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
Hilton Worldwide Unveils New Midscale Brand, Tru by Hilton
Tru by Hilton | January 25, 2016
MCLEAN, Va. - Hilton Worldwide (NYSE: HLT) today unveiled Tru by Hilton, a brand that is simplified, spirited and grounded in value, filling a massive void in the midscale category in the U.S. and Canada. Built from a belief that being cost conscious and having a great stay don't have to be mutually exclusive, Tru by Hilton offers an experience unlike anything in its space, consistently delivered in a surprisingly affordable way. Demonstrating owners' desire for a forward-thinking and innovative midscale brand with a strong value proposition, Hilton Worldwide already has 102 hotels signed and an additional 30 hotels in various s...
Commune Hotels & Resorts and Destination Hotels Merge to Create the Leading Operator of Independent and Lifestyle Hotels and Resorts
Commune Hotels & Resorts | January 25, 2016
Merger Brings Together Two Growing Companies with Complementary Competitive Strengths and Offerings Combined Company Will Manage More Than 90 Properties in Seven Countries with Approximately $2 Billion of Total Property Revenues Under Management SAN FRANCISCO, California and DENVER, Colorado – January 25, 2016 – Commune Hotels & Resorts, the international lifestyle hotel management company comprising Joie de Vivre Hotels, Thompson Hotels, tommie and Alila Hotels & Resorts, and Destination Hotels, the preeminent operator of independent hotels, resorts and residences in the United States, today announced that they have...
Hotel Equities Taps Former Hilton Executive Steve Crabill for Vice President of Business Development
Hotel Equities | January 21, 2016
ATLANTA, GA (January 21, 2016) –Atlanta-based Hotel Equities (HE) recently tapped Steve Crabill to join the firm as Vice President of Business Development. Mr. Crabill was most recently with Hilton Worldwide serving as Vice President & Managing Director, Franchise Development for all Hilton brands in the Southeast Region, with the exception of luxury brands. In a hospitality career that spans 30 years, Mr. Crabill has developed or led teams responsible for opening over 1,000+ hotels throughout the southeastern United States. He has held leadership positions with three major hotel companies, including Hilton Worldwide, Marriott...
Nathalie Corredor Named Hilton Worldwide Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy
Hilton Worldwide | January 20, 2016
MCLEAN, Va. - Hilton Worldwide (NYSE:HLT) today announced that Nathalie Corredor has joined the company as Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy, based at its global headquarters in McLean, Va. Prior to joining Hilton, Corredor spent much of her career working in Silicon Valley, most recently at Google as Global Head of Vertical Search Ad Development & Sales. In this role she drove key travel-focused products, including hotel advertising and flight search, and fueled significant sales growth. She also previously served as Google's Head of Sales Strategy & Operations, and worked with the VP of US Sales to ensure optimal o...
The Inverness Hotel and Conference Center Appoints Jennifer Atkins as Managing Director
The Inverness Hotel and Conference Center | January 20, 2016
ENGLEWOOD, CO (January 20, 2016) — The Inverness Hotel and Conference Center, A Destination Hotel, which was recently acquired by Silverwest Hotels LLC, announced the appointment of Jennifer Atkins as managing director. Jennifer brings nearly 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry to her new position. "We're very excited Jennifer Atkins is joining The Inverness as our new managing director," said Kevin Regan, senior vice president of operations at The Inverness Hotel and Conference Center. "Jennifer's leadership, strategic planning and management skills precede her, and her depth of experience and dynamic commu...
AH&LA Study Reveals Growing Number of Commercial Landlords Using Airbnb to Run “Unregulated Hotels” in Major Cities
AH&LA | January 20, 2016
Report shows nearly 30 percent of Airbnb revenue in 12 major U.S. markets comes from hosts operating as "full-time" landlords Number of hosts renting out multiple properties on Airbnb also rapidly growing; driving an increasingly large share of revenue WASHINGTON, D.C., January 20, 2016 -- The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) released a new study today conducted by researchers at Penn State University's School of Hospitality Management offering the first, comprehensive national look at the rise of commercial activity on Airbnb, one of the most trafficked short-term rental platforms. The analysis tracks data collected...
Hotels Need to Properly Clean Jetted Tubs, Dishwashers and Washing Machines
| January 20, 2016
St. Paul, MN USA – Hotels need to properly clean their jetted tubs, dishwashers and washing machines from the effects of biofilm and the contaminants biofilm growth promotes in these appliances. Hotels use and rely upon a battery of jetted tubs, dishwashers and washing machines to run their businesses. Mounting scientific evidence suggests that these appliances (and, more specifically, the improper design and/or cleaning of these appliances) are one of several primary hosts of contaminants that get and/or keep hotel patrons sick. A whopping 80% of microbial infections in the human body are related to biofilm. Common infectious pro...
Hotels: Improve Guest Comfort While Cutting Operational Costs
Xeros | January 20, 2016
By David Kaupp, Xeros Successfully managing a hotel has its challenges. Keeping guests happy and staff motivated is no easy feat. And even if you are effective at both of those tasks, you must be able to measure and monitor expenses and take action to reduce hotel operations costs where appropriate. But reducing costs can never be at the expense of quality and service. Guest comfort and experience is paramount to every decision regarding costs. Marketing: Digital and social media are low cost ways to get your hotel's name out to your target markets. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TripAdvisor can give you exposure to local, national, ...
Think F&B for 2016: Ten Thoughts To Consider
Larry Mogelonsky | January 20, 2016
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.lma.ca) "Everyone eats!" is the motto I cite far too often to express the importance of having stellar F&B operations, both in terms of service delivery as well as the ingenuity of your cuisine. Fine these days does not cut it anymore, and unless you are constantly attempting to improve your operations, you run the risk of instilling complacency and a tired brand perception. With new restaurants opening daily with fresh menus and concepts sourced from across the world, your job as a manager and restaurateur is only getting harder. Here's what I've learned from my travels in the past quarter whi...
Hard Rock International Appoints Kresimir Spajic as Senior Vice President of Online Gaming
Hard Rock International | January 19, 2016
Orlando, Fla. – January 19, 2016 – Hard Rock International – owner of one of the world's most recognizable brands – announces the appointment of industry leader, Kresimir Spajic, as SVP of Online Gaming. In this new position, Spajic will be responsible for leading the vision, strategy and operational execution behind the brand's investment across interactive gaming platforms. Spajic will be instrumental in securing new strategic partnerships and future opportunities to further position Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos as a global leader in the international and online gaming spaces. "With his numerous achievements ...
Carlson Rezidor Appoints Camilla Chiam as Vice President of PR and Communications for Asia Pacific
Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group | January 19, 2016
SINGAPORE (JANUARY 19, 2016) - Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, one of the world's largest and most dynamic hotel groups, today announced the appointment of Camilla Chiam as vice president of PR and Communications for Asia Pacific. She reports directly to Thorsten Kirschke, president, Asia Pacific, and will be a member of the Asia Pacific Executive Committee. Camilla will lead the PR and Communications team in developing and implementing strategies to increase the visibility and further enhance the perception of Carlson Rezidor and its hotel brands, in support of the Group's expansion in Asia Pacific. She will be in charge of the re...
NewcrestImage Appoints General Manager Michael Donohue and Director of Sales Michelle White for Hyatt House Dallas/Frisco
Hyatt House | January 15, 2016
DALLAS (January 15, 2016) – Hyatt House Dallas/Frisco, a 132-room extended stay hotel expected to open in February, announces the appointment of General Manager Michael Donohue and Director of Sales Michelle White. NewcrestImage, a hotel development, construction and management firm based in Lewisville, Texas, owns the hotel. Donohue, who has an eight-year career with Hyatt, has held positions in a variety of industry segments where he honed his skills with leading hotel brands and management companies. Most recently, he was regional vice president of operations at Hyatt, where he took a lead role in improving the performance of 1...
Hidrock Properties and Concord Hospitality Open New Cambria hotel & suites NY – Times Square
Cambria hotels & suites | January 15, 2016
ROCKVILLE, Md., Jan. 15, 2016 -- Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), one of the world's largest hotel companies, Hidrock Properties and Concord Hospitality celebrated the grand opening of the new Cambria hotel & suites NY - Times Square in style last night with a vintage winter wonderland. Guests were treated to music by famed jazz musician Michael Arenella & His Dreamland Orchestra, as well as property tours and remarks by Steve Joyce, president and CEO of Choice Hotels, Michael Murphy, senior vice president of upscale brands at Choice Hotels, Mark Laport, president and CEO of Concord Hospitality and Abraham Hida...
Hyatt’s Malware Breach Infected at Least 250 Hotels in 2015
Hyatt Hotels Corporation | January 15, 2016
CHICAGO (January 15, 2016) – Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) has completed its investigation of the previously announced payment card incident. The investigation identified signs of unauthorized access to payment card data from cards used onsite at certain Hyatt-managed locations, primarily at restaurants, between August 13, 2015 and December 8, 2015. A small percentage of the at-risk cards were used at spas, golf shops, parking, and a limited number of front desks, or provided to a sales office during this time period. The at-risk window for a limited number of locations began on or shortly after July 30, 2015. The malware was...
Hotelier’s 2016 Action Plan to Maximize Revenue from the Mobile Channel
the Author and HeBS Digital | January 15, 2016
By Max Starkov The full year results for 2015 are in and one thing is clear: the age-defining shift from desktop to mobile and tablet devices continued its rigorous pace: more than 20% of online bookings and roomnights are generated from non-desktop devices (smartphones + tablets), while nearly 50% of web visitors and over 44% of page views come from tablets and mobile devices. The mobile channel contributes directly to additional 30%-40% bookings via the voice channel (HeBS Digital Research). According to Google Research, nine out of ten people are "cross-device" Internet browsers and researchers, using multiple devices sequentially (m...
Andrew Arthurs Appointed Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer for Destination Hotels and Lowe Enterprises
Destination Hotels | January 14, 2016
Denver, Colo. – Jan. 14, 2016 – Destination Hotels, the largest operator of independent hotels, resorts and residences across the US, announces today the appointment of brand-experienced, management expert Andrew Arthurs, as Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer for Destination Hotels and Lowe Enterprises. Arthurs joins the Destination Hotels executive team with more than 15 years of technology experience in the hospitality industry. Most recently, Arthurs held the role of Senior Director of IT for Vail Resorts in Broomfield, Colo. During his time with Vail Resorts, Arthurs was responsible for technology enable...
The Peebles Corporation Partners with sbe to Debut SLS Lux Hotel & Residences, Washington D.C.‘s First SLS Property
sbe | January 14, 2016
WASHINGTON, Jan. 14, 2016 -- The Peebles Corporation, a national real estate development and investment company with $5 billion in completed and current developments, has selected sbe, the Los Angeles-based leading lifestyle hospitality company to debut SLS Lux Hotel & Residences, Washington D.C's first SLS property. Industry-leader The collaboration notably marks the award-winning global hospitality group's entrance into the D.C. market. Located in heart of D.C's most desirable residential neighborhood, SLS Lux Hotel & Residences will offer a refined community and guest experience that perfectly pairs with the dynam...
Hard Rock International Reveals Plans for Second Hotel and Casino in Dominican Republic, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Santo Domingo
Hard Rock International | January 14, 2016
Orlando, Fla. – January 14, 2016 – Hard Rock International – owner of one of the world's most recognized brands – reveals plans for its second hotel and casino in the Dominican Republic, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Santo Domingo, located in the heart of the capital city. In collaboration with All Inclusive Collection, the full service hotel, estimated to open in late 2017, will feature 400 hotel rooms and suites and a state of the art casino. "The Dominican Republic is the region's most visited country and continues to be the top performing destination in the Caribbean. In fact, the country received 19% of the r...
San Jose’s Historic Hotel De Anza, A Destination Hotel, Unveils Complete Transformation
Hotel De Anza, A Destination Hotel | January 13, 2016
SAN JOSE, CA— (January 2016) — Hotel De Anza, A Destination Hotel, perfectly located in the heart of downtown San Jose, debuts its brand new and much-anticipated revival this month. The historic hotel, which first opened in 1931, has been a landmark and a piece of history in the city of San Jose for nearly 85 years. All of the public areas, meeting and event space and 100 guestrooms and suites in the hotel, have undergone a complete transformation that blends the beloved historical Art Deco elements of the property with a contemporary and sophisticated design that will be sure to delight and surprise. Design firm HFS Concept...
Apéritif or Digestif
Larry Mogelonsky | January 13, 2016
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.lma.ca) The holiday season is behind us, and for many it was a time of alcoholic gifts, and the drinking of said gifts with friends and family. Now it's back to crunch time at the office as we all try to plan meetings for 2016 and recover from the many office parties. My typical day nowadays consists of two hundred emails, back-to-back meetings, and a constant barrage of phone calls to interrupt any and all down time. By the time I dredge myself off the office floor around 6pm, I'm loopy, hungry and in need of a stiff drink. Sound familiar? While some call this 'mandatory pre-dinner throat and brai...
Hilton’s Industry-Leading Parental Leave Policies Now in Effect
Hilton Worldwide | January 12, 2016
MCLEAN, Va. - Hilton Worldwide's (NYSE: HLT) industry-leading parental leave policies took effect on January 1, 2016, and now cover both hourly and salaried Team Members at Hilton's owned and managed properties, as well as the company's corporate offices. The new policies represent the best parental leave benefits offered by any major global hospitality company in the United States and Puerto Rico. The benefits available to Team Members at owned and managed hotels and corporate offices[1] with one year of service or greater include: All new parents - including fathers and adoptive parents - receive two weeks of fully paid ...
RoamBOOST Hires DAS Expert Dean Vinson as Director, Field Services
RoamBOOST | January 12, 2016
With expertise in Radio Frequency and Distributed Antenna Systems, Vinson will work with technical teams in the field to support the cellular infrastructure needs of RoamBOOST clients Boston, Mass. — Jan. 12, 2016 — Dean Vinson is joining the RoamBOOST team, effective immediately, as Director, Field Services. Working with RoamBOOST VP's, Vinson will use his vast technical expertise to enhance implementation of the company's Distributed Antenna Systems. The RoamBOOST DAS solution provides cellular signal enhancement to clients – either facility-wide, or within targeted areas of a property. Tasked with conceptualizing an...
HeBStrategy: The Q1 2016 Hospitality Digital Technology & Marketing Strategy Whitepaper Now Available for Download
HeBS Digital | January 12, 2016
HeBS Digital's latest whitepaper recaps the news and events that shook the industry in Q4 2015, and prepares hoteliers for 2016. From hotel brand mergers heard around the world to knowing how to use your data to shift share from the OTAs, the HeBStrategy Q1 2016 Edition will keep you in the hotel digital marketing and technology-know. New York, NY (January 11, 2016) – HeBS Digital, the leading hotel digital technology, full-service digital marketing and website revenue optimization consulting firm, announces the HeBStrategy Q1 2016 Edition is now available for download. The whitepaper is packed with best practices, action plans an...
Paramount Lodging Advisors Brings In The New Year With Radisson Indianapolis Airport Sale
Paramount Lodging Advisors | January 11, 2016
INDIANAPOLIS, IN—Paramount Lodging Advisors ("PLA") is pleased to announce the sale of the Radisson Hotel Indianapolis Airport. Brent Clemens and Bennett Webster, Managing Directors acted as agents for PLA who exclusively represented the seller on the 257-room, full service airport hotel and conference center. PLA's Chairman Daniel Beider noted, "We are excited to have achieved all parties' objectives on a transaction with multiple layers of complexity, comprised of a lender-owned leasehold hotel business with a municipal corporation as the Lessor." "The deal marks Paramount's fourth brokerage hotel transaction in the Indiana...
