Knowland Expands Presence in the Middle East
Knowland | February 28th, 2023
Jonas Hospitality Continuing to Unify Products Under Jonas ARC
Jonas Hospitality | February 28th, 2023
News Top: February
Four Seasons Resort Seychelles Appoints Renan Astolpho as General Manager
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts | February 23, 2023
Four Seasons Resort Seychelles welcomes General Manager Renan Astolpho, who has spent the past four years developing his career with Four Seasons properties in Dubai. Astolpho will take the reins of this secluded beachfront oasis with an initial focus on two suite renovations. With an adept knowledge built in award-winning hotels and resorts in and outside of the brand’s portfolio, Astolpho brings a breadth of luxury hospitality experience, a deep respect for the destination's natural flair and an intimate understanding of the importance of community to his new role. “I am honoured to join the experienced and gracious team here at Fo...
The Impact of ChatGPT on Hospitality Industry
Ahmed Mahmoud | February 9, 2023
By Ahmed Mahmoud AI technology was first introduced and presented at the Dartmouth conference in 1956. At that time, hotel businesses had not yet realized the importance of AI technology in hotel business and operations due to its lack of versatility and simple underdevelopment. Chat GPT is a newly launched AI chatbot that was launched in November 2022 and attracted one million users soon after its launch. Since then, it has taken the world by storm with its remarkable use. Chat GPT It stands for "Chat Generative Pre-Trained Transformer." Chat GPT has been making headlines since the day it was launched due to the tasks that it is cap...
Dreams® Flora Resort & Spa Opens in the Dominican Republic
Inclusive Collection, part of World of Hyatt | February 15, 2023
CHICAGO (Feb. 15, 2023) – Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) today announced the opening of Dreams® Flora Resort & Spa, the newest addition to the Inclusive Collection, part of World of Hyatt – a global portfolio of distinct luxury all-inclusive resort brands. The resort marks the expansion of Inclusive Collection’s presence in the Dominican Republic to 12 total resorts and is the fifth Dreams Resort & Spa in the Caribbean destination. Situated on the palm-studded beach of Cabeza de Toro, Dreams Flora Resort & Spa offers an unforgettable getaway designed for couples and families, conveniently located close to the Punta...
Increasing Non-Airline Revenues With Airport-Connected Hotels
Anwar Elgonemy | February 22, 2023
By Anwar Elgonemy In this article, we take a look at the best practices to overcome the challenges of developing airport-connected hotels. Background Certain customer segments are more likely to stay in airport hotels than others. For example, passengers departing on early flights or arriving on late flights will consider staying closer to the airport to save travel time and costs. “Fly-in-fly-out” meetings, passengers stranded due to over-booking or weather-related cancellations and mechanical delays, and, of course, airline crews, are essential demand segments. But these segments are seeking more than typical airport accommodations...
Palmer House, A Hilton Hotel Welcomes New General Manager, Konstantine Drosos
Palmer House, a Hilton Hotel | February 13, 2023
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS (February 13, 2023) — Palmer House, a Hilton Hotel is pleased to announce the appointment of Konstantine (“Gus”) Drosos as General Manager. Drosos brings more than 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry exclusively with Hilton across Illinois and California. In his most recent role, Drosos served as General Manager of Hilton Chicago O’Hare Airport, the only Chicago O’Hare hotel on airport grounds, where he led renovations, oversaw day-to-day operations, and was awarded the Market Share Award of Excellence for 2021. Prior to his role at Hilton Chicago O’Hare Airport, Drosos served as the Gener...
Nobu Hospitality Signs With Enevoria Development for Nobu Hotel, Restaurant, and Residences Al Marjan Island
Nobu Hospitality | February 1, 2023
NEW YORK, February 1, 2023 - Nobu Hospitality, the luxury lifestyle brand founded by Nobu Matsuhisa, Robert De Niro and Meir Teper, has signed a management agreement with Enevoria Development FZ-LLC, to develop the Nobu Hotel, Restaurant, and Residences on Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah. This is the brand’s second hotel and residence development in the UAE following the announcement of Abu Dhabi in late 2022. The Nobu Hotel, Restaurant, and Residences shall be located on the pristine Al Marjan Island, offering over 7.8 km of unspoiled beaches and stunning waterfront views of the Arabian Gulf. Nobu Hotel and Nobu Restaurant will also ...
Blue Ridge Hotel Partners Opens Home2 Suites by Hilton Huntsville in Ontario, Canada
Blue Ridge Hotel Partners | February 8, 2023
HUNTSVILLE, ONTARIO, CANADA – February 8, 2023 – Officials of Blue Ridge Hotel Partners (BRHP), a leading hotel management and development company, today announced the opening of Home2 Suites by Hilton Huntsville in Ontario, Canada. The hotel is owned by GS Holdings Huntsville, a partnership between The Ghoman Group & API Development Consultants. “With a top tier location, the Home2 Suites by Hilton Huntsville is the first new hotel in the marketplace in ten years,” said Tanya Ross, general manager. “Now that construction is complete, we have the latest and most sought-after amenities for both business and leisure trave...
AAA Unveils Top Diamond Designated Hotels and Restaurants of 2022
AAA | February 20, 2023
AAA unveils the 5-Diamond and 4-Diamond properties of 2022. These hotels and restaurants represent the best of the best in lodging and dining. 5-Diamond properties offer ultimate luxury and leading-edge cuisine. 4-Diamond properties offer upscale amenities and distinctive fine dining. Diamond designations reflect AAA Inspectors’ commitment to quality and consistency in the hospitality industry. Diamond Inspectors are trained professionals who travel across North America to conduct unannounced, independent, in-person property inspections. The 4Cs of AAA Diamonds Cleanliness: AAA hotel inspections include ATP...
IHG Signs With Palau Coral Club to Open Hotel Indigo Palau on Malakal Island
IHG | February 27, 2023
Hotel Indigo Palau will be IHG’s third hotel in Micronesia when it opens in late 2024 IHG Hotels & Resorts has signed a management agreement with Palau Coral Club, to open Hotel Indigo Palau at the end of 2024. Hotel Indigo Palau will boast an outstanding location on Malakal Island, fronting onto a coral reef with amazing views and immediate access to world-class diving and marine life. It will feature approximately 200 guest rooms, an all-day dining Neighbourhood Café and separate restaurant, a sunset bar by the pool, meeting rooms for 60 people, a resort centre, swimming pool, spa and gymnasium, and all the facilities necessa...
Recent Trends in Washington, D.C.’s Luxury Hotel Market
Caroline Dioso | February 2, 2023
By Caroline Dioso, Chelsey Leffet Historical Luxury Market Performance According to data compiled by STR, in recent years, the luxury segment has fallen 2–5% behind the Washington, D.C. market average in occupancy, while luxury rates have paced roughly $150 to $200 above average. This rate difference is largely due to a few luxury hotels that perform at a higher rate threshold than the remainder of the luxury class, including the Four Seasons, the Waldorf Astoria, both Ritz-Carlton properties, the Hay Adams, and the St. Regis. These higher-rated hotels make up 15% of the total luxury room supply in the District. The 2022 mar...
Rockbridge and Makeready to Introduce The Junto to Columbus, Ohio in May 2023
The Junto | February 8, 2023
Columbus, Ohio, February 8, 2023 – Rockbridge and Makeready are proud to announce The Junto will open May 2023 in Columbus, Ohio and is now welcoming reservations at thejuntohotel.com. Known for its vibrant art scene, expanding tech industry and historical contributions, Columbus is undergoing an energetic transformation. Beginning in May, Ohio’s capital city will welcome its first independent lifestyle hotel to match its innovative energy. The Junto is designed from the ground up to serve as a hub to bring people together within the Columbus community producing an inventive meeting place for locals and travelers al...
The Pennywell, a Hilton Hotel Opens Its Doors in Downtown St. Louis
The Pennywell St. Louis Downtown, a Hilton Hotel | February 14, 2023
ST. LOUIS (February 14, 2023) — With a new year of exploration and professional pursuits on the horizon, The Pennywell St. Louis Downtown, a Hilton Hotel arrives right on time in the heart of St. Louis. The newly renovated property developed by Rockbridge offers an inspiring setting for creative minds and purposeful amenities tailored to the modern business and leisure travelers’ needs. Whether enjoying the scent of freshly brewed coffee while checking your inbox in the hotel’s lobby, toasting to a successful day’s work at The Pennydrop Bar + Kitchen, or venturing beyond the historic 19th-century bank’s walls, this cultured hospit...
Whiteface Lodge Appoints Jonathon Peels as New General Manager
Whiteface Lodge | February 2, 2023
LAKE PLACID, N.Y. – Feb. 2, 2023 – Whiteface Lodge is pleased to announce that Jonathan Peels has been appointed the new general manager of the Four Star Forbes-rated, luxury all-suite resort in Lake Placid, New York. One of premier resorts in the Adirondack region, Whiteface Lodge boasts 96 guestrooms, two restaurants, a spa and an abundance of indoor and outdoor activities for guests across generations to enjoy. Peels brings a wealth of knowledge to Whiteface Lodge with over 15 years of management experience at hotels and resorts around the country. Most recently, he was the resort manager of Palm Beach Singer Island Marriott Beach ...
Boston & Cambridge Lodging Strengthens in 2022 With More Upside for 2023
Rachel Roginsky | February 21, 2023
By Rachel Roginsky Despite a slow start in the first Quarter 2022, the Boston & Cambridge lodging market ramped up quickly, and by year-end, the Revenues Per Available Room (RevPAR) reached a 90% index compared to its 2019 (pre-covid) top-line performance. Like many urban gateway cities, the city struggled in its recovery from the negative effects of the pandemic in 2021, as compared to other cities located in warmer climates, which showed strong recoveries one year following the outbreak of Covid in March of 2020. Yet despite the slower recovery, in 2022, leisure demand came roaring back in Boston, while corporate and group travel p...
White Lodging Rebrands The Otis Hotel as Plaza San Antonio Hotel & Spa, Autograph Collection
Autograph Collection® Hotels | February 9, 2023
SAN ANTONIO, TX (February 9, 2023) - White Lodging is pleased to announce the renaming of its new Autograph Collection hotel in San Antonio, TX., formerly known as The Otis Hotel. The new name, the Plaza San Antonio Hotel & Spa, Autograph Collection, is a nod to the area’s roots and hotel’s past identifiers. The 253-room hotel, located at 555 South Alamo Street in San Antonio, has had “plaza” in its name since it first opened in 1979 as the Plaza Nacional, making its new name a natural fit for this social gathering place. The hotel and spa is slated to open in Summer 2023. Representing an intersection of many diverse neighborhoo...
U.S. News Reveals the 2023 Best Hotels
U.S. News & World Report | February 7, 2023
Washington, D.C. – U.S. News & World Report, publisher of Best Vacations, Best Cruise Lines and Best Travel Rewards Programs, today revealed its annual rankings of the Best Hotels. The 2023 rankings highlight more than 35,000 hotels to help travelers find the hotel that’s right for them. For the first time, Acqualina Resort & Residences in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, takes the No. 1 spot in the Best Hotels in the USA ranking, which considers industry awards and guest reviews. The hotel stands out for its world-class pools, restaurants and convenient access to the beach. The Canyon Suites at The Phoenician, a L...
KSL Capital Partners Acquires Martin Resorts Portfolio of Five Independent Hotels
KSL Capital Partners | February 1, 2023
DENVER, Feb. 1, 2023 -- KSL Capital Partners, LLC ("KSL"), a leading investor in travel and leisure businesses, today announced that an affiliate has acquired the Martin Resorts Collection of five independent boutique hotels along California's Central Coast, midway between Los Angeles and San Francisco. The collection includes Avila Lighthouse Suites in Avila Beach; Pismo Lighthouse Suites and Shore Cliff Hotel in Pismo Beach; and Paso Robles Inn and The Piccolo in Paso Robles. Terms were not disclosed. KSL Resorts, a premier independent management company, will manage each of the hotels. "We could not be more proud to be given t...
Aloft Langkawi Pantai Tengah Welcomes Adrian Chua as New General Manager
Aloft Hotels | February 7, 2023
Langkawi, Malaysia – 7 February 2022: Aloft Langkawi Pantai Tengah welcomes Adrian Chua, as the newly appointed General Manager for the island hotel. With over 30 years of international experience in the hospitality industry and F&B, Adrian has a wealth of knowledge that he intends to share with the sassy 4-star property. Having graduated with a Diploma in Hotel & Catering Management from KDU College and holding a Certificate of Revenue Management (Hospitality) from HSMAI Academy, Adrian recently completed his Masters in Business Administration from University Tun Abdul Razak. His career began in the Garden Hotel Johor, first a...
Hawaii’s Turtle Bay Unlocks Customer Data for New, Holistic Marketing Strategy
Hapi | February 7, 2023
Turtle Bay turned to Hapi and Salesforce to better understand its guests and develop relationships with them through personalized, omnichannel outreach. In 2018, Blackstone Group purchased the Turtle Bay Resort on the North Shore of Oahu with big plans for a new, five-star Hawaii destination. The midmarket hotel wasn’t the main draw, instead, it was all about location, location, location – Turtle Bay sits on prime seaside real estate in a surfing mecca, with five miles of beachfront and 20 miles of trails. “It’s arguably the best piece of dirt in Hawaii,” says Robert Marusi, who has been serving as Chief Commercial Officer of ...
Vision Hospitality Group Breaks Ground on Home2 Suites by Hilton EastRidge, TN
Vision Hospitality Group, Inc. | February 9, 2023
EAST RIDGE, Tennessee – February 09, 2023 – Vision Hospitality Group, Inc., in partnership with Wolftever Development, announced the groundbreaking of the Home2 Suites by Hilton East Ridge, Tennessee. The new hotel will deliver a long-awaited, extended-stay lodging option to the growing Jordan Crossing Development collection of restaurants, retail shopping and entertainment venues. The Home2 Suites by Hilton is designed for today’s business and leisure traveler who desires a contemporary, comfortable stay. The property will feature 101 spacious suites with a customizable working area, fully-equipped kitchen, microfiber hypoallerge...
HSMAI Adrian Awards Celebrates the Next Great Chapter
HSMAI | February 24, 2023
The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) celebrated the best in hospitality advertising, digital, PR/communications, and integrated campaigns at the Adrian Awards Celebration on Thursday, February 23, at The JW Marriott L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles, California. Taking place on the West Coast for the very first time, the Adrian Awards celebrated the most creative and successful campaigns in travel marketing and the people behind the work with more than 400 industry and agency executives on hand. “Tonight we recognize the best of the best of our industry’s creative and innovative digital, advertising, and publi...
Embassy Suites by Hilton Debuts in Aruba
Embassy Suites by Hilton | February 1, 2023
ORANJESTAD, Aruba, FEB 1, 2023 – Hilton (NYSE: HLT) announced today the opening of Embassy Suites by Hilton Aruba Resort, the 330-all-suite resort nestled between the dazzling waters of the top-rated Eagle Beach and the scenic lagoon of the Bubali Bird Sanctuary. The opening marks the first Embassy Suites by Hilton property in Aruba and second Hilton hotel on the island. “We are delighted to continue our expansion in the Caribbean with the opening of the newly built Embassy Suites by Hilton Aruba Resort,” said Jorge Giannattasio, senior vice president and head of Caribbean and Latin America. “With more than 25 properties across t...
Storey Hotel Management Group to Take Over Operations of Anguilla’s Malliouhana Resort
Storey Hotel Management Group | February 24, 2023
ANGUILLA (February 24, 2023) – Malliouhana Resort, the flagship of Anguilla’s luxury tourism industry and the first five-star hotel in Anguilla, announces today that it will return to operating as an independent property, led by Storey Hotel Management Group, an operator of independent luxury properties worldwide. As the property approaches its 40th anniversary, Malliouhana is poised to not only embrace its storied history as one of the most exclusive destinations in the Caribbean, but to also celebrate its glamour as an iconic property with all its unique character and charm, striking stature, and most importantly, its vivacio...
Maybourne Hotel Group Appoints Roland Fasel as Chief Operating Officer
Maybourne Hotel Group | February 7, 2023
Maybourne Hotel Group, operator of London’s most legendary and prestigious hotels Claridge’s, The Connaught and The Berkeley, as well as international properties The Maybourne Beverly Hills and The Maybourne Riviera, is pleased to announce the appointment of Roland Fasel as Chief Operating Officer, from April 2023. Swiss-born, Fasel, has almost 30 years of global experience within the hospitality industry, with a distinguished career spanning three continents with luxury hotel groups. His most recent role was with the Aman Collection where he was Chief Operating Officer for the last six years, and before that, an eight year tenure at The...
Rudy Sharp Appointed Complex General Manager for Viewline Resort Snowmass and Wildwood Snowmass
February 7, 2023
SNOWMASS, COLO. (February 7, 2023) – Viewline Resort Snowmass, Autograph Collection and Wildwood Snowmass are pleased to announce the appointment of Rudy Sharp as complex general manager. A seasoned veteran in the hospitality industry with more than two decades of experience, Sharp oversees all daily operations at Viewline Resort Snowmass and Wildwood Snowmass, which last year debuted following $40 million in renovations including elevated interiors and exteriors, enhanced culinary offerings, and curated guest programming. “Viewline Resort Snowmass, Autograph Collection and Wildwood Snowmass are iconic ski-in/ski-out properties in...
