HFTP® Acquires Leading Hospitality Industry Brands: Hospitality Upgrade, Hotel-Online, The CIO Summit and The Executive Vendor Summit
Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals | June 25th, 2024
News Top: June
Some Customers Aren’t Worth Doing Business With
Shep Hyken | June 28, 2024
In some of my customer service speeches, I joke that some customers aren’t worth doing business with. The way I position it in the speech is funny, but in reality, it’s pretty serious. Sometimes, a customer isn’t worth doing business with because they are truly a bad customer. The result could be choosing to say, “Goodbye,” and sending them to the competition. While there are many reasons you might end your relationship with a customer, I came up with six obvious ones to get you thinking: Customers who repeatedly return products. This is often the result of a liberal return policy that some customers abuse. Repeat...
HITEC 2024 Welcomes Nearly 6,000 Industry Stakeholders to Explore Latest in Hospitality Technology
HFTP | June 28, 2024
Hospitality professionals traveled from all over the world to Charlotte, North Carolina, June 24-27 for the largest and longest-running show of its kind. The Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC®) was created over 50 years ago to break barriers and celebrate innovation in the hospitality technology space, a purpose that has resonated with the industry, attracting industry professionals by the thousands annually and making it the largest event of its kind in the world. This year was no exception, with over 5,900 attendees convening for HITEC North America 2024, June 24-27 at the Charlotte Convention Center in ...
Chicken Ranch Casino Resort Set to Open in Jamestown, California
Chicken Ranch Casino | June 14, 2024
JAMESTOWN, CA (June 14, 2024) – The eagerly awaited Chicken Ranch Casino Resort is now accepting online reservations. Guests can begin enjoying the resort's offerings with an opening on Monday, July 15. This brand-new destination features 175 luxurious guest rooms, 22 well-appointed suites, a variety of restaurants and bars, and an impressive gaming floor. California’s newest entertainment destination will beautifully display Aztec printed rugs, modern mirrors, and lively artwork in their overall room design, converging contemporary design and the authentic spirit of Chicken Ranch. Each room will also supply an open floor plan that of...
STR, TE Downgrade U.S. Hotel Forecast
STR | June 3, 2024
NEW YORK – STR and Tourism Economics made significant downward adjustments to the 2024-25 U.S. hotel forecast just released at the 46th Annual NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference. The latest revision reflects lower-than-expected performance thus far in 2024 as well as lessened growth projections for the remainder of the year. For 2024, projected gains in average daily rate (ADR) and revenue per available room (RevPAR) were downgraded 1.0 percentage points and 2.1 ppts, respectively. Occupancy for the year is now expected to decline after the previous forecast projected year-over-year growth in t...
My Place Hotels of America Opens My Place Hotels-Grand Rapids, MN
My Place Hotels of America, LLC | June 6, 2024
ABERDEEN, SD — June 6, 2024 — My Place Hotels of America has opened My Place Hotels-Grand Rapids, MN in Grand Rapids, MN. This is the brand’s second hotel to open in Minnesota and the 71st opened and operating My Place property in the United States. The hotel is owned by Iron Range MP, LLC, and was developed by Legacy Development, LLC. It is managed by Legacy Management, LLC. The 63-key property was designed by The Richardson Design Partnership using the My Place “Chalet” prototype, which was selected to complement the natural beauty of northern Minnesota’s rolling hills, lakes, and deep woods. The hotel is outfitted with stand...
Aligning Culture With the Bottom Line: How to Create a Commercial Mindset That Will Drive Revenue and Service
Andrew Rubinacci | June 11, 2024
By Andrew Rubinacci “We see our customers as invited guests to a party, and we are the hosts. It’s our job every day to make every important aspect of the customer experience a little bit better.” Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon. Almost every person in your hotel should be aware of how sales truly impact your property. Whether at reception, working in payroll, or drawing up employee onboarding SOPs, they need to know that every day is a sales day. Selling can be a human trait, and great things start to happen when your hotel company is tuned into the commerce side of your business. It makes me think of a famous quote that...
McNeill Hotel Company (MHC) Names Kimberly Brown General Manager at Hampton Inn Memphis/Southaven MS
McNeill Hotel Company | June 18, 2024
Germantown, Tennessee — June 17, 2024—Germantown, TN- based McNeill Hotel Company (MHC) today named hospitality industry veteran Kimberly Brown as General Manager at its Hampton Inn Memphis/ Southaven MS. MHC President Travis Murray made the announcement. A Memphis native, Brown joins MHC with more than 20 years of hospitality experience, having started her career on the Tour & Attraction side as the Group Sales Manager at the first permanent Smithsonian exhibition outside of Washington DC, the Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum & Gibson Guitar factory. Kimberly then transitioned over to the hotel side and started her career in sa...
10 Things You Didn’t Know About the Holiday Inn Brand – From Fun Facts to Pioneering Moments, Illuminating the Brand’s Ongoing Leadership in Mai
IHG | June 18, 2024
According to Morning Consult Intelligence data, the leading audience & brand tracking platform, the Holiday Inn brand is the most trusted travel and hospitality brand in the United States. To celebrate, IHG Hotels & Resorts looks back on the brand’s history and legacy of extraordinary stories and industry-changing success. From offering first-of-its-kind services and amenities to groundbreaking technology, the Holiday Inn brand changed how people traveled and made travel more accessible for millions. Its contributions to the hospitality and travel industries are countless, and today, not only does it remain one of the most re...
Takeaways From the 2024 Boutique Hotel Investment Conference by BLLA: Reviving the Spirit of Boutique Hotels
MARCUS R. LEE | June 14, 2024
By Marcus R. Lee, Patricia Shih, and Lizzette Casarin FIAF Florence Gould Hall Theater was bustling in early June with another successful Boutique Hotel Investment Conference. Kudos to the BLLA team for executing a great event! This article presents some key takeaways from HVS attendees Patricia Shih (HVS Consulting & Valuation) and Marcus Lee (HVS Asset Management & Advisory). In the ever-evolving landscape of hospitality, the term “boutique hotel” has transformed. Once synonymous with personalized service, unique design, and intimate experiences, “boutique hotels” as a phrase has recently blended with some nation...
Hotel Cerro Joins Autograph Collection Hotels by Marriott Following Complete Renovation
Autograph Collection Hotels | June 19, 2024
Marriott’s first Independent Collection hotel in San Luis Obispo is now open and bookable through Marriott and Marriott Bonvoy channels SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA (June 19, 2024) – Andrew Firestone, former star of ABC’s The Bachelor and co-founder of hospitality development company StonePark Capital, announced today that Hotel Cerro has joined the Autograph Collection Hotels by Marriott portfolio following a multimillion-dollar renovation, and is now bookable through Marriott and Marriott Bonvoy channels. Perfectly positioned in the heart of downtown San Luis Obispo, California, the landmark hotel features 65 reimagined guest rooms ...
The Ritz-Carlton Bacara Appoints Bradley Cance as New General Manager
The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara | June 5, 2024
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – June 5, 2024 – The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara– the premier resort by the sea on the Gaviota Coast, welcomes Bradley Cance as General Manager. Cance’s career in luxury hospitality has spanned over three decades and includes General Manager roles at The Ritz-Carlton, Tiburon in Naples, St. Louis, Palm Beach, Pentagon City and Washington, D.C. Cance has celebrated success in every property he has managed, whether achieving five diamonds and five stars for his hotels or leading a $125 million renovation and rebirth of The Ritz-Carlton in Palm Beach. His balanced approach to ensuring his employees, guests, a...
New Labor Challenges Arise in 2023
Robert Mandelbaum | June 6, 2024
By Robert Mandelbaum, Andrea Grigg The scarcity of employees has long been the primary labor concern for U.S. hoteliers, even before the onset of the COVD-19 pandemic. Historically, jobs in the lodging industry have had a negative perception as being too physically demanding, requiring too long of hours, and requiring work on weekends and holidays. The shortage of personnel was exaggerated during 2021 and 2022 as many of the employees that were laid off during the pandemic in 2020 opted not to return to the industry. The difficulty of attracting workers to fill line-level positions within hotels lessened somewhat in 2023. Reductions in ...
Hotel Anna & Bel Is Set to Open in August in Philadelphia
Hotel Anna & Bel | June 26, 2024
Breathing New Life Into A Historic 18th Century Building In Fishtown, Hotel Anna & Bel Restores the Penn Asylum as the Neighborhood’s First Full Service Boutique Hotel PHILADELPHIA, PA (June 26, 2024) – Opening August 7, Philadelphia will welcome its first full-service boutique hotel to its artistic and eclectic Fishtown neighborhood, Hotel Anna & Bel. Helmed by Philadelphia-based real estate development firm Foyer Project and operated by Life House, the hotel marks the company’s first foray into hospitality, shining a spotlight on their passion for breathing new life into historic buildings. At an intimate 50 keys, H...
Driftwood Capital Celebrates Grand Opening of Element Melbourne Oceanfront Hotel on Florida’s Space Coast
Driftwood Capital | June 14, 2024
The Miami-based company is capitalizing on one of the fastest-growing areas in Florida, opening the first waterfront hotel in Brevard County since 2020 Melbourne, Fla. (June 14, 2024) – Driftwood Capital, a vertically integrated commercial real estate firm providing accredited investors opportunities to invest in hospitality assets, announces the grand opening of the Element by Westin Melbourne Oceanfront (“Hotel”), a 130-key hotel in Melbourne, Florida. Part of a $1 billion pipeline of properties Driftwood Capital is developing throughout 2024, the Hotel is the firm’s fourth investment in Florida’s Space Coast, capitalizing on o...
Clairvoyix Announces a World-Class Email Reservation Confirmation System for Oracle Hospitality’s OPERA Cloud PMS.
Clairvoyix | June 26, 2024
The latest OPERA Cloud/OHIP enabled solution from Clairvoyix allows properties to send worldclass reservation confirmations/modifications/cancelations emails directly from OPERA Cloud. LAS VEGAS, NV (June 26, 2024) – Continuing their strategic objective of leveraging the Oracle Hospitality Integration Platform (OHIP), Clairvoyix has added to their growing portfolio of OPERA Cloud enabled revenue driving solutions with a leisure email reservation confirmation system that complements their previously released OPERA Cloud Block Room Confirmation system. The Clairvoyix email reservation confirmation system allows hotel and resor...
Highgate Unveils Romer House Waikiki, O’ahu’s First Adults-Only Hotel
Highgate | June 17, 2024
Oʻahu’s First Adults-Only Respite for the Best of Urban Wonderment is Now Open HONOLULU, HI – The summer of adulting has dawned in paradise with full permission and zero apologies as Highgate opens Romer House Waikīkī. Offering 179 rooms, O‘ahu's sole adults-only hotel is a perfect Waikīkī hideaway for guests looking to connect with Hawai’i's vibrant artistic community and culture. The expansive, residential-like lobby has a seamless discovery of Waikīkī's newest restaurant and bar, IZAKAYA 855-ALOHA, a celebration of Japanese traditions, Hawaiian flavors, and good-old-fashioned analog connections; a concept envisioned ...
Grand Hyatt Deer Valley Appoints Key Leadership Positions Ahead of November Opening
Grand Hyatt | June 10, 2024
Park City, UT (June 10, 2024) – Grand Hyatt Deer Valley, poised to become the new icon of mountain luxury accommodations, is nearing its November 2024 debut. To bring this significant milestone in the world of refined ski travel to life, two esteemed Hyatt Hotels Corporation leaders have been appointed: General Manager Anthony Duggan and Director of Sales, Marketing & Events Christina Richardson. With a wealth of luxury resort brand positioning experience, Duggan and Richardson bring an abundance of knowledge and passion to this brand new luxury build anchoring the highly anticipated East Village expansion to Utah’s beloved Deer Valle...
Loews Hotels Appoints Senior Executives for Key Leadership Roles at Universal Orlando Resort Hotels
Loews Hotels & Co | June 17, 2024
ORLANDO, FL - (June 17, 2024) – Loews Hotels, the co-owner and operator of a portfolio of hotels at Universal Orlando Resort has named three senior executives to leadership roles amid the destination’s unprecedented growth. Loews will open three new hotels in 2025, when Universal’s most ambitious theme park yet - the new Universal Epic Universe, is also set to open. The joint venture partnership between Loews Hotels & Co and Universal Orlando now spans more than two decades. Robert Rivers has been named managing director for Universal Helios Grand Hotel, a Loews Hotel, the destination’s first-ever hotel inside a theme park. A v...
Kingston Resorts in Myrtle Beach Appoints Tim Arnold as Managing Director
Kingston Resorts | June 3, 2024
Myrtle Beach, N.C. (June 3, 2024) - Kingston Resorts in Myrtle Beach, S.C., a multi-property resort owned by EOS Hospitality, has announced the appointment of Tim Arnold as Managing Director. Arnold brings decades of experience and a strong passion for the region to the resort. Overseeing day-to-day operations for 850 employees, over 1,200 guest rooms, six food and beverage outlets, and over 100,000 square feet of event space, Arnold will continue elevating the guest experience, ensuring Kingston Resorts continues its destination leadership on the Grand Strand. “Tim brings an exceptional amount of experience in the hotel space to the Kin...
Stephanie Leavitt Named Group Director of Sales & Marketing for Rhode Island’s Ocean House Collection
Ocean House | June 26, 2024
WATCH HILL, R.I. – June 2024 -- Ocean House Collection, which includes the Forbes Five-Star Ocean House and Weekapaug Inn, announced the appointment of Stephanie Leavitt as Group Director of Sales and Marketing. In her new role, Leavitt will oversee the sales, catering and marketing departments throughout the Collection to maximize revenue in all operational areas. Her responsibilities include leading the team in developing innovative sales and marketing initiatives while curating strategic alliances to positively impact the financial goals of the properties. With over 20 years of experience, Leavitt brings a wealth of knowledge with lu...
Brandt Hospitality Group Getting Great Results From Accounting Software Partner
Aptech | June 5, 2024
The tech-savvy third-party hotel management and ownership company calls Aptech’s PVNG Enterprise Accounting Solution ‘user friendly’ and ‘intuitive’ and says support is ‘best in the industry’; Visit Aptech at HITEC Charlotte June 24-27 in Booth #2644 PITTSBURGH, June 5, 2024 — Brandt Hospitality Group, a third-party hotel management company based in Fargo, N.D., is always looking to be more efficient and keep its overhead costs low. With 17 hotels and 10 different brands in its growing portfolio and ownership in most properties, the operation’s team set out to find a scalable accounting system to deliver on the expectat...
New York’s Montauk Yacht Club Opens Following Multimillion Dollar Renovation
Proper Hospitality | June 28, 2024
Now Under the Operation and Management of Proper Hospitality MONTAUK, NY - June 28, 2024 – Montauk Yacht Club, the 107-key Star Island seaside resort and marina, is open following a multi-million renovation and addition of the Ocean Club Montauk. The property is now under the management of Proper Hospitality within The Collective – a portfolio of independent, design-driven hotels. Built in 1928, the resort enters a new chapter this year following extensive capital improvements. Now open is Ocean Club Montauk, a dining experience helmed by acclaimed South African Chef Jarad McCarroll. Chef McCarroll’s St. Barths location inspires this ...
Innisfree Hotels Opens Surf & Sand Fernandina Beach at Amelia Island
INNISFREE HOTELS | June 6, 2024
Part of Choice Hotels’ Ascend Hotel Collection, the new Surf & Sand Fernandina Beach at Amelia Island is a one-of-a-kind boutique property that blends modern design with a beachy vibe. FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. — Innisfree Hotels (innisfreehotels.com) is proud to announce the opening of the new Surf & Sand Fernandina Beach at Amelia Island, a modern and beachy boutique hotel located at 2801 Atlantic Avenue in the heart of beautiful Fernandina Beach. The Surf & Sand Fernandina Beach at Amelia Island stands at the former Comfort Suites Fernandina Beach site, which has undergone a significant renovation. The new space featu...
Sundance Mountain Resort Breaks Ground on The Inn at Sundance
SUNDANCE MOUNTAIN RESORT | June 14, 2024
From enhanced skier experiences to new accommodation, the next act in the Sundance story balances progress and preservation Sundance, UTAH (June 14, 2024) – Sundance Mountain Resort broke ground on the forthcoming Inn at Sundance Resort, commencing a new era for the famed property. Projected to open in 2025-26, the new 63-room, ADA-accessible inn at the resort’s base village will satisfy a long-awaited need for the renowned destination. Inn at Sundance – the flagship project of the Sundance Mountain Resort’s Act II era – continues the legacy upheld by its iconic founder Robert Redford, and its new ownership group. This next chap...
Ivana Johnston Named CEO of Hotel Tech Advisory Firm Puzzle Partner
Puzzle Partner | June 17, 2024
The current co-founder and chief marketing officer of the industry’s most trusted technology marketing consultancy will transition to chief executive officer. Toronto, Ontario (June 17, 2024)—Puzzle Partner, a leading strategy and marketing agency in the hospitality and travel technology industry, has appointed Ivana Johnston as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). With a wealth of experience in the sector and as a co-founder of the firm founded over 10 years ago, Johnston is set to bring a fresh perspective, accelerate transformation, and drive new growth initiatives to the company. Puzzle Partner has helped clients outperform the ...
