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HR Group Opens Hyatt House Frankfurt Eschborn, Germany
Hyatt House | February 11, 2020
CHICAGO (February 10, 2020) – Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE:H) announced today the opening of Hyatt House Frankfurt Eschborn, which marks the ninth Hyatt-branded hotel in Germany. Managed by the HR Group, the 190-room Hyatt House hotel is located in the well-established business area of Eschborn and aims to provide extended-stay residents a home away from home while on the road. Ideal for guests who are looking to continue their work and personal routines, Hyatt House Frankfurt Eschborn provides apartment-style living, which makes the business traveler feel at home. The hotel offers easy access to the airport, the Main-Taunus-Zentru...
WoodSpring Continues Westward Growth With Two California Openings
WoodSpring Suites | February 11, 2020
ROCKVILLE, Md., Feb. 11, 2020 - WoodSpring Suites, an extended stay hotel franchised by Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), continues to capitalize on development opportunities in the Western U.S. with two new hotel openings in California: the WoodSpring Suites Riverside-Corona-Norco and the WoodSpring Suites Redlands San Bernardino. "We're thrilled to expand our extended stay footprint to a pair of popular markets in Southern California," said Anna Scozzafava, vice president of brand strategy and operations, extended stay, Choice Hotels. "WoodSpring remains one of Choice Hotels' fastest growing brands at a time when ...
Nordic Choice Hotels Opens Comfort Hotel Arlanda Airport in Stockholm
Choice Hotels | February 11, 2020
STOCKHOLM, Sweden. (Feb. 11, 2020) – Nordic Choice Hotels opened the doors to the Comfort Hotel Arlanda Airport in Stockholm, Sweden on January 30. The 503-room hotel is the largest in the Comfort brand system worldwide and is one of several new hotels that the franchise group will be adding over the next three years. Located between terminals 4 and 5, guests will only have a two-minute walk to the international terminal and it’s also nearby to one of Sweden's busiest train stations. A select-service brand, Comfort hotels are environmentally conscious and challenge the traditional image of what hotels offer to guests. Hotels are ...
Voice Is Here to Stay: Embrace It
Darren Clark | February 11, 2020
Why Viceroy Hotels & Resorts is ‘All In’ with Volara By Darren Clark It’s a new decade — a time when hoteliers are looking at artificial intelligence and voice technologies not as disruptors, but as innovations that will connect them to guests in more meaningful and lasting ways. It’s an era of convenience, when frictionless voice command is replacing friction-filled app downloads, germ-infested tablets, and antiquated telephones to connect guests to information and services and control the room environment. It’s an ever-evolving digital world where speed, efficiency, and immediacy are constantly being optimized. It’s...
Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort & Spa Appoints Keith Spinden as General Manager
Hyatt Regency Lost Pines | February 11, 2020
Austin, Texas (February 11, 2020) – Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort & Spa, one of Texas’ leading resorts located right outside Austin, announces Keith Spinden as General Manager. He joins the property from Grand Hyatt DFW in Dallas, Texas. “I am thrilled to join the great team here at Hyatt Regency Lost Pines,” said Keith Spinden, General Manager at Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort & Spa. “As much of my career with Hyatt has been spent working at resorts, from Hawaii to Las Vegas, I am excited to be back at a resort property. Working at a multi-faceted hospitality operation such as Lost Pines gives you several opportunitie...
Hotel Revival Taps Donal Neilan as Director of Food and Beverage
Hotel Revival | February 11, 2020
Baltimore, MD – Hotel Revival, an award-winning Joie de Vivre hotel located in the heart of Baltimore’s historic Mount Vernon neighborhood, is pleased to announce Donal Neilan as its new director of food and beverage. Neilan is responsible for overseeing and bringing fresh ideas to the hotel’s food and beverage program, which includes Topside and B-Side Cocktails and Karaoke as well as the hotel’s private events and room service. “We are thrilled to have Donal join our team during this exciting time of growth for the hotel,” said Donte Johnson, general manager of Hotel Revival. “His extensive expe...
US Hotel Brand Loyalty Contribution Reaches an All-Time High in 2019
Kalibri Labs | February 11, 2020
February 11th, 2020 – ROCKVILLE, MD – The hotel brand loyalty programs continue to play a major factor in where and how guests are booking their stays, and today loyalty-related bookings account for more than 50% of the total hotel bookings in the U.S., according to new, full-year 2019 booking data from Kalibri Labs. Throughout 2019, total US Loyalty Contribution increased 7.6% to 56.2%, a jump of 8.3 percentage points or 17.3% since the top hotel brands launched aggressive book-direct campaigns in 2016. However, top-line growth rates slowed in 2019, meaning it's more important than ever for hotels to control t...
Hyatt Centric Downtown Portland Opens as Hyatt Centric Brand’s First Hotel in the Pacific Northwest
Hyatt Centric | February 11, 2020
PORTLAND, Ore. (February 11, 2020) – Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE:H) today announced the opening of Hyatt Centric Downtown Portland in Oregon, the first Hyatt Centric hotel in the Pacific Northwest. The 220-room hotel is located in the heart of Portland’s hip West End District, just steps from high-end eateries and landmarks such as Powell’s Books and the Pearl District. The new hotel features a modern design and sleek guestrooms, as well as noteworthy amenities, including a vinyl player in the hotel’s 13 suites and 11 studio rooms, an impressive array of local art, and a Catalan and Spanish-inspired restaurant helmed by celebrated ...
Hospitality Upgrade’s 2020 Executive Vendor Summit Registration Opened
the Executive Vendor Summit | February 11, 2020
Nashville announced as the host city for the March event February 11, 2020 - Hospitality Upgrade Magazine’s 16th Annual Executive Vendor Summit has opened registration and announced Nashville as its host city for the March 25-27 event. The Executive Vendor Summit (EVS) is a unique industry event that focuses on C-level executives from the hospitality technology solutions industry. This invitation-only event brings executives together for learning, leadership discovery and networking. The 2020 EVS will take place in the heart of Music City at the newly opened Drury Plaza Hotel, located just minutes from all that downtown Nashville has to...
The Harbor Club Saint Lucia Appoints Cristian Rebolledo as Director of Food & Beverage and Executive Chef
The Harbor Club | February 10, 2020
The James Beard Award Nominee Will Oversee the Hotel’s Four Restaurants, Focusing on its Newest Addition, 14North NEW YORK – Feb. 10, 2020 – The Harbor Club, located on the picturesque Rodney Bay in Saint Lucia, has appointed Cristian Rebolledo as the new Director of Food & Beverage and Executive Chef for the hotel’s four restaurants. Cristian Rebolledo is a graduate of the legendary Culinary Institute of America. Rebolledo’s expertise has flourished under the tutelage of some of the world’s best chefs including Joan Roca i Fontané and Ferran Adria. Having worked in Europe, South America, Southeast Asia, the U.S., and t...
Radisson Hotel Group to Open the First Radisson-Branded Hotel, Radisson Hotel Gorizont Rostov-on-Don in Russia
Radisson | February 10, 2020
Brussels/Rostov-on-Don - February 10, 2020 - Radisson Hotel Group is proud to announce a new 173-room hotel, the Radisson Hotel Gorizont Rostov-on-Don, set to open in 2020. Elie Younes, Executive Vice President & Chief Development Officer, Radisson Hotel Group, said: “We are extremely proud to establish Radisson in Russia, and with this, further strengthening our position as the leading international hotel group in the region. This signing brings our Russian portfolio up to a total of 39 hotels and 10,000+ rooms in operation or under development.” Dan Polonsky, General Director of TK Gorizont JSC said: “The new hotel is a part ...
Quirk Hotel Charlottesville Appoints Opening Leadership Team
Quirk Hotel Charlottesville | February 10, 2020
Matthew Brink and Whitney Dang Appointed in New Roles as Boutique Art Hotel Enters Final Stages of Development CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Nearing completion in Charlottesville, Virginia’s historic downtown area, Quirk Hotel Charlottesville is proud to announce two executive leadership team members for the art-driven hotel, including the appointment of seasoned hospitality leaders Matthew Brink as general manager and Whitney Dang as area director of sales & marketing. The first boutique art hotel to open in Charlottesville, Virginia’s historic downtown, Quirk Hotel Charlottesville beautifully interweaves chic with vintage while ...
Ryman Hospitality Properties and RIDA Development Corp. Announce $80 Million Expansion of Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center
Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc. | February 10, 2020
Planned Expansion to Add 317 Guest Rooms, or More Than 20 Percent, to Available Capacity NASHVILLE, Tenn., Feb. 10, 2020 -- Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc. (NYSE:RHP) (the “Company”), a lodging real estate investment trust (“REIT”) specializing in group-oriented, destination hotel assets in urban and resort markets, and RIDA Development Corp. today announced plans for an $80 million, 317-room expansion of Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center in Aurora, Colorado. Opened in December 2018, Gaylord Rockies was the first Marriott property to begin operations with more than 1 million net room nights on the books for all fut...
Avison Young Announces 2020 Closings
Avison Young | February 10, 2020
ATLANTA – February 10, 2020 – Avison Young Hospitality Group announced that the firm closed fourteen hotel transactions during January and the first week of February. The property closings ranged from Hilton select service hotels to various other brands and were located from the northeast US through the south and central US markets. The firm expects to close nine other transactions over the next 20 days located from Chicago to Raleigh....
Shiji Group’s Decade of Transformation and Growth
Shiji | February 10, 2020
By Kevin King In the past ten years, Shiji Group has undergone a period of significant growth and expansion, transitioning from a China-based network system supply company, to a truly global conglomerate pushing the boundaries of hospitality technology. Shiji began as the brainchild of Li Zhongchu. Like many innovative tech brands, Li founded Shiji in his Beijing apartment in 1998, impressing his initial customers with his dedication to service and the letter quality of his new fax machine. Almost immediately, Shiji began to expand rapidly, quickly becoming the leading hotel tech provider in China. By 2014, we captured almost 70% of...
Mainsail Lodging & Development Opens The Karol in Clearwater, Florida
Mainsail Lodging & Development LLC | February 10, 2020
TAMPA, Fla. (February 10, 2020) – At a ribbon cutting ceremony today, Tampa-based Mainsail Lodging & Development officially announced the opening of The Karol Hotel (2675 Ulmerton Road, Clearwater, Florida). Centrally located in beautiful Feather Sound between Clearwater, St. Pete and Tampa, The Karol features 123 guest rooms and suites; the signature K Club Bar & Bistro; Vantage Rooftop Bar overlooking Tampa Bay, which is expected to open the end of February; a combined 7,340 square feet of event space, including a ballroom and executive conference rooms; and an outside pool and fitness center. The first member of Marriott’s T...
Equis Hospitality Management Set to Open Fairfield by Marriott in Downtown St. Louis
Fairfield by Marriott | February 10, 2020
ST. LOUIS – February 10, 2020 – The 136-room Fairfield by Marriott hotel in downtown St. Louis will open this Thursday, February 13 as part of a dynamic transformation of the Downtown West area of St. Louis. The hotel will open with new décor that provides guests with a feeling of warmth and calm while traveling. Located at 2144 Market Street, the Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites St. Louis Downtown will operate as a Marriott franchise, owned and managed by Equis Hospitality Management LLC of St. Louis, Missouri The new hotel is located within the footprint of $8 billion in development underway in the city of St. Louis. Neighbori...
Benchmarking 101: Running an Effective Health Club/Spa
HOTSTATS | February 10, 2020
Health clubs and spas have taken off in recent years. Revenue for health clubs in places like the U.S. has risen steadily for the past decade. But when it comes to benchmarking your hotel’s health club or spa, focusing on these revenue numbers alone can actually cause your hotel strategy to crash and burn. Why? Health clubs and spas often come with high operating costs. This means that if you’re fixated on shallow revenue numbers, you’re only measuring the tip of the iceberg. Luckily, there’s a better way to launch your health club and spa benchmarking 101 strategies. Here’s how to use benchmarking to create real value with...
Hershey Entertainment & Resorts VP Joins Hospitality Management Advisory Board
the Penn State School of Hospitality Management | February 10, 2020
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Jane Woods LaFranchi, vice president, general counsel and secretary at Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company (HE&R) has joined the Penn State School of Hospitality Management (SHM) Industry Advisory Board. [caption id="attachment_217765" align="alignleft" width="195"] Jane Woods LaFranchi IMAGE: Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company[/caption] In her role with HE&R, LaFranchi leads the legal department in providing comprehensive counsel, representation and oversight on a wide range of legal, compliance and regulatory matters involving the company’s diverse entertainment and lodging operatio...
Cloud5 Communications Earns Two Marriott Property Internet Awards of Excellence
Cloud5 Communications | February 10, 2020
Cloud5 Named Industry Trailblazer for Driving Innovation CHICAGO (February 10, 2020) – Top-rated hospitality technology provider Cloud5 Communications has been awarded two certificates of excellence by Marriott International recognizing its technology innovation and high level of performance. Cloud5 is a Marriott GPNS Full Certified High-Speed Internet Access partner approved for the United States and the Caribbean and Latin American (CALA) region, serving hundreds of Marriott full service and select brand (MSB) properties. Cloud5 shines with two partner awards for excellence: • Certificate of Excellence 2019 - Industry Trailblazer...
Hotel Online’s Siegel Sez for February 7, 2020
February 7, 2020
I love this time of year. As much as I enjoy working with all the technology companies that we partner with and all the industry CIOs, nothing beats the eye-opening conversations with those who use these technology systems. You always find them when you’re at users’ groups where the programs include so much valuable training. I started my tech career in the PMS industry and I enjoyed when our PMS users came together for these meetings. Last week I was at San Diego for Oracle Hospitality Connect 2020. Being the event was just the hospitality sector was new for Oracle and I thought it was extremely successful. Oracle has had a rough ride af...
Dayna Zeiltin Joins Sofitel New York as Director of Sales & Marketing
Sofitel New York | February 6, 2020
Zeitlin was most recently director of business development and optimization for Fairmont San Francisco, Sofitel’s sister property NEW YORK – Feb. 6, 2020 – Sofitel New York has tapped Dayna Zeitlin to serve as its new director of sales and marketing. She joins the luxury Midtown hotel after 20 years of experience working for some of the top hospitality groups in the country. “Dayna’s experience in the luxury market and outstanding track record make her the ideal candidate to lead Sofitel New York’s sales and marketing effort. We’re excited to bring her on board and take Sofitel to the next level,” said Simon Antoine, gen...
The Last Customer on Earth
Shep Hyken | February 6, 2020
By Shep Hyken What if you only had one customer left to do business with? Maybe this was the last customer on earth? Norman Beck—my friend and faithful reader of The Shepard Letter—and I were talking about this idea and he shared another way of looking at it. In his words, “It’s like the last gas station you’ll see for miles as you enter the desert. Maybe you stop and make sure you have a full tank of gas.” Of course, you don’t want to run out of gas in the middle of the desert! In business terms, maybe you’ll focus on making sure this customer is happy, filling the metaphorical gas tank with an excellent customer experi...
Hamilton Hotel Partners and Pyramid Hotel Group Agree to Merger
Hamilton Hotel Partners | February 6, 2020
The merger will create a leading international group that will manage or asset manage a total of 141 hotels with 32,000 rooms across 8 countries, and £5.3bn of assets under management London/Boston – Thursday 6 February 2020 The Boards of Hamilton Hotel Partners (“Hamilton” or “the Firm”), an independent London-based hotel management and investment firm, and Pyramid Hotel Group (“Pyramid” or “the Group”), a privately-owned full-service hotel and resort company based in Boston are delighted to announce today that they have completed a transaction that involves the merger of the two businesses. The merger will create...
