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Starwood Capital Group Plans Summer 2020 Opening of The Grand Hotel in Birmingham, UK
Starwood Capital Group | January 17, 2020
MIAMI and LONDON, Jan. 17, 2020 - Starwood Capital Group, a leading global private investment group, announced today that The Grand Hotel, housed in one of Birmingham's most iconic buildings overlooking the city's prestigious Colmore Row, will once again open its doors to the public in the summer of 2020, following a dramatic restoration that will return the city centre landmark to its former glory. The luxury hotel, a Grade II* listed building, will be home to 185 spacious rooms and suites, retaining the building's mix of French Renaissance, Victorian and Art Deco features and paying homage to its illustrious history. Ori...
HSMAI 2020 ROC Regional Conferences Set in 5 Diverse Cities Around the Globe
HSMAI | January 17, 2020
The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) is proud to announce the return of five regional Revenue Optimization Conferences (ROC) in five major cities around the world in 2020: London, Singapore, San Antonio, Sao Paolo, and Dubai. The conference gathers leading revenue optimization professionals for an in-depth exploration of optimization, digital marketing, and distribution. HSMAI’s annual ROC regional conferences deliver the most all-encompassing and robust revenue management event for the hotel industry. “Year-over-year HSMAI ROC conferences empower revenue leaders from around the globe and give hospit...
Embassy Suites by Hilton Crystal City National Airport Appoints Joseph Cardone as General Manager
Embassy Suites by Hilton | January 16, 2020
CRYSTAL CITY, Va. - Embassy Suites by Hilton Crystal City National Airport recently announced the appointment of the hotel’s new general manager, Joseph Cardone. Embassy Suites by Hilton is a global brand of upscale, all-suite hotels from Hilton (NYSE: HLT). Most recently, Cardone served as general manager at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Washington DC – Crystal City. In his new role, Cardone is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the 269 all-suite property, including guest services, hotel administration and marketing efforts. A 30-year hospitality veteran, Cardone brings a wealth of operations and event experien...
Hilton Launches Lifestyle Brand Tempo by Hilton
Hilton | January 16, 2020
Tempo by Hilton launches with 30 hotels under development and 30 more pending deals MCLEAN, Va. - Hilton (NYSE: HLT) today launches Tempo by Hilton, an approachable lifestyle brand curated to serve a growing segment of “modern achievers” who seek a hotel experience that reflects their ambition. By combining thoughtful design and diverse lifestyle partnerships, Tempo by Hilton provides hotel owners and developers with a highly scalable brand that is both uplifting and within reach for future guests – all powered by an efficient service model. “For more than 100 years, Hilton has pioneered the hospitality industry as we know it,...
Caesars Entertainment and VICI Properties to Sell Harrah’s Reno to CAI Investments for $50M
Caesars Entertainment | January 16, 2020
LAS VEGAS, Jan. 16, 2020 -- Caesars Entertainment Corporation (NASDAQ: CZR) ("Caesars Entertainment" or "Caesars") and VICI Properties Inc. (NYSE:VICI) ("VICI Properties" or "VICI") today announced they have signed an agreement to sell Harrah's Reno Hotel and Casino ("Harrah's Reno") to an affiliate of CAI Investments (the "Buyer") for $50 million. The proceeds of the transaction shall be split 75% to VICI and 25% to Caesars, while the annual rent payments under the Non-CPLV Master Lease between Caesars and VICI will remain unchanged. Under the terms of the agreement, Caesars will continue to operate the property upon closing of the tra...
Pechanga Resort Casino Drives Automation and Visibility with Infor CloudSuite
Infor | January 16, 2020
Infor Cloud Solutions to Connect Siloed Applications and Reduce Manual Processes NEW YORK– Jan. 13, 2020– Infor, a global leader in business cloud software specialized by industry, today announced that Pechanga Resort Casino entered into an agreement with Infinium Software, Inc., an Infor company, expanding their long-term technology partnership. Pechanga, the largest resort/casino on the West Coast, chose Infor CloudSuiteTM solutions to further integrate core business processes into a centralized location connected to the reservation department. The new, integrated system will allow the resort/casino to make more informed business dec...
BENCHMARK® Names Talya Regan Director of Marketing for The Kartrite Resort & Indoor Waterpark
The Kartrite Resort & Indoor Waterpark | January 16, 2020
Talya Regan comes to her new position with over a decade of experience specializing in public relations and marketing communications within the hospitality industry The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, January 2020… BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, has named Talya Regan as director of marketing for The Kartrite Resort & Indoor Waterpark. The Benchmark Resorts & Hotels property is located in Monticello, New York, within the Catskill Mountains. David Kohlasch, general manager, made the announcement. “It is with pleasure that I welcome Talya to Benchmark and to our resort,” said Mr. Kohlasch. “She brings a terrific bac...
Expected Global Tourism Boom in 2020 Is Fueling the Need for Voice Translation Technology at Check In and Beyond
David Berger | January 16, 2020
Voice on command is not just for the guestroom; Hoteliers are finding the Google Assistant’s interpreter mode + Volara to easily and accurately streamline guest communication By Dave Berger Research suggests that customer-experience (CX) technologies that serve every touchpoint, add personalization and drive satisfaction were at the top of operators’ wish lists for 2020. To be effective and deliver a rapid return on investment, these solutions must successfully delight guests, increase operational efficiencies, inspire loyalty, and generate profits. One technology that is checking all these boxes – yet is often overlooked – is d...
Long-Anticipated Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City Convention Center Hotel Breaks Ground
Visit Salt Lake | January 16, 2020
January 16, 2020. Salt Lake City, UT – After extensive planning, Visit Salt Lake, Salt Lake County, Portman Holdings and Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced the plans, timeline and details of the long-awaited and much-anticipated Salt Lake convention center hotel during a groundbreaking ceremony held Friday, January 10, at the Salt Palace Convention Center. The 700-room Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City will be located on the southeast corner of the lot on which the Salt Palace Convention Center sits and be built adjacent to the convention center’s public space. The 25-floor property will offer 60,000-square feet of indoor meeting space, in...
Hospitality Ventures Management Group (HVMG) to Manage Holiday Inn Savannah Historic District
Hospitality Ventures Management Group | January 16, 2020
Owned by Key International, the hotel offers 127 guestrooms close to River Street and City Market SAVANNAH, Ga., January 16, 2020 —Hospitality Ventures Management Group (HVMG), an Atlanta-based, private hotel investment, ownership and management company, today announced it has been awarded the management contract for the 127-room Holiday Inn Savannah Historic District on behalf of ownership, Key International, a Miami-based real estate investment and development company. “With us being based in Atlanta and having twelve additional hotels throughout Georgia and North Florida, we are familiar with the marketplace and the proper positi...
Six Senses London to Open in the Former Art Deco Whiteleys Department Store
Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas | January 16, 2020
BANGKOK – January 16, 2020 – With its proximity to Hyde Park and Kensington Palace, Bayswater in West London is recognized for its streets lined with grand terraces of white stucco houses and garden squares. Among them is an iconic building and former department store – Whiteleys – soon to become home to Six Senses London. The hotel, wellness club and spa mark the brand’s entry into the UK and will open with 110 guest rooms and suites, starting from 355 square feet and celebrating the building’s origins, while making space for modern living. There will also be 14 branded residences, with owners able to tap into all the privileg...
Paramount Lodging Advisors Successfully Transacts at the William P. Hobby International Airport With the Sale of the Drury Inn & Suites
Paramount Lodging Advisors | January 16, 2020
Houston, TX - Paramount Lodging Advisors (PLA) has successfully executed the transaction of the Drury Inn & Suites located at the William P. Hobby International Airport (Hobby) in Houston, TX. Managing Director Kami Burnette, Sr. Managing Director Adam Montufar and Associate Lora Simpson represented Drury Development Corporation in the transaction. The 133-room upper-midscale hotel is ideally located off of Interstate 45 proximate to Hobby. GreenTree Inns purchased the hotel as part of their strategy to acquire and rebrand well-located hotels in major metros. “The transaction was relatively seamless and we were pleased to e...
The Guestbook CEO James Gancos Chosen to Join Expert Panel at HSMAI Marketing Strategy Conference
The Guest Book | January 16, 2020
Founder of cash back rewards innovator The Guestbook to participate in educational panel at leading hotel industry marketing forum next week LOS ANGELES — January 16, 2019 — The Guestbook, the world's largest rewards program for independent and boutique hotels, today announces that the company’s CEO and founder, James Gancos was selected by Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) to participate in a panel of hotel industry thought leaders at its 2020 Marketing Strategy Conference, taking place next week in New York. The panel discussion, entitled, “The Evolving Loyalty Landscape” will be held Wednes...
Milestone Wins Big at Adrian Awards With Two Golds and Three Silvers
Milestone Inc. | January 16, 2020
Santa Clara, CA (January 16, 2020) – Milestone announced today it won a total of 8 prestigious Adrian awards including two highly coveted gold awards, three silvers, and three bronzes. The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) honored Milestone Inc. for innovation in digital marketing and for its digital marketing platforms that drove significant ROI for its customers. The awards were granted for the projects done for several hospitality customers including Marriott Digital Services, Omni Hotels and Resorts, The Evelyn Hotel, a Triumph Hotels property located in New York City, and a Mexico luxury hotel group. ...
Winegardner & Hammons Hotel Group Adds The StateView Hotel in Raleigh, NC to Management Portfolio
Winegardner & Hammons Hotel Group, LLC | January 16, 2020
Cincinnati, OH — January 16, 2020 — Winegardner & Hammons Hotel Group, LLC, brought in the new year with the addition of the StateView Hotel, Autograph Collection to its management portfolio. Owned by Eagle Realty Group a division of the Western & Southern Financial Group, the 164-room hotel is located on the Centennial Campus of North Carolina State University “We are very pleased to add the StateView Hotel and North Carolina to the southern presence of our hotel portfolio,” said Mike Conway, Chairman and Chief Portfolio Officer for Winegardner & Hammons Hotel Group. “We look forward to working with the hotel team in...
IHG Announces Strategic Partnership With Asset World Corporation (AWC) for Development of More Than 1,200 Rooms in Thailand
IHG | January 15, 2020
IHG® (InterContinental Hotels Group), one of the world’s leading hotel companies, has announced a strategic partnership with long-standing partner Asset World Corporate (AWC), Thailand's leading integrated lifestyle real-estate group, to manage a portfolio of properties across Thailand. The agreement will see the development of more than 1,200 rooms across Thailand, with the first signing announced today as the 306-room InterContinental Chiang Mai Mae Ping. Serena Lim, Vice President, Development, IHG South East Asia and Korea commented, “With plans to double our portfolio in Thailand in the next 3-5 years, this signing today between ...
Remington Hotels to Manage Residence Inn Steamboat Springs and Sheraton Tarrytown Hotel
Remington Hotels | January 15, 2020
DALLAS (January 15, 2020) – Remington Hotels, a leading third-party management company, announced today that it has signed agreements to manage the Residence Inn Steamboat Springs in Steamboat Springs, Colorado and the Sheraton Tarrytown Hotel in Tarrytown, New York. McClurg Century Investments and Cypress 16 selected Remington Hotels to open and manage the Residence Inn Steamboat Springs, Remington’s first property in Colorado. The 110-room, new build hotel in Colorado’s preeminent ski town is anticipated to open in July 2020. Designed with sloped roofs to keep with the vernacular architecture theme of the town, the new property wil...
D.C.’s Kimpton Rouge Hotel to Undergo $20 Million Renovation and Rebranding Set to Debut in Fall 2020
Valor Hospitality Partners | January 15, 2020
WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 15, 2020) -- Kemmons Wilson Companies (KWC) today announced the Kimpton Rouge Hotel will close on January 17 through fall 2020 as it undergoes a major $20+ million remodel and reposition, which will further enhance the yet-to-be-renamed boutique lifestyle hotel. The significant update follows the acquisition of the property by Kemmons Wilson Hospitality Partners (KWHP), the hotel division of KWC, and Valor Hospitality Partners (VHP), partner and manager for Kimpton Rouge Hotel, in September 2019. After its complete makeover, the hotel will increase its room keys (bringing the total from 137 to 144). The fully refurb...
IHG Owners Association Announces 2020 Global Board of Directors, Led by Chair Wayne West III
IHG Owners Association | January 15, 2020
January 15, 2020 (Atlanta, Georgia) - The IHG Owners Association, which represents IHG® (InterContinental Hotels Group) franchise hotel owners worldwide, announced that Wayne West III has assumed chairmanship of its Global Board of Directors for 2020. West is President and Partner of Newport Hospitality Group, based in Williamsburg, Va., and brings an extensive background as a hotelier and operator. With more than 40 years in the industry, he has helped hotels maximize guest loyalty and team engagement while ensuring exceptional revenue performance and profitability. He succeeds 2019 chair Kurt Furlong, Chief Revenue Officer and Partner with...
Hotel Industry Spotlights Superstars at Annual Fundraiser
AHLA | January 15, 2020
Finalists to be Recognized at “Night of a Thousand Stars” Gala Supporting Hotel Industry Foundation WASHINGTON (January 15, 2020) – The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Foundation (AHLEF) have selected finalists for the 2020 Stars of the Industry Awards, which recognizes the top hotel employees in the country. The winners will be chosen from more than 300 nominations from all sectors of the industry and across the country and presented as part of the “Night of a Thousand Stars” Gala, the Foundation’s premier fundraiser. NORTH STAR AWARD FINALISTS Mark Ga...
Making the Minibar Profitable for the New Decade
Larry Mogelonsky | January 15, 2020
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) The minibar has long been a stable, albeit relatively minor, source of revenue for hotels. So if you isn’t broken, then why fix it, right? Typically stocked with an assortment of big brands from the alcoholic beverages sector along with some sugary snacks, the concern is that this archetype for profitability will soon be outmoded by the trends of higher demand for local or small batch products as well as the push healthier food options. Putting these two together, a minibar that’s stacked with items you can find practically anywhere else in the world isn’t doing anything to...
How To Help Your Front Desk Colleagues Overcome “Compassion Fatigue”
Doug Kennedy | January 15, 2020
By Doug Kennedy As part of the prework I do before conducting on-site training workshops for front desk teams, I always look at the existing, in-house training standards and content. Nearly all programs cover the concepts of showing empathy, and especially at Forbes rated hotels, to establish authentic, emotional connections. Yet when I look at how colleagues are trained on how to deliver on these standards, I find that most managers are simply going over scripted welcome messages and reviewing interpersonal communications techniques at their meetings. It seems to me that most front office leaders underestimate just how challenging i...
Garden Court Hotel in Palo Alto Appoints Brayton Gosling as General Manager
Garden Court Hotel | January 15, 2020
Most recently Gosling served as General Manager at Hotel Los Gatos Palo Alto, Calif. (Jan 14, 2020) –The Garden Court Hotel in downtown Palo Alto appoints Brayton Gosling, an accomplished hospitality expert most recently with Hotel Los Gatos, as the new General Manager. In his new role, Gosling will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the well-known 62-room luxury hotel located in the heart of Silicon Valley. “We are thrilled for Brayton to join the team and know his strong leadership abilities, hospitality background and relationship building skills will enhance the experience of our guests,” says Jan Henningsen, COO ...
Soon-to-Open Hyatt Centric Las Olas Fort Lauderdale Appoints Executive Team
Hyatt Centric Las Olas Fort Lauderdale | January 15, 2020
Eyal Goldberger named General Manager and Katherine Beja-McLennan named Director of Sales and Marketing FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – January 2020: Located in the heart of downtown Fort Lauderdale’s bustling business district, Hyatt Centric Las Olas announces the appointment of General Manager Eyal Goldberger and Director of Sales and Marketing Katherine Beja-McLennan. The duo will oversee operations of the new-build, full-service, 238-room property, which will open its doors this spring as a premiere destination for business, group, and leisure travelers, looking to experience South Florida. An Israel native with roots in Miami, Goldb...
