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
Virgin Hotels Ramps Up Customer Experience Marketing and Personalization Through Partnership With Local Measure
Local Measure | January 17, 2019
New York and Sydney – 18 January, 2019 – Virgin Hotels, one of the most loved consumer brands, has implemented new Wi-Fi infrastructure at its first hotel in Chicago in partnership with Local Measure, the leading customer experience platform for the hotel industry. Virgin Hotels Chicago is famous not only for the Virgin brand but for its socially connected restaurants, bars and lounges, drawing on pop culture to create iconic experiences for its guests. Their food and beverage offerings play a key part in driving traffic to the hotel, and with new insights from customer Wi-Fi, the team can create personalized experiences and...
Pacifica Hotels Promotes Chris Marquis to Executive Vice President of Acquisitions
Pacifica Hotels | January 17, 2019
Orange County, CA (January 17, 2019) – Pacifica Hotels, the largest owner and operator of independent hotels on the Pacific Coast, appoints Chris Marquis to Executive Vice President of Investments & Acquisitions. In his new position, Marquis will play a critical role in the development and execution of Pacifica's strategic growth plan and be responsible for all acquisition, disposition and financing processes including deal sourcing, deal structuring, underwriting oversight, due diligence, and investor management. Todd Moreau, COO of Pacifica Hotels said, "We congratulate Chris in this well-deserved role. With his experienced ...
Hotel Equities Adds Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Tacoma DuPont to Portfolio
Hotel Equities | January 17, 2019
Atlanta, GA – January 17, 2019 – Today, Atlanta-based hotel owner, operator and developer, Hotel Equities (HE), announced the addition of the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Tacoma DuPont to their portfolio of hotels. The hotel, bearing the brand's latest design and décor, offers 500 square feet of meeting space and is located at 1515 Wilmington Drive. The hotel is owned by Northwest Lodging, LLC. "We are thrilled to mark our entry into the state of Washington with the addition of this great Marriott hotel in the Tacoma DuPont area," said Joe Reardon, Chief Development Officer for HE. "Our above-property team i...
Anthony Klok Elected 2019 Board Chairman of Best Western Hotels & Resorts
Rebel Hospitality LLC | January 17, 2019
(CHICAGO, IL; January 17, 2019) – Rebel Hospitality is pleased to announce the election of Principal Anthony Klok to 2019 Board Chairman of Best Western Hotels & Resorts. Klok, who previously served as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, enters his new position with a wealth of knowledge and understanding of the hotel industry. In addition to several award-winning boutique properties throughout Chicago, he and his partners at Rebel Hospitality also manage a Best Western Plus property in the city's vibrant Lakeview East neighborhood. "Mr. Klok has deep experience in many segments of the industry," said Best Western Hotels ...
Beekeeper Continues to Dominate in the Hotel Technology Arena; Named ‘Top Operational Product’ for Employee Engagement by HotelTechReport
Beekeeper | January 17, 2019
Company recognized for adding immense value for hoteliers by helping them compete in the digital age; This is the 5th technology award presented to Beekeeper in the last eight months for its operational communication platform San Francisco, Jan. 17, 2019 — Beekeeper is on a roll! This week the company earned its fifth hotel technology award as a "2019 Top Rated Operations Product" by HotelTechReport for its Employee Engagement app that helps hotel teams "save time, improve efficiencies and collaborate better." Winners were selected from more than 180 of the top technology products around the world. The HotelTechAwards are the indu...
Hotel Cap Rates Hold Steady - Values Under Pressure
Suzanne R. Mellen | January 17, 2019
By Suzanne R. Mellen Following a year of robust transaction activity, hotel capitalization rates remain stable, while hotel NOI and values are under pressure due to slowing RevPAR growth and increasing operating expenses. This article looks at hotel sales and capitalization rate trends, the impact of slowing RevPAR growth on hotel values, and the outlook for 2019. [1] With a more business-friendly administration in place and the passage of the Tax Cut and Job Act (TCJA) in December 2017, the outlook for the economy and hotel performance became brighter in 2018. Hotels generate higher returns than other commercial real estate and reflect...
Major Trends to Watch for at HSMAI NY Conference
Raj Singh | January 17, 2019
By Raj Singh, CEO, Go Moment As I think about what to get excited about at HSMAI's Digital Marketing Strategy Conference 2019 taking place later this month in New York, the fast-evolving guest experience comes to mind. And, of course, hotel guest experience in 2019 will be enabled by more and better technologies. Here's what I see trending: The Impact of Voice-Enabled Intelligent Assistants Smartphones already come with voice-activated assistance built-in. Amazon recently revealed it had sold over 100 million Alexa-enabled devices. Google announced that 1 Billion devices support its Assistant product. This news validates that people are...
The Modern Guest Experience & How Hotels Can Achieve It in 2019
David Millili | January 17, 2019
By David Millili, CEO of Runtriz Remember when the first hotel websites came online? It was 1994 and Hyatt was among the first chains to launch one. There were many years after this spent convincing the rest of the hotel world that they needed one, just a simple site that would describe the property with a few images. We weren't even at the stage of online booking, yet. That wouldn't come for another year or two. (Truth be told, some chains haven't evolved their websites much from that first iteration. Many still have the stock "amenities" page with bullet points that leave the guest wondering about exactly what they'll find when they a...
Rainmaker Closes a Record Year With an Increased Global Footprint, New Customer Growth, and Innovation in New Segments
Rainmaker | January 17, 2019
ALPHARETTA, GA – January 17, 2019 - The Rainmaker Group (Rainmaker), a leading provider of cloud-based hospitality revenue and profit optimization software, today announced that the company is starting 2019 with strong-than-ever numbers, a full implementation pipeline, and continued growth in new regions. "We saw a lot of growth in 2018," explained Mike Cowles, CEO of Rainmaker. "We added many new countries to our global footprint and continued to innovate and make our mark on the all-inclusive market. We have a great team, a strong roadmap, and an amazing group of customers behind us. We're excited to see our continued success i...
Fairfield Inn & Suites Hotel to Open in El Reno, Oklahoma
The Sage Agency | January 17, 2019
The 82-room Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott in El Reno, Oklahoma is scheduled to open on Monday, January 21, 2019 with a new décor that provides guests with a feeling of warmth and calm while traveling. Located at 1501 Domino Drive, the Fairfield Inn & Suites Oklahoma City El Reno will operate as a Marriott franchise, owned by Sky Hospitality, Inc. and managed by Hotel Equities of Atlanta, Georgia. Whether traveling for business or pleasure, the Fairfield Inn & Suites Oklahoma City El Reno offers guests convenient access to historic Route 66, Redlands Community College and El Reno Lake. "Delivering both function an...
Milestone Captures 5 HSMAI Adrian Awards for Hotel Website Design and Wins 2018’s Mobile Web Awards “Best in Show”
HSMAI | January 17, 2019
Silicon Valley, CA (January 17, 2019) – The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) will honor Milestone Internet Marketing with five Adrian Awards for digital marketing excellence for its winning entries in the annual Adrian Awards, the largest and most prestigious global travel marketing competition. This year Milestone is being recognized with 2 bronze awards, 2 silvers and one gold award for hotel website design and digital marketing. The 2019 Adrian awards announcement follows closely on Milestone's win in November 2018 for "Best Hotel and Lodging Mobile Website," as well as "Best in Show" by the M...
Milestone to Present 3 Free Workshop Sessions at HSMAI New York
Milestone | January 17, 2019
Silicon Valley, CA (January 18, 2019) – Milestone, Inc. announced today that it will be hosting three free digital marketing-focused workshops for hotels at the upcoming HSMAI Digital Marketing Conference in New York. The sessions will be held Tuesday, January 22 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City. Interested Hoteliers can register by visiting the dedicated site at https://www.hsmai.org/DigitalPreCon. Milestone will provide in-depth training on three critical topics that are of high interest to digital marketers in 2019: Digital Competitive Benchmarking: Using digital competitive analysis and data analytics to develop ...
IDeaS Revenue Solutions Honored as 2019 HotelTechAwards People’s Choice Winner
IDeaS | January 17, 2019
IDeaS clients from the U.S., Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America recognize the company for its world-class software, service and support Tweet This: @IDeaS_RevOpt wins big once again in #HotelTechAwards with coveted 2019 People's Choice Award from @HotelTechReport balancing remarkable growth with client-first principles. www.ideas.com/news MINNEAPOLIS—Jan. 17, 2019—Hotel Tech Report has named IDeaS Revenue Solutions as the 2019 People's Choice Award winner in its annual HotelTechAwards. Recognized as last year's top-rated revenue management software provider, IDeaS continues to dominate the revenue technology category wit...
Park Inn by Radisson Opens in Quito, Ecuador Following Multimillion Dollar Renovation Led by General Manager Alejandro Bonilla
January 17, 2019
Park Inn® by Radisson, the upper midscale hotel brand that delivers stress-free experiences, good food and upbeat environments, is proud to announce the opening of Park Inn by Radisson Quito, Ecuador following an extensive $4.5 million renovation, which included upgrades and a fresh new design throughout the entire hotel. Guests can enjoy the hotel's excellent location near the popular Zona Rosa section of the city at Reina Victoria Avenue and Calama. This places guests within walking distance of the upscale shopping, restaurants and nightlife at Foch Square, in addition to the city's fast-growing financial and business districts. "...
The Lodge & Club at Ponte Vedra Beach Appoints Devlin Cathey as Executive Chef
The Lodge & Club | January 17, 2019
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL (January 2019) – The Lodge & Club at Ponte Vedra Beach in Northeast Florida, has appointed Devlin Cathey as Executive Chef to oversee culinary operations for members and guests. With over 20 years of hospitality industry experience, South African-born Chef Cathey brings global expertise to amplify the four dining destinations at the AAA Four-Diamond oceanfront property, including the signature restaurant The Sea View Grille. With specialties in hospitality management, fine weddings and events catering, Chef Cathey joins The Lodge & Club from his previous role as Executive Chef and F&B Director of ...
Grand View Lodge Appoints Michael Manders as Director of F&B and Shane Moore as Executive Chef
Grand View Lodge | January 17, 2019
NISSWA, MINN. (January 17, 2019) – Grand View Lodge, Spa and Golf Resort is pleased to announce the promotion of Michael Manders as director of food and beverage and the appointment of Shane Moore as executive chef. Together, Manders and Moore will drive the culinary operations for the resort, including its seven dining venues and banquet operations. Adding to the resort's executive team, seasoned food and beverage professional and former executive chef of Grand View Lodge, Manders plays a crucial role in the overall culinary operations as the new director of food and beverage. In his eleven years as the resort's executive chef, M...
RIU Plans 2021 Opening of Flagship 350-Room Riu Plaza in Toronto, Canada
RIU Hotels & Resorts | January 17, 2019
RIU Hotels & Resorts has announced the construction of a hotel in its Riu Plaza urban line, in Toronto, the largest city in Canada and the cultural, business and financial centre of the country. The Spanish company intends to invest around 100 million dollars in the project, that will establish the first RIU hotel in Canada and will add continuity to the hotel company's plan to expand into the world's great cities. The project, designed in a sophisticated avant-garde style, as a part of the Riu Plaza line, is now near the end of the design phase and is set to open in 2021. The building, a newly-built modern tower block, will be loca...
Marriott International Introduces Marriott Bonvoy – the New Brand Name of Its Loyalty Program
Marriott Bonvoy | January 16, 2019
Marriott International today unveiled Marriott Bonvoy, the new loyalty brand replacing the current loyalty brands – Marriott Rewards, The Ritz-Carlton Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) – and reflecting the unmatched benefits, single loyalty portfolio and experiences announced last year. Marriott Bonvoy is built on the belief that travel enriches us all and has the power to enrich the world. Marriott Bonvoy launches on February 13 when the logo and branding begins rolling out across all consumer touch-points, including on property, marketing and sales channels, digital, mobile and co-brand credit cards bolstered by a...
Driftwood Acquisitions & Development Sells SpringHill Suites Altamonte Springs
Driftwood Acquisitions & Development | January 16, 2019
Orlando, Fla. (Jan. 15, 2019) – Driftwood Acquisitions and Development (DAD) – a privately held firm specializing in the acquisition, repositioning and investment syndication of high-quality hotel assets – announced today that it sold the SpringHill Suites Altamonte Springs, a Marriott-branded, 90-key hotel located 10 miles north of Orlando. DAD acquired the asset in 2015 out of receivership, with little renovation needed, as a cash-flowing market play. While maintaining a 10 percent equity stake in the property, the firm syndicated the remaining 90% of its equity position to individual accredited investors after closi...
Parks Hospitality Group Breaks Ground on 117-Room Tru by Hilton in Columbia, South Carolina
Tru by Hilton | January 16, 2019
COLUMBIA, S.C., Jan. 16, 2019 -- Parks Hospitality Group broke ground on a new Tru by Hilton property located in Columbia, South Carolina. The 117-room, four-story hotel will be located at 183 Stoneridge Road and will be owned and operated by Parks Hospitality Group. Construction is expected to be completed late 2019. Tru by Hilton Columbia Greystone is conveniently located by Greystone Boulevard, near I-126, and will be the third Tru by Hilton property in the Parks Hospitality portfolio. Parks Hospitality has plans to develop three additional Tru by Hilton properties in the near future. "We are excited to bring Tru by Hilton Colum...
Staybridge Suites® London- Heathrow Bath Road Opens at Heathrow Airport With General Manager Mark Roth at the Helm
January 16, 2019
IHG®, one of the world's leading hotel companies, is proud to announce the opening of Staybridge Suites® London- Heathrow Bath Road, just minutes away from the international airport. Designed to meet the needs of guests who may be staying for extended periods of time, Staybridge Suites London- Heathrow Bath Road has 145 spacious studio rooms and 45 one-bedroom suites that are all equipped with a fully-fitted kitchen, allowing people to enjoy a flexible space to relax, play and work. As with all Staybridge Suites® hotels globally, the hotel has a pantry-style food store, called The Pantry, providing guests with everything fro...
Top 5 Hotel Marketing Strategies for 2019
Divya Bhat | January 16, 2019
By Divya Bhat It is true that technological trends don't necessarily wait for a new year to dawn upon us, before making their grand entrance. But what's also true is that every now and then, we as hoteliers like to take a step back to reassess our strategies and weigh their efficacy. And in that context, what better time to reevaluate your hotel marketing strategies than the new year! Let's get right into it and see what trends continue to rule the roost, when it comes to hospitality marketing. 1. Mobile first No list of 'hotel marketing ideas' is complete these days, without at least one mention of mobile technology. The last decade ha...
Wisco Hotel Group Opens Radisson Hotel and Conference Center in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin Following Multimillion Dollar Renovation
January 16, 2019
Minneapolis, January 16, 2019 -- Radisson®, one of the best-recognized hotel brands, today announced the opening of the newly renovated Radisson Hotel and Conference Center Fond du Lac located at 625 West Rolling Meadows Drive, Fond du Lac, WI. The hotel features updated common spaces and guest rooms featuring contemporary designs. The hotel's location, positioned nearly 70 miles from Madison, Milwaukee, Manitowoc and Green Bay, makes it an ideal destination for guests searching for a quiet retreat or hosting a large business function. Visitors traveling to the hotel will be pleased by the hotel's proximity to local businesses, Roll...
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts Reacquires Direct Franchising Rights for the Days Inn Brand in China
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts | January 16, 2019
PARSIPPANY, N.J., Jan. 16, 2019 -- Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: WH) announced that it has reacquired exclusive direct franchising rights for its Days Inn® brand for the People's Republic of China. The Days Inn portfolio in China consists of more than 70 economy, midscale and upscale hotels encompassing more than 12,500 rooms. The reacquisition of the direct franchising rights was effected through the termination of the master license agreement between Wyndham Hotels and its master licensee for the Days Inn system in China and aligns with Wyndham Hotels' strategy to grow its direct-franchising operations in emerg...
