The Travel Surge Highlights the Need for Great Prearrival Communication
Larry and Adam Mogelonsky | August 31st, 2022
NewcrestImage Completes Purchase of LaQuinta Inn & Suites LAX
August 30th, 2022
News Top: August
Nobody Asked Me, But… No. 269 Hotel History: Paso Robles Inn (1891)
Stanley Turkel | August 2, 2022
By Stanley Turkel, CMHS For centuries, the local Salinan Indian tribe enjoyed the hot mineral water that bubbled up in what is now the center of Paso Robles. They named it “Heaven’s Spot” because of the curative powers of the sulphur springs. When the Franciscan padres arrived, the tribes’ population was greatly reduced in just four generations. The Spanish colonial government intended for their California missions to be temporary institutions which they mistakenly thought would quickly convert the Indians to Catholicism and teach them Spanish and farming methods. In 1857, James and Daniel Blackburn purchased land in El Paso de ...
Geoff Gray Appointed Managing Director and General Manager for The Global Ambassador Ahead of Late 2023 Opening
Author & Edit | August 18, 2022
PHOENIX (Aug. 18, 2022) – The Global Ambassador, the debut luxury hotel from restaurant innovator Sam Fox, announced today the appointment of Geoff Gray to the role of managing director and general manager ahead of the hotel’s highly anticipated late 2023 opening. Gray returns to Arizona after four years as the general manager of the Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, Golf Club & Spa, a five-star, five-diamond property set on 200 lush acres in Carlsbad, Calif. Prior to that, Gray served as the general manager of the Royal Palms Resort and Spa, a luxury Historic Hotels of America resort in Phoenix. During his 12-year tenure with Hyatt Hote...
The Westin Beach Resort & Spa at Frenchman’s Reef Nears Completion of $350 Million Rebuild, Plans Late 2022 Opening
Aimbridge Hospitality | August 5, 2022
St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands (August 5, 2022) — As it approaches the completion of an extensive $350 million rebuild project, Frenchman’s Reef is welcoming group inquiries for The Westin Beach Resort & Spa at Frenchman’s Reef, which is slated to open in late 2022. Located just 15 minutes from Cyril E. King Airport and managed by Aimbridge Hospitality, Frenchman’s Reef will serve as a new destination for corporate gatherings and social group celebrations of all kinds with its extensive conference and event facilities and diverse amenities. Perched on an elevated peninsula and ideally suited for large groups, The Westin Be...
The Plaza in NYC Appoints Luigi Romaniello as Managing Director
August 31, 2022
New York City’s most famous hotel, The Plaza is pleased to announce the appointment of Luigi Romaniello as Managing Director. Effective immediately, Romaniello will oversee all aspects of the luxury hotel including daily operations, guest experiences and continued growth strategies. A seasoned hospitality veteran with 30 years of industry experience, Romaniello’s extensive resume includes a banner, 22-year tenure with Rosewood Hotels & Resorts where he led three consecutive openings in international markets. Most recently he served as managing director at Rosewood Baha Mar in The Bahamas where he successfully opened and positione...
Savannah’s Mansion on Forsyth Park Acquired by LEFT LANE for $52.5M
LEFT LANE | August 15, 2022
SAVANNAH, GA – August 2022 – The Mansion on Forsyth Park, one of Savannah’s most treasured and historic hotels, recently was acquired by new owner and proprietor LEFT LANE, a vertically integrated New York-based hotel and real estate company specializing in the acquisition and transformation of hotels that share a common thread of textured histories and progressive cultural landscapes. LEFT LANE acquired the property for $52.5M in June 2022. This fall, the historic property will begin a thoughtful and comprehensive multimillion-dollar phased renovation, expansion, and luxury rebranding – offering a completely reconceptualized urban...
A Hotel Debt Quagmire: Borrowers With Maturing Loans Have Increasingly Fewer Options
The Plasencia Group | August 26, 2022
By Dexter Wood New Debt Has Vanished New debt for hotel acquisitions has all but vanished, but a bigger problem may be the wave of existing debt facilities of all types that are scheduled to mature this year and next. Beginning at the start of 2022 and through the end of 2023, nearly 45,000 CMBS hotel loans totaling about $30 billion in value were set to mature as illustrated in the graph at right. Although the lodging industry has made great progress since the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic, the recovery has proven to be uneven, selective, and vulnerable to a plethora of external factors. ...
Benchmark, Pyramid Luxury & Lifestyle Welcomes Sam Johnson as New Vice President, Operations
Benchmark, Pyramid Luxury & Lifestyle | August 4, 2022
BOSTON, THE WOODLANDS, Texas – August 4, 2022 – Benchmark, Pyramid Luxury & Lifestyle, the independent luxury and lifestyle hotel services of Pyramid Global Hospitality, has named Sam Johnson vice president of operations. Sam’s appointment marks a return to the Benchmark family, having previously served as general manager for two years within Benchmark’s Pacific Northwest portfolio. In his new role at Benchmark, Sam will support the Seattle and Portland, WA markets as they grow their portfolio in each region. He will support the day-to-day successes of the property level associates while building long term relationships with th...
Nimbus® Debuts Reusable, Plant-Based Makeup Removing Towel That Reduces Laundry Costs and Contributes to ESG Efforts in the Hospitality Sector
Nimbus Eco Inc | August 22, 2022
SAN DIEGO, CA – Hotels and resorts struggling with loss of towels have a new option for their guest’s makeup removal and hygiene needs. Continuing in its spirit of innovation, Nimbus has debuted a new plant-based towel that can be used on the face, body, and even surfaces to clean away dirt and germs while also carrying a number of eco-friendly credentials including being FSC Certified, compostable, reusable, plastic-free, and flushable. These towels come in a compressed form when shipped and expand when water is added so companies looking to reduce their carbon footprint and improve their ESG ratings stand to benefit by replacing the...
AKA Debuts in Boston With the Opening of Hotel AKA Back Bay
AKA | August 18, 2022
BOSTON, MA – August 18, 2022 – AKA, global leader in luxury hospitality, continues its strategic growth with the announcement of Hotel AKA Back Bayn Boston, MA. Previously the Loews Boston Hotel, the 225-room property will undergo a design refresh, all while open for stays, to ensure facets of AKA are infused into the hotel. Hotel AKA Back Bay will offer a sophisticated design, lifestyle amenities and accommodations with the sense of home in mind. It will serve as the perfect destination to meet the trend of the “bleisure” traveler who is visiting for a business meeting and has the desire to extend their trip for a few extra days to...
Florida’s Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club Hires Vanessa Williams as General Manager
The Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club | August 4, 2022
The Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club is excited to announce the hiring of Vanessa Williams as general manager, where she will oversee the strategic vision and all operational departments of the luxury property in downtown St. Petersburg, FL. A South African native, Williams brings over thirty years of experience in luxury hotel sales and operations management, with past leadership roles at the Raffles L’Ermitage Beverly Hills, Sukhothai Bangkok, Waldorf Astoria Beijing and Conrad Seoul. Most recently, Williams oversaw the flagship Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills as its general manager, where she led her team to outpe...
Hotel Drover in Fort Worth, Texas Welcomes Kristin Assad as Vice President, General Manager
Hotel Drover, an Autograph Collection hotel | August 3, 2022
FORT WORTH, Texas (Aug. 3, 2022) - Named the #1 hotel in Dallas-Fort Worth by Travel + Leisure, Hotel Drover, an Autograph Collection hotel, is proud to announce the growth of its executive team since its debut in the Fort Worth Stockyards last year. The 200-room hotel continues to build upon its success with the appointment of four industry professionals, which include Kristin Assad as Vice President, General Manager, Ryan Thomas as Assistant General Manager, Elga Sickler as Vice President of People and Culture, and Alexie Estrada as Director of Resort Marketing. Kristin Assad, Vice President, General Manager As a well-respected leader...
Indigo Road Hospitality Group Assumes Ownership & Management of Snowbird Mountain Lodge in Robbinsville, North Carolina
The Indigo Road Hospitality Group | August 4, 2022
CHARLESTON, SC — August 2, 2022 — The Indigo Road Hospitality Group (IRHG), which owns, operates, and manages restaurants and boutique hotels across the U.S., has acquired Snowbird Mountain Lodge in Robbinsville, NC, and assumed management of the property. IRHG partnered with Madison Capital Group, LLC, a private investment and advisory firm based in Charlotte, NC and Charleston, SC; and JPW Development, a boutique private real estate firm based in Asheville, NC specializing in the acquisition, renovation and preservation of historic properties. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. “Accompanying Skyline Lodge and The Flat Iro...
Sunseeker, Florida’s Newest Waterfront Resort to Open in 2023 With Maestro PMS
Maestro | August 16, 2022
Sunseeker, a wholly owned subsidiary of Allegiant Travel Co., says the Maestro all-in-one property-management system will enable it to stand out operationally as ‘one of the best hotels in the nation’ Markham, Ontario, August 16, 2022 — When the Sunseeker Resort Charlotte Harbor opens in 2023, Maestro PMS will be there to manage all needs of its guests from booking to check-out and beyond. The 785-room resort (including 189 Signature Sunsuites™) will occupy more than 22 waterfront acres adjacent to the Peace River on Florida’s Gulf Coast. As the preferred browser-based cloud and on-premises property-management system for indepen...
Hospitality Industry Statistics to Have on Your Radar in 2022
EHL Insights | August 18, 2022
The hospitality industry is a vast sector with many different categories that include recreation, lodging, entertainment, food and beverage. As a result, it is essential to collect all the relevant hospitality industry statistics to fine-tune your digital and social strategies to match the rapid changes currently impacting the sector. This is especially important for hospitality because it was one of the hardest-hit industries by COVID-19, and its challenges are still ongoing. Now that things are almost back to normal, the hospitality industry not only has to deal with changing consumer preferences and expectations but also deal with...
IHG Releases Half Year 2022 Results
IHG | August 9, 2022
REPORTABLE SEGMENTS1: Reported Underlying1 2022 2021 % change2 % change Revenue1 $840m $565m +49% +53% Revenue from fee business1 $664m $505m +31% +33% Operating profit1 $377m $188m +101% +91% Fee margin1 55.9% 44.1% +11.8%pts Adjusted EPS1 121.7¢ 40.4¢ +201% GROUP RESULTS: Total revenue $1,794m $1,179m +52% Operating profit $361m $138m +162% Basic EPS 117.4¢ 26.2¢ +348% Interim dividend per share 43.9¢ - ¢ NM Net debt1 $1,718m $2,458m (30)% KEY METRICS: $11.7bn total gross r...
Hilton Appoints Sean McCarron and Jill Yurko to Conrad Orlando’s Executive Leadership Team
Conrad Hotels & Resorts | August 1, 2022
ORLANDO, Fla. – (August 1, 2022) – Today, Hilton announced the appointment of Sean McCarron to general manager and Jill Yurko to director of sales and marketing of the 433-room Conrad Orlando, expected to open in summer 2023. The luxury hotel will feature 40,000 square feet of indoor meeting space, a tranquil spa and numerous dining outlets, including a signature rooftop Mexican restaurant. The hotel will be part of Evermore Orlando Resort, bordering Walt Disney World® Resort and featuring world-class resort amenities, including a 20-acre tropical beach complex, lively food hall and two Jack Nicklaus designed 18-hole golf courses....
Grand View Lodge Appoints Dennis Wilson as General Manager
Grand View Lodge | August 19, 2022
NISSWA, MINN. (August 19, 2022) – Cote Family Destinations is pleased to announce the appointment of Dennis Wilson as the new general manager of Grand View Lodge Spa and Golf Resort. “We are thrilled to welcome Dennis to the team,” said Cote Family Destinations CEO Tom Juliano. “Dennis’ unmatched regional experience in highly competitive markets across Minnesota and his proven track record in revenue growth and strategic leadership will unlock significant value for the property.” Wilson joins Grand View Lodge with over a decade of hospitality management experience in a series of leadership positions with Hyatt, Marriott, Hilt...
Ten Hotel Possibilities for the Metaverse
Larry and Adam Mogelonsky | August 10, 2022
By Larry and Adam Mogelonsky Now that the current ‘crypto winter’ is weeding out all the cryptocurrency Ponzi schemes with no real applications or utility, it’s time to put on your futurist cap and ponder some actual use cases for what this coming technology will offer to hotels. For background on blockchain, cryptocurrencies, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), web3 and all the basics related to how those work, there are lots of great resources out there, and explaining it all would make this article way too long for a casual read. On that note, here are ten possibilities to consider. 1. An Extension of the Experience Economy. We’re b...
Highway West Vacations Expands Footprint in Santa Barbara County Wine Country With Opening of Hotel Hygge in Buellton
Highway West Vacations | August 31, 2022
BUELLTON, CALIF. – (August 31, 2022) – Highway West Vacations, a collection of 15 glamping, camping and boutique hotel accommodations throughout the United States, announces the debut of Hotel Hygge (pronounced hoo-guh), a charming 23-room property in the heart of the Santa Ynez Valley. Located in Buellton, Calif., the opening of the hotel marks an exciting expansion for Highway West Vacations, now offering five properties in the region. “We’re thrilled to welcome Hotel Hygge to Buellton, a town with tremendous history that plays a quintessential role in the greater Santa Ynez Valley experience,” said Jacque Raffaele, vice ...
Concord Hospitality Enterprises Opens Hotel Fraye Nashville Midtown, Curio Collection by Hilton
Hilton | August 18, 2022
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Hotel Fraye Nashville Midtown, Curio Collection by Hilton debuts in Nashville’s buzzy Midtown neighborhood on Aug. 18, 2022. Developed by Eagle Realty in partnership with Greystar and Whitman Peterson with Concord Hospitality Enterprises, Hotel Fraye joins the diverse and dynamic portfolio of more than 120 Curio Collection by Hilton hotels worldwide, a brand of one-of-a-kind properties hand-picked for their distinct character. The hotel will be managed by award-winning hotel management company Concord Hospitality Enterprises. The 200-room Hotel Fraye encompasses a signature ground-floor restaurant alongside a livel...
Nobody Asked Me, But… No. 270: Hotel History: Hotel Martinique (1910)
Stanley Turkel | August 25, 2022
Nobody Asked Me But… The family of Stanley Turkel would like to share that Stanley Turkel passed away on Friday, August 12th, 2022 after a brief illness. Stanley had completed his 270th article for this newsletter which is below. It was a great pleasure for him to have you, a receptive readership, over the last 20-plus years. Thank you. Stanley’s obituary can be found on his website. If you are so inclined, Stanley would appreciate donations to The Southern Poverty Law Center or the ACLU in his name. by Stanley Turkel, CMHS Hotel History: Hotel Martinique (530 rooms) The Hotel Martinique (560 rooms) at the northeast corner...
WoodHouse Acquires Elevation Hotel & Spa in Crested Butte, Colorado
WoodHouse | August 2, 2022
Crested Butte, Colo. [August 2, 2022] — WoodHouse — a leading creative hospitality company — announces today the acquisition of the Elevation Hotel & Spa in the iconic ski town of Crested Butte, Colorado. Elevation is the only luxury ski-in, ski-out resort located at the base area of the Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR), in Colorado’s Elk Mountain Range. WoodHouse acquires the 262-room Elevation Hotel from Boxer Property & Resorts, which has controlled and operated the hotel since 2013. The Elevation will remain independently owned by WoodHouse, which creates a unique lane to embrace and incorporate the local cultu...
Stephane Mercier Appointed General Manager for National Hotel in Miami Beach
National Hotel | August 24, 2022
(MIAMI BEACH, Fla.) — August 24, 2022 - The National Hotel—one of the city’s instantly recognizable legendary properties nestled in the heart of the famed Art Deco district—has named Stephane Mercier as General Manager, a leadership position under which he will oversee day-to-day operations, execute revenue and sales strategies, lead internal teams, manage finances, and direct programs that curate an unforgettable and positive experience for all guests. “I’m thrilled to be stepping into the role of General Manager and honored to continue the long-running tradition of excellence the National Hotel on Miami Beach has mastered throu...
DoubleTree by Hilton Buena Park Opens Following Renovation and Rebranding
Hilton | August 23, 2022
BUENA PARK, Calif. — DoubleTree by Hilton Buena Park officially opens its doors following a 24-month, multi-million-dollar renovation, joining DoubleTree by Hilton, one of Hilton’s 18 world-class brands. The newly upgraded 249-room hotel is located along the 5 and 91 freeways and conveniently off the Beach Blvd. exit. Known as the entertainment zone of Orange County, Buena Park is home to the most attractions in Orange County. DoubleTree by Hilton Buena Park debuts with a beautiful modern design inspired by cool tones of blues and greens. Guests are welcomed with a spacious lobby and Marble’s Lounge adjacent. The property boasts the...
Pendry San Diego Appoints David Duran as General Manager
Pendry Hotels & Resorts | August 16, 2022
SAN DIEGO, Calif. (AUGUST 16, 2022) – Pendry Hotels & Resorts is proud to announce the appointment and promotion of David Duran as General Manager of Pendry San Diego. Bringing more than a decade of luxury hospitality experience to this role, Duran will be responsible for overseeing all daily operations of the award-winning 317-room hotel property located in San Diego’s renowned Gaslamp Quarter. Since joining Pendry San Diego in 2019 as Director of Operations, Duran has played a significant role in overseeing operations for the rooms division and the hotel’s numerous outlets including the collection of six unique restaurants and ...
