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
The Cordish Companies Celebrates ‘Topping Off’ for New $270+ Million Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana Project
Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana | July 18, 2024
World-Class Gaming, Hotel, Dining, and Entertainment Destination to Feature First Land-Based Casino in Shreveport-Bossier Market New Development Projected to Generate More Than $200 Million in City and State Gaming Tax Revenue in First Five Years of Operation; Create Approximately 1,500 New Jobs for the Region Property Will Feature 30,000 SF of Best-in-Class Dining and Entertainment Venues Bossier City, LA (July 18, 2024) – LRGC Gaming Investors, LLC, an affiliate of The Cordish Companies, today marked a significant milestone in the construction of the first land-based casino in the Shreveport-Bossier market during the “TOPPING OF...
Jeffery Young Joins Watermark Beach Resort as Executive Chef
Watermark Beach Resort | July 18, 2024
OSOYOOS, BC, July 18, 2024 | Watermark Beach Resort is pleased to welcome Jeffery Young as executive chef at the Osoyoos resort. Young brings a wealth of experience gained over three decades in the hospitality sector, spanning renowned establishments across Canada, including positions at the Four Seasons Hotel and Resorts, Fairmont Hotels, and acclaimed wineries such as Summerhill Pyramid Winery. Young’s culinary career has humble beginnings, with his first position as a kitchen dishwasher at a suburban Vancouver country club, where he was inspired to pursue Vancouver Community College's Culinary Arts program immediately after high schoo...
Yoo2 Rio de Janeiro, Tapestry Collection by Hilton Opens in Brazil
Tapestry Collection by Hilton | July 18, 2024
SAO PAULO, Brazil – Today Hilton (NYSE: HLT) announced the debut of Yoo2 Rio de Janeiro, Tapestry Collection by Hilton marking the company’s 20th hotel in the country and Tapestry’s first property in Rio de Janeiro. Owned and managed by ICH/Intercity Hotéis, the 135-room hotel is located in the trendy Botafogo neighborhood and features spectacular views of Sugar Loaf Mountain and Christ the Redeemer. This property builds on Hilton’s rapid expansion in the market where it plans to introduce two new brands in the upcoming years. “We are delighted to welcome guests to experience this renowned destination through the hotel’...
Riu Plaza Chicago Opens Its Doors in the Heart of the Magnificent Mile Shopping District
RIU Hotels & Resorts | July 18, 2024
Palma de Mallorca, 18 July 2024.- RIU Hotels & Resorts has reached yet another milestone in its international expansion with the opening of the Riu Plaza Chicago. The new four-star establishment with 390 rooms is strategically located in the heart of Chicago's world-famous Magnificent Mile shopping district, and from September it will offer guests and visitors alike panoramic views of the city from the 27th floor of the building in the hotel’s bar, The Rooftop. This opening in a newly built skyscraper not only places the RIU brand in a capital city with one of the most competitive real estate markets in the world, but is also an ...
Raines Adds Sea Palms Resort in St. Simons Island to Its Management Portfolio
Raines | July 18, 2024
FLORENCE, SC — July 18, 2024 — Raines, a leading hospitality management, development, and investment organization, has welcomed the Sea Palms Resort in St. Simons Island, GA, to its management portfolio. This addition, owned by RREAF Holdings, is now part of Woven by Raines, the company’s lifestyle division, and includes a golf course, marking the second golf course managed by Raines. Sea Palms Resort, nestled in an upscale resort community at 515 North Windward Drive, offers a unique blend of luxury and leisure. St. Simons Island, recognized as one of the most popular island destinations in the world in 2023 by Travel & L...
Texas Western Hospitality Opens a Home2 Suites by Hilton in Laredo, Texas
Home2 Suites by Hilton | July 18, 2024
Laredo, TX – July 18, 2024 – Texas Western Hospitality of Addison, Texas today announced the opening of their newest property, Home2 Suites by Hilton in Laredo, Texas. Designed for travelers who want to maintain their normal routine, the hotel features 107 suites and a range of value, tech-focused and eco-conscious amenities. General Manager Rejino Perez leads the management team at the Home2 Suites by Laredo North for Texas Western Hospitality. Located at 1420 Hospitality Drive near the junction of I-69 and I-35 and nine miles from Laredo International Airport, Home2 Suites by Hilton Laredo North offers guests convenient access to Port...
Chatham Bars Inn Welcomes Michael Briggs as Managing Director
Chatham Bars Inn | July 18, 2024
Chatham, MA (July 18, 2024) – Today, Chatham Bars Inn, Cape Cod’s storied oceanfront luxury resort for over a century, announces the appointment of Michael Briggs as Managing Director. A proverbial homecoming, Briggs returns to the Forbes Five-Star resort with familiarity, as he previously held various leadership positions at Chatham Bars Inn for nearly a decade. “We are thrilled to welcome Michael back to Chatham Bars Inn,” said Rikki Boparai, Senior Vice President of Operations for Pyramid Global Hospitality. “His experience speaks for itself. We are confident that his dynamic and dedicated leadership will contribute to the Inn...
InnVentures Adds Two Hotels to Management Portfolio
InnVentures | July 18, 2024
Embassy Suites Portland Oregon and Seattle Washington Add to InnVentures’ Growing, National Portfolio July 16, 2024 (New York, NY) - InnVentures, a division of Highgate that specializes in the management of premium select-service and extended stay hotels, announced today the addition of two hotels to its portfolio. InnVentures will assume management of the Embassy Suites Portland Washington Square, Oregon and Embassy Suites Seattle Bellevue, Washington. The hotels represent 596 keys, the company’s third and fourth Embassy Suites under management, and bring the total number of properties managed by InnVentures to 85. These additions to...
Braemar Hotels & Resorts Closes Sale of Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines for $165M
Braemar Hotels & Resorts | July 18, 2024
DALLAS, July 18, 2024 -- Braemar Hotels & Resorts Inc. (NYSE: BHR) ("Braemar" or the "Company") today announced that it has closed on the previously announced sale of the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines for $165 million ($419,000 per key). Including anticipated capital expenditures of $40 million, the sale price represents a 7.2% capitalization rate on net operating income for the trailing twelve months ended March 31, 2024. The Company continues to evaluate the sale of two more hotels, subject to market conditions, to be completed in 2024 and 2025, respectively. "We are pleased to announce the closing of the sale of the Hilton...
Don’t Throw Fellow Employees Under the Bus
Shep Hyken | July 18, 2024
By Shep Hyken I couldn’t hold back. I told an employee to stop complaining about her fellow employees in front of us, her customers. Here’s the story. My wife and I were at a restaurant. The server seemed pleasant and professional, but as our food was delivered, we saw a different side of her. There was a mistake in the order. The side dishes we received were not the ones we chose. I didn’t think it would be a big deal. She could either take our meals back to the kitchen or let us keep our meals and bring out the side dishes we ordered. But to the server, it was a big deal. She started to complain about how this happens “...
U.S. Hotel Construction Activity Highest Since February 2023
CoStar Group | July 18, 2024
WASHINGTON – 18 July 2024 – The volume of U.S. hotel rooms under construction reached its highest level in 16 months, according to CoStar’s latest June 2024 data. CoStar is a leading provider of online real estate marketplaces, information and analytics in the property markets. U.S. Hotel Pipeline June 2024 (percentage change from June 2023) In construction: 157,713 rooms (+5.5%) Final Planning: 266,619 rooms (+9.8%) Planning: 333,827 rooms (+38.7%) “The number of rooms in construction has grown year over year for four consecutive months,” said Isaac Collazo, STR’s VP, analytics. “While upscale and upper m...
U.S. Hotel Results for Week Ending 13 July
CoStar Group | July 18, 2024
WASHINGTON – 18 July 2024 – The U.S. hotel industry reported higher performance results than the previous week but lower comparisons year over year, according to CoStar’s latest data through 13 July. CoStar is a leading provider of online real estate marketplaces, information and analytics in the property markets. 7-13 July 2024 (percentage change from comparable week in 2023): Occupancy: 69.2% (-3.7%) Average daily rate (ADR): US$158.21 (-1.5%) Revenue per available room (RevPAR): US$109.51 (-5.2%) Among the Top 25 Markets, Houston saw the highest year-over-year increases in each of the three key performance met...
Jacksonville, FL Supports a Robust Hotel Development Pipeline Despite Economic Uncertainty
Hannah McManus | July 18, 2024
By Hannah McManus While many U.S. markets have experienced a slowdown in hotel development amid rising construction costs, increasing financing costs, and general uncertainty, the greater Jacksonville market area has continued to support a robust hotel development pipeline. Factors contributing to this growth include ongoing infrastructure projects in the market, such as the JAXPORT dredging project and Interstate 295 expansion; the ongoing work of the Jacksonville Downtown Investment Authority (DIA) to broaden the city’s appeal as an international business destination; and the availability of land suitable for development. Thus, ...
Upward Climb With Uphill Struggles: 2024 Deloitte Corporate Travel Study
Deloitte | July 18, 2024
Amid steady corporate travel growth, companies are challenged to balance a need for more face-to-face client interaction with steep pricing and persistent environmental impact Corporate travel outlook While leisure travelers returned in a big way to airports, hotels, and vacation rentals beginning in the summer of 2021,1 corporate travel has been slower to return post–COVID-19 pandemic. Caution—initially about health, and then about financial costs and environmental impact—led most companies toward gradual returns to the road.2 New structural realities of working life have also curtailed the need to travel, with more home-centered d...
AI’s Impact on Hotels
CBRE | July 18, 2024
By Rachael Rothman, Jack Corgel, and Christine Bang Artificial Intelligence (AI) and technology enhancements for hotels promise enhanced customer service, higher margins and expanded research and booking, with improved experiences for guests. Of equal importance is the likelihood that AI and broader technology improvements will materially shift the relationship between hotel brands, third-party management companies and hotel owners, as well as the relationship between the online travel agents (OTAs), metasearch platforms and the brands, owners and managers. Key Takeaways Potential implications of artificial intelligence and technology en...
The Statler Names Marcelus Cordeiro as Hotel’s Executive Chef
The Statler | July 17, 2024
(DALLAS, July 17, 2024) – Marcelus Cordeiro has been named Executive Chef at The Statler, a Curio Collection by Hilton hotel managed by Aimbridge Hospitality, the leading global third-party hotel operator. In this role, Cordeiro will oversee the dine-and-drink establishments at The Statler, including Overeasy, Scout, Bourbon & Banter and Waterproof, as well as the hotel’s room-service and catering operations. Cordeiro comes to The Statler with more than a decade of experience leading large institutions’ kitchens, most recently as chef-manager at the University of North Texas in Denton. His hotel experience includes stints as execu...
The Publisher, A Tribute Portfolio Hotel, Opens in Historic Fredericksburg, VA
Greenwood Hospitality | July 17, 2024
Fredericksburg, VA, July 16, 2024 – Fredericksburg, a town deeply rooted in American history, is about to embrace a new chapter in its rich narrative with the impending opening of The Publisher, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel. The Publisher Hotel will join Marriott Bonvoy’s Tribute Portfolio, a growing family of global hotels drawn together by their passion for captivating design, sincere service, and vibrant social spaces, made for guests and locals alike. Built and owned by Fredericksburg-based Vakos Companies, The Publisher Hotel is set to become a beacon of modern storytelling and a future keepsake of downtown Fredericksburg. Slate...
Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa Completes Impressive $35M Renovation
Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa | July 17, 2024
SOUTH WALTON, Florida – July 16, 2024 – Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa, a premier destination along Northwest Florida’s emerald coast, proudly announces the completion of its extensive $35M property-wide renovation, coinciding with the resort’s 40th anniversary of welcoming guests. This multi-phased refurbishment, which began in fall 2022, encompasses a comprehensive upgrade of the resort’s accommodations, amenities, and dining experiences. “We are thrilled to reveal the final results of our property-wide refresh,” said Angelina Covington, general manager of Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa. “Our ...
The Perry Hotel Naples Slated for Fall Opening in Florida With 160 Guestrooms
The Perry Hotel Naples | July 17, 2024
NAPLES, FL (July 17, 2024) – The Perry Hotel Naples, a 160-room hotel located along the Cocohatchee River in North Naples, Florida, is slated to open this fall. It will be the second location for The Perry, a boutique hotel brand that launched in Key West in 2017. The $80-million project is a new-build, featuring seven floors, a modern industrial design, spacious guest rooms, most with balconies, a ground-floor pool and adjacent activity lawn, a poolside tapas eatery, a lobby coffee bar, a fitness center, and an open-air deck featuring a rooftop pool, a chic poolside bar highlighting craft cocktails, and rooftop Tigress Restaurant, a full-...
TAFER Hotels & Resorts Introduces Management Services and Expands Its Portfolio With Signing of Three Major Hotel Deals
TAFER Hotels & Resorts | July 17, 2024
PUERTO VALLARTA (July 17, 2024) — TAFER Hotels & Resorts, a forward-thinking leisure and hospitality company celebrated for its collection of award-winning hotels, luxury resorts, and boutique villas across Mexico and the Caribbean’s most coveted beach destinations, is proud to announce the launch of its hospitality management services. This significant milestone is marked by the signing and forthcoming assumption of management for three properties: Palmar Azul Beach in Mexico’s Riviera Maya, as well as Garza Blanca Resort & Spa Miches and Kairi Club Miches in the Dominican Republic. TAFER’s management services and new...
Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor Appoints Jennifer Blymier as Director of Sales and Marketing
Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor | July 17, 2024
BALTIMORE – July 17, 2024 – Jennifer Blymier has been named as the new Director of Sales and Marketing at the 757-room Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor. She brings more than 30 years of sales experience to her position and in her new role at Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor, Blymier will lead all strategic sales and marketing endeavors while supporting the hotel’s mission to provide outstanding service to guests. Before joining Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor, Blymier served as Director of Sales and Marketing at Omni Bedford Springs Resort in Pa. Throughout her career, she’s held various sales and marketing roles including Area Director of...
Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Appoints Greg Sherman Director of Food & Beverage
the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin | July 17, 2024
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – July 17, 2024 – The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin has appointed Greg Sherman director of food and beverage. He will oversee the complex’s multi-million-dollar food and beverage operation, comprised of 23 outlets. With a highly impressive professional background, Sherman brings over 25 years of food and beverage experience, with roles including executive chef, general manager, regional general manager and director of training and development. In 2014, he joined Rosa Mexicano as general manager. His exceptional leadership skills and deep understanding of the food and beverage industry ultimately propelled...
IHG Hotels & Resorts Launches Industry First ‘Low Carbon Pioneers’ Programme as CEO Calls for Broader Support From Governments to Accelerate
IHG | July 17, 2024
London (17thJuly 2024) IHG Hotels & Resorts, a global leader in hospitality, today announces the launch of its Low Carbon Pioneers programme, which brings together energy efficient hotels that have no fossil fuels combusted on-site* and are backed by renewable energy. This group of low operational carbon hotels is the first community of its kind in the industry and will help IHG test, learn and share findings on sustainability measures. The ambition is to inspire other properties to join the programme and also help encourage wider adoption of carbon reduction practices across IHG’s estate. The first Low Carbon Pioneer hotels span di...
Ticketed Events Are All the Rave as They Become a Popular Incentive for Americans to Travel This Summer
Allianz Partners | July 17, 2024
Allianz Partners USA’s 16th Annual Vacation Confidence Index Reveals Almost Two-Thirds of Americans Plan to Attend a Ticketed Event in 2024 Richmond, Virginia, July 17, 2024 – Passport stamps are a likely complement to this year’s hottest tickets for Americans as they pack their bags to attend concerts, sports and live entertainment events around the globe this summer, according to Allianz Partners USA's 16th Annual Vacation Confidence Index*. Entertainment remains a driving force for travel as the travel insurance and assistance company’s latest survey found that 24% of Americans plan to travel to a destination to attend ...
