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
Servant Leadership Means Making Kindness a Daily Routine
James Houran, Ph.D. | December 22, 2016
Authored By: Keith Kefgen and James Houran, Ph.D. Viewed through the prism of leadership maturity, there's a difference among the terms: accessible, approachable, and relatable. Accessible is merely being responsive or reactive to others; approachable advances this idea and entails being welcoming to others; and relatable is being proactively supportive to others. It's not about having close proximity to your team, but rather exhibiting a sincere attitude of support and kindness to the team. Building rapport with your teams is the goal of leadership. Rapport is the foundation for the building of trust, respect, and inspiration, all of w...
NewcrestImage Places Modules for 142-Room AC Hotel in Oklahoma City Scheduled for May 2017 Opening
NewcrestImage | December 21, 2016
December 21, 2016 NewcrestImage is completing the placement of all 81 modules that form the core of its new 142-room AC Hotel in Oklahoma City. The property, scheduled for opening in May of 2017, is the first hotel in that city to be built using modular construction. "The first floor of our five-story hotel features traditional construction, while the following four floors consist of 81 modules," explains Mehul Patel, Chairman and CEO of Dallas-based NewcrestImage. "It's our company's first use of the modular concept and it enables us to deliver a high-quality property with dramatically lower construction time and cost." Production of t...
Cider Is Back In Style So Don’t Miss Out!
Larry Mogelonsky | December 21, 2016
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.lma.ca) Yes, this column is supposed to be about wine. But ever since humankind discovered that the sugars in ANY fruit juice can be fermented to generate enough alcohol to ward off cholera and dysentery (common side effects of drinking water way back in the day), we've been tinkering and experimenting to conjure up ever tastier beverages. Wine from grapes is the most popular, but we also have such delightful libations as blueberry wine, raspberry icewine, gin from juniper berries, schnapps, brandy, sherry, perry from pears and a whole rainbow of liquers. Thirsty yet? Then there's cider, made from ...
New Hotel ZaZa Website Showcases Artful Ambiance of Two Iconic Properties
HeBS Digital | December 21, 2016
Hotel ZaZa partnered with HeBS Digital to redesign an artistic, user-friendly, responsive website that highlights the brand's two iconic properties in Dallas and Houston. The two properties combine the luxurious ambiance of a full-service resort with the comfort and style of boutique properties and a playful ambiance. Featuring elegant accommodations for even the most discerning travelers, Hotel ZaZa pairs extraordinary design with unrivaled functionality – something that is now mirrored in their new website design. The new site is a testament to Hotel ZaZa's prominent web presence and allows prospective guests to easily digest in...
HeBS Digital Celebrates 2016: A Year of Global Expansion, Technology Innovation & Industry Recognition
HeBS Digital | December 20, 2016
New York, NY – December 20, 2016 – In a season of making resolutions, it's important to reflect on the year's achievements and celebrate the people who made it all possible. In 2016, HeBS Digital continued its journey of helping hoteliers across the globe increase direct bookings and lower distribution costs, celebrated its 15-year anniversary, published over 70 whitepapers, articles and releases, added to its product line of reservation-driving technology and expanded operations by opening offices in APAC and the UK. Company Highlights from 2016 Include: Global Expansion: HeBS Digital expanded its teams in the NYC, Las V...
Miramonte Indian Wells Resort & Spa Joins Curio – A Collection by Hilton with Multi-Million Dollar Renovation Planned
December 20, 2016
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. and McLEAN, Va. – December 20, 2016 – An historic, tranquil four-diamond resort in the Southern California desert is the newest addition to Curio – A Collection by Hilton, a global portfolio of distinctive upper upscale hotels. Miramonte Indian Wells Resort & Spa, Curio Collection by Hilton, is an 11-acre oasis nestled at the base of the Santa Rosa Mountains. With 215 guest rooms, suites and villas – many offering inspiring views of the resort's manicured gardens – Miramonte Indian Wells Resort blends classic sophistication with the relaxing comforts of its award-winning spa. "The n...
Choice Hotels Signs Development Agreement with GVK Enterprises for Five Hotels in Greece
Choice Hotels | December 19, 2016
ROCKVILLE, Md., Dec. 19, 2016 -- Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH) announced today it has signed a multi-unit development agreement with GVK Enterprises, a hospitality management and development firm, to introduce and establish a hotel portfolio in Greece. Choice anticipates the first property under the agreement will open by the summer of 2017 under the Comfort® brand flag in Athens, and four additional properties will be developed on the Greek mainland and islands under the Comfort®, Quality® and Clarion® brands. "We are thrilled to be expanding our European portfolio to Greece, an important travel and...
Concord Hospitality Partners with Local Developers for New 100+ Room Hotel for Front Street Village Project in North Carolina
Concord Hospitality Enterprises Company | December 19, 2016
BEAUFORT, N.C.- Concord Hospitality Enterprises Company announced today that it plans to partner with local developers to open a hotel as part of the Front Street Village project. Construction on the 100+-room hotel is slated to begin in early 2017, with a spring 2018 opening. A major branded flag will be announced January 2017. "We are excited to have a hospitality company of Concord's stature and reputation as part of this project," said Front Street Village developer and co-owner Bucky Oliver. "We expect the Front Street Village project to have a significant impact on the entire region in terms of driving visitation and creating jobs...
Benchmark Resorts & Hotels and Gemstone Collection Mixologists Feature a Festive Champagne Celebration
December 15, 2016
The Woodlands Houston, Texas, December 2016 … "I am drinking stars," declared an awed and enraptured Dom Perignon, the French monk who is credited with inventing the world's most dazzling drink – Champagne. A celebration in a glass, we break out the bubbly for life's loveliest moments, marking weddings, christenings, graduations, promotions and holidays. Winning teams spray it over each other in victory. Ever optimistic, we raise a glass to welcome in the New Year. Champagne launches ships, sparks romance and imparts glamor and sophistication to any occasion. Its effervescence inspires striking presentations, bubbling from ...
Managed by HMC, Country Inns & Suites by Carlson Opens in Anaheim, California Close to Disneyland
Country Inns & Suites By CarlsonSM | December 15, 2016
MINNEAPOLIS - December 15, 2016 Country Inns & Suites By CarlsonSM, a leading upper-midscale hotel brand, today announced the opening of Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, Anaheim, CA. The hotel is located at 1640 South Clementine Street, a half a mile from the main gates of Disneyland® and across the street from Anaheim Garden Walk and The House of Blues. "As we continue to grow Country Inns & Suites across the U.S., we are extremely excited to add this beautiful new hotel in such an attractive destination to our portfolio," said Jeffrey Freund, senior vice president, Midscale Brands, Americas, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group...
The Courtyard by Marriott Denver Downtown Launching Multi-Million Renovation in Early 2017
| December 15, 2016
Denver, Colo. (Dec. 15, 2016) – The Courtyard by Marriott Denver Downtown will kick off 2017 with a multi-million dollar renovation that is designed to refresh the hotel's lobby and meetings spaces with a "modern vintage" feel. The renovation will start in early January and be completed by early April, with the downtown Denver hotel fully operational during the revamp. The update will honor the hotel's stylish architectural history – the building was originally designed by Denver architect Frank E. Edbrooke in 1887 and was home to Joslins Department Store for much of the 1900s. Listed on the National Register of Historic Pla...
Benchmark Promotes Karen Di Fulgo to Chief People Officer
December 14, 2016
The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, December 2016 … BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, announces that Karen Di Fulgo has been promoted to Chief People Officer. Greg Champion, Benchmark's co-president & COO, made the announcement. "I am very pleased to announce Karen's new promotion," said Mr. Champion. "She has led her team with great skill, and was instrumental in the highly successful integration of the Benchmark and Gemstone employee teams in our recent merger. Karen is also a terrific champion of our company's signature 'Be The Difference' service culture. This is a well-deserved promotion!" Karen Di Fulg...
Being Flawless Doesn’t Stop Your Hotel From Being Boring
Larry Mogelonsky | December 14, 2016
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.lma.ca) A recent stay at a big brand's 'core' product reinforced a key flaw that ails many properties around the world. The property in question was located in the heart of a major city close to the convention center. The non-descript hotel edifice had easy street access with a standard yet intuitive front desk, elevator and signature restaurant layout within the lobby. Door and front desk staff were both courteous and personable. The guestrooms were likewise typical in their design, carved out of the directory of some long-passed interior decorator's dream of ergonomic living. The idea here is tha...
Maestro PMS Social Media Tools Give Independents Increased Bookings, Top TripAdvisor Ratings
Maestro | December 14, 2016
Social-Media Savvy Maestro Connects Guests with Channels for Positive Property Reviews; Facebook Direct Booking Widget Delivers Instant Direct Reservations December 14, 2016 – The most effective and low cost form of property marketing is personal recommendations between friends, family, and colleagues. Personal recommendations drive new bookings and repeat business because they are freely given and credible. Today these recommendations are online. Social media channels like Facebook and TripAdvisor are where travelers exchange travel tips and recommendations on where to stay. With Maestro's depth of social and guest engagement too...
Laurus Corportation to Reopen Vail Cascade Resort and Spa as Hotel Talisa in Early 2017 Following Rebranding
Hotel Talisa | December 13, 2016
VAIL, Colo., Dec. 13, 2012-- Laurus Corporation, a private real estate investment and development firm, announced today the former Vail Cascade Resort and Spa will reopen early 2017 as Hotel Talisa, Vail. Derived from the Native American name translating to "beautiful water," Talisa pays homage to the Rocky Mountain's first residents – the Southern Ute Indians – while also playing to the resort's location along Vail's majestic Gore Creek. The 285-room hotel will remain under the management of Two Roads Hospitality, the largest owner and operator of independent hotels, resorts and residences in the Unite...
Benchmark, A Global Hospitality Company, Names Jenny Na Regional Director Finance Operations
December 9, 2016
The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, December 2016 … BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, has named Jenny Na regional director of finance operations. Ms. Na will be based in Benchmark's Home Office in The Woodlands, Texas, near Houston. Kirk Jones, chief financial officer, made the announcement. "It is a pleasure to welcome Jenny to Benchmark," said Mr. Jones. "She brings important experience in hotel financial operations to our company, and is a terrific addition to our Home Office team." Jenny Na was previously director of finance for Park Central Hotel San Francisco, overseeing $100 million in annual hotel revenue operatio...
Midas Hospitality Acquires 102-Room Staybridge Suites in Independence, Missouri for $9.8 Million
Midas Hospitality | December 8, 2016
(St. Louis, Mo., Dec. 8, 2016) Midas Hospitality, a premier hotel management group, recently purchased the Staybridge Suites Kansas City-Independence for $9.8 million. The 102-room hotel is located at 19400 E. 39th Place South in Independence, Mo. Renovation costs are approximately $1.6 million and include a complete interior renovation along with exterior landscape updates beginning January of 2017. The hotel will remain open during the renovation. The project's lender is First Midwest Bank of Poplar Bluff. The hotel is located on I-70 with convenient access to area attractions including the Independence Center, which is the area's lar...
AccorHotels Enters Partnership with Banyan Tree to Collaborate on Development & Management of Banyan Tree Hotels Globally
AccorHotels | December 8, 2016
Banyan Tree Holdings today announces that it has entered into a heads of agreement with AccorHotels. Under a long-term partnership, both parties intend to collaborate to develop and manage Banyan Tree branded hotels around the world. Banyan Tree will also have access to AccorHotels' global reservations and sales network, as well as its loyalty programme Le Club AccorHotels. AccorHotels will invest an initial SGD 24 million (c. €16 million) in Singapore-based Banyan Tree and both parties will then co-develop the brands owned by Banyan Tree around the world. This investment will be made through a mandatory convertible debenture that ...
Dream Hotel Group Signs with Beegreen Group to Develop Dream Oceanami Villas & Spa in Vietnam
Dream Hotel Group | December 7, 2016
NEW YORK, NY (December 7, 2016) – Renowned hotel brand and management company Dream Hotel Group signed its first hotel in Vietnam with locally owned Beegreen Group to develop Dream Oceanami Villas & Spa in Long Hai, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, the country's top tourist destination. Set to open in June 2017, Dream Oceanami Villas & Spa will be the first of four new resort hotels developed by Beegreen Group and managed by Dream Hotel Group in Vietnam over the next two years. Future locations include Vung Tau City, Hoi An, Ho Tram and Con Dao. "We are thrilled to see the Dream brand of hospitality resonate so widely abroad," sa...
Travel is Worth It: Choice Hotels Reveals 2017 Travel Outlook
Choice Hotels | December 7, 2016
Survey reveals Americans are willing to spend more and prioritize travel in 2017 ROCKVILLE, Md., Dec. 7, 2016 -- As 2017 fast approaches, Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), one of the world's leading hotel companies, has released its annual traveler survey capturing the latest insights from U.S. consumers. This year's survey reveals Americans will increase travel spending in 2017, and identifies the top domestic and international destinations. "Even though Americans are busier than ever, our survey reinforces that travel matters. People are willing to spend significantly more than last year to explore new place...
What Hotels Can Learn From Walmart
Larry Mogelonsky | December 7, 2016
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.lma.ca) Years ago, and well before my hotelier days, I traveled to Bentonville, Arkansas selling ergonomic furniture, mouse pads and the like. The Walmart offices were huge then and I can only imagine how much they have grown since. Today, Walmart is the world's largest company by revenue ($288 billion) and employees (2.2 million), rivaling the GDP of many nations, including some that are traditionally defined as first-world. What's most interesting to me is that hoteliers, by and large, have never really looked to this retail titan to see what they can glean. Perhaps it's a stigma whereby Walmart ...
iBeacons? Eddystone? How Do You Choose Which Beacons to Have Faith In?
Dr. Michael Arner | December 7, 2016
Beacon agnosticism and the real truth about beacons By Dr. Michael Arner Having learned dutifully that "hardware sales are a race to the bottom," I was surprised when I first got into the business of location-based services to find so many startups that merely cobbled together a Content Management System and then tried to make their mark in the space by selling beacons: buying from China for $8-$12 each, marking them somewhere between $40 and $80, and then insisting that the customer purchase enough of them to blanket their space every few square meters. It's been less surprising to see how many of these "solutions" have fallen by the w...
How to Jumpstart Your Hotel’s Direct Bookings through Search Engine Marketing
the Authors and HeBS Digital | December 7, 2016
By Mariana Safer and Carmine Fischetti More than 25% of direct online revenue for hotels comes directly through Search Engine Marketing (SEM) initiatives, making these paid placements in the search engines an especially critical piece of a property's digital marketing budget. With 61% of leisure travelers saying they use a search engine for planning travel online (Google), and hotel SEM campaigns typically reaching people closer to the "I want to book it" phase of their travel planning journey, allocating the right amount of budget and resources to SEM is important for getting in front of the right travel consumers, at the moment they a...
New York City’s Historic Sohotel Chooses ALICE for Guest and Staff Communications
ALICE | December 6, 2016
ALICE Suite Helps Staff Deliver Impeccable Service Even While Sohotel Is Under Renovation New York, NY -- Hotel operations platform ALICE announces New York City's historic Sohotel has adopted its ALICE Suite solution to power staff communication and improve guest engagement with the hotel. When the 100-room landmark hotel was undergoing its most recent reinvention - a hotel has been operating continuously at the site of the current Sohotel since at least 1805 - the owners learned the building could not support telephone lines to each guest room, and needed to find another way to communicate with guests. They soon discovered ALICE could...
