management has less control over are franchise fees. Most of the fees charged by the franchising companies (brands) are assessed as a percent of a source of revenue. Therefore, owners and operators have mixed emotions when ...
Hyatt Selects Mark Vondrasek as Executive Vice President, Global Head of Loyalty & New Business Platforms
Hyatt Hotels Corporation | September 25, 2017
CHICAGO (Sept 25, 2017) – Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) today announced the selection of Mark Vondrasek as executive vice president, global head of loyalty & new business platforms, reporting to Mark Hoplamazian, president and chief executive officer. In this newly created leadership position, Vondrasek will direct Hyatt's integrated experience strategy, which currently includes the World of Hyatt loyalty platform as well as Hyatt's wellness initiatives including Miraval and exhale. Vondrasek will also be charged with creating and scaling new business opportunities, products and services. "Mark's successful track record, ...
Routines for Emergencies: 9 Ways Hotel Security Must Prepare Emergency Procedures
Mac Segal | September 13, 2017
By Mac Segal Fortunately for most hotels, emergencies rarely occur. Most security teams can usually rely on routine procedures. Unfortunately, emergencies do occur – and many hotel security teams are woefully unprepared to deal with them effectively. In this article, hotel security expert Mac Segal takes a hard look at emergency procedures, and how and why security managers must prepare them. Routine procedures are what security professionals spend most of their time performing. By far. Let's face it: Most days are routine, thankfully, and emergencies are rare. It's therefore no wonder that security teams focus on routine,...
Ranking Hotel REITS 2017: Dividends, EBITDA & Overhead
Hans Detlefsen | September 19, 2017
Which Hotel REITs Generate the Highest EBITDA Margins and Pass Along the Most Money to Investors? By Hans Detlefsen and Matthew Glodz Hotel Appraisers & Advisors (HA&A) is pleased to announce our second annual ranking of hotel real estate investment trusts (REITs). HA&A currently monitors 16 hotel REITs, discussed throughout this report. Some hotel REITs are more effective than others at generating earnings and passing profits on to investors. In this year's report, we rank each of these hotel REITs according to three metrics: (1) dividend yields; (2) EBITDA margins; and (3) overhead expenses. Our 2017 rankings are based on...
Is Room Service Dead?
Chamberlin Public Relations | September 7, 2017
Not yet, but it seems to be on the way out. While plenty of hotels still offer traditional room service, guests' tastes are evolving, and food and beverage programs must change to suit new demands. Many hotels are limiting costly room service, or completely scrapping it in favor of new F&B concepts that give guests more convenience at lower prices, plus opportunities to experience local fare. Hoteliers, here are the newest F&B trends you need to consider now. Special Delivery Room service can take many forms, and while many midscale and upscale hotels already have restaurant space on-site, not every kitchen has time (or staff) t...
Four Seasons and Astir Palace Vouliagmeni to Transform Legendary Astir Palace into First Four Seasons Hotel in Greece
Astir Palace Vouliagmeni S.A. | September 6, 2017
TORONTO, Sept. 6, 2017 -- Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, the world's leading luxury hospitality company, and Astir Palace Vouliagmeni S.A., the Greek hospitality market leader, have announced plans to bring the first Four Seasons hotel to Greece on the Astir Palace peninsula. Following extensive upgrades to the existing hotel, the new hotel will debut as Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens in spring 2018. Conveniently located 25 kilometres (16 miles) south of Athens and 24 kilometres (15 miles) from the Athens airport in the area of Vouliagmeni along a pristine shoreline of the Aegean coast, the new Hotel will bring Four Season...
Sadly, Hurricane Harvey Claims Life of Jill Renick, the Director of Spa Services at the Omni Houston Hotel
September 7, 2017
Sept. 07--The body of the Galleria-area Omni Hotel's missing spa manager was found Thursday morning. Jill Renick, 48, was last heard from about 5:40 a.m. on Aug. 27, calling the front desk of the hotel for help while trapped in, what her family believes, was one of the building's elevators. Renick's body was found inside of the hotel, off of South Post Oak, according to a statement from her family. "It is with heavy hearts that the search for my sister, Jill Renick, has concluded with the confirmation of her death," said Renick's sister, Pam Eslinger, 62, in the statement. "We are heartbroken. To know Jill...
The Impact of the September 2017 Hurricanes on the Islands of the Caribbean
September 26, 2017
By Kristina D'Amico and Leora Lanz When Ebola struck the Sub-Saharan continent in the summer of 2014, thousands of travelers canceled their safari plans in South Africa, resulting in an immediate decline of multimillions of dollars given the tourist cancelations. Truth be told, South African cities such as Johannesburg and Cape Town were more than 2,000 miles from the epicenter of the outbreak, unlike the wildly successful summer destinations of the South of France and England, which were actually far closer to the sources of the viral outbreak. Unfortunately, the geographically challenged visitors, who could have seamlessly enjoyed the...
Are Hotels Coveting only Half of the Millennial Market? Part One
David M. Brudney | September 18, 2017
By David M. Brudney, ISHC, Founder and Principal, David Brudney & Associates Like so many of you, I am smitten with reports on how hotels - - heavily coveting the critical millennial market - - are battling competitors such as Airbnb, HomeAway, and other short-term home-sharing lodging industry providers, for share of market in this new sharing economy age. Millennials currently spend more than $200 billion annually on travel; and they plan to increase frequency and spending Inspired by destinations and authentic experiences 44 percent of millennials prefer rentals to hotels Airbnb understands the millennial's mindset Nearly half ar...
The Power of Integrated Back Office Solution for Hotels and Hotel Chains
Deepak Chauhan | September 19, 2017
by Deepak Chauhan Any organization that offers great service or quality products typically has some great work going on behind the scenes. For the hotel industry, this often largely involves an I.T. department that ensures the hotel management system is reliable, HR office that recruits the best talents, and more importantly; a hotel accounting software that ensures secure and reliable financial management. All these functions fall under the back office. Just how crucial is back office for a hotel or hotel chain? Every strategic decision that determines the very survival of the business is made within the back office. This underscores ...
Expotel Hospitality to Open and Manage Historic 118 Room Hotel Indigo in Memphis, Tennessee
Expotel Hospitality | September 25, 2017
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA - August 25, 2017 - Expotel Hospitality (www.expotelhospitality.com), a New Orleans-based hotel management and development company, today announced it has signed an agreement to provide development consulting, pre-opening services, and post-opening operations management services for the previously announced adaptive re-use project of the circa 1963 former Holiday Inn in downtown Memphis. The iconic, "mid-century modern" structure on the corner of B.B. King Boulevard and Court Avenue will undergo an intensively thorough renovation to include all new mechanical, plumbing, and electrical, new guest room finishes...
2016/17 United States Hotel Franchise Fee Guide
Kasia M. Russell | September 12, 2017
By Kasia M. Russell and Bomie Kim The selection of an appropriate franchise affiliation affects a property's ability to compete in its local market, generate profits, and achieve a desirable image and market orientation. Because the success of a hotel is based primarily on the cash flow generated, owners and lenders must weigh the benefits of a brand affiliation against the total cost of such a commitment. Please note that the study results are not indicative of the impact an individual brand may have on a hotel's overall profitability because only the costs, and not the benefits of the franchise affiliations, have been analyzed. Furthe...
Nobody Asked Me, But… No. 184: Hotel History: The Beverly Hills Hotel
Stanley Turkel | September 13, 2017
By Stanley Turkel, CMHS The Beverly Hills Hotel (1912), Beverly Hills, California (208 rooms) The Beverly Hills Hotel is one of the most famous hotels in the world. It was developed in 1912 by Burton Green, President of the Rodeo Land and Water Company. He hired Margaret J. Anderson and her son, Stanley S. Anderson to manage the new Mission Revival-style hotel on 12 acres which he named Beverly Farms after his home in Massachusetts. Green persuaded Margaret Anderson to leave the well-established Hollywood Hotel by offering her not only the management and a lease but also an option to buy at a price that was considered a giveaway. The Be...
What Do Guests Want From a Modern City Hotel?
JLL Real Views | September 11, 2017
By Maggie Nichols If you flip through your grandparents' old photo albums, you'll notice that their vacation pictures look very different to yours. While they may have captured the moment they sat down for a themed dinner in a hotel restaurant, your snapshots are more likely to show off your best food truck finds. It's just one of the many ways that travel and tourism have changed in recent decades. To keep up with those modern trends and preferences, hotels must identify new ways to keep guests checking in year after year. "What guests want during their hotel stay is constantly evolving," notes Geraldine Guichardo, Head of Americas Res...
Palladium Hotel Group Plans Fall 2018 Opening of Grand Palladium Costa Mujeres Resort & Spa and TRS Coral Hotel in Mexico
Palladium Hotel Group | September 28, 2017
IBIZA, SPAIN, September 28, 2017 -- Palladium Hotel Group's newest addition to its portfolio of high-quality accommodations will introduce a brand new development to the northeast of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. Set to open in the fall of 2018, the project will include a family-friendly property, the Grand Palladium Costa Mujeres Resort & Spa, and the adults-only TRS Coral Hotel, accompanied by a "Village" that includes a variety of restaurants, bars, kids clubs, and an amphitheatre. Located in the almost untouched region in the most northern point of Cancun, Costa Mujeres distinguishes itself as an idyllic location for travelers to ...
Chesapeake Lodging Trust Enters Agreement for Rebranding of its Marriott Denver Hotel to Hilton Denver City Center
Chesapeake Lodging Trust | September 14, 2017
ARLINGTON, Va.--Sep. 14, 2017-- Chesapeake Lodging Trust (NYSE:CHSP) (the "Trust") announced today that it has entered into a management agreement with Hilton (NYSE:HLT) to rebrand its previous 613-room Marriott hotel, located in Denver, Colorado, to the Hilton Denver City Center. "We appreciate the years of service by our Marriott friends and partners; however, we are happy to welcome Hilton into our hotel," stated James L. Francis, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Trust. The Trust recently completed a multiyear, comprehensive repositioning program for the Denver property, reinvesting in excess of $27 million over the past ...
Wilson Hotel Management and Valor Hospitality Partners to Merge
Valor Hospitality Partners | September 8, 2017
ATLANTA—Kemmons Wilson Companies (KWC) announced that it will merge its hotel management operations—the company's wholly-owned subsidiary, Wilson Hotel Management, LLC—with Valor Hospitality Partners. In addition, KWC will be making a substantial investment in the combined entity, which, along with the merger, is expected to immediately accelerate Valor's growth. Neither company disclosed terms of the merger. The company will be headquartered in Atlanta and London while retaining an office in Memphis. The combined operations will encompass 41 properties in the U.S. and the U.K., with 48 corporate employees and well mor...
How to Select the Right Hotel Direct Distribution Solutions
Mihaela Lica-Butler | September 21, 2017
By Mihaela Lica-Butler Hospitality is a highly competitive business, with all kinds of players bidding for the first spots in Google search results and hoteliers pouring fortunes into advertising and marketing. Despite the wealth of "how-to" resources available to teach hotel managers how to make the best use of a multitude of tools to achieve measurable ROI, some are still crushed by competition, or lose the first spots in search results because of poor SEO, outdated website design, a cumbersome booking engine, and so on. There are many factors that influence how hoteliers should be selecting the right hotel direct distribution channel...
Waterford Hotel Group Appoints Dave Mattesen General Manager and Candy Iannucci-Guay Director of Sales of Hyatt House Windsor
Hyatt House Windsor | September 6, 2017
WINDSOR, CT (September 6, 2017) - Waterford Hotel Group has announced the appointment of Dave Mattesen as General Manager and Candy Iannucci-Guay as Director of Sales of Hyatt House Windsor. Hyatt House Windsor is managed by Waterford Hotel Group, a national hotel and convention center management firm. As General Manager, Dave is responsible for all of the hotel's operations, sales and administration, as well as the associates employed at the property. Since 2005, Dave has held several positions at the Sheraton Hartford Hotel at Bradley International Airport, a Waterford-managed property. These include Banquet Supervisor, Assistant Outl...
Noble Investment Group Acquires Staybridge Suites Tysons Corner – McLean
Noble Investment Group | September 26, 2017
Atlanta, GA – September 26, 2017 – Noble Investment Group ("Noble") today announced the acquisition of the Staybridge Suites Tysons-McLean. The newly renovated, all-suite, extended-stay hotel is located in downtown McLean, part of the greater Tysons Corner market of Washington, D.C. The hotel is located in one the deepest corporate office markets in the United States with more than 28 million square feet of office space that is home to numerous Fortune 500 headquarters and many of the largest government agencies in the region. The hotel provides direct access to the Capital Beltway, the Dulles Toll Road and George ...
Lawsuit Threatens to Delay 32-story Condo-Hotel Project at King’s Village Site in Waikiki
September 15, 2017
Sept. 15--The future of 133 Kaiulani, the 32-story high-rise condominium hotel that was planned to replace the aging King's Village Shopping Center in Waikiki, is less certain following the filing of a lawsuit in Honolulu 1st Circuit Court on Monday. The suit pits BlackSand Capital, co-founded by local developers BJ Kobaysahi and Ian MacNaughton, against Elda Investments, lead by principal Marcus Fullard-Leo, a member of the family that previously owned the site, which once belonged to Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole. Elda, which was formed to own King's Village, alleges in the 42-page complaint that Koba?yashi and BlackSand use...
Crescent Hotels & Resorts Promotes Dawn Gallagher to Chief Sales and Marketing Officer
Crescent Hotels & Resorts | September 18, 2017
FAIRFAX, Va. (Sept. 18, 2017) – Crescent Hotels & Resorts, a nationally recognized operator of elite hotels and resorts throughout the United States and Canada, has announced the promotion of Dawn Gallagher from Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing to Chief Sales and Marketing Officer. An experienced hotel & resort revenue generation expert with nearly three decades of developing and executing sales plans and critical paths; increasing revenue generation and growth; creation of national sales team; and management of both brand and independent hotels, Gallagher will now also assist in the overall direction and stra...
Mediocre Managers Are All Over in Hospitality
Arturo Cuenllas | September 6, 2017
By Arturo Cuenllas Mediocre bosses are in all of the industries, not only in hospitality. It's what the majority of research on leadership conclude. When underlings have the opportunity to evaluate their managers, just a small percentage of them are ranked as excellent bosses. This percentage increases a bit more for those managers graded as good. But a great majority of managers are usually evaluated as mediocre or bad from employees. For example, studies as those of the professor of leadership of Harvard Business School, Linda A. Hill explain: "Based on what we have seen, most organizations have few great managers, some good ...
Cliff House Maine Appoints Heinrich Von Puschendorf as New Food and Beverage Director
Cliff House Maine | September 20, 2017
Cape Neddick, ME (September 20, 2017) – Cliff House Maine is pleased to welcome Heinrich von Puschendorf to lead its culinary team as Food and Beverage Director. With over 25 years of experience working at world class hotels and resorts, Heinrich brings his team leadership and expertise in client and guest relations to his new role at this premier New England destination. As Food and Beverage Director, Heinrich will oversee the entire culinary program for Cliff House's impressive array of oceanfront dining operations. He is responsible for every aspect of food and beverage for the resort including the signature "farmer to fisherma...
