HFTP® Acquires Leading Hospitality Industry Brands: Hospitality Upgrade, Hotel-Online, The CIO Summit and The Executive Vendor Summit
Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals | June 25th, 2024
HP Hotels Adds Three Texas Hotels to Management Portfolio
HP Hotels Management, Inc. | March 18, 2019
Atlanta, Georgia, March 18, 2019 – HP Hotels, a full-service third-party hotel management company, announced today that it has added Texas to the growing list of states in which it has hotels under management with the addition of three properties there to its portfolio. Charles Oswald, President and CEO of HP Hotels, made the announcement. These newest hotels in HP Hotels' portfolio include: 123-room Holiday Inn Trophy Club – Trophy Club, Texas: The newly constructed Holiday Inn Trophy Club is conveniently located within minutes of both DFW International Airport and the Fort Worth Alliance airport. Also, nearby is Texas Mo...
R.D. Olson Breaks Ground on Dual-Branded Home2 Suites and Hilton Garden Inn Adjacent to Disneyland in Anaheim, California
R.D. Olson Construction | March 18, 2019
Irvine, Calif. (March 18, 2019) – R.D. Olson Construction, an award-winning general contracting firm commemorating 40 years of building in California this year, announced the groundbreaking on a 223 room, dual-brand hotel in Anaheim. Comprised of a Hilton Garden Inn and Home2 Suites, the 220,000-square foot property is located just two blocks from Disneyland Resort and will feature a host of family friendly amenities. The 100-room Home2 Suites will offer an extended stay experience featuring a full-sized sleeper sofa, workspace and in-suite kitchen complete with a refrigerator, cooktop, dishwasher, dishes and glassware. Additional...
Top 5 Weird Superstitions Hotels Have to Deal With
Hotelogix | March 18, 2019
Whether they arise from a fear of the unknown or just from a misunderstanding of cause-consequence, superstitions are a part of every culture, the world over. While some superstitions are extreme and, perhaps, specific to certain regions of the world, some others are harmless and more widely practiced. It is safe to assume that people are more likely to associate an event that they cannot explain, to a superstitious cause when it is negative, than when it is positive. These are beliefs that people are heavily invested in, for which they would walk that extra mile. The trouble arises when hotel businesses have to tiptoe their way around ...
4 Reasons Your Hotel Needs Accelerated Mobile Pages
Aro Digital Strategy | March 17, 2019
If you ever wonder whether your hotel's digital future is secure, just ask yourself one question: Am I mobile-ready? All key digital trends in recent years served one primary purpose: to provide better experience to mobile users. From responsive design to mobile first indexing, these technologies were born out of the need for improved browsing on smaller screens. Accelerated Mobile Pages (or AMP for short) are the latest thing you must pay attention to. But what is AMP? Spearheaded by Google, it is a global project designed to make web pages load faster when opened on a mobile device. AMP essentially work by presenting a lightweight ...
Hunden Partners Issues Developer RFQ for Conference Hotel Mixed-Use Project
Hunden Strategic Partners | March 15, 2019
Hunden Strategic Partners (HSP), on behalf of the Columbus, Indiana Redevelopment Commission (CRC), is issuing a Request for Qualifications from developers and/or development teams regarding the ultimate development of a conference center hotel (Hotel Project) on one of two sites in downtown Columbus, Indiana. In addition, there is an opportunity for an urban grocery, as well as residential apartment component (Mixed-Use Project), on the site in the same or future phase. However, the primary focus of this RFQ is to identify a qualified conference hotel development team. Any other elements will be considered separately and secondarily to...
Margaritaville Celebrates Groundbreaking of New Hotel on Jacksonville Beach, Florida
Margaritaville | March 15, 2019
Orlando, Fla. – March 15, 2019 – Margaritaville Holdings, the global lifestyle brand synonymous with fun and escapism, made the official announcement today that a new Margaritaville Hotel broke ground on Jacksonville Beach on March 8th. Located adjacent to the beach on Ocean Front North, the property will feature 202 guestrooms with Margaritaville's casual-luxe design, signature food and beverage concepts, a fitness center, and an outdoor recreation area with a pool and fire pits. "Jacksonville is one of the fastest-growing destinations in Florida and is well recognized as a classic beach town escape. We look forward to brin...
U.S. National Parks Travel Trends Data for Hoteliers From Expedia
Expedia Group | March 15, 2019
As the average person checks their phone 110 times per day, it's no surprise that there's a need to recharge and go off the grid, and a likely reason why wellness tourism is on the rise. Combined with people's increased awareness of the growing threats to our natural resources and interest in eco-friendly experiences, traveling to America's great national parks has never been more appealing. Based on recent Expedia Group data**, travel to America's national parks is booming, indicating the various opportunities for hoteliers to capitalize on the interest in key national park markets, including Moab, Yellowstone, Yosemite and Zion Nation...
HSMAI Celebrates Amy Champagne and Laura Dinu as Hotel Sales Professionals of the Year
HSMAI | March 15, 2019
(McLean, VA, March 15, 2019) The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) is pleased to announce the HSMAI Hotel Sales Professional of the Year Award recipients. Amy Champagne, Director of Sales & Catering, Antlers Hotel, will be recognized as the Hotel Sales Professional of the Year in the On-property category. Laura Dinu, Director, Groups & Meetings, Global Sales Americas, IHG, has been selected as the Above-property Hotel Sales Professional of the Year Award recipient. Champagne and Dinu will be honored with the awards at HSMAI's Mike Leven Leadership Conference, March 18-19, at The Broadmoor in Color...
Queensgate Investments Acquires Four Grange Hotels for GBP 1B (US 1.3B)
Queensgate | March 15, 2019
[London: 15 March 2019]: Queensgate Investments has completed the acquisition of the Grange St Paul's EC4, Grange Tower Bridge E1, Grange City EC3, and Grange Holborn WC1 for circa GBP 1 billion. The portfolio comprises 1,345 Central London rooms, around 930,000 square feet of real estate. The four upscale hotels have significant meeting and conference space as well as boasting high quality spa and leisure facilities including swimming pools. The portfolio was sold by Grange Hotels, one of London's largest privately-held hotel groups which, following the transaction, will own and operate 13 hotels, primarily in Central London. Queensgat...
How to Organize Your Website Content Like Marie Kondo
HEBS Digital | March 15, 2019
By Nick Papa, Senior Copywriter When Marie Kondo first published "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" in 2011, best practices for website content were almost entirely different. Eight years ago, applying Kondo's KonMari method to organizing your website would have been unheard of. Back then, landing pages were the name of the game — the more you could create, the better. But as the decade progressed, Google changed the rules. While it was common to have several landing pages targeting variations of the same keyword (e.g., separate landing pages for "hotel near Brooklyn Bridge" and "hotel in lower Manhattan"), Google began to fa...
New Hotel Trend Survey Reveals Major Advancements Across the Industry
AHLA | March 15, 2019
Hotels Target Millennials, Prioritize Green Sustainable Initiatives, Advance Technology Washington, D.C. – March 15, 2019 – The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) today released the results of a comprehensive Lodging Survey, a detailed assessment of advancements in amenities, guest services, sustainability and technology, in addition to other industry trends. This recent survey underscores how hotels advance, accommodate and innovate the guest experience. Consumers can expect seamless transitions between their everyday lives and their lives on the road thanks to increased mobile compatibility, flexible dining op...
Los Angeles- Based Luxury Hospitality and Lifestyle PR Firm Rebrands as The Storied Group
The Storied Group | March 15, 2019
Los Angeles, CA (March 15, 2019)- The Los Angeles-based, boutique public relations firm formerly known as SW PR SHOP has officially rebranded as The Storied Group. Co-founded by President Molly Schoneveld in 2008, the company specializes in lifestyle, celebrity, interior design, and luxury hospitality. Schoneveld has over a decade of experience in the entertainment industry and was formerly at PMK*BNC. The rebrand reflects the agency's breadth of work, renewed dedication, and evolving list of services for clients within the lifestyle and entertainment space. "We are proud to have worked with so many world-class brands and talented indiv...
Humans and AI: How to Improve Guest Services in a New Collaborative Way
Raj Singh | March 14, 2019
By Raj Singh It's commonly known that assembly line workers often experience burnout from the repetitive, mind-numbing nature of their jobs. In their instance, though, there's not much they can do on the job to battle their burnout and job dissatisfaction that still allows them to retain their jobs. It's a take-it-or-leave-it situation. The parallel in hospitality guest services - the frontline employee who fields repetitive, oftentimes mundane guest requests all day. Fortunately, there's an emerging alternative: a new breed of collaborative solution where humans and artificial intelligence (AI) work together. This hybri...
Driving Change in Hospitality – 2019 Master Innholders Conference Roundup / Holden Madison
Holden Madison | March 14, 2019
Danny Pecorelli, the Chairman of the Master Innholders organization, opened its' annual conference held in London earlier this year with one goal in mind: lay the foundation to discuss the present and future of the hospitality industry and inspire over 400 luminaries and hotel operators from around the world to drive change in their business. Aptly titled Now is the time to… the conference tackled hot topics for hospitality professionals, such as Brexit, employee engagement and recruitment, and IT security measures. We rounded up key insights from top industry professionals present at the conference. The importance of self-re...
Greystone Hotels Reveals Details for Transformation of Downtown Santa Rosa Historic Buildings to The Hotel E
Greystone Hotels | March 14, 2019
San Francisco, Calif. (March 14, 2019) – Eric Horodas, President of Greystone Hotels, and Hugh Futrell, President of Hugh Futrell Corporation, announce new details on their upcoming joint project: the transformation of downtown Santa Rosa's historic Empire Building and adjacent 19 Old Courthouse Square building into a 71-room boutique hotel. The Hotel E will be located at 37 Old Courthouse Square and will open to the public in two phases, with the first phase debuting in late spring 2019. The Hotel E will be the first new hotel in Santa Rosa since the devastating wildfires of October 2017. Renderings of the hotel can be found here...
21c Museum Hotels Selected as Brand and Management of Restored Historic YMCA Building in Downtown St. Louis
21c Museum Hotels | March 14, 2019
Louisville, KY (March 14, 2019) – 21c Museum Hotels, the award-winning boutique hotel and restaurant group, has been selected to serve as the brand and management company of the restored YMCA building located at 1528 Locust Street in downtown St. Louis. 21c Museum Hotel St. Louis, expected to open in late 2020, will be a combination boutique hotel, contemporary art museum and independently branded, chef-driven restaurant. 21c Museum Hotel was founded by preservationists and contemporary art collectors Laura Lee Brown and Steve Wilson. Motivated by changes happening in and around their hometown of Louisville, they assumed an active...
HVS Market Pulse: Detroit, MI
Brandon Leversee | March 14, 2019
By Brandon Leversee Detroit's image of a proper rust-belt city in the depths of despair during the Great Recession and the subsequent filing of bankruptcy in 2013 has been reshaped into an inspiring story of resilience and resurgence. Detroit's economy is strong, with unemployment decreasing every year since 2014 and an employment base that continues to diversify. While the economic mainstays—General Motors, Ford, and Fiat Chrysler—still thrive in the city, other major employers belong to the financial and healthcare sectors; moreover, the technology sector continues to grow. The strengthening of the local economy has positi...
Runtriz Pay Brings Caesars’ Guests Fast, Secure and Simple Payment So They Can Stay in the Game
Caesars Entertainment | March 14, 2019
Los Angeles, CA (March 14, 2019) – Continuing to distance themselves from the competition, Caesars Entertainment (NASDAQ: CZR) properties in Las Vegas have expanded their partnership with Runtriz™ to launch Runtriz Pay, an innovative new payment service for guests. The use of credit card payment via Runtriz Pay is designed to optimize F&B revenue, efficiency, and guest experience. Runtriz, the hospitality industry's leading developer of mobile solutions, powers the hotel experience in the Caesars Rewards App, which offers an array of services both pre-arrival and during the guest's stay in Las Vegas. With Runtriz Pay, gu...
Without a How-To Book for AV Services, Who is Training Hotel Staff on Sales, Set Up and Preventive Maintenance?
Eric Bracht | March 14, 2019
Providing outstanding technology services only starts with the equipment — it's people who make the meetings experience memorable; AVaStar provides courses and quick tips on basic AV and troubleshooting in a format that is easy for non-technical staff to understand and follow By Eric Bracht You've recently opened your hotel or refurbished some of your spaces and took all the necessary steps to ensure that the AV systems were installed properly and working efficiently. This is great news, but . . . who at the hotel will manage all this equipment? There are projectors, screens, flat panel displays, indoor/outdoor speakers, digital s...
Hilton Signs With Natura Development II N.V. to Develop Embassy Suites by Hilton Hotel in Aruba
Embassy Suites by Hilton | March 14, 2019
MCLEAN, Va. – March 14, 2019 – Hilton (NYSE: HLT) today announces plans to debut the upscale, all-suite Embassy Suites by Hilton brand in Aruba in 2021, following a management agreement with Natura Development II N.V. Scheduled to open in mid-2021, the new-build 330-suite oceanfront Embassy Suites by Hilton Aruba Resort marks Hilton's second hotel on the island and reinforces the company's continued expansion plans in the Caribbean. "The signing of Embassy Suites by Hilton Aruba Resort underscores Hilton's commitment to expanding its portfolio across the Caribbean," said Juan Corvinos, vice president, development, C...
Best Western® Hotels & Resorts Celebrates Groundbreaking of Vib® Hotel in Orlando, Florida
March 14, 2019
PHOENIX, AZ (March 14, 2019) – In a groundbreaking ceremony held Tuesday, March 12, Best Western Hotels & Resorts celebrated the arrival of its upscale boutique hotel brand – Vīb – in Orlando, Florida. A perfect reflection of what Best Western offers today's travelers with a stylish design and focus on convenience and technology, Vīb Orlando will bring a fresh look and comfortable amenities to the heart of Central Florida's most popular tourism destination. "We are excited to celebrate the groundbreaking of our innovative and sophisticated Vīb brand in Orlando," said Ron Pohl, Senior Vice President and Chief Ope...
Times Square Hotel Goes to Auction on RealINSIGHT Marketplace on April 8th
RealINSIGHT Marketplace | March 13, 2019
NEW YORK—March 14, 2019—RealINSIGHT Marketplace and CBRE are pleased to present Hotel Shocard, a 47-room, full-service hotel located in Times Square, NY for your acquisition consideration. The auction will take place on the online commercial real estate sales platform, RealINSIGHT Marketplace, April 8th - April 10th. About the Property: One Building Six Floors 47 Rooms Renovated in 2016 This offering provides investors with the rare opportunity to acquire a top-located hotel with substantial upside from improving the assets, modernizing operations and benefiting from economies of scale from an owner/operator's existing...
Cambridge Landmark Acquires Former Sheraton Downtown Philadelphia From The Blackstone Group
Cambridge Landmark | March 13, 2019
MIAMI, March 13, 2019 -- Cambridge Landmark, a hotel-focused private equity company, recently announced that it has closed on the acquisition of the former Sheraton Downtown Philadelphia, a 757-room full service hotel located in Center City and two blocks from the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The hotel currently operates as the Philadelphia 201 Hotel under the Marriott reservation system. With the closing of this transaction, a new franchise agreement has been signed with Marriott International for the property to regain the Sheraton brand upon completion of a $28-million renovation focused on upgrading the rooms, creating new suites...
Oetker Collection Appoints Joelle Edwards-Tonks as Senior Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Communications
Oetker Collection | March 13, 2019
Oetker Collection is pleased to announce the appointment of Joelle Edwards-Tonks as Senior Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Communications. In her new role, Joelle will lead Oetker Collection's global sales, marketing and communications operations, a new position representing the consolidation of these three fields into one tightly knit department. Since joining the Collection nine years ago, Joelle has played an instrumental role across the marketing, distribution, revenue management, sales & e-commerce and communications & digital strategy sectors. In 2018, she became a member of Oetker Collection Executive Committee, re...
