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
RLJ Lodging Trust Completes Comprehensive Renovation at the 106-room Fairfield Inn & Suites Key West
RLJ Lodging Trust | November 14, 2014
November 14, 2014 - BETHESDA, Md. - RLJ Lodging Trust (the "Company") (NYSE: RLJ) today announced that it has completed a comprehensive $5.0 million guestroom and public space renovation at its 106-room Fairfield Inn & Suites Key West (the "Hotel") located in Key West, Florida. "We are excited to complete the Hotel's renovation in time for Key West's peak season," commented Thomas J. Baltimore, Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer. "We expect the additional investment in this asset will position the Hotel for future growth and allow it to capitalize further on Key West's strong market fundamentals." Recognized as one of the co...
Hotel Equities Names Garfield Campbell Regional Director of Business Development
Hotel Equities (HE) | November 13, 2014
ATLANTA, GA (November 13, 2014) -Atlanta-based Hotel Equities (HE) www.hotelequities.com recently named Garfield Campbell to the position of Regional Director of Business Development. As a member of the firm's development team, Mr. Campbell works directly with hotel owners who are looking for the best third-party partners to manage their existing hotels and with owners on new hotel development deals. He reports to Joe Reardon, Vice President of Marketing and Business Development. "We are excited to have such a highly-accomplished, top development executive join our organization, said Mr. Reardon. "Garfield brings a wealth of full servic...
Best Western’s Dorothy Dowling Named One of the Most Influential CMOs in the World
Best Western International, Inc. | November 12, 2014
PHOENIX (Nov. 11, 2014) – Dorothy Dowling, senior vice president of marketing and sales for Best Western International, THE WORLD'S BIGGEST HOTEL FAMILY®, was named the 27th most influential CMOs in the world in the Forbes/Appinion CMO Influence Study. The third annual study evaluates the highest-ranking marketing officers from the Forbes Global 500 Largest Companies list. The honorees include individuals from top global brands, including Apple, Ralph Lauren and General Motors. Dowling is one of just two hotel marketing leaders on this year's list. "It is a significant honor to be named to a group of such accomplished marketers and t...
Of Matchboxes and Other Hotel Freebies
Larry Mogelonsky | November 12, 2014
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.lma.ca) Picture this: I'm dining out at an upscale restaurant and when the bill arrives, it comes with a branded matchbox for each person at our table. Twenty years ago, this would've been nothing out of ordinary, maybe even a slightly nicer touch over leaving a bowl of matchbooks at the entrance or on the bar. But with the declining number of smokers as well as prohibitive laws against lighting up in public establishments, complimentary matchboxes are now somewhat of a rarity. While I'm not condoning a resurgence of cigarette consumption, from a branding and marketing perspective, perhaps we gave ...
Midas Hospitality Completes $3.5M Renovation of 104-room Residence Inn – Columbus/Worthington, Ohio
Midas Hospitality, LLC | November 12, 2014
SAINT LOUIS, MO, November 12, 2014 - St. Louis-based hotel owner, operator and developer, Midas Hospitality, LLC has completed a $3.5 million renovation on the 104-room Residence Inn by Marriott - Columbus / Worthington, OH. Built in 2000, and acquired by an investment group led by Midas Hospitality, LLC in June, 2013, the Residence Inn - Columbus / Worthington is located at 7300 Huntington Park Drive, Columbus, Ohio, just off of I-270 in the Crosswoods area. The hotel is just 12 miles from the state capital and downtown Columbus, 10 miles from The Ohio State University and 16-miles from Port Columbus International Airport. The all-suit...
Jubliee Hotels Group, LLC New Owner of Hotel Memphis
BuildCentral | November 10, 2014
Hotel-Online and BuildCentral Have Updated 173 Hotels in the Last Two Weeks with Changes in Personnel, Property Management or Ownership Chicago, IL. November 10, 2014 - Hotel-Online and BuildCentral have reported 173 changes in personnel, property management and ownership in the Hotel Profiles database over the last two weeks. Many hotels are getting a fresh start with a new Owner, Property Manager or General Manager. Recommend your product or service to someone who might be looking for a change. Hotels Under New Management: Crowne Plaza Portland-Lake Oswego (Lake Oswego, OR) The Heritage House Resort (Little River, CA) Adoba Hotel...
Cyber Monday is Almost Here – Are Hoteliers Ready for the Largest Online Shopping Day of the Year?
the Author and HeBS Digital | November 10, 2014
HeBS Digital Generated 30:1 Return for a Hotel Client with a Cyber Monday Campaign By Sara O'Brien Online shoppers spent $1.74 billion dollars on Cyber Monday last year, making it the largest online shopping day in history. This year Cyber Monday is on December 1, which is perfect to generate revenues for the slow months of Q1 2015! By offering potential guests a highly valued special package including discounted rooms and / or onsite add-ons, hoteliers can watch the revenue pour in this December 1st. The main goals of the Cyber Monday campaign are to: Increase Revenue: The property's special package will encourage potential guests to...
Build Better Business Relationships with Intelligence On-Demand
UniFocus | November 9, 2014
Are you walking around your operations and visible to your teams and customers? What would it be like if you could communicate immediately with employees from the floor? Technology is much more than a convenience, it is a sheer necessity to excel. True mobile solutions share intelligence on demand enhancing business relationships. This communication of knowledge improves the quality of service and customer satisfaction for your brand. Revolutionize how your teams engage with each other and with customers by partnering with UniFocus. Utilizing our innovative mobile technologies builds lasting and loyal relationships, boosting both profit...
Destination Hotels Promotes André Fournier to Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing
Destination Hotels | November 7, 2014
Englewood, Colo. - November 7, 2014 - Destination Hotels announces the promotion of André Fournier to Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing. In his new role, Fournier will focus on portfolio expansion and continue to drive revenue performance for Destination by fostering a global vision and culture, implement strategic sales and marketing strategies for targeted acquisitions, activate new independent brand initiatives and build new marketing information technology to support distribution and new applications. Fournier joined the company as Director of Sales and Marketing at Vail Cascade and continued to drive Destination Hotels...
Best Western to Debut in Bhutan with a 41-room New-Build BEST WESTERN PLUS® Opening Mid-2015
Best Western International, Inc. | November 5, 2014
PHOENIX - November 5, 2014 - Best Western International is expanding its iconic brand further across Asia, with the launch of its first ever hotel in the stunning Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan. The company has signed an agreement for a brand new 41-room upscale hotel in the country's capital, Thimphu. Expected to open in mid-2015, this new-build property will join the company's growing collection of upscale BEST WESTERN PLUS® hotels. Best Western's entry into Bhutan marks yet another milestone in the company's Asian expansion strategy. Late last year, Best Western entered Myanmar for the first time and earlier this year made its debut in...
Five Reasons to Sponsor Cooking Classes
Larry Mogelonsky | November 5, 2014
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.lma.ca) I haven't stumbled upon anything new by bringing up the notion of hotels offering in-house cooking classes, courses or an entire culinary teaching school. It's a well-established facet of our industry, but one that is mostly in the realm of esteemed five-star jaunts or bucolic inns with Michelin-rated restaurants. What I ponder is why more hotels don't engage in this practice. Is it exclusive to luxury providers, or is it something that any hotel could get up and running, even at the one-off, ad hoc level? Yes or no, make up your mind once we've reviewed five key advantages of this practice...
Best Western International Opens Five Hotels in October 2014
Best Western International, Inc. | November 4, 2014
PHOENIX (November 4, 2014) Property name: BEST WESTERN PLUS The Four Corners Inn Property location: Farmington, NM # of rooms: 66 Conversion (from Super 8) Property name: BEST WESTERN PLUS Wausau/Rothschild Hotel Property location: Rothschild, WI # of rooms: 83 Conversion (from Candlewood Suites) Property name: BEST WESTERN Willows Inn Property location: Willows, CA # of rooms: 49 Conversion (from Days Inn) Property name: BEST WESTERN PLUS Emerald Inn & Suites Property location: Garden City, KS # of rooms: 60 New Build Property name: BEST WESTERN Hampton Coliseum Inn Property location: Hampton, VA # of rooms: 65 Conversion (from Com...
HDP Breaks Ground for the 132-key Hampton Inn & Suites Dunwoody/Perimeter Center in Atlanta, Georgia
Hotel Equities | November 4, 2014
Dignitaries participated in the groundbreaking for the Hampton Inn & Suites Dunwoody Perimeter Center. Pictured left to right are David Canaday, Senior Vice President, Rubenstein Partners; Brent Reid, CEO, Winter Construction Company; Mike Davis, Mayor of Dunwoody; Fred Cerrone, COO, Hotel Development Partners; Steve Smith, Partner, Hotel Development Partners; Gail Harmeier, Senior Vice President-Commercial Real Estate, Bank of North Georgia; and Allen O'Brien, CEO, Hotel Development Partners. ATLANTA, Ga. - (November 4, 2014) - Hotel Development Partners (HDP) recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Hampton Inn & Suites...
County Officials Reviewing Plans for Salt Palace Convention Hotel
BuildCentral | November 3, 2014
Hotel-Online and BuildCentral Add/Update 249 Hotel Projects to the New Hotel Construction Projects Database Chicago, IL. November 3, 2014 - Hotel-Online and BuildCentral have added or updated 249 hotel projects in the last two weeks to Hotel Construction, a nationwide database of hotel construction projects, openings, and key decision makers (Owner/Developers, Architects and Contractors). These proposed hotels are still in the planning stages. Now is the perfect time to have your product drawn into plans, or offer construction services: East Central Entrance Hotel (Duluth, MN) Gaslamp Canopy by Hilton (San Diego, CA) Chinatown AC H...
Guest-tek™ Goes Big at New JW Marriott Austin
November 3, 2014
Calgary, Alberta & Austin - November 3, 2014 - Guest-tek has been selected as the in-room technology provider at Austin's largest hotel. The JW Marriott Austin, will be providing Guest-tek's Triple play of OneView Internet, Free to Guest programming and their innovative OneView Voice iACT Solution to its guests. This landmark property is anticipated to open in February of next year, and will be one of the host hotels for HITEC 2015. "Guest-tek has the level of technology and service guests will be expecting, says Ken Barnes, Vice President of IT for White Lodging. "We were looking to create a state of the art, in-room experience, an...
Four Benchmark Properties Achieve Condé Nast Traveler’s “2014 Readers’ Choice Awards” List
Personal Luxury Resorts & Hotels | October 31, 2014
Bardessono, Willows Lodge, Inn at Rancho Santa Fe and Turtle Bay Resort Receive the Honor The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, October 31, 2014 - Benchmark Hospitality International®, a leading U.S.-based hospitality management company, has announced that three of its Personal Luxury Resorts & Hotels® properties and one of its Benchmark Resorts & Hotels properties have achieved the 2014 Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards list. The Readers' Choice list is one of the most coveted consumer travel awards globally. The Readers' Choice Awards are presented annually in the November issue of Condé Nast Traveler magazine. The Pers...
Wyndham Hotel Group Appoints Mark Kukulski to Lead Hotel Management Company
Wyndham Hotel Group | October 30, 2014
PARSIPPANY, N.J. (Oct. 30, 2014) – Wyndham Hotel Group, the world's largest hotel company with approximately 7,590 hotels and part of Wyndham Worldwide Corporation (NYSE: WYN), today announced the appointment of Mark Kukulski as president of its management division, Wyndham Hotel Group Management. In this role, effective November 11, Kukulski will be responsible for the consistent execution of all hotel operations for the company's 46 domestic managed properties, including financial management, sales and marketing, guest satisfaction, associate and owner relations and compliance with quality standards. He will be based in Wyndham Hote...
Benchmark Announces Todd Allison as Recipient of the Bob Zappatelli Award for Culinary Excellence
The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe | October 30, 2014
Executive Chef, The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe, near San Diego The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, October 2014 ... Benchmark Hospitality International, a leading US-based hospitality management company, has announced Executive Chef Todd Allison is the recipient of the Bob Zappatelli Award for Culinary Excellence. Benchmark Hospitality presents the award each year in memory of Mr. Zappatelli, who was the company's first vice president food & beverage. Todd Allison is executive chef for The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe, a Personal Luxury Hotel® located in exclusive Rancho Santa Fe, California, near San Diego. The Bob Zappatelli Award for Culinary...
HeBS Digital Sets a New Standard for Destination-Based Sites with the Launch of Red Lion Hotels
Red Lion Hotels Corporation (RLHC) | October 30, 2014
HeBS Digital announces the launch of Red Lion Hotel Corporation's new multi-property brand website www.redlion.com . Leveraging the latest smartCMS technology, Adaptive design, best-in-breed merchandising opportunities, engaging content and much more, the new brand site aligns with the brand's new positioning and overall improved online presence. New York, NY - October 30, 2014 - HeBS Digital announces the launch of the new Red Lion Hotels' multi-property, destination-based brand website: www.redlion.com. Designed and launched with the most advanced smartCMS in the industry, the site features responsive/adaptive design for the three sc...
A Brand Debut in Panama, the 165-room Hyatt Place Panama City/Downtown Opens in Panama City
Hyatt Place | October 30, 2014
October 29, 2014 - CHICAGO - Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) and Immobiliare Real Estate Development Group today announced the opening of Hyatt Place Panama City/Downtown in Panama City, Panama. The hotel's opening marks the first Hyatt-branded hotel to enter the Panamanian market and the continued expansion of the Hyatt Place brand throughout Latin America. "We are delighted with the opening of Hyatt Place Panama City/Downtown because not only does it represent the first Hyatt-branded hotel in Panama, it marks the continued growth and development of the Hyatt Place brand," said Myles McGourty, senior vice president, Latin America an...
HRI Lodging Appoints Bryan Roberts as GM for Hilton Garden Inn French Quarter/CBD in New Orleans
HRI Lodging | October 29, 2014
NEW ORLEANS, LA (October 29, 2014) - Bryan Roberts, a native New Orleanian who has worked at some of the most prestigious resort hotels on the West Coast, has returned home to become general manager of the Hilton Garden Inn French Quarter/CBD, announced Larry Daniels, vice president of operations for HRI Lodging (HRIL). "We are gratified to bring Bryan back to New Orleans," said Daniels. "Our ability to attract talented hospitality veterans back to our home market validates HRIL's leadership in the industry both here and across the country ," Daniels added. Prior to taking his new position at HRIL's Hilton Garden Inn French Quarter/CBD,...
Ready for Chip & Pin? Maestro PMS Certified for Chip & PIN Credit Card Processing in North America
Maestro Property Management Solution | October 29, 2014
Did You Know That Fraudulent Credit Card Transaction Liability Shifts in October 2015? Here's What Hoteliers Need to Know to Protect Themselves Markham, ON - October 29, 2014 - Maestro PMS announced the Maestro Property Management System Suite (PMS) is certified for Chip & PIN processing for North American hotel operators. Maestro will provide support for multiple payment card processing providers that accept Chip & PIN payments. Maestro PMS is the leading provider of solutions that increase revenue and create efficient, profitable operations for independents. For a demo of the Maestro Property Management Suite please contact M...
Colorado’s Vail Cascade Resort, A Destination Hotel, Names Spa Manager & Executive Chef
Vail Cascade Resort, A Destination Hotel | October 29, 2014
Vail, CO - October 28, 2014. As the Vail Valley's largest hospitality employer, Vail Cascade Resort, A Destination Hotel, understands the role each associate plays in maintaining one of the region's top TripAdvisor ratings. One of its key efforts to retaining talent is creating a work environment that gives associates the opportunities to advance and diversify their career paths. As such, John Garth, managing director at Vail Cascade Resort, A Destination Hotel, announced four promotions and one new hire. Carly Mietzner was promoted to Spa Manager; Chris Bates was promoted to Executive Chef; Jonathan Seidt was promoted to Director of Ba...
Hotel Equities Assumes Management of Two Fairfield Inn & Suites Hotels in Louisiana
Hotel Equities (HE) | October 29, 2014
Atlanta, GA - October 29, 2014 - Atlanta-based Hotel Equities (www.hotelequities.com) recently assumed management of two additional hotels in Louisiana, the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Houma and the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Lake Charles Sulphur. The firm now manages five hotels in Louisiana including the SpringHill Suites Lake Charles, a new Residence Inn, under construction in Lake Charles, and a Courtyard by Marriott under development in Gretna on the west bank of New Orleans. "Expanding our management portfolio in Louisiana is of significant importance to our firm," said Joe Reardon, Vice President of Marketi...
