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BLLA Creates Clarity Within the Industry
THE BOUTIQUE & LIFESTYLE LEADERS ASSOCIATION (BLLA) | March 2, 2020
New York, NY, March 2, 2020 – The Boutique Lifestyle Leaders Association, commonly known as BLLA, continues to lead its ongoing commitment to providing clarity to the boutique hotel industry. Today, in an effort to recognize the ever-evolving nature of the business, it is publishing its groundbreaking categorization of the various kinds of boutique hotels in the world. With an unprecedented, comprehensive list of initial fourteen unique types of boutique hotels, BLLA re-establishes and cements the boutique hotel enterprise as a field of its own, no longer simply a subtype of a broader hotel enterprise. In the eleven years since the bou...
InterContinental Hotels Group® Welcomes Its First Hotel Indigo® in the Middle East in Dubai’s Downtown Neighborhood
IHG® | March 2, 2020
IHG® (InterContinental Hotels Group®) adds a new neighborhood to its boutique and lifestyle brand Hotel Indigo, the brand’s first ever hotel in the Middle East. The flagship property in the region will open its doors along the banks of the Dubai Creek, minutes away from Burj Khalifa. Slated to open in summer 2020, Hotel Indigo Dubai Downtown is a stone’s throw from a number of iconic landmarks and attractions, including one of the world’s largest retail hubs, The Dubai Mall. Hotel Indigo® properties offer a gateway to discover some of the world’s most inspiring locations. Each hotel brings the outside in; drawing from the loc...
Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate Plans Renovation
Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate | March 2, 2020
Orlando, FL (March 2, 2020) – Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate announced plans for a renovation that includes fully reimagined guest rooms, villas, as well as exciting updates to public spaces and meeting rooms, which will elevate the overall guest and meetings experience. Slated to begin in June and for completion in early Fall 2020, all 720 guest rooms and suites will be updated with new furnishings, carpet, and décor including lighting, paint, artwork, linens, drapery and bathroom restoration, with no detail being left untouched. All 49 villas will be refreshed with new light fixtures, chandeliers, furniture, new larger TV’s and ...
HFTP to Assist Postponed HITEC Europe Exhibitors
HFTP | March 2, 2020
2 March 2020 - Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®), the producers of HITEC®, announced today that exhibitors and sponsors who were confirmed to participate in HITEC Europe 2020 will be offered a complimentary branding package for HITEC North America, scheduled for 15-18 June 2020, San Antonio, Texas, USA. HFTP is also in the process of refunding booth fees and sponsorships paid to HFTP. The Europe event, which has been postponed in response to the global uncertainty related to the Novel Coronavirus and its impact on the hospitality industry. was planned for Mallorca, Spain 21-23 April is Europe's premier hospitality t...
Visrez Reaches 1,000 Clients Worldwide
Visrez | March 2, 2020
Visrez, the hospitality industry’s leading provider of 3D Visualisation tools has scaled to serve one thousand clients worldwide. The Dublin, Ireland based company provides a 3D alternative to on-site photography and its’ products include 3D Floor Plans, Virtual Reality, 3D Event Diagramming and Interactive Maps. Visrez has solved the problem of how to capture visual assets on-site and the company is widely regarded as one of the finest innovations of its’ kind. Traditional hotel or venue photo-shoots require planning, preparation and room block outs. Working with Visrez means no site visits, room set-ups or photo-shoots requi...
Noble House Hotels & Resorts Appoints Kevin Geanides as General Manager of Little Palm Island Resort & Spa
Noble House Hotels & Resorts | March 2, 2020
SEATTLE, WASH. – March 2, 2020 – Noble House Hotels & Resorts, a collection of luxury hotels and resorts, proudly announces the appointment of Kevin Geanides as general manager at Little Palm Island Resort & Spa, located on a four-acre private island off the fabled coastline of the Florida Keys. In this role, Kevin will be responsible for managing the resort’s day-to-day success, sales and marketing, food and beverage, as well as budget, maintaining a focus on strategic goals and overseeing all operational aspects for the ultra-luxe resort, which re-opened after a two-year closure on March 1, 2020. Geanides rejoins Little Pal...
Hotel Canandaigua Appoints General Manager and Director of Sales & Marketing Ahead of Fall 2020 Opening
Hotel Canandaigua | March 2, 2020
Canandaigua, NY (March 2, 2020) – Hotel Canandaigua, Tapestry Collection by Hilton opening on the lakefront of Canandaigua, New York in the Finger Lakes region has named Todd Plouffe and Katie Patnode as General Manager and Director of Sales & Marketing, respectively. With more than 40 years of combined hospitality experience, the pair will work directly with boutique hotel management company Hay Creek Hotels to open the much-anticipated waterfront property. Established members of the upstate New York hospitality industry, Plouffe and Patnode have previously led the growth and development for several of the largest tourism spaces in ...
Boutique Aparthotel, The Gate, Debuts in East London
The Gate | March 2, 2020
LONDON, LATE MARCH -- The Gate is a boutique aparthotel opening in Aldgate East, which offers the service and style of a hotel with the privacy of a self-service apartment. Modern travellers’ needs and taste in accommodation are changing - people desire more choice than a traditional hotel versus self-catering apartments, and The Gate aims to bridge the gap between the two. The new aparthotel feels like an elevated version of your own home, with full-service amenities and flexible stay periods where guests can stay for one night or up to three months. Situated in Whitechapel, just a one-minute walk from Aldgate East tube station,...
Chesapeake Hospitality Adds Doubletree by Hilton Hotel & Suites Pittsburgh Downtown to Management Portfolio
Chesapeake Hospitality | March 2, 2020
GREENBELT, Md., March 2, 2020 – Chesapeake Hospitality, an award winning third-party hotel management company with properties across the country, announced today its new role as property manager for Doubletree by Hilton Hotel & Suites Pittsburgh Downtown. The property is Chesapeake Hospitality’s second Doubletree Hotel in the Pittsburgh area including Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Pittsburgh-Cranberry. Chris Green, President and CEO of Chesapeake Hospitality, made the announcement. “We’ve had an incredible past year identifying great opportunities to bring our results focused management expertise to the right properties acros...
Hyatt Centric Las Olas Fort Lauderdale Plans April 2020 Opening
Hyatt Centric Las Olas Fort Lauderdale | March 2, 2020
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – February 2020: Located in the heart of the city’s bustling business district, Hyatt Centric Las Olas Fort Lauderdale will open its doors April 2nd as a premiere destination for business, group, and leisure travelers. The full-service, 238-room property is located inside the new-build 100 Las Olas tower, which has dramatically transformed the city’s downtown skyline as its tallest building to date. Inspired by Fort Lauderdale’s waterfront location and iconic yachting culture, with architecture and interiors by Simeone Deary Design Group, the property’s aesthetic features colors, textures and shapes embl...
Hospitality Financial Leadership: White Light
David Lund | March 2, 2020
By David Lund Hotels are notorious for ghosts and ghost stories. Especially in old hotels. This is a story about one of my creepier encounters with something while working in one of the oldest and most famous hotels in the world. Ever wonder why hotels have so many ghosts? The reason is lots of people die in hotels. The reason why lots of people have died is because so many people stay and sleep in hotels. I bet you have never thought about it this way so let’s run some numbers, just for fun. If a 100-year-old hotel that has 350 rooms has run an average of 70 percent occupancy and an average of 1.75 people per room occupied that’...
Hyatt Hotels Highlighted at First ASFONA 2020 Owner Board Meeting in Chicago
ASFONA | March 2, 2020
ASFONA Owner Board Members confer with Hyatt management team members to explore opportunities within the hotel giant's impressive global brand portfolio CHICAGO — MARCH 2, 2020 — ASFONA, the hotel industry’s only independent non-brand affiliated hotel owner/operator association, held its first Board Member meeting of 2020 in Chicago with a focus on Hyatt Hotels and the company’s impressive global brand portfolio. The February meeting, which took place at the Hyatt Regency Downtown Chicago, included a morning session, in which ASFONA Owner Members had an opportunity to meet with management team members of Hyatt Hotels. The Hyatt te...
Clairvoyix Strategist Joins HSMAI as VP of Social Media
Clairvoyix | March 2, 2020
Hospitality industry’s leading leisure, group marketing automation company sees benefits of partnering with organizations like HSMAI LAS VEGAS, NV (March 2, 2020) – Clairvoyix, the leader in enterprise class, hospitality-focused leisure and group marketing automation, recently announced the appointment of Lorie Towsley as the vice president of social media for the Los Angeles chapter of the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI). After serving last year on the Los Angeles HSMAI Chapter social media committee, the HSMAI board was impressed with Towsley’s innovative approach to social channels, cu...
Centara and Hua Hin Pearl Sign HMA for Cha Am Resort
Centara | February 28, 2020
Bangkok, Thailand – 28th February 2020 - Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand’s leading hotel operator, and Hua Hin Pearl Resort Company Limited, announced the signing of a Hotel Management Agreement (HMA) for Centra by Centara Cha Am Beach Resort Hua Hin. Senior executives from the two companies officially executed the agreement at a signing ceremony held yesterday at Centara’s flagship Centara Grand & Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWorld. Hua Hin Pearl, the owner of the property which is owned by a major shareholder of KTIS Group, a leading Thailand-based sugar company, acquired the former Beach Garden Hotel and carried ...
HCW Breaks Ground on 265-Room Caesars Republic Scottsdale Hotel
HCW | February 28, 2020
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Feb. 28, 2020 -- HCW, a real estate development company with offices in Arizona and Missouri, announced that it has broken ground on the first Caesars Republic non-gaming U.S. hotel. HCW, which has developed more than $2 billion in real estate in the last 23 years, has teamed up with Caesars Entertainment Corporation (NASDAQ: CZR) and Macerich (NYSE: MAC) to bring the 265-room Caesars Republic Scottsdale luxury brand hotel to Scottsdale, Arizona. The hotel will be located at Scottsdale Fashion Square on the southeast corner of Goldwater Blvd. and Highland Ave. in the heart of the Scottsdale dining lifestyle district....
5 Steps to 5-Star Service Excellence, Inspired by the Ritz-Carlton
Hospitality Insights | February 28, 2020
Service excellence is the foundation of luxury hotels and the Ritz-Carlton has received many awards for it. Here are 5 steps it takes to remain best in class. When you opt for a five-star hotel, you expect luxury. Marble, not granite. Silverware, not stainless steel. Crystal rather than glass. A high thread count. You expect the receptionist who welcomes you on arrival to speak your language. You anticipate valet parking or someone to show you to your room, relieving you of the burden of your heavy suitcases. You presume the hotel restaurant, or indeed restaurants, will serve exquisite cuisine at your beck and call. You want access to addi...
Revenue, Profit Up at European Hotels to Start Year
HotStats | February 28, 2020
It was a good start of the year for hoteliers in Mainland Europe. On the back of the positive results recorded in the last quarter of 2019, profit per available room achieved a 5.7% year-over-year increase in January 2020. The rise in profits was led by a growing top-line. With a 0.6% YOY uptick in average rate and an increase of 2.4 percentage points in occupancy, RevPAR placed 4.9% above January of 2019. It was the leisure segment (travelers using discounted or weekend rates and packages) that contributed the most to this escalation in RevPAR, accounting for 33.2% of rooms revenue and 31.7% of occupancy. A further...
HFTP Postpones HITEC Europe 2020
HITEC | February 28, 2020
HITEC Europe was originally slated for April 21-23, 2020 in Palma, Mallorca, Spain Austin, Texas USA - Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®), the producers of HITEC®, has postponed HITEC Europe 2020 in response to the global uncertainty related to the Novel Coronavirus and its immediate impact on the hospitality industry. This decision was made following careful consideration for the health and well-being of attendees. HITEC Europe, produced in cooperation with HTNG, was originally planned to take place April 21-23, 2020 in Palma, Mallorca, Spain as Europe's premier hospitality technology event. "Companies and oth...
The 2020 Edition of the Female Empowerment Conference, Powered by BLLA and StayBoutique, to Be Held March 8-9 in Downtown Los Angeles
the Boutique & Lifestyle Leaders Association (BLLA) | February 28, 2020
Holding it in the iconic and historic Hotel Figueroa, supports the theme of the conference which is The Enlightened Women of our Age Los Angeles, February 28, 2020 - BLLA and StayBoutique’s Female Empowerment Conference is an offline gathering of enlightened women in the travel, boutique and hospitality industries. Transformed from the (Travel Industry) Executive Women’s Conference, BLLA and StayBoutique’s Female Empowerment Conference recognizes women internationally who lead in fields related to the boutique lifestyle including hospitality, travel, and tourism. This conference consciously creates a forum for women to support eac...
HVS Market Pulse: Cape Cod
Roth Johnson | February 27, 2020
By Roth Johnson Seasonality and Market Performance As with most leisure markets, particularly those driven by weather, the Cape Cod market has a high degree of seasonality. In the last three years, peak-season August occupancy levels have averaged in the mid-80s, while low-season January occupancy levels have averaged in the low 20s. Both local hoteliers and the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce have been mildly successful in expanding shoulder seasons in April, May, September, and October. Occupancy at upscale, upper-upscale, and luxury hotels on the Cape increased 5% from May 2017 to May 2019, and 6% from September 2017 to September 2018. I...
Accor Signs With MIT Group Holdings to Develop SO/Melbourne
Accor | February 27, 2020
Today, Accor announces the continued expansion of its luxury portfolio in Australia, with the debut of the vibrant and playful SO/Hotels & Resorts luxury brand in Melbourne, Australia. Slated to open in 2023, SO/Melbourne is set to be a bold, fashionable and luxurious designer hotel, located in a prime CBD position overlooking Flagstaff Gardens. Positioned on the corner of William and Franklin Streets, the hotel is within close reach of Melbourne’s key commercial, retail and leisure attractions. The first SO/ branded hotel for Australia and second in the region following SO/Auckland, will boast 288 avant-garde guestrooms and suites...
McKibbon Hospitality Begins Renovation of Aloft Asheville Downtown
Aloft Hotels | February 27, 2020
Asheville, NC (Feb. 27, 2020) – McKibbon Hospitality, an award-winning leader in hotel management, today announced that Aloft Asheville Downtown has begun an all-encompassing renovation, implementing modern, stylistic upgrades, new soft goods and refreshed amenities throughout. The hotel remains open during the renovation, which began in January 2020 and is expected to be completed this March. Upon completion, guests will experience new carpeting, seating and fabrics in all guest rooms, suites and public spaces. Blending bold patterns and vibrant colors, the hotel’s refreshed look reinvigorates the space while staying true to the brand...
The Middle East’s Hotel Construction Pipeline Counts Essentially Even Year-Over-Year
Lodging Econometrics (LE) | February 27, 2020
February 27, 2020 – PORTSMOUTH, NH – Analysts at Lodging Econometrics (LE) state in the 2019 year-end report that the hotel construction pipeline in the Middle East stands at 618 projects/178,384 rooms, compared to 622 projects/181,813 rooms at the end of 2018. The pipeline in the Middle East remains strong as room counts have been over 170,000 in every quarter of the past two years. Projects currently under construction are at 357 projects/117,112 rooms. Projects scheduled to start construction in the next 12 months stand at 128 projects/32,684 rooms, and projects in the early planning stage are at 133 projects/28,588 rooms. The Mi...
January Hotel Data Highlights Coronavirus Scourge
David Eisen | February 27, 2020
By David Eisen The World Health Organization says that COVID-19, more commonly known as coronavirus, has the potential to become a pandemic. It’s already rocked the hospitality industry with canceled flights and forced hotel cancellations, even closures. When hotel executives talk about black-swan events — unpredictable occurrences that are beyond what is normally expected of a situation and have potentially severe consequences — coronavirus is about as swannish and dark as it gets. It’s certainly cast a pall over the hotel industry, leaving it reeling in its wake. Worry and uncertainty over the virus’s short-term and full-...
