Spokane Tribe Resort & Casino Partners With Travel Outlook to Elevate Guest Service Experience
Travel Outlook, The Premier Hotel Call Center™ | October 2, 2024
Debunking Common Myths About AI: Why Human Hotel Staff Are Still Irreplaceable
John Smallwood, President of Travel Outlook | September 17, 2024
Operations
Real Hospitality Group Selects SHR’s WindsurferCRS Platform
SHR | June 14, 2016
Gains a Global and Property-Level View of Distribution Effectiveness HOUSTON, TX, June 14, 2016– SHR, an innovative provider of advanced distribution technology and services for hotels worldwide, today announced that Real Hospitality Group, a leading hotel management company, has successfully migrated several hotels to the WindsurferCRS distribution platform. "Windsurfer has proven easy to use at the hotel and corporate levels, allowing us to review the hotels as needed from a global view and also at the property connection level," comments Rick Day, Vice President of Marketing and IT Support for Real Hospitality Group. Real Hospi...
Aimbridge Hospitality to Manage Residence Inn Austin Airport
Aimbridge Hospitality | June 14, 2016
Dallas, Texas (June 14, 2016) — Aimbridge Hospitality has been awarded the management contracts for Residence Inn Austin Airport. The developer, Bedford Lodging, chose Aimbridge Hospitality as the management firm for the properties, both of which are geared toward extended stay business travelers seeking convenience and value. "Our newest property is located in a prime area of Austin, Texas and we expect significant growth opportunity with these additions," said President of Bedford Lodging, Jeff Blackman. "We are excited for this first-time partnership with Aimbridge Hospitality and look forward to an on-going successful relation...
RoamBOOST Hires Project Managers to ‘Boost’ Expertise in the Field
RoamBOOST | June 14, 2016
Frank Leon and Shane Dorval will direct DAS installations in the field and expand RoamBOOST's presence – Come meet the team at HITEC BOOTH #337 Boston, Mass. — June 14, 2016 — RoamBOOST today announces that it has hired Frank Leon from Coral Gables, Fla., and Shane Dorval from Portland, Maine, as Field Project Managers. The two will expand RoamBOOST's presence in the field by providing engineering expertise and management capabilities to oversee new installations, as well as service for existing distributed-antenna system (DAS) customers. The RoamBOOST DAS uses a network of bi-directional antennas that are placed strat...
NewcrestImage Acquires 125-Room Hyatt Place Hotel in Grapevine, Texas
NewcrestImage | June 13, 2016
June 13, 2016 - NewcrestImage has expanded its portfolio with the purchase of the 125-room, 6-floor Hyatt Place hotel in the Dallas suburb of Grapevine, Texas, located just three miles from the DFW International Airport. This becomes the company's fourth Hyatt Place, joining hotels owned and operated in San Antonio, Lubbock, and the Dallas suburb of Plano. The new property features two meeting rooms of 1,100 sq. ft. and 400 sq. ft.; a spacious breakfast area; an outdoor pool; a cocktail and coffee bar; plus a fitness center and a business center, both of which operate 24 hours a day. Also open around-the-clock is the Gallery Market, whi...
AccorHotels Opens Sofitel Tamuda Bay Beach & Spa on Moroccan Riviera
AccorHotels | June 10, 2016
May saw the launch of Sofitel's new 5 star beachfront hotel in Morocco. Stunning architecture, award-winning contemporary design and Arty-Chic atmosphere are set to make Sofitel Tamuda Bay Beach & Spa undisputed leader in the Kingdom's most exclusive coastal resort. Celebrating the Riviera lifestyle For guests seeking the perfect blend of leisure and wellbeing, the Sofitel Tamuda Bay Beach & Spa offers 82 chic light-filled and intensely colorful guestrooms, all with private balcony and magnificent views of the Mediterranean gardens, pool and beach. To celebrate the Riviera in style, the hotel proposes the Royal Suite, fi...
sbe and Trillist to Develop SLS Atlanta Hotel & Residences Slated for Completion by Early 2019
sbe | June 10, 2016
ATLANTA, June 10, 2016 -- sbe, the Los Angeles-based leading lifestyle hospitality company that develops, manages and operates award-winning hospitality venues, announced plans to debut SLS Atlanta Hotel & Residences, strategically located in the epicenter of vibrant Midtown Atlanta. The mixed-use development will mark the first collaboration between sbe and Atlanta-based leading developer The Trillist Companies, Inc. Sam Nazarian, founder and CEO of sbe, and Scott L. Leventhal, co-founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of Trillist, jointly made the announcement today. The development will break ground in early 2017 with com...
Arizona Legalizes Airbnb Investment Properties
Peter Abualzolof | June 9, 2016
Arizona's new bill allows anyone to legally have an Airbnb investment property. Here's what we can expect to happen now in the Airbnb and Arizona communities. By Peter Abualzolof SB 1350 might just have hooked up Arizona Airbnb hosts all the way. The new bill signed by Arizona's governor, Doug Ducey, outlaws cities and municipalities from prohibiting short-term rentals. His motivation behind the signing is his hopes for making Arizona the sharing economy and benefiting the economy from the tourism industry. As he stated, "Arizona should be to the Sharing Economy, what Texas is to Oil and what Silicon Valley used to be t...
Benchmark Resorts & Hotels and Personal Luxury Resorts & Hotels Celebrate “National Martini Day” June 19
June 9, 2016
Trend-Setting Bartenders Celebrate with Intoxicating New Takes on the King of Cocktails The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, June 2016 … "A dry Martini is not a hooker of gin!" So goes the legendary ad by the makers of Noilly Prat Vermouth, created by The New Yorker cartoonist Peter Arno. The ad was developed in the 1960s when the classic cocktail was in danger of becoming too dry to support even a whiff of vermouth. Few drinks have inspired such debate. Shaken or stirred? On the rocks or straight up? How much vermouth? Olives or onions as garnish? Or perhaps a lemon twist? Literary lions penned its praises, bootleggers brought it to ...
Wyndham Hotel Group to Reinvent and Reposition 16 Brands Globally
Wyndham Hotel Group | June 8, 2016
The repositioning of all 16 economy, midscale, and upscale brands, is designed to appeal to all travelers, regardless of their budgets. PARSIPPANY, NJ (June 8, 2016) -- Wyndham Hotel Group (WHG), the world's most diverse and largest hotel company based on number of hotels, today unveiled its vision for the democratization of travel, bringing the hospitality industry one step closer to providing great value and quality experiences at every price point. WHG's roadmap for the strategic transformation of its iconic brands is aimed at elevating the travel experience for millennials and the diverse global middle class. The product of an 18-mo...
Don’t Be The Weakest Link In Your Flag
Larry Mogelonsky | June 8, 2016
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.lma.ca) Recently, I had an unfortunate experience while staying at a branded property that was clearly well past its best before date. Despite its prime location in its market and good promotional efforts, it was obvious that this chain outlet was not meeting any of the defined standards outlined by the corporate website. I won't go into details, but let's just say that this economy-plus level hotel wasn't meeting some of the most basic criteria that characterize 'a good night's stay'. Being part of a group booking, it was apparent that I was not the only one who took notice of the property's blata...
Hard Rock Hotels to Bring the Sound Of Music Back to New York City’s Iconic Music Row
Hard Rock International | June 7, 2016
ORLANDO, Fla., June 7, 2016 -- With presence in 69 countries, Hard Rock International, owner of one of the world's most recognized hospitality brands, proudly announces Hard Rock Hotel New York. Slated to open late Spring 2019, the new-build, 445-room Hard Rock Hotel New York will soon rise on 48th street between 7th Ave. and Avenue of the Americas. The area, previously known as Music Row, was once a musical mecca and one-stop-shop for rock legends, such as Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton and the Stones, as well as aspiring artists. The upcoming Hard Rock Hotel New York will breathe new life into Music Row and recapture the legacy of thi...
RoamingAround is Making Hotel WiFi Profitable with Location Based Services
RoamingAround | June 7, 2016
Hospitality's mobile-engagement expert will show HITEC attendees how to drive revenues using their existing WiFi network and the hotel's mobile app; Visit RoamingAround in Booth 335 at HITEC Boston, Mass. — June 7, 2016 —RoamingAround, the hospitality industry's mobile engagement expert, can now utilize WiFi access points as location beacons. The existing WiFi networks collect a lot of real-time data about the connected users, including direction of movement, dwell time and device information. Most hoteliers are not capitalizing on the value of big data to learn about an individual's behaviors, preferences and habits. Yet e...
Dream Hotel Group Signs with Al Alfia Holding to Develop Dream Hotel in Doha, Qatar
Dream Hotel Group | June 6, 2016
NEW YORK, NY (June 6, 2016) – Renowned hotel brand and management company Dream Hotel Group LLC signed its first hotel in the Middle East with Qatar-based Al Alfia Holding to develop a Dream Hotel in Doha, the state capital. To cap off a letterhead day, Dream Hotel Group took the opportunity to announce $1.5 billion in new hotel development, including Doha and five other locations, all with independent hotel development partners. Future U.S. locations include Nashville, Dallas, Palm Springs, and two additional New York properties in Times Square and Long Island City. "We are thrilled that the Dream brand of hospitality, marked by ...
NewcrestImage Opens New Hampton Inn & Suites Dallas Downtown in Former Allen Building
NewcrestImage | June 6, 2016
NewcrestImage continues its reputation for distinctive adaptive reuse properties as it opens a 176-room, 18-floor Hampton Inn & Suites today in the historic Allen Building in downtown Dallas. The hotel becomes a flagship property for Hilton Worldwide as the largest Hampton in the Dallas area and the first Hampton in downtown Dallas in more than 12 years. "Our team has combined the traditions of yesterday with the trends and technology of today to create a freshly creative, functional, and aesthetically-pleasing site," explains Mehul Patel, Chairman and CEO of NewcrestImage. "Downtown Dallas is undergoing dramatic urban rebirth and o...
HeBS Digital Celebrates 15 Years of Building ‘Book Direct’ Strategies for Hoteliers
HeBS Digital | June 6, 2016
Summary: HeBS Digital, the leading hotel digital technology, full-service digital marketing and website revenue optimization consulting firm, is celebrating 15 years of helping hoteliers build book direct strategies that maximize revenues from their most cost-efficient channel – their property website. New York, NY – June 6, 2016 – Fifteen years ago, HeBS Digital was born as the first hotel digital technology and marketing firm with a "Book Direct" mantra. Today, HeBS Digital, the leading hotel digital technology, full-service digital marketing and website revenue optimization firm, is celebrating its heritage of helpi...
Paramount Lodging Advisors Sells Two Limited Service Hotels in Pittsburgh
Paramount Lodging Advisors | June 2, 2016
Paramount Lodging Advisors (PLA) is pleased to announce the sale of the Holiday Inn Express Harmarville and the Comfort Inn Meadowlands. PLA exclusively represented the seller with Managing Directors Bennett Webster and Brent Clemens, and Associate Omari Head leading the efforts on the transaction of the two properties. "This deal concludes three successful transactions in Pittsburgh in the prior three months. We continue to be pleased with the interest levels and believe there remains substantial pent up demand for limited and select service product in Allegheny and Washington County," noted Head. "These deals now bring our Ten-X Comme...
Hospitality Management Corporation Promotes Chris Julian to Regional Director of Operations for South Texas
Hospitality Management Corporation (HMC) | June 2, 2016
Dallas, TX – Leo Spriggs, President and CEO of Hospitality Management Corporation (HMC), is pleased to announce the promotion of Chris Julian to Regional Director of Operations for the South Texas Region. Julian previously held the position of General Manager for the Wyndham Garden Hotel in Lafayette, Louisiana, a property currently managed by HMC. He will be taking over the responsibilities for the previous Regional Director Carl Haynes who will be retiring after 18 years of service with the company in Mid-June. Replacing Julian at the Wyndham Garden Hotel will be Peter Ambros. Ambros was instrumental in the success of a previous...
Paramount Hospitality Will Use Text Messaging to Drive Customer Engagement and Revenue
Paramount Hospitality Management LLC | June 2, 2016
ORLANDO, Fla – June 2, 2016 – In the hospitality industry several hotel brands have recently moved towards mobile messaging to enable guests to communicate needs during their stay. What is unique about Paramount Hospitality Management's (PHM) strategy is that the hotels will now send highly personalized messages to their guests to drive engagement and incremental revenue. Working with property management system provider Maestro to enhance current technological capabilities, PHM is set to begin rolling out personalized Short Message Service or SMS marketing campaigns targeting guests with personalized offers while they are on...
Hotels Must Be Better Than Home
Larry Mogelonsky | June 1, 2016
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.lma.ca) 'Feels just like home' or 'Make yourself at home' or any other iteration on this phrase is a common copywriting tool for hotels to create an inviting feeling for prospective travelers. While the intentions are all well and good, there is an underlying problem with this language. Namely, what does the average home actually look and feel like? Cramped spaces. Old furniture. Hodgepodges of mismatched art. No cohesive design or vision. Kids toys scattered everywhere. Messy kitchen. Bedsheets changed at a minimum of once a week. Grime in the washrooms. Mediocre garden. Nosy neighbors. Repairs up...
In a Changing Vendor Landscape, Independents Value Maestro PMS Partnership, Stability, Longevity
Maestro PMS | June 1, 2016
Visit Maestro PMS in Booth #1401 At HITEC in New Orleans JUNE 20-23 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center Unparalleled 24/7 Support, Service, Flexible Implementation Plans and Pricing, Continuous Version Updates Included in Annual Maintenance Attract Independents June 1, 2016 – The hospitality industry's tech vendor landscape is changing rapidly. For many operators, particularly independents, this can bring challenges. Vendor transition often means working with an unfamiliar support team, entering into a new software license agreement, and in some cases implementing a new hotel management system at contract renewal. None of t...
Successful Louisville Transaction, Times Two: Paramount Lodging Advisors Completes Sale of IHG Kentucky Hotel Package
Paramount Lodging Advisors | May 31, 2016
Paramount Lodging Advisors (PLA) has closed on its third and fourth hotel transactions within the Louisville region over the past six months. PLA Managing Directors Adam Montufar, Bennett Webster, and Brent Clemens orchestrated the sale of both the Holiday Inn Express and Candlewood Suites in Radcliff, KY. The two hotels total 146 rooms and are located Southwest of Louisville, proximate to Fort Knox Army Base. The PLA team members exclusively represented the seller in this double transaction. "Paramount Lodging worked as the liaison between our group and the buyers. They did a fantastic job facilitating the tours of potential buyer...
A Positive and Effective Way to Combat Airbnb
John Smallwood | May 31, 2016
By John Smallwood If you have 60 seconds, I have 300 words that might help at the NOI line. As a hotelier, it's hard to ignore the meteoric rise of the sharing-economy. Industry leaders like Airbnb offer a tempting proposition: "comforts of home", and a more intimate, local experience. Travelers are being lured away from hotels and resorts by this seemingly attractive combination of benefits. The sharing-economy is self-service, and plenty of people (especially millennials) obviously enjoy this kind of vacation. While it's nice to become immersed in a local environment, it can be a lot of work compared to the ease and safety of staying ...
Cliff House Maine Set to Open in August 2016 Following Phase One of $40 Million Renovation
Cliff House Maine | May 31, 2016
Cape Neddick, ME (May 31, 2016) – Cliff House Maine, nestled across 70 acres atop Bald Head Cliff on the southern coast of Maine, will once again open its doors to guests in August 2016 following the first phase of a large-scale $40 million revitalization. This landmark transformation will offer a true Maine experience including a singular blend of captivating horizons, casual elegance, inspired cuisine and thoughtful service, positioning Cliff House to be New England's most sought after, year-round coastal resort. "We are thrilled to announce the reopening of Cliff House, which will provide a completely new and enhanced experienc...
Top Five Secrets to Building a Successful Hotel Multichannel Marketing Campaign
the Authors and HeBS Digital | May 31, 2016
By Margaret Mastrogiacomo and Sara O'Brien How do you engage today's multi-device, multi-channel travel consumer and inspire a direct booking? This question fuels hotel marketers' digital strategies and marketing dollars. Yet, when navigating the constantly evolving digital landscape, building successful campaigns that reach customers throughout the booking funnel can be daunting without the right strategy. Today's travelers are digitally connected all over the world and inspired to take action—and the hotel brands that reach customers in intent-rich moments across devices will win the customer's heart, mind, and ultimately th...
