Tech Platforms Set to Converge in 2022
Larry and Adam Mogelonsky | November 24th, 2021
8 Qualities of Top Performing Hotel Call Center Agents
Travel Outlook | November 17th, 2021
News Top: November
Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort and Spa Changes Ownership
BB Hotels | November 2, 2021
Scottsdale, AZ – November 2, 2021 – Today, Gurney’s Resorts announces the acquisition of Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort and Spa in Paradise Valley, Arizona. Scottsdale-based real estate investment company BB Hotels (formerly Berger Holdings) has partnered with New York-based Metrovest Equities and BLDG MGMT to purchase the iconic resort in Paradise Valley. The transaction is expected to close in early November. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Robert H. Castellini has owned Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort and Spa since 1992 and was responsible in concert with Westroc Hospitality for transforming Sanctu...
The Boca Raton Appoints General Managers of Its Five Distinct Lodging Experiences
The Boca Raton | November 8, 2021
BOCA RATON, FL – November 8, 2021 – In advance of the winter unveiling of The Boca Raton’s $200 million Phase One transformation, the iconic resort announces the appointment of five new general managers who will oversee five distinct hotels sprawled across 200-waterfront-acres. Brice Kemper will preside over the all-new 27-story elegant Tower. Corinne Heyl will captain the all-suite, adult-only, luxury lakefront hotel, Yacht Club. Anthony Rico will lead the oceanfront luxury escape, Beach Club. James Carmody will manage the famed grand hotel, Cloister, and the extended-stay residential hideaway, Bungalows. And Antonia Korosec ...
HFTP and GFC Release First Exposure Draft for the USALI 12th Revised Edition — A New Energy, Water, and Waste Section
the USALI | November 30, 2021
Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®) and the Global Finance Committee (GFC) are preparing for the Fall 2022 release of the 12th Revised edition of the Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industry (USALI). Prior to publishing the newest edition, HFTP and the GFC have recruited a group of leading industry stakeholders to participate in the review of exposure drafts, requesting comments for consideration ahead of the 12th edition publication. The first exposure draft is for a new section titled: “Energy, Water, and Waste.” “This is the first of many steps as environmental, social and governa...
Costa Navarino Opening New Eco-Resort in Summer 2022
November 30, 2021
Costa Navarino, the prime sustainable destination in the Mediterranean, located in Greece’s southwest Peloponnese, expands its offering by developing three new areas. All three new sites: Navarino Waterfront, Navarino Bay and Navarino Hills - which will be home to two beachfront resorts and two new golf courses - are located within ten kilometres south of the destination’s first resort site, Navarino Dunes. Navarino Waterfront at Costa Navarino, Messinia, Greece - due to open in summer 2022, is a 13-hectare lifestyle area, which will feature a vibrant resort with 265 rooms including two-bedroom suites and beachfront bungalows designed ...
Goldman Sachs Asset Management and Cedar Capital Partners Acquire The Belfry Hotel & Resort from KSL Affiliate
Goldman Sachs Asset Management | November 15, 2021
London – November 15, 2021 – Goldman Sachs Asset Management and Cedar Capital Partners today announced the acquisition of The Belfry Hotel & Resort (“The Belfry”) located near Birmingham in the United Kingdom from an affiliate of KSL Capital Partners. The Belfry with its three 18-hole golf courses is a four-time host of the Ryder Cup, the biennial golf competition between U.S and European teams. Situated within a substantial 550 acre estate, the full-service resort further features 320 guest rooms, five restaurants, a spa and multiple leisure amenities. Nabil Aquedim, Executive Director in the Real Estate team at Goldman Sac...
Are You Looking for The Next Generation Minibar Program With Guaranteed Guest Satisfaction?
Minibar Systems | November 5, 2021
Introducing the newly designed SmartCube Dual Wi-Fi – A fully automated minibar and fridge system for your guests Rockville, MD - Minibar Systems is proud to present the newly designed SmartCube Dual minibar and fridge model which builds on the long-term success of our SmartCube product lineup. SmartCube has a modern, minimalist design and is the world’s most technologically advanced minibar featuring the first completely plug-and-play modular system and easy-to-use attendant refill tablets. It features a fully automated minibar and a personal use refrigerator for your guests, eliminating guests from storing personal items alongside re...
The Lake House on Canandaigua Appoints Chris Pulito as General Manager
The Lake House on Canandaigua | November 5, 2021
Canandaigua, NY – November 5, 2021 – The Lake House on Canandaigua announced today the appointment of Chris Pulito as General Manager. Bringing extensive experience in the luxury hotel, resort, residence, club and spa space, Pulito will oversee all operational phases of hotel management. His goal is to empower associates to provide superior customer care to guests, associates and other visitors ensuring that the brand’s culture, employee and guest experience are best in class. “At The Lake House on Canandaigua, I aim to focus on displaying the best service and hospitality the region has to offer to travelers and the local commu...
Pan Pacific Hotels Group to Launch PARKROYAL COLLECTION Kuala Lumpur in June 2022
PARKROYAL COLLECTION Hotels & Resorts | November 10, 2021
Kuala Lumpur — November 10, 2021 — Pan Pacific Hotels Group is taking the iconic biophilia of its PARKROYAL COLLECTION hotels beyond the shores of Singapore with the launch of PARKROYAL COLLECTION Kuala Lumpur in June 2022. This will be followed by the opening of Pan Pacific Serviced Suites Kuala Lumpur in October 2022, yet another first with the Group’s signature Pan Pacific flag in Malaysia. Located in the heart of Bukit Bintang, both properties will open in a mixed-use complex owned by the Singapore-listed UOL Group Limited, Pan Pacific Hotels Group’s parent company and one of Asia’s most established hotel and property compani...
Highline Hospitality Partners Acquires Kansas City Marriott Hotel Downtown
Highline Hospitality Partners | November 11, 2021
NEW YORK , NY – November 11, 2021 – Highline Hospitality Partners (HHP), the hospitality investment platform launched by Highline Real Estate Partners (HREP), has added its fourth property with the acquisition of the 970-room Kansas City Marriott Hotel Downtown in Missouri and tapped Aimbridge Hospitality, a leading global hospitality company, to manage the property. Highline Hospitality Partners' team has over 60 years of combined experience across sourcing, purchasing, asset-managing, renovating, repositioning, and selling hospitality properties and has operated all classes of hotels. "We are delighted to add the Kansas City Mar...
HFTP and GFC Get Ready for the USALI 12th Revised Edition; Plan to Release Exposure Drafts for Review by Industry Stakeholders
HFTP | November 17, 2021
Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®) and the Global Finance Committee (GFC) are preparing for the Fall 2022 release of the 12th Revised edition of the Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industry (USALI). The revision to the current 11th Edition (released in 2014) has gone through a well-considered, in-depth process. Ahead of publishing the newest edition, the HFTP and the GFC has invited leading industry stakeholders to participate in the review of exposure drafts, requesting comments for consideration ahead of the 12th edition publication. “The exposure draft process allows HFTP and the GFC...
Benchmark Pyramid Adds 34 Hotels to Management Portfolio
Benchmark Pyramid | November 18, 2021
BOSTON and THE WOODLANDS, Texas – November 18, 2021 – Benchmark Pyramid has added 34 hotels to its management portfolio in recent months, as the company sees a surge of demand across all areas of its business in both acquisitions and new management contracts. The new properties in the U.S. include both select- and full-service brands by Marriott, Hilton and IHG, and range in location from Michigan to Texas. In Europe, additions to the portfolio have included three English properties: Staverton Estate in Daventry, Yotel in Manchester, and London EDITION in the capital. Benchmark Pyramid has also taken on new assignments in Spain’s Mallo...
OTO Development to Acquire Three Hotels in Oakhurst, California
OTO Development | November 4, 2021
SPARTANBURG, SC – November 4, 2021 – OTO Development is moving into the Yosemite National Park market with the acquisition of two hotels in Oakhurst, California, and a contract on a third. OTO, which is part of The Johnson Group, has purchased Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Oakhurst Yosemite and Holiday Inn Express & Suites Oakhurst-Yosemite Park Area from a family of independent hoteliers. The seller was represented by Stanley Wang of Marcus & Millichap. The deal also includes Hampton Inn Oakhurst-Yosemite, which is currently under construction. The three hotels sit adjacent to each other and are located just 13 ...
Forecast: U.S. Hotel Demand and ADR Will Near Full Recovery in 2022
STR | November 8, 2021
NEW YORK — November 8, 2021 — U.S. hotel demand as well as average daily rate (ADR) on a nominal basis will near full recovery in 2022, according to the upgraded forecast just released by STR and Tourism Economics at the 43rd Annual NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference. Additionally, revenue per available room (RevPAR) on a nominal basis is projected to be fully recovered in 2023. “We have essentially moved up the top-line recovery timeline by one year, with the caveat that improved RevPAR projections are largely due to ADR,” said Amanda Hite, STR’s president. “ADR has risen more rapidly than we expected...
Tech Platforms Set to Converge in 2022
Larry and Adam Mogelonsky | November 24, 2021
By Larry and Adam Mogelonsky Lean operations are the name of the game as we prepare for an interesting year ahead. While international travel has reopened and the vaccine has boosted confidence, news stories emerging over the winter months may cause a full recovery to sputter. Right now, there’s a COVID-19 surge in Europe with more lockdowns imminent, while the hotel industry continues to contend with the macro trends of labor and supply chain shortages. Putting all this together, we can’t definitely say that 2022 will see a full-fledged return to 2019 occupancy numbers. To keep a healthy operating margin and still uphold quality se...
How to Get a Job in the Luxury Industry
Ryan Laver | November 22, 2021
By Ryan Laver After months of uncertainty, the luxury goods industry is flourishing again and seeking motivated young talents to shape the future of luxury management jobs. So how exactly do candidates go about landing a job in one of the most sought after industries? This article reveals all. Insider knowledge from the Luxury industry From Séverine de Bretteville, Wholesale Project Manager – Global markets at Chopard Séverine de Bretteville boasts over 15 years of experience within the luxury goods & jewelry Industry. Having worked at renowned luxury brands such as Cartier, and t...
Charlestowne Hotels Opens The Loutrel in Charleston, South Carolina
CHARLESTOWNE HOTELS | November 2, 2021
The Loutrel, a new 50-room luxury hotel, opens its doors on November 1, bringing a chic retreat to Charleston’s historic district. Inspired by the Holy City’s famed gardens, The Loutrel, managed by Charlestowne Hotels, features a porch-inspired lobby and bar, private Clubroom reserved exclusively for hotel guests, rooftop terrace and lush biophilic-inspired design. Marrying Art Deco architecture with Southern charm, and just minutes from the neighborhood’s bustling King Street, The Loutrel brings a fresh perspective to the city for travelers seeking a destination for culture, style and community. “The Loutrel brings a new vi...
New AC Hotel St. Louis Central West End Set to Open in Missouri
About AC Hotels | November 22, 2021
ST. LOUIS – November 22, 2021 – St. Louis’ Koplar Properties in partnership with Homebase Partners and Concord Hospitality Enterprises announces the opening of AC Hotel St. Louis, a new destination in St. Louis’ Central West End neighborhood, located on the eastern edge of the city’s ever-popular Forest Park. Located on York Ave. (215 York Ave, St. Louis, MO 63108), in the heart of St. Louis’ upscale retail district, the seven-story, 192-room hotel will open this December after a $44-million, ground-up build. This will be the first AC Hotel to enter the St. Louis market and further contributes to St. Louis’ Central West ...
When Your Customer Experience Hits a “Bump in the Road”
Shep Hyken | November 3, 2021
By Shep Hyken One of our faithful subscribers sent in a question. While he’s in the hospitality industry, this could apply to any type of business. There have most likely been times that many of us have fallen short in taking care of our customers. It could be an isolated incident, which is easy to fix. But what happens when it becomes a trend? With that in mind, here’s his question, followed by my answer and comments. He writes: I would love to get some service-related feedback. My hotels have struggled this year with our service scores. In years past both of my locations were consistently in the top 30% of brands. This ...
Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City Celebrates Topping Out Construction Milestone
HYATT REGENCY | November 15, 2021
SALT LAKE CITY – November 15, 2021 – Hyatt celebrated today Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City’s topping out, which recognizes the accomplishment of reaching the final design height of a building under construction. Located at 170 South West Temple, the 686,784 square foot Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City is on time and on budget and is slated to open in the fall of 2022. “Today marks a significant milestone for Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City, a project Portman Holdings is proud to direct from development through construction,” said Ambrish Baisiwala, CEO of Portman Holdings. “The property is a continuation of our 54-year...
Hilton Reveals 2021 CEO Light & Warmth Award Winners
Hilton | November 30, 2021
MCLEAN, VA – November 30, 2021 – Hilton (NYSE: HLT) announced today its 2021 CEO Light & Warmth Award recipients, including 15 individuals and two teams receiving its inaugural team award. The CEO Light & Warmth Award celebrates team members who bring Hilton’s values to life and honor its purpose to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality. In 2021, hundreds of team members from Hilton’s global managed and franchise network were nominated by their colleagues. Finalists for Hilton’s highest form of team member recognition were selected by a committee of representatives from across the company with the 17 wi...
Sonesta Appoints Chicago Leadership Team
Royal Sonesta Chicago Downtown | November 30, 2021
CHICAGO, IL — November 30, 2021 — Sonesta International Hotels Corporation [Sonesta], one of the fastest-growing hospitality companies in the U.S., is excited to announce its new Chicago leadership team, led by Area General Manager, Paul Cardona, and Area Director of Sales and Marketing, Fantasy Greene. Paul Cardona brings over 20 years of hotel industry experience to the Sonesta family of hotels. Cardona began his hotel career in food and beverage, where he worked his way up to become the Director of Food and Beverage at several luxury properties throughout the U.S. After a 14-year career primarily focused on food and beverage oper...
Opwest Partners and Argosy Real Estate Partners Bring Senna House Hotel to Old Town Scottsdale
Senna House | November 24, 2021
SCOTTSDALE, AZ – November 24, 2021 – Ever-evolving Old Town Scottsdale will find a renewed spirit of high-end hospitality as the newest hotel staple, Senna House, a Curio Collection by Hilton, brings desert modern sophistication to Scottsdale’s Entertainment District. Open to the public on Wednesday, December 15, Senna House will be the newest hotel in the district since W Scottsdale’s debut in 2008. Senna House will be Arizona’s first-ever purpose-built, soft-branded hotel, bringing an energetic pulse to Scottsdale with luxury amenities, entertainment and chef-driven dining options. Senna House Scottsdale was entitled and de...
Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek Appoints Jonathan Raz as Hotel Manager
Signia by Hilton | November 4, 2021
ORLANDO, FL – November 4, 2021 – Jonathan Raz has been named as hotel manager of Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek. Prior to starting as hotel manager, he was complex director of food and beverage for both Waldorf Astoria Orlando and Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek. Owned by Park Hotels and Resorts and managed by Hilton, Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek recently debuted as the brand’s first property after converting and rebranding from a 1,009-room Hilton Hotels & Resorts property. In his new role, Raz will lead the team in all aspects of hotel operations, from marketing and hotel administration to guest services...
Hotel Lucine Set for Summer 2022 Opening in Galveston, Texas
Hotel Lucine | November 18, 2021
Galveston, Texas – November 18, 2021 – A group of hospitality and culinary industry veterans with strong ties to Galveston and the region is announcing Hotel Lucine, Galveston’s newest boutique hotel. Located on 10th Street & Seawall Boulevard in a structure that was originally the Treasure Isle Motel, and most recently the Pearl Inn, Hotel Lucine will be fully revitalized and transformed. Slated to open in summer 2022, the hotel will include multiple restaurant and bar experiences anchored by some of the most awarded and respected food and beverage professionals in Texas and beyond. The new 61-room boutique hotel, a refreshed, ...
Jeff Burns Joins HP Hotels as Chief Investment Officer
November 4, 2021
Hoover, Alabama – November 4, 2021 – HP Hotels, a leading full-service third-party hotel management company, announced today that Jeff Burns has joined the company as its Chief Investment Officer. HP Hotels CEO Kerry Ranson made the announcement. In this role, Jeff will work closely with HP Hotels’ existing and prospective hotel property owners to assess their portfolios; investment opportunities; and the capital structure and market strategies for any given hotel property. Jeff will also advise investors who are new to the hospitality industry and work closely with HP Hotels’ executive leadership team and Advisory Committee in for...
