The Tricycle of Guest Service Excellence: A Perfect Model For Remarkable Experiences
Doug Kennedy | October 4th, 2024
Spokane Tribe Resort & Casino Partners With Travel Outlook to Elevate Guest Service Experience
Travel Outlook, The Premier Hotel Call Center™ | October 2nd, 2024
Dimension Hospitality Names Paul C. Hills as General Manager at DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Paradise Valley-Scottsdale
Dimension Hospitality | January 16, 2024
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – (January 16, 2024) – Joe Viglietta, chief operating officer of Dimension Hospitality, a nationally recognized hotel management and development company, today announced the appointment of Paul Hills to the general manager position at the AAA Four-Diamond DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Paradise Valley-Scottsdale, located in the shadow of Camelback Mountain in Scottsdale, Arizona. Hills most recently was the resort manager for another resort and spa where he oversaw an ownership and brand change along with an extensive, $45 million renovation. Hills is a Scottsdale market veteran and has led teams with several Hilton br...
Jim Butler To Receive California Lodging Investment Conference [CLIC] Lifetime Achievement Award
[CLIC] | January 16, 2024
Jim Butler to Receive California Lodging Investment Conference [CLIC] Lifetime Achievement Award COSTA MESA, Cali., January 16, 2024—Officials of the California Lodging Investment Conference [CLIC], the only hospitality conference focused on the California hotel market, today announced that Jim Butler, founding partner of Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP, and founder and chairman of the Firm's Global Hospitality Group®, will receive the prestigious lifetime achievement award at the upcoming event being held March 6-7, 2024 at the Westin South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, Calif. “Jim was the obvious and unanimous choice to recei...
BluHost Taking Hospitality Financial Management Seriously With New Accounting System Upgrade
Aptech Computer Systems Inc. | January 16, 2024
Puerto Rico based hospitality management company hails PVNG from Aptech for its cloud-based reporting capabilities, remote access for staff, and responsive customer service PITTSBURGH, January 16, 2024 – BluHost is entering 2024 with a new enterprise accounting solution backing its portfolio of select service and ultra-luxury hotels and a mix of fine dining to casual restaurants. José M. Suárez, president and CEO of the Puerto Rico based hospitality management company, selected PVNG by Aptech because of past positive experiences with the company. “When BluHost was founded, it began looking for a unified financial system that cou...
France to Keep Its Crown as Most Popular Destination for International Visitors, Reveals WTTC
World Travel & Tourism Council | January 15, 2024
New data shows arrivals on brink of sector high Seat capacity to surpass pre-pandemic levels Nice surges as a key destination Paris, France: Latest flight booking data from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and its knowledge partner ForwardKeys, shows France is set to keep its pole position as the world’s most popular destination for international arrivals this year. The research reveals a positive outlook for France's inbound travel, with arrivals set to almost reach pre-pandemic highs this year. During her participation at the Destination France event taking place in Chantilly and hosted by President Macron, ...
Shamal Holding Breaks Ground on Exclusive Baccarat Hotel and Residences Dubai
Shamal Holding | January 15, 2024
New exclusive lifestyle luxury mixed-use development, opening in 2026, set to deliver a new standard of elevated living experience Project will be led by renowned Dubai developer H&H Development alongside award-winning architects Studio Libeskind and interior design studio 1508 London Originating from New York, the development will be the first Baccarat Hotel and Residences in the UAE DUBAI, UAE, Jan. 15, 2024 -- In an exclusive ground-breaking ceremony, Shamal Holding, a diversified investment firm which manages a unique portfolio of investments, assets and experiences, has inaugurated the start of construction for the highly an...
COP28 and New Year’s Eve Boosted Dubai Hotel Performance in December
CoStar Group | January 15, 2024
WASHINGTON – 15 January 2024 – Helped by COP28 and New Year’s Eve, Dubai’s hotel industry reported its highest monthly average daily rate (ADR) on record, according to preliminary December data from CoStar. CoStar is a leading provider of online real estate marketplaces, information, and analytics in the property markets. December 2023 (year-over-year % change): Occupancy: 79.2% (+3.5%) Average daily rate (ADR): AED1,060.61 (+19.0%) Revenue per available room (RevPAR): AED839.98 (+23.2%) The RevPAR level was the highest since January 2015. According to the daily data, Dubai saw its highest occupancy level on Ne...
London Hotel Performance Jumped During Holiday Season
CoStar Group | January 15, 2024
WASHINGTON – 15 January 2024 – Helped by the holiday travel season, London hotels posted significant performance levels, according to preliminary data from CoStar. CoStar is a leading provider of online real estate marketplaces, information, and analytics in the property markets. December 2023 (year-over-year % change): Occupancy: 80.5% (+5.7%) Average daily rate (ADR): GBP208.90 (+2.0%) Revenue per available room (RevPAR): GBP168.07 (+7.8%) The ADR and RevPAR levels were the highest for any December on record in the market, while occupancy was the highest for any December since 2018. According to daily d...
A-1 Hospitality Group Awarded Management for Two Sea-Tac Airport Hotels
A-1 Hospitality Group | January 15, 2024
SEATTLE – January 15, 2024 – A-1 Hospitality Group, a family owned and operated hotel management and development company based in Kennewick, Washington today announced that it has been awarded new management contracts on the Hampton Inn by Hilton Seattle Airport and the La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Seattle Sea-Tac Airport. Both properties are owned by Airport Investment Company, Inc. of Seattle, Washington. “We are thrilled to expand our managed asset portfolio footprint by entering the Sea-Tac market,” said Taran Patel, Managing Principal, A-1 Hospitality Group. “A-1 Hospitality Group is dedicated to supporting our own...
IHG Expands Portfolio in Saudi Arabia With Signing of Hotel Indigo Abha
IHG | January 15, 2024
Set to open in December 2025, the new-build boutique hotel will feature 110 rooms. Abha, Saudi Arabia, 15 January 2024: IHG Hotels & Resorts, one of the world’s leading hotel companies, has announced the signing of a franchise agreement for a new-build boutique hotel, Hotel Indigo Abha, in partnership with Firdous Abha Hotel Holding Company and under the management of Aleph Hospitality. The strategic signing underscores IHG’s commitment to expanding its Luxury & Lifestyle portfolio of hotels and elevating hospitality offering for the growing tourism sector in the Kingdom. Part of the IHG Luxury & Lifestyle portfolio, Hot...
Matt McClelland Joins OTO Development as Chief Operating Officer
OTO Development | January 15, 2024
Hospitality veteran brings three decades of dynamic experience to hotelier’s C-suite SPARTANBURG, SOUTH CAROLINA (Monday, January 15, 2024) — Matt McClelland has joined OTO Development as chief operating officer, bringing a dynamic depth and breadth of operations experience to the hotelier’s C-suite. He replaces former COO David Ward, who retired on December 31 after 18 years with the company. OTO Development, part of The Johnson Group, owns and/or operates approximately 65 select-service and lifestyle hotels across the country, many with proprietary restaurant concepts. McClelland will oversee operations across the company, wi...
The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa to Unveil $13.8 Million Renovation
The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa | January 15, 2024
The South Carolina resort will debut newly renovated rooms and suites - including the Presidential Suite, Vice Presidential Suite, Atlantic Suite, and Resort Bunk Suite - in February 2024 (HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC; January 15, 2024) – The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa announced today that the completion of its $13.8 million renovation, in which the team reimagined the resort’s existing 416 guestrooms to grow to 420 rooms, including 32 suites, is set to be completed in early-February 2024. Across all rooms, the team has transformed these spaces into extensions of the island’s natural landscape to create a luxurious coastal ...
Palace Hotel Appoints Geoffrey Sarabia-Mason as Director of Sales & Marketing
The Luxury Collection® Hotels & Resorts | January 15, 2024
Seasoned Industry Executive Joins Elite Hospitality Team at San Francisco’s Historic Hotel SAN FRANCISCO (January 15, 2024) – San Francisco’s historic Palace Hotel, a member of Marriott International’s Luxury Collection, is pleased to announce the appointment of Geoffrey Sarabia-Mason as director of sales and marketing. He joins the luxury property with more than three decades of management experience. A tenured industry professional, Sarabia-Mason will be responsible for planning and implementing sales and marketing programs for the landmark hotel. “Geoffrey comes to Palace Hotel with extensive experience in leadership roles ...
Hospitality Financial Leadership – How to Properly Record Packages in Your Hotel
David Lund | January 15, 2024
By David Lund Packages are, on the one hand, straightforward. They are a well-established offering in most hotels, customers love them, and they are not going away. On the other hand, most hoteliers are at a loss to properly set up and manage the transactions so that they do not end up with a mess in their books and systems. That is what this piece is about: How to properly administer these seemingly complicated and unruly devices. First: Pricing aspect Packages are a combination of a room and at least one other component, like a bed and breakfast package. They can also combine many items like we see in a romance package: room, meals, ro...
Baird/STR Hotel Stock Index Jumped 10.5% in December, Ended Year Up 38.4%
Baird | January 12, 2024
HENDERSONVILLE, Tennessee, and MILWAUKEE—The Baird/STR Hotel Stock Index jumped 10.5% in December to a level of 6,760. For 2023, the stock index was up 38.4%. “Hotel stocks – like the broader market – finished 2023 on a high note as the ‘soft landing’ narrative and lower interest rate outlook continued to boost investor sentiment and valuation multiples,” said Michael Bellisario, senior hotel research analyst and director at Baird. “Both the hotel brands and hotel REITs were up more than 10% in December and outperformed their respective benchmarks. For the year, the hotel REITs’ 19% gain more than doubled the return of re...
Transwestern Hospitality Group Acquires Houston’s Renowned Hotel Granduca
Transwestern Hospitality Group | January 12, 2024
HOUSTON, Jan. 12, 2024 -- Transwestern Hospitality Group (THG) announces it has acquired Hotel Granduca, a 122-key luxury hospitality property located on three and a half acres at 1080 Uptown Park Boulevard. THG partners Tyler Lavin and Thomas Duncan, supported by Transwestern's investment team, facilitated the transaction and will lead a comprehensive repositioning project at the renowned hotel. "Hotel Granduca is an irreplaceable five-star property located in an amenity-rich, walkable enclave situated between the River Oaks and Galleria submarkets," Lavin said. "In a world where travelers increasingly expect a memorable, authentic ...
Starwood Capital Acquires Portfolio of Ten Hotels From Edwardian Group Comprising 2,053 Rooms
Starwood Capital | January 12, 2024
LONDON, Jan. 12, 2024 -- Starwood Capital Group ("Starwood Capital"), a global private investment firm with a primary focus on real estate, announced today that a controlled affiliate has acquired a portfolio of 10 hotels from Edwardian Group for an undisclosed sum via an off-market transaction. The portfolio comprises 10 hotels with 2,053 rooms. Edwardian Group will continue to own and operate The Londoner and its two Radisson Collection hotels, The May Fair and The Edwardian Manchester, following closing of the transaction. Alongside the acquisition, Starwood Capital and Edwardian Group intend to collaborate on future opportunities ...
10 Hospitality Trends for 2024: Crafting Tomorrow’s Experiences Today!
EHL Insights | January 12, 2024
As a testament to its resilience, agility and innovative spirit, this article reflects today’s increasingly dynamic hospitality industry in terms of its long, medium and short-term evolution. Best-selling author, Will Guidara, claims “We are entering into a hospitality economy” – suggesting that what underpins the essence of hospitality, (service excellence, human interaction, personalization and the co-creation of memorable experiences), is actually what many sectors of industry are desperately in need of today. As we charge at break neck speed towards an ever-more digitalized society, the hospitality industry stands out as the succ...
U.S. Select-Service and Extended-Stay Hotel Outlook 2024
JLL | January 12, 2024
In the early 2000s, select-service and extended-stay hotels operated as more clearly defined sectors, differentiated by their target market and length of stays. During this period, individual owners dominated the market with only a handful of prominent brands available. However, in recent years, the distinctions between select-service and extended-stay hotels have become increasingly blurred. Select-service hotels now incorporate extended-stay amenities including in-room kitchenettes and flexible workspaces, while extended-stay hotels have added business centers with more of its brands incorporating 24/7 self-service marketplaces as see...
Wyndham Confirms Receipt of Expansive FTC Second Request Under HSR Act for Choice’s Unsolicited Hostile Offer to Acquire Wyndham
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts | January 12, 2024
Extended Regulatory Review Certain Offer Continues to Undervalue Wyndham and Exposes Wyndham Shareholders to Significant Asymmetrical Risk PARSIPPANY, N.J., Jan. 12, 2024 -- Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: WH) ("Wyndham" or the "Company"), the world's largest hotel franchising company with approximately 9,100 hotels spanning more than 95 countries, today confirmed receipt of a 40-page and 65-topic 'Second Request' from the Federal Trade Commission in connection with Choice Hotels International, Inc.'s (NYSE: CHH) ("Choice") unsolicited proposed acquisition of Wyndham: "From the beginning, Wyndham has consistently stated that this...
Signia by Hilton Debuts Flagship Hotel in Downtown Atlanta
Hilton | January 12, 2024
ATLANTA – Today, Hilton (NYSE: HLT) announced the highly anticipated opening of the 976-room Signia by Hilton Atlanta, marking the first new build and Georgia hotel for the Signia by Hilton brand, and Atlanta’s largest ground-up hotel development project in 40 years. Inclusive of the property’s debut, Atlanta represents Hilton’s largest market globally by number of hotels with a portfolio of 136 hotels across 13 brands welcoming travelers to the destination. In Atlanta, Hilton also has a pipeline of more than 40 hotels in various stages of design and construction. Poised to become a signature landmark and economic catalyst on th...
House Votes to Overturn Job-Killing Joint-Employer Rule
AHLA | January 12, 2024
WASHINGTON (Jan. 12, 2024) – American Hotel & Lodging Association President & CEO Chip Rogers released the below statement today after the U.S. House of Representatives passed a Congressional Review Act resolution to overturn the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) dangerous joint-employer regulation. “Today’s House vote is a victory for common sense. Neither companies nor their employees want this job-killing regulation, which will destroy the franchise model that supports millions of small business jobs,” said AHLA President & CEO Chip Rogers. “The bipartisan nature of this vote underscores how destructive ...
JRK Property Holdings Acquires Hyatt Branded Hotel Portfolio in San Juan, Puerto Rico From PRISA Group
JRK Property Holdings | January 12, 2024
Los Angeles, CA (January 12, 2024) – JRK Property Holdings, through its $350 million hospitality fund, has acquired a two-property, 275-key Hyatt-branded hotel portfolio in San Juan, Puerto Rico from the PRISA Group for an undisclosed price. The portfolio comprises two premium select-service hotels located within the Puerto Rico Convention District: the 149-room Hyatt Place San Juan and 126-room Hyatt House San Juan. Developed by the seller within the past eight years, both properties have been recently renovated including lobby refresh, updated F&B outlets, and guestroom and corridor improvements. Both properties were designed t...
International Visitors Spent $19.0 Billion in the United States in November 2023
National Travel and Tourism Office | January 12, 2024
International Visitors Spent $19.0 Billion in the United States in November 2023 Data recently released by the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) show that in November 2023: International visitors spent $19.0 billion on travel to, and tourism-related activities within, the United States, an increase of more than 21 percent compared to November 2022 and the highest level of monthly spending since December 2019 (before the onset of reported COVID-19 cases). In fact, monthly U.S. travel and tourism exports are within $1.8 billion of their highwater mark set back in March 2018 when international visitors spent an appre...
Valencia Hotel Collection Promotes Roy Kretschmer to Chief Operating Officer
VALENCIA HOTEL COLLECTION | January 12, 2024
Kretschmer Transitions into New Role After More Than 20 Years with The Texas-Based Independent Hospitality Group AUSTIN, TX – January 12, 2024 – Valencia Hotel Collection (VHC) proudly announces the promotion of Roy Kretschmer to the position of Chief Operating Officer – Valencia Hospitality Group. This move comes in light of Kretschmer’s exceptional two-decade tenure with the brand, marked by a proven track record of successful hotel openings, prestigious awards, and exhibiting admirable leadership. Previously serving as VHC’s Executive Vice President of Operations, Kretschmer will continue to spearhead initiatives to optimize ...
