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
27 Iconic Historic Hotels Inducted Into Historic Hotels of America in 2018
February 27, 2019
WASHINGTON, D.C. – February 27, 2019, Historic Hotels of America®, the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation for recognizing and celebrating the finest and most significant historic hotels, has inducted 27 historic hotels into membership in 2018. The oldest hotel dates back to the 1880s. Many of the historic hotels are adaptive reuse historic hotels that have involved converting some or all of a historically significant building to a hotel. Originally, these buildings were built for another purpose in their history. 16 of the 27 historic hotels inducted in 2018 are listed in the National Register of ...
IHG Signs With Fortress Development for New InterContinental Hotels & Resorts Property in Bellevue, Washington
February 27, 2019
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG®), one of the world's leading hotel companies, today announces the development of a new InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts property in Bellevue, Washington, located in the Seattle metropolitan area. Developed by Bellevue-based Fortress Development, the new-build hotel is expected to open in Q4 2021 and will be part of a luxury, two-tower mixed-use development known as Avenue Bellevue. Located at the epicenter of downtown Bellevue on the northwest corner of Bellevue Way and NE 8th Street, the InterContinental Bellevue at The Avenue hotel will feature 252 elegantly appointed guest rooms, ...
What Hotels Can Learn About the Guest Experience From Starbucks
Larry Mogelonsky | February 27, 2019
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) Starbucks has thousands of outlets. Nowadays if you find yourself in nearly a major city center anywhere in the world, you're never more than a few blocks away from your next americano. The long-term and strategic vision for Starbucks may surprise you, though. It's not just about coffee and compelling you to consume every ounce of caffeine exclusively from them; it's about the culture. There have been several books written about the brand and their business approach. True, there are issues and growing pains, as there are for any corporation of this size and stature. Let's set those ...
Concord Wilshire and TLG Investment Partners Place the Former Holiday Inn Property in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea Under Contract
Concord Wilshire | February 27, 2019
Fort Lauderdale, FL—Concord Wilshire Capital, LLC ("Concord Wilshire") and TLG Investment Partners, LLC ("TLG") announced today that on February 25, 2019, they signed a purchase and sale agreement to acquire the former Holiday Inn site as well as the former Villa Caprice beach-front site located in Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, Florida. Concord Wilshire is a joint venture partner with TLG, which is headed by Leland C. Pillsbury and Christopher Nieberding. The former Holiday Inn property located at 4116 El Mar Drive is situated in the heart of Downtown Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, bound by AIA to the West and El Mar Drive to the East. The 183-r...
It Is Impossible to Walk on Our Heads… And yet…
Georges Panayotis | February 27, 2019
Georges Panayotis A little logic, a little common sense, and we quickly understand that it is impossible to walk on your head. So why do we keep trying? Our businesses and our industry have slowly shifted towards a development model that is increasingly disconnected from reality. An overgrown head with atrophied hands and feet. Operational staff who most of the time have to muddle through regardless, whether they are ambidextrous or handless, long-distance runners or disabled. Careful not to upset the pyramid In our sector, operational people - the feet and hands of the trade - are essential. It is on the ground that the product and se...
Weaving Your Way Through Vendor Madness: What Should the Perfect Hotel Tech Partner Look Like?
David Millili | February 27, 2019
By David Millili, CEO of Runtriz There's some truth to the increasingly ubiquitous saying that all companies are technology companies now. Certainly some more than others, but I'd say hotels have officially waded into—or, perhaps, been shoved in—to tech waters so deep that it's an apt notion worth considering every time a new technology vendor is up for consideration. Look at the numbers. Hotel technology budgets have been on the rise for many years, and 2019 is no different. While 38% are satisfied with where the technology budget currently stands (or have no choice but to keep it, as is, which is more likely the case), 54%...
Cloud5 HDX Advances to HTNG TechOvation Award Semi-Finals Led by CEO Mark Holzberg
Cloud5 Communications | February 27, 2019
CHICAGO (February 27, 2019) -- Cloud5 Communications has been named a semifinalist in the HTNG TechOvation Award competition which recognizes technology innovation in the hospitality industry. After two weeks of voting, Cloud5's Hospitality Dashboard Experience (HDX) is among the ten entries chosen to move forward to the next round of the 2019 HTNG TechOvation Award. Contestants submitted 90-second videos to showcase their innovative solution that is new to the hospitality market. Three of the semi-finalists advanced from the videos that received the most YouTube "likes" from the public. The other seven semifinalists were dete...
Santa Monica’s Oceana Beach Club Hotel to Debut in May 2019 as Oceana Following $25 Million Transformation
JRK Hotel Group | February 26, 2019
SANTA MONICA, Calif., Feb. 26, 2019 -- Already underway with a $25 million head-to-toe transformation, the current Oceana Beach Club Hotel today announces it will re-emerge as the all-new Oceana in May 2019. A secluded Santa Monica haven for world travelers, celebrities and titans of industry since opening across from the beach on fabled Ocean Avenue in 1996, the hotel will shake up the West Coast scene with an unrivaled plot twist on oceanside glamour, relaxed 5-star luxury and exclusive hotel guest access when it debuts as Oceana. The new Oceana will evoke a stunning beachside home-away-from-home and deliver a rare private residential...
Andaz Brand Debuts in Germany With Opening of Andaz Munich Schwabinger Tor
Hyatt Hotels Corporation | February 26, 2019
CHICAGO (February 26, 2019) – Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) announced today the official opening of Andaz Munich Schwabinger Tor, the first Andaz branded hotel in Germany. Joining Andaz hotels in top destinations around the world, including New York, London, Amsterdam and Abu Dhabi, Andaz Munich Schwabinger Tor is the third Andaz branded hotel in Europe. The luxury lifestyle brand celebrates local culture, fully immersing guests in destinations through distinctive experiences that appeal to each of their senses. True to the brand, the hotel offers guests an unscripted Bavarian-inspired experience, allowing guests to feel like...
Liaison Washington Capitol Hill Acquired by Metrovest Equities and BLDG Management With YOTEL to Take Over Management
February 26, 2019
LONDON and WASHINGTON, Feb. 26, 2019 -- Today YOTEL announced the acquisition of the Liaison Washington Capitol Hill hotel by partners Metrovest Equities and BLDG Management. The innovative hotel group will operate the existing premises, which over the next year, will benefit from a full transformation and rebranding incorporating all of YOTEL's signature technology and adaptable design features, including smart cabins (rooms) and stunning multifunctional public spaces. The hotel currently boasts a position as the closest hotel to the U.S. Capitol Building, putting guests within walking distance to Washington DC's most important...
Hilton Signs With NCB Group for New Curio Collection by Hilton in the Cayman Islands
NCB Group | February 26, 2019
GRAND CAYMAN, Cayman Islands and MCLEAN, Va. – February 26, 2019 – Hilton (NYSE: HLT) announces the signing of an agreement for a new Curio Collection by Hilton property in the Cayman Islands with NCB Group. Scheduled to open in 2021, the new-build 80-room hotel will usher in a new era of upper upscale accommodations focusing on sustainability and wellness, incorporating renewable and energy-efficient technologies throughout the property. "As tourist arrivals in the Caribbean continue to increase, we have prioritized the region in our larger expansion efforts with Hilton's first property in Grand Cayman," said Juan Corvinos,...
The Upside of Opportunity Zones for Hotel Developers and Hotel Owners
Nicole Ament | February 26, 2019
By Nicole Ament and Erik Jensen One of the products of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Qualified Opportunity Zones could have a significant impact on real estate development in 2019, including the hotel industry. While developing in an opportunity zone will not turn a bad hotel deal into a good deal, it can generate an increased pool of interested investors. Hotel investors may not see the immediate potential of opportunity zones given that the census tracts designated as Qualified Opportunity Zones are technically low-income neighborhoods. However, a closer study of the Qualified Opportunity Zones map reveals that in many key markets the op...
INTELITY Named ‘Official Mobile and In-Room Technology Provider’ by Forbes Travel Guide for Third Year
INTELITY | February 26, 2019
The company's innovative mobile and in-room solutions are considered best-in-class Los Angeles, California (February 26, 2019) – INTELITY™, the provider of the travel industry's first and broadest enterprise guest engagement and staff management platform, has been awarded Forbes Travel Guide Brand Official status for the third year running. Named the luxury hospitality industry's Official Mobile and In-Room Technology Provider by Forbes Travel Guide in 2017, 2018, and again in 2019, INTELITY is recognized as the best-in-class provider of mobile and in-room tech. "When choosing Brand Officials, Forbes Travel Guide looks ...
Hyphen Joins Beekeeper Marketplace to Provide Advanced Survey Analytics
Hyphen | February 26, 2019
Hyphen enables executives, HR and hotel admins to create robust surveys with more question types, then target and analyze feedback based on profile field data from Beekeeper; Webinar introducing integration planned for March 26 Los Angeles, Feb. 26, 2019 — Because surveys are proving to be an essential component of employee engagement, Beekeeper has added Hyphen – a cutting-edge feedback solution for conducting employee surveys – to its off-the-shelf integration suite. With Hyphen, hoteliers and human resources teams can capture employee feedback and use the responses to analyze satisfaction and performance trends or ...
Plum Sees Record Growth in 2018 Fueled by Strong Demand for Innovative In-Room Wine by the Glass Technology
Plum | February 26, 2019
Game-changing wine technology deployed across 15 markets, company enters 2019 with momentum of new deals at leading luxury hotels Dania Beach, Florida / Palo Alto, California (February 26, 2019) - Plum, the hospitality industry's revolutionary technology that serves wine by the glass, today announced that 2018 was a record breaking year of sales and 2019 is continuing on this wave with notable new deals and implementations at leading hotels in major US cities. "We're thrilled to celebrate a record year and are already working to continue that trend in 2019," said David Koretz, Founder and CEO of Plum. "Our success is driven by the resul...
Hyatt and Homeinns Enter Into Strategic Joint Venture to Expand Footprint Across China
Hyatt Hotels Corporation | February 26, 2019
CHICAGO & SHANGHAI -- Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) and BTG Hotels (Group) Co., Ltd. (Shanghai Stock Exchange: 600258) announced today affiliates of Hyatt and Homeinns Hotel Group (affiliated with BTG Hotels which is also named BTG Homeinns Hotels Group) have entered a strategic joint venture to create a new hospitality brand. The brand, to be named later, is aimed at meeting the evolving needs and aspirations of a growing number of young travelers in the upper-midscale segment in China, providing them with a seamless and premium travel experience. In an unprecedented move expected to set a new benchmark for the local hospitali...
Sonnenblick-Eichner Company Arranges $26,500,000 of First Mortgage Financing for The Inn at the Pier, Pismo Beach, California
Sonnenblick-Eichner Company | February 26, 2019
Beverly Hills, (February 26, 2019) – Sonnenblick-Eichner Company has arranged $26.5 million of interim first mortgage debt to refinance the Inn at the Pier, a new 104-room, full-service luxury boutique hotel located one-half block from the Pacific Ocean in the heart of Pismo Beach, California. The non-recourse interim loan was provided by a debt fund. The loan was priced in the mid-300s over 30-day LIBOR and provided for a return of equity to the Borrower. The Inn at the Pier, which opened in November of 2017, features a full-service restaurant, pool and spa, and the only roof-top bar in Pismo Beach. Other amenities include 1,200 ...
Forbes Travel Guide Chooses ALICE as Their Official Staff Operations Technology for 2019
ALICE | February 26, 2019
The hotel operations startup has held this distinction since Forbes Travel Guide began their endorsement program in 2017 ALICE, the hospitality industry's leading operations platform, has been chosen by Forbes Travel Guide (FTG) as their Brand Official Staff Operations Technology for 2019. ALICE has held this distinction since FTG created their Brand Official program in 2017. This recognition is, once again, confirmation of the platform's ability to meet and promote the highest standards of hospitality at some of the world's most excellent hotels. The FTG Brand Official program is designed to point the world's best hoteliers towards pro...
Nobu Hospitality Selects Coyle Hospitality to Launch Quality Assurance Program
Coyle Hospitality Group | February 26, 2019
February 26, 2019, NYC – Coyle Hospitality Group, the leading provider of customer experience consulting, quality assurance (QA) and mystery shopping, has been chosen by Nobu Hospitality to conduct ongoing evaluations of their hotels worldwide. Through on-site evaluations, Coyle will measure brand compliance and quality at Nobu Hotels. Drawing from its global network of 35,000 independent professional evaluators, Coyle will analyze the guest experience at Nobu Hotels around the world. "Nobu Hotels are synonymous with instinctive design, fine ingredients, a powerful energy and a passion for service," explained Tim Theofanou, Direct...
Hotelogix to Participate in ITB Berlin 2019
Hotelogix | February 26, 2019
Hotelogix, a leading cloud-based Hotel Property Management System provider has announced its participation in ITB Berlin, 2019 from 6th to 10th March. The company aims to leverage this global trade platform to showcase its all-in-one and comprehensive PMS for both group and independent hotels at Stand 164, Hall 6.1. Held annually, ITB Berlin is the biggest international travel trade show in the world. Every year, it draws thousands of professionals from accommodation providers to hospitality technology vendors from around the globe. In 2018, a total of 10,000 companies and organisations from 186 countries exhibited their products and se...
Hospitality Financial Leadership: She Said She Was Born Without the Financial Gene
David Lund | February 25, 2019
The following is a recap of a single coaching session which turned into a coaching relationship with a client. For this article I am going to call my client Jennifer. I was speaking at a local hotel association event and as usual a few people came to see me at the end to share their thoughts. Jennifer was the very last person to speak with me. She waited until the room was almost empty. She was shy and nervous. "I just want to thank you," she said. "Thank me for what," I replied. "Thank you for giving me some hope," she said. I smiled, as I knew exactly what she meant, and I said, "Hope for what?" She then explained how terrified she wa...
Travel + Leisure Releases the 14th Annual It List, an Editor-Curated Collection of the Best Hotels in the World This Year
Travel + Leisure | February 25, 2019
NEW YORK, Feb. 25, 2019 -- Meredith Corporation's (NYSE: MDP) Travel + Leisure released its 14th annual It List, a selection of the best new and renovated hotels in the world. The list is on TravelandLeisure.com and in the March issue, available on newsstands today. Each year, Travel + Leisure editors check in to hundreds of new hotels around the globe in search of the properties that offer a winning alchemy of setting, design, and service. The editors then collaborate with Travel + Leisure's global network of travel writers, contributors, and agents to narrow down the list. "Hotels are a prominent part of the travel experi...
Miami’s Iconic Raleigh Hotel Purchased by Joint Venture Between Deutsche Finance America, Bilgili Holding, and SHVO
SHVO | February 25, 2019
NEW YORK, Feb. 25, 2019 -- The historic Raleigh Hotel property in Miami was purchased today by a joint venture between Deutsche Finance America, Bilgili Holding and SHVO. The partnership purchased the property for $103 million from Tommy Hilfiger and Turkish conglomerate Dogus Group, which had owned the Raleigh since 2014. The 83-room hotel is an icon of South Beach art deco, known especially for its ornate beachside swimming pool, which LIFE Magazine called "the most beautiful pool in America" in 1947. The new joint venture purchased the property in an all cash transaction in partnership with a number of Germany's largest...
The Migration of the Immersion Wellness Resorts: Can Experiential Properties Sustain Global Models?
Horwath HTL | February 25, 2019
(Miami, Florida) February 25, 2019 - Horwath HTL Miami Managing Director Andrew Cohan, MAI, a leading consultant in hospitality advisory as it pertains to health, wellness and spa offerings as well as environmental and ecologically sustainable resorts globally, has observed "migration" efforts to bring the Asian immersion wellness and destination resorts to the Americas. "As experiential travel continues its evolution into "transformational travel," more and more vacationers are motivated to travel by a desire to enrich and even alter their personal perspectives," shares Cohan. "These "inward"...
