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
Five Strategic Directions to Take Your Hotel
Larry Mogelonsky | May 8, 2019
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) Value adds always become expectations. Such is the course for hospitality and if you aren't constantly evolving your brand then it will become stale. And in an overstuffed hotel marketplace, you need bold new directions to differentiate your product and drive rate. So, how do hotels adapt so that guests don't lose interest in any of these ostensibly great properties in favor of the 'next big thing'? How do you innovate a boutique property so that its repeat revenue figures will always be a healthy contributor to the bottom line? Broader still, how do lifestyle hotels continue to rei...
The 2019 LIIC Top Ten — Hotel Real Estate: Mostly Sunny Days Clouded by Labor Issues
Jim Butler | May 8, 2019
By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group® Hotel Lawyers | Authors of www.HotelLawBlog.com 08 May 2019 Greetings from Los Angeles and the beautiful Hyatt Regency LAX! Yesrerday, we kicked off Meet the Money® 2019 – the National Hotel Finance & Investment Conference hosted by JMBM's Global Hospitality Group® – with the LIIC Top Ten. Presented by my friend, Mike Cahill, CEO and Founder of HREC and one of LIIC's co-chairmen, the LIIC Top Ten reflects the perspectives of the industry's most active members in the hospitality market. — Jim About the LIIC Top Ten For the past 15 years, the members of the ...
Crescent Hotels & Resorts Adds Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak Resort, Joins Crescent’s Latitudes Collection
Crescent Hotels & Resorts | May 8, 2019
Phoenix, AZ (May 8, 2019) – The all-suite Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak Resort is one of the most unique and impressive resort properties in the Southwest. A veritable oasis suited to business travelers and families alike, the resort is located on 27 acres and bordered by 3,000 acres of scenic Sonoran desert in the adjacent mountain preserve, boasting a water park, full conference services and luxury accommodations and amenities. Crescent & Latitudes, based in Fairfax, Virginia is a nationally recognized operator of major hotels, resorts and conference centers throughout the United States and Canada. Nestled in the slopes of the Phoenix N...
Hotel Indigo Winston-Salem Downtown Opens in Historic Pepper Building, a 1928 Art Deco Landmark
Evolution Hospitality | May 8, 2019
(WINSTON-SALEM, NC) May 8, 2019 – Hotel Indigo Winston-Salem Downtown, has officially opened its doors in the historic Pepper Building at Fourth and Liberty Streets, revitalizing a 1928 Winston-Salem art deco landmark and bringing a stylish boutique hotel experience to the city's vibrant arts district. The property, owned by Mayfair Street Partners and managed by Aimbridge Hospitality, includes 75 guestrooms, nearly 1,600 square feet of meeting space and the newly-opened Sir Winston, a signature restaurant and wine loft concept specializing in Southern cuisine with a European influence. Hotel Indigo Winston-Salem Downtown becomes ...
How To Move Your Rooms Toward Your Guest (Instead of Moving Your Guest Toward Your Rooms)
Jason Bryant | May 8, 2019
By Jason G. Bryant When those in the hotel industry talk about selling hotel rooms, the conversation frequently turns to a diatribe on direct bookings—the great need for them, how to get them, how much money to spend on them, and how to keep them. If this industry is to evolve, the direct-booking debate also must change. Brands now dedicate substantial marketing budgets to this effort, and in general, the results have been flat. In 2018, 67% of guests booked via the brand channel. In 2015, it was 68%, according to the annual J.D. Power & Associates North American Hotel Guest Satisfaction Survey (Skift). This two-decade-old con...
Hospitality Funding Closes Third Cambria Hotel Construction Financing
Hospitality Funding | May 7, 2019
Palm Beach, FL — Hospitality Funding is pleased to announce the closing of the construction financing for a new Cambria Hotel in downtown Orlando, FL. The closing marks Hospitality Funding's third Cambria construction financing with four more slated for 2019. The capitalization was highly structured with a senior construction loan, mezzanine financing and key money totaling over 80% of cost. Scott Silver, Chairman of Hospitality Funding said, 'The financing was complicated and had a lot of moving pieces but the team at Hospitality Funding executed an incredibly accretive capitalization for our client minimizing the equity needed for the ...
One Message Does Not Fit All: How Smart Hoteliers Are Personalizing Their Ads to Capture New Audiences
Tambourine | May 7, 2019
Easy options you can implement immediately to personalize your ad messaging to capture new audiences. One of the biggest mistakes hotel marketers make when planning ad campaigns and promotional offers are building these campaigns around very broad, one size fits all messaging. In their effort to appeal to everyone, these ads run the risk of appealing to no one. The Good News: New ad platforms and ad technology (from google, facebook and Instagram, to travel intent and the OTAs) make it easier than ever to identify highly specific audiences so that you can tailor your ad messaging to suit them. The Bad News: Staying current with the alwa...
HVS Market Pulse: Memphis -Rehabilitation, Revitalization, and Restoration
Bunmi Adeboye | May 7, 2019
By Bunmi Adeboye, Adam R. Lair The Mississippi River, five Class-I railroads, a myriad of highways and interstates, and an international airport have molded Memphis into an important transportation hub and major logistics center. At the heart of its logistics prominence and rank as the world's second-busiest cargo airport is the FedEx Express World Hub operations. With so much to offer in the manufacturing, healthcare, finance, and high-tech industries and sectors, many companies have chosen Memphis as their base of business. Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Baptist Memorial Healthcare, DuPont, Car...
TikTok 101: Understanding the Rapidly Growing Social Network
Michael Del Gigante | May 7, 2019
By Michael Del Gigante As in life, the only constant with social media is change. Just as marketers were starting to feel comfortable with the current landscape, along has come a fresh, rapidly rising network: TikTok. As eMarketer recently put it: "Not since Snapchat has any app shown as much potential as TikTok to disrupt the existing social media world order." In an in-depth profile of the app—titled "How TikTok Is Rewriting the World"—The New York Times was just as effusive, stating: "TikTok will change the way your social media works—even if you're avoiding it." What's the big deal? What exactly is TikTok? How popu...
Birchington to Break Ground on 247-Room Holiday Inn Express in Washington, DC’s Mount Vernon Triangle Neighborhood
May 7, 2019
Washington, DC, May 7, 2019 – A 247-room Holiday Inn Express hotel will break ground this month in Washington, DC's Mount Vernon Triangle neighborhood. Birchington LLC, owned by Habte Sequar, closed on a construction loan from Atlanta-based Stonehill Strategic Capital to commence construction on the $93 million project. Projected to open in the fourth quarter of 2020, the 14-story hotel will be located at 317 K Street, NW on the northeast corner of 4th and K. This site is just three blocks east of the highly anticipated downtown Apple Store in the historic Carnegie Library, scheduled to open this week, as well as the Walter E. Was...
Ginger Hotels Expands in Gujarat With Signing of New 99-Room Hotel in Dwarka
Ginger Hotels | May 7, 2019
Mumbai, May 7, 2019: Ginger expanded its presence in Gujarat with the signing of a new hotel in Dwarka. With the addition of this hotel, Ginger will have eleven hotels in the state. The new hotel will have 99 well-appointed rooms, an all-day diner, a meeting room and a fitness centre offering a truly seamless stay experience to its guests. The hotel is a management contract agreement with Bluerock Hospitality Ventures Pvt. Ltd and is slated to commence operations by the end of May 2019. Deepika Rao, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Ginger said, "We are happy to partner with Blue Rock Hospitality Ventures in the pilgrimage ...
MCR Acquires Two Properties in Northwest Indianapolis
MCR | May 7, 2019
NEW YORK, NY / MAY 7, 2019 Revved up about Indy! MCR, the sixth-largest hotel owner-operator in the United States, has acquired two hotels in the Racing Capital of the World, the 110-room Hampton Inn Indianapolis Northwest – Park 100 and the 78-room Residence Inn by Marriott Indianapolis Northwest. Both properties are less than 10 miles from the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home of the thrilling Indy 500 car race. Every Memorial Day weekend, the 33 greatest drivers in the sport go full throttle for 200 laps around a 2.5-mile oval circuit in a quest for glory — and the traditional bottle of cold milk that goes to th...
Hospitality Management Corporation to Manage Missouri’s D’Monaco Luxury Resort
Hospitality Management Corporation (HMC) | May 7, 2019
Dallas, TX – Leo Spriggs, President and CEO of Hospitality Management Corporation (HMC), is pleased to share the addition of this 55-unit D'Monaco Luxury Resort, to their portfolio of managed properties. HMC continues its ongoing business expansion which is made up of full service, conference center, select service and limited service hotels. HMC is one of the country's largest third-party privately held hotel management companies, ranked in the top 40 of all third party and owner operated hotel management corporations. The luxurious accommodations at the D'Monaco are unique, as no two villas are alike. Each offers an exquisitely ...
Radisson Blu Debuts in Algeria With Opening of Radisson Blu Hotel, Algiers Hydra
May 7, 2019
Brussels/Algiers -- May 7, 2019 -- Radisson Blu, the upper upscale hotel brand that delivers a positive and personalized service in stylish spaces, is proud to announce the opening of its first hotel in Algeria. The Radisson Blu Hotel, Algiers Hydra features 140 rooms andholds a prime location in Hydra municipality, the capital's thriving business and diplomatic district. Tim Cordon, Area Senior Vice President, Middle East & Africa, Radisson Hotel Group, said: "We're excited to open our first hotel in Algeria. We believe there's strong potential to grow our renowned brand, especially as the country looks to develop its travel and to...
Radisson Hotel Group Partners With Allianz Real Estate for New Radisson Collection Hotel in Milan, Italy
May 7, 2019
Radisson Hospitality AB, part of Radisson Hotel Group, is pleased to announce the signing of a new Radisson Collection property in Milan, Italy. Working in conjunction with Allianz, the group will redevelop the former Allianz Italia headquarters in Milan into the Radisson Collection Hotel, Santa Sofia Milan. Set to open in 2022, the hotel will be managed by Allianz Real Estate on behalf of Allianz group companies. The hotel, located at via Santa Sofia 37 in the central Corso Italia district, will be part of the highly prestigious Radisson Collection portfolio. It will join other landmark Collection properties in Rome, Venice and the rec...
Choice Hotels and Athena Hospitality Group Break Ground on Cambria Hotel Nashville Airport
Cambria Hotels | May 7, 2019
ROCKVILLE, Md., May 7, 2019 -- Cambria Hotels is doubling its Music City presence as Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH) and Athena Hospitality Group, LLC, announced the start of construction on the brand's second upscale hotel in Nashville, Tenn. The Cambria Hotel Nashville Airport, scheduled to open in 2020, joins the Cambria Hotel Nashville Downtown, which opened in 2018. The 130-room hotel, located within Royal Park Owners Association at 44 Rachel Dr., offers convenient access to the Nashville International Airport as well as downtown Nashville. The Cambria Hotel Nashville Airport is less than two miles from One Centur...
BENCHMARK’s Sebastien Layen Named Senior Chef Champion in IACC’s Global Copper Skillet Competition
Executive Chef Sebastien Layen | May 7, 2019
The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, May 2019 … BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, announces that Sebastien Layen, executive chef at Deloitte University in Westlake, Texas, was named winner of the 2019 IACC Global Copper Skillet Competition, held recently in Toronto. IACC (formerly the International Association of Conference Centres) introduced the culinary competition in 2004 to highlight the artistry and skill of the best chefs from IACC-member conference venues around the world, and to honor chefs' contributions to providing an outstanding meeting experience. Chef Layen was the winner of regional competitions in IACC's A...
New Study: Travel Jobs Outpace Manufacturing, Health Care in Opportunity and Future Wages
U.S. Travel Association | May 7, 2019
WASHINGTON (May 7, 2019) — Travel industry jobs lead to higher wages and a permanent foothold for financial success, outpacing compensation in both manufacturing and health care, according to the U.S. Travel Association's Made in America: Travel's Contribution to Workforce Development. U.S. Travel released the study against the backdrop of the 36th annual National Travel and Tourism Week. The report—the second in U.S. Travel's "Made in America" series spotlighting the importance of travel for the U.S. economy—finds travel industry jobs are providing a path to prosperity for millions of Americans. ...
Hotel Indigo® Venice – Sant’Elena Opens in Italy Marking Brand Debut in the Floating City
May 7, 2019
IHG® (InterContinental® Hotels Group) is proud to announce the opening of Hotel Indigo® Venice – Sant'Elena marking the brand's debut in Venice, Italy. From palaces to piazzas, gondolas to gelato and canals to carnevale – there is no destination quite so magical as Venice. Filled with beauty and world-famous sights, it is no surprise that this city of 55,000 residents draws almost 30 million annual visitors. Despite its immense popularity, there are still pockets of the city yet to be discovered, such as the Sant'Elena neighbourhood. Sant'Elena is a global hub for modern art and culture, close to the home of the ...
Oetker Collection Switches to KNOW Glitch to Track Service Failures
KNOWCROSS | May 7, 2019
London, May 07 2019 - KNOWCROSS, the preferred service quality management platform of the finest hotels, is now the favored choice of Oetker Collection to further improve service levels. The Collection has decided to implement Knowcross' KNOW Glitch module, with an advanced interface to Opera, that automatically updates guest profile notes when a Glitch is reported. KNOW Glitch has successfully been implemented at the iconic Bristol Paris and will be rolled out across other Oetker Collection properties over the next few months. "We're delighted to have implemented Knowcross!" commented Christos Andreopoulos, Head of Information Technolo...
Want to Go Greener? Maestro PMS Makes Sustainable Practices Easy With Mobile Check-In, eFolios, Online Mobile Reporting
Maestro PMS | May 7, 2019
Maestro Mobile Check-In and Check-Out, Digital Registration, and Online Reports Get a 'Thumbs up' from Environmentally Conscious Travelers Markham, Ontario – May 7, 2019 – Green practices and environmental responsibility are growing property prerequisites for many travelers. Maestro PMS understands this. Maestro has led the paperless movement for the last 10+ years providing technology solutions that support sustainable hospitality practices. Maestro's most recent property software innovations reduce paper use and simplify the guest journey at every touchpoint beginning with Digital Signature Registration Card through to Mo...
Pangea Pod Hotel Leverages ASSA ABLOY Global Solutions Technology to Provide Guests With Seamless and Secure Check-in Experience
ASSA ABLOY Global Solutions | May 7, 2019
Ultra-modern and pod-based property implements Essence door locks alongside self check-in kiosks and RFID wristbands to offer maximum convenience, security and service personalization Stockholm – May 7, 2019 – ASSA ABLOY Global Solutions has announced the successful implementation of VingCard Essence door locks at the Pangea Pod Hotel, a recently opened property based in Whistler, Canada, that provides its guests with the latest in comfort and convenience while ensuring privacy and low pricing via its unique pod-based design. With guests able to check themselves in using a self-service kiosk, the presence of Essence door lo...
Walker Hotel Chooses a Multi-Property Operations Platform for Its Expansion
ALICE | May 7, 2019
Walker Hotel will be expanding its ALICE partnership with its soon-to-open Tribeca location after celebrating a fruitful implementation at Walker Hotel Greenwich Village. Walker Hotel Tribeca is slated to open in Spring 2019 and will use ALICE to streamline staff communication, manage productivity, and execute service promptly on maintenance and guest requests. ALICE is the hospitality industry's leading operations technology, connecting every department of the hotel with one platform for all staff communication and guest requests. Walker Hotel Greenwich Village implemented ALICE in May 2017 and has seen great improvements in their day-...
Don’t Forget About CRO: An interview with April Weatherly, Director Of Telephony Optimization & Analytics, Red Lion Hotels Corporation (RLHC)
SHR | May 6, 2019
How do you see the CRO, Central Reservations Office, today? I've been managing call centers most of my career, about 20 years. There have been some technological changes, definitely, but the basic goal has not changed, and that's making the reservation while surpassing guest expectations. The bottom line is still the same, too; there is little to no money to be made in the call center as an offering itself. And that means that there's much more to it than just a room full of people answering phones and taking reservations. So how does managing a CRO work? There are two sides; outside, from the CRO side, and inside from the hotel side...
