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Operations
Lead by GM Roberta Wittes & DOS Rebecca Wells Anderton, 164-room Hyatt Place Durham/Southpoint Opens
Hyatt Place | August 13, 2014
August 13, 2014 - CHICAGO - Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) and Summit Hospitality Group announced today the opening of Hyatt Place Durham/Southpoint, the first Hyatt-branded hotel in the Raleigh-area. "Hyatt Place Durham/Southpoint is located in a very desirable area, and we're looking forward to creating a positive travel experience for each and every guest that walks through our doors," said General Manager Roberta Wittes. "Hyatt Place was designed for a lifestyle, not a demographic, and as a result, we are confident that everyone from business travelers to beachgoers will appreciate the open, intuitive design, casual atmosphere a...
Reimagining the Grilled Cheese
Larry Mogelonsky | August 13, 2014
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.lma.ca) We are in the midst of a food revolution - or reboot if you will. Chefs all over are taking restaurant staples like hamburgers, sliders, sandwiches, omelets, salads, burritos and tacos and giving them their own personal twists. They are reimagining these basic foods as a foundation for something far more flavorful, something far more grandiose and something far more memorable. Above all, they are giving customers a reason to return. Today, I want to reboot the grilled cheese. But why bother with a cheesy makeover? As mentioned in the previous paragraph, it's all about leaving an impression....
Owned by Affiliates of White Lodging & REI Real Estate, 172-key Hyatt Place Bloomington Opens in IN
Hyatt Place | August 13, 2014
August 13, 2014 - CHICAGO - Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H), White Lodging Services and REI Real Estate Services, LLC announced today the opening of Hyatt Place Bloomington, just one block from the Bloomington Convention Center and a short distance from Indiana University. "With thousands of Indiana University alumni, sports fans and business travelers arriving to our great city from across the country, there couldn't be a more exciting time to be a part of this new opening in downtown Bloomington," said Charlotte Tyer, general manager, Hyatt Place Bloomington. "We can't wait to welcome guests to the new hotel and show them the authe...
When it Comes to Customer Satisfaction Cleanliness Matters
Zach Blatt | August 12, 2014
By Zach Blatt The recipe to happy customers is good value and a good location. Right? Earlier this month I explored the question of what factors lead to a good customer experience. I developed a list of 100 brand name hotels in the Philadelphia area and using our RightBid Feedback Collector software collected 113,333 customer votes from leading travel sites like TripAdvisor, Priceline, and Hotels.com. The data set included not only summary ratings for each location on a scale of zero to five, but other summary data such as the advertised lowest booking price, and sub-ratings for location, value, staff, and cleanliness denoted on a scale...
Hilton Introduces HED Talks, a Video Series Showcasing Thought Leadership Insights
Hilton Worldwide | August 12, 2014
MCLEAN, Va.--As a way to provide meeting industry professionals and customers with key insights and best practices, Hilton Worldwide (NYSE: HLT) has launched Hilton Elevated Discussions (HED Talks) – a video series showcasing thought leadership from various meeting industry professionals and travel industry influencers. HED Talks feature notable speakers such as Roger Dow, president & CEO of the U.S. Travel Association; Bernard Quancard, president and CEO of the Strategic Account Management Association; Deborah Sexton, president & CEO of the Professional Convention Management Association; Bobby Heard, associate executive direc...
Concord Hospitality Commences Construction on Hyatt House Hotel in Jersey City
Concord Hospitality | August 12, 2014
Symbolizing the hotel's supporting role in the revitalization of Jersey City, Concord President and CEO Mark Laport, along with B. Anthony (Tony) Isaac - Sr. Vice President Strategy & Development Hyatt Hotels Corp, Jersey City Ward F Councilwoman Diane Coleman, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop and Councilwoman at Large Joyce Watterman sign an 800-pound support beam that will become part of the hotel's foundation, connecting the historic structure with the new. JERSEY CITY, N.J., August 12, 2014- Concord Hospitality Enterprises and Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop began construction on a 258-room Hyatt House hotel in the Exchange Place d...
InvoTech UHF-RFID Uniform System Goes Live at Hard Rock Rocksino Northfield Park
Hard Rock Rocksino Northfield Park | August 12, 2014
Hard Rock Rocksino Northfield Park Installs InvoTech for Uniform Management and Control; System Eliminates Unaccounted Losses, Establishes Staff Responsibility LOS ANGELES, CA - August 12, 2014 - InvoTech Systems, Inc. announced Hard Rock Rocksino Northfield Park implemented the InvoTech UHF-RFID Uniform System to automate control and management of the property's 6,000-plus uniforms. The InvoTech Uniform System reduces labor expenses associated with manual handling and increases employee accountability with automated uniform tracking. Click here for more information on InvoTech's Linen, Uniform, and Laundry Systems. Hard Rock Rocksino'...
HMC Opens the Newly Built 83-room Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham Pleasanton in Texas
Hospitality Management Corporation (HMC) | August 11, 2014
Monday, August 11, 2014 - Dallas, TX - Leo Spriggs, President and CEO of Hospitality Management Corporation (HMC), proudly announces the opening of the newly built Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham in Pleasanton, TX. This 83-guestroom and suite property is located conveniently South of San Antonio and the 15th acquired hotel in Texas currently managed by HMC. HMC is one of the country's largest U.S. third-party privately held hotel management companies, ranked in the top 40 of all third party and owner operated hotel management corporations. The Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham Pleasanton is conveniently located close to River Pa...
Branding Negotiations Started for Alta Colorado Lodge and Resort
BuildCentral | August 11, 2014
Hotel-Online and BuildCentral Add/Update 257 Hotel Projects to the New Hotel Construction Projects Database Chicago, IL. August 11, 2014 - Hotel-Online and BuildCentral have added or updated 257 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: The Ashton Hotel (Fort Worth, TX) Manhattan West Hotel (New York, NY) Historic District Hotel (Ne...
Best Western International Opens Four Hotels in July 2014
Best Western International, Inc. | August 11, 2014
PHOENIX (August 11, 2014) Property name: BEST WESTERN Orange Inn & Suites Property location: Orange, TX Opening day: July 17, 2014 # of rooms: 62 Conversion (from Sleep Inn & Suites) Property name: BEST WESTERN Casino Inn Property location:: Vinton, LA Opening day: July 2, 2014 # of rooms: 36 New Build Property name: BEST WESTERN Indiana Inn Property location: Indiana, PA Opening day: July 2, 2014 # of rooms: 67 Conversion (from Super 8) Property name: BEST WESTERN Jacksonville Inn Property location: Jacksonville, IL Opening day: July 31, 2014 # of rooms: 56 Conversion (from Country Hearth Inn) As a member, the Best Western prop...
Choice Hotels Reports a 12% Increase in Q2 2014 Income; Executed 125 New Domestic Franchises
Choice Hotels | August 8, 2014
New Domestic Hotel Franchise Sales Increase 20% Second Quarter Franchising EBITDA Increases 12% ROCKVILLE, Md., Aug. 8, 2014 -- Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH) today reported the following highlights for the second quarter of 20141: Diluted earnings per share ("EPS") from continuing operations for the three months ended June 30, 2014 totaled $0.60, an increase of 11 percent from the same period of 2013. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA") from franchising activities for the three months ended June 30, 2014 totaled $66.6 million, an increase of 12 percent from the same period of 2013...
Hotel Equities Names Bert Haifley General Manager at Courtyard by Marriott Mall of Georgia
Hotel Equities | August 8, 2014
ATLANTA (August 8, 2014) - Atlanta-based Hotel Equities (HE) recently promoted Bert Haifley to the position of General Manager of the Courtyard by Marriott at the Mall of Georgia, north of Atlanta. He previously served as Task Force Manager across a number of brands in the firm's portfolio. As General Manager at one of the firm's key properties, Mr. Haifley has responsibility for the overall operation of the hotel including hiring, training and all of the metrics required to assure its success. "Bert has served in a variety of leadership positions across several key brands for our firm and he brings a wealth of experience to his new rol...
Owned by BW Hotels, the 85-key BEST WESTERN PLUS Mascoutah/SAFB Opens in Illinois
Best Western International, Inc | August 8, 2014
MASCOUTAH, Ill., August 8, 2014 - Best Western International announces the opening of the BEST WESTERN PLUS Mascoutah/SAFB , located at 9730 Hayden Drive. Owned by BW Hotels, LLC the 100% smoke-free hotel features 80 guest rooms and five suites. Hotel amenities include a full complimentary breakfast, an indoor heated pool, and a 24-hour fitness center. Each room is equipped with a 37" flat screen television, microwave, mini-refrigerator, and free wireless Internet access. For business travelers, the hotel offers a 24-hour business center with complimentary printing and copy services. Free internet access in all public areas. For your me...
Owned and Managed by NewcrestImage, the 121-key Residence Inn Texarkana is Set to Open in Texas
Residence Inn | August 7, 2014
Texarkana, Texas - August 7, 2014 - The 121-suite Residence Inn by Marriott in Texarkana, Texas is scheduled to open this Monday, August 11, 2014. Located at 3900 St. Michael Drive, the all-suite Residence Inn Texarkana will operate as a Marriott franchise, owned and managed by NewcrestImage Management of Irving, Texas. Located five minutes from downtown, five miles from Texarkana Regional Airport and in walking distance to numerous dining and shopping venues, the Residence Inn Texarkana offers its guests convenient access to the historic city of Jefferson, Texas and Crater of Diamonds State Park. Rates vary depending on length of stay....
Noble Investment Group Acquires the Hyatt Place Houston | Sugar Land in Texas
Noble Investment Group | August 7, 2014
Houston, TX - August 7, 2014 - Noble Investment Group ("Noble") today announced the acquisition of Hyatt Place Houston | Sugar Land. The hotel, which opened in 2010, is located in the prominent Sugar Land area, which is southwest of downtown Houston. "The Houston MSA continues to be a national leader in economic, employment, and population growth," said Rodney Williams, Noble's managing principal and chief investment officer. He further added, "Development in the Sugar Land submarket, unlike most of Houston, is tightly controlled through specific zoning and development requirements; therefore, Hyatt Place Houston | Sugar Land enjoys the...
Rate Quotation Training Tips For Reservations and Front Desk Staff by Doug Kennedy
Doug Kennedy | August 6, 2014
August 6, 2014 While many hotel reservations and front desk training programs focus on converting inquiries into bookings, it is also important to train these teams on proven techniques for quoting rates effectively. Here are a few tips from our KTN training programs to share at your next meeting. * Don't automatically ask callers if they qualify for discounts. Many reservations and front desk agents are still routinely asking if the caller is a member of discount programs such as AAA or AARP as part of their initial questioning. This approach leads to unnecessary discounting and also potentially causes a price objection when the call...
White Lodging Names Pete Sams as New Full Service Regional Vice President
White Lodging Services Corporation | August 6, 2014
MERRILLVILLE, Ind., Aug. 6, 2014 -- We are pleased to announce that Pete Sams will be joining White Lodging as a new full service regional vice president. Sams' region will be identified shortly after he joins the organization in early August. After serving honorably in the U.S. Army, Sams started his hospitality career as a restaurant server at the Omni Corpus Christi while completing his college education. Over the course of the next 20 years, Sams put together a successful and highly decorated career with Omni Hotels. He initially held several positions in the finance discipline, including leadership roles as an area director of fina...
Renovations Complete for the Radisson Hotel San Diego – Rancho Bernardo in California
August 6, 2014
SAN DIEGO (August 6, 2014) - Radisson®, one of the best-recognized hotel brands has announced the completion of a yearlong, $4.5 million renovation of the Radisson Hotel San Diego - Rancho Bernardo located at 11520 W. Bernardo Court. "We are in the final stages of a brand-wide renovation, aimed at refreshing the Radisson portfolio across our more than 150 hotels in the Americas and this hotel is reflects the work we are doing to update our hotels," said Javier Rosenberg, chief operating officer, Radisson, Americas. "We are on track to have the entire portfolio completed by 2015, making Radisson one of the most refreshed hotel brands in...
Under Development in Mississippi, 56-key Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, Southaven to Open Q1 2015
Country Inns & Suites By Carlson | August 6, 2014
MINNEAPOLIS (August 06, 2014) - Country Inns & Suites By CarlsonSM, a leading upper-midscale hotel brand from Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group today announced it has signed a hotel located at 340 Stateline Road in Southaven, Miss., just five miles south of the Memphis International Airport. "We are pleased to welcome another hotel to our portfolio of more than 470 locations as well as a new owner to the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group family" said Scott Meyer, senior vice president, Midscale Brands, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, Americas. "Continued growth in the south is a key part of our aggressive growth and development strategy." Country ...
RLJ Lodging Trust Reports Q2 2014 Net Income of $52.9 million and RevPAR Gains of 6.6%
RLJ Lodging Trust | August 6, 2014
- Pro forma RevPAR increased 6.6% and Hotel EBITDA Margin achieved a record high at 38.5% - Raises guidance across the board to reflect strong performance and acquisitions - Announces 36% dividend increase to $0.30 per share BETHESDA, Md.--RLJ Lodging Trust (the "Company") (NYSE: RLJ) today reported results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2014. Second Quarter Highlights Pro forma RevPAR increased 6.6%, Pro forma ADR increased 2.8%, and Pro forma Occupancy increased 3.6% Pro forma Hotel EBITDA Margin increased 95 basis points to 38.5% Pro forma Consolidated Hotel EBITDA increased 8.9% to $114.6 million Adjusted FFO incre...
NewcrestImage Begins Construction of 121-key Homewood Suites by Hilton in Katy, Texas
NewcrestImage | August 6, 2014
KATY, TX (August 6, 2014) - Named the "Energy Capital of the World" due to its strongly established, and consistently viable oil and gas market, Houston continues to see increased demand for rooms, especially within the extended stay segment. Many regions of the city - including Katy - have seen occupancy figures rise to pre-recession levels or above this year, and the hotel and lodging outlook for the market as a whole is highly positive. This growing demand has been driven primarily by the thriving oil and gas market, but also by healthcare and shipping, and while supply increases have been consistent at around 1% year-on-year, the gr...
NORTHWIND’s Maestro Migration Services Help Hoteliers Plan for a Smooth PMS Transition
Maestro Property Management Solution | August 6, 2014
Ready to Go Live Without the Drama? We Configure Your System Based on What Succeeds for Your Property Markham, ON - August 6, 2014 - Guests book at your property to bask in personalized service from hospitality pros. Now it's your turn. When it's time to upgrade to a new property management system (PMS), we can make the transition process an easy one. When you select NORTHWIND Maestro PMS you will have a smooth migration at the hands of an experienced installation team that understands your business. Click here to learn more about Maestro's solutions for profitability and productivity. NORTHWIND is provider of Maestro™ Enterprise Prop...
The Fall Lull: Yours To Gain
Larry Mogelonsky | August 6, 2014
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.lma.ca) The annual occupancy cycle is typically defined by its peaks and valleys - the December holiday high season, the winter lows (ski resorts excluded), school spring break, Thanksgiving reunions, Valentine's Day getaways, summer vacations and so on. One of the more fascinating aspects of hotel marketing - and something that has kept me up late at night many-a-times - is how certain properties are able to drive peak revenues during the traditional 'lulls' in the annual rotation. One such lull is the period starting roughly post US Thanksgiving (Canada celebrates Thanksgiving on Columbus Day) tr...
FCS Computer Systems Appoints Roger Crellin as Executive Director
FCS | August 5, 2014
Experienced global executive to direct customer service, software production and sales for Europe and North America Kuala Lumper, Malaysia - August 5, 2014 - FCS Computer Systems (FCS), a leading comprehensive hospitality solutions and services provider, is pleased to announce the recent appointment of Roger Crellin as Executive Director, with responsibilities focusing on the North America and EMEA regions. An accomplished professional with proven results in leading and developing organizations around the world, Crellin will be also tasked with enhancing company efforts in customer service and software development. "With FCS continuing ...
