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ERG Enterprises Joins GMB Properties, the Berger Company, Fulcrum Hospitality in Acquiring Hyatt Regency New Orleans
ERG | November 22, 2019
Three New Orleans-based investment firms team on the largest hotel acquisition in Louisiana history NEW ORLEANS, Nov. 22, 2019 -- ERG Enterprises, a New Orleans-based investment company, announces its partnership in acquiring the Hyatt Regency New Orleans, a 1,193-room luxury hotel in downtown New Orleans. The sale represents the largest hotel acquisition in Louisiana history, and the first time the Hyatt Regency will fall under local majority ownership. For the purchase, ERG joins the local ownership team of Gayle Benson and her investment company GMB Properties and The Berger Co., owned by long-time local developer Darryl Ber...
Resorts World Las Vegas Unveils Updated Plans for $4.3 Billion Resort-Casino
Resorts World Las Vegas | November 22, 2019
LAS VEGAS, Nov. 22, 2019 -- Resorts World Las Vegas has unveiled updated plans for the US$4.3 billion luxury resort-casino to include new amenities such as a 5,000-capacity state-of-the-art theater scalable to host A-list residencies and corporate events; a dynamic 75,000-square-foot nightlife and daylife concept; a 50-foot diameter video globe which will display over 6,000 square feet of captivating LED content; and additional luxury suites, villas and penthouses with individual lobby experiences, open balconies and a sky casino. Projected to open in Summer 2021, Resorts World Las Vegas will combine traditional and modern architecture, weav...
Columbia Sussex Completes Phase 1 of Multi-Million Dollar Renovation to Marriott Jacksonville
Columbia Sussex | November 22, 2019
JACKSONVILLE, Fla.--November 22, 2019--Columbia Sussex, one of the largest Marriott franchisees in the country, continues its aggressive renovation program to at least 10 of its Marriott owned and operated properties. Known for its central location with easy access to beaches and Jacksonville’s vibrant town center, Marriott Jacksonville has completed Phase I of its multi-million dollar renovation, which focused on the transformation of the hotel’s guest rooms and suites. Located at the epicenter of Jacksonville, with easy access to the city’s vibrant Downtown area, famed sporting and entertainment venues, and stunning beaches, Marrio...
The Latin America Hotel Construction Pipeline Room Count Up Slightly Quarter Over Quarter
Lodging Econometrics (LE) | November 22, 2019
November 22, 2019 – PORTSMOUTH, NH – In the recent Latin America construction pipeline trend report from Lodging Econometrics (LE), the total construction pipeline stands at 723 projects/131,075 rooms. Pipeline room counts are up slightly at 4%, year-over-year (YOY), and are still near all-time lows. However, the luxury stage at 86 projects/15,366 rooms and upper upscale at 101 projects/21,072 rooms are at the highest levels ever recorded by LE. Projects presently under construction stand at 334 projects/60,720 rooms. Projects scheduled to start construction in the next 12 months stand at 205 projects/35,199 rooms, up 5% and 15% respec...
6 Reasons Why Facebook Is Essential for Hospitality Marketing
Michael Del Gigante | November 22, 2019
By Michael Del Gigante It’s easy for hospitality marketers to take Facebook for granted. The platform has been around for so long—more than 15 years now—and is so well established that it sometimes can blend into the background and feel like just one marketing option among many. However, the reality is that it’s far from just another marketing channel: for hospitality brands, Facebook is a uniquely powerful platform that has distinct advantages and holds unparalleled opportunities. What are these advantages and opportunities? What makes the social network so special? Why should marketers remain bullish on it after all thes...
3 Ways Smart Interior Design Will Improve Your Hotel Operations
Claudia Greset-Reich | November 22, 2019
By Claudia Greset-Reich It is no secret that interior design is amidst the most central aspects of a hotel's appeal. However, many hotel developers do not look enough beyond the aesthetic aspect of interior design, missing another facet that is just as important: functionality. Smart, innovative interior design not only pleases the eye and makes for a great guest experience, it also improves your hotel operations efficiency, driving up the profitability in your bottom line. In exemplary hotels, plenty of innovative design solutions can be found not only in the front of house but also in the back of house. You will encounter smart des...
The Current Impact of Brand PIP Requirements on Hotel Sales
Eric Guerrero | November 22, 2019
By Eric Guerrero The most consistent issue HVS Brokerage & Advisory has encountered during transactions is whether a group is budgeting sufficient capital for prospective asset acquisitions that require PIP renovations. An incorrect estimate means buyer groups must increase their capitalizations or request a price reduction on a dollar-for-dollar basis relative to their cost increases. This ultimately changes many metrics late in acquisition processes and lowers IRRs because any extra capital is drawn entirely from equity and not a blend of equity and debt. Recent observations are detailed below. The lesson is that accurate PIP estimat...
Midas Hospitality Acquires Wisconsin’s Aloft Milwaukee Downtown
Midas Hospitality | November 22, 2019
(St. Louis, Mo., Nov. 22, 2019) Midas Hospitality has acquired its third hotel through the Midas Hotel Fund as the total capital raised reaches $25 million to date. Midas Hospitality—a leading hotel development, management and investment firm—recently acquired Aloft Milwaukee Downtown, which is ideally situated directly on the RiverWalk. This “different by design” hotel from Marriott is located at 1230 Old World Third St. and offers 160 tech-forward rooms with five meeting rooms and amenities that include the W XYZ®bar, a backyard outdoor space, fitness center and indoor swimming pool. The Milwaukee hotel is adjacent to Fiser...
Hyatt Signs With Xuan Mai to Develop Dual-Branded Hyatt Place and Hyatt House Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City
Hyatt Place | November 22, 2019
CHICAGO (November 22, 2019) – Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) announced today that a Hyatt affiliate has entered into a management agreement with Xuan Mai Sai Gon Construction Investment Joint Stock Company (“Xuan Mai”) to develop a 300-key Hyatt Place Saigon, District 7 and 250-key Hyatt House Saigon, District 7 in one of Ho Chi Minh City’s largest districts. Planned for completion in 2023, the new hotels will be Hyatt’s first dual-branded Hyatt Place and Hyatt House hotel project in Southeast Asia and will also mark the entry of the Hyatt House brand in Vietnam. The Hyatt Place brand combines style, innovation and 24/7 ...
New 126-Room Courtyard by Marriott Opens in Balitmore, Maryland Led by General Manager Kathleen Curtis
Courtyard by Marriott | November 22, 2019
BALTIMORE – November 22, 2019 – Courtyard by Marriott Baltimore Downtown/McHenry Row has opened its doors in Baltimore, Maryland. Featuring an innovative lobby space as well as Courtyard’s latest contemporary room design, the new hotel provides flexibility and choices that allow guests to optimize and elevate their travel experience. Located at 1803 Porter Street, the 126-room hotel will operate as a Marriott franchise, owned by a joint venture comprised of Pa.-based Shaner Hotel Group and Kinsley Group and managed by Shaner Hotel Group. Whether traveling for business or pleasure, the Courtyard by Marriott Baltimore Downtow...
Hilton Atlanta Appoints New Food and Beverage Leadership Team
Hilton | November 22, 2019
Atlanta — November 22, 2019 — Hilton Atlanta has announced a new culinary leadership team at the 1,249-room hotel with the addition of two new team members – Executive Chef Christian Quiñones Vargas and Director of Food and Beverage Alexander Busch. “We’re thrilled to welcome Chef Christian and Alexander to our team at Hilton Atlanta,” said Brad Koeneman, general manager of Hilton Atlanta. “As one of the largest hotels in Atlanta welcoming thousands of guests from around the world every year, our visitors expect a refined culinary experience. In addition to Chef’s extensive food and beverage experience and Alexander...
Davidson Hotels & Resorts Appoints Pete Sams as Chief Operating Officer
Davidson Hotels & Resorts | November 22, 2019
ATLANTA (November 22, 2019) – Davidson Hotels & Resorts, one of the nation’s leading hospitality management companies, announces the appointment of Pete Sams as its Chief Operating Officer. In this role, Sams will be responsible for driving operational excellence and profitability for the company’s core portfolio of more than 50 hotels and resorts across the U.S. Functional oversight includes human resources, sales, revenue management, integrated marketing, transitions and operations strategy across all branded assets, Pivot Hotels & Resorts and Davidson Restaurant Group verticals. A hospitality industry veteran with nearly...
BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, Appoints Stephen Cullen Regional Vice President of Operations
BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company. | November 21, 2019
The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, November 2019… BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, has promoted Stephen Cullen to the position of regional vice president of operations. Greg Champion, president and COO, made the announcement. "It is with great pleasure that I announce Stephen’s latest promotion within Benchmark,” said Mr. Champion. “He is an inspiring and highly effective leader, and comprehensively understands the dynamics of operating luxury properties with the greatest efficiencies, and with a keen eye to excellence in guest service. He is also well versed in Benchmark’s signature Be The Difference service culture.” ...
The Importance of Attracting and Managing Hotel and Hospitality Customer Reviews
Jessica Kaiser | November 21, 2019
By Jessica Kaiser Good, bad, and unusual, managing your online reviews can seem daunting, but with the right knowledge of what customers and critics online respond to, it doesn’t have to be. Getting reviews by encouraging customers to share their experiences has some clear-cut benefits. If someone had a positive experience and shares it online, your brand gets a public-facing declaration of a content customer. There are also some other benefits that may even seem like a negative at first glance, such as your hotel receiving a bad online review (more on this below!). From Facebook to TripAdvisor –anywhere your organization can receive r...
Aimbridge Hospitality Reopens Curaçao Marriott Beach Resort Following $40 Million Renovation
Marriott Hotels | November 21, 2019
Curaçao — November 21, 2019 – Tucked into the coast of Curaçao, Curaçao Marriott Beach Resort reopens today after undergoing a $40 million renovation. Managed by Aimbridge Hospitality, the 336-room hotel is positioned on six acres of oceanfront real estate overlooking the Caribbean Sea. The redesigned space, renovated to represent the latest innovative design thinking from the Marriott Hotels brand, is set to become the ultimate Caribbean destination for the active traveler who enjoys diving and swimming, alongside relaxing and enjoying the island’s famous tropical weather. “As we continue to re-invent concepts and grow our port...
IHG Signs With Jindal Holidays for New Holiday Inn Resort in Corbett, Ramnagar
IHG ® | November 21, 2019
InterContinental Hotels Group® (IHG), one of world’s leading hotel companies has signed a management agreement with Jindal Holidays Private Limited for a new Holiday Inn Resort in Corbett, Ramnagar. The hotel will feature 100 keys and is expected to be operational by Q1 2023. The development marks the debut of Holiday Inn Resort brand in the oldest national park in India, which attracts significant number of visitors, annually. As a part of the growth plans, IHG has gained noteworthy momentum in India in last couple of years, with opening and signing of multiple hotels across brands, at various leisure and business destinations, positio...
A Dramatic Change Doesn’t Have to Be a Traumatic Change
Shep Hyken | November 21, 2019
By Shep Hyken The word dramatic is a great word. When you use it to describe changes you make to improve customer service, it has a positive meaning. It sounds like you’re making big changes for the better. However, if you shorten the word to drama, it takes on an entirely different meaning—one that’s negative. Merriam-Webster’s definition for how the word is used in this context is that it is “a state, situation, or series of events involving interesting or intense conflict of forces.” So, make dramatic changes, but don’t let them cause any drama. That drama could turn your dramatically positive experience into a traumati...
Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants to Make Spanish Debut With 2020 Opening of Kimpton Vividora Hotel
Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants | November 21, 2019
Barcelona (Spain), 21 November 2019 - Kimpton Vividora Hotel will be the first hotel in Spain for the boutique luxury brand Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, an IHG® brand. Located in the famous Gothic Quarter, with 156 beautifully appointed guest rooms and three distinct restaurants and bars, Kimpton Vividora Hotel is poised to be the most exciting hotel opening in Barcelona in 2020. Kimpton Vividora Hotel will be in the heart of Barcelona’s cultural and historical epicenter; the Gothic Quarter. This prime location is within walking distance to Las Ramblas, Barceloneta beach, La Boqueria, Plaça Catalunya, incredible shopping and th...
Equity Yield Rates on the Decline
Katy Black | November 21, 2019
By Katy Black and Rodney Clough HVS continually tracks the rates of return on the assets on which we consult. In our most recent review, we found that equity yield rates, on average, have shown a continued trend of decline in the full-service and luxury hotels sector, as well as the lower-tier limited-service sector, with the select-service and upscale limited-service sector showing stability. Equity yield rates were notably lower for full-service and luxury hotels, averaging 16.4% for the year-to-date 2019 period, which is 140 basis points (bps) below the 17.8% most recent peak level recorded in 2017. This decrease was driven largely b...
Sustainability Hasn’t Translated Into Travel Policies, But Is an Important Topic for Travel Managers
the Global Business Travel Association | November 21, 2019
Alexandria, VA (November 21, 2019)— Sustainability is a hot topic, but it is one that has not translated into the overall corporate travel program, according to new research out today from the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) in partnership with SAP Concur. With more emphasis expected on sourcing with sustainable suppliers in the coming years, this is yet to be rendered into the overall travel policy with one-third (33 percent) of travel managers saying that they either mandate (6 percent) or encourage (27 percent) travelers to book with suppliers using sustainable practices. Nevertheless, sustainability is very important to tra...
Pestana Hotel Group and Seabra Group Celebrate Groundbreaking of Pestana Ironbound Hotel in Newark, NJ
Pestana Hotel Group | November 21, 2019
NEWARK, November 21, 2019 – A ceremony took place yesterday for the future 109-room hotel in the Ironbound District of Newark. Developed by the Seabra Group and managed by Pestana Hotel Group, the Pestana Ironbound Hotel is located on 114-126 Monroe, Newark, New Jersey and is expected to open July 2021. “Following Miami and New York, we’re delighted to see our North American expansion plan on the East Coast moving forward with the construction of this new hotel in Newark in partnership with an excellent Group with whom we share origin, culture and entrepreneurial vision,” said Mr. Pestana during the ceremonial gathering. “Sin...
Park Hyatt St. Kitts Christophe Harbour Appoints Marc Schneider as General Manager
Park Hyatt St. Kitts | November 21, 2019
ST. KITTS – November 21, 2019 – Park Hyatt St. Kitts announces the appointment of travel industry leader Marc Schneider as General Manager. A highly esteemed Hyatt veteran, Schneider will oversee all operations at the distinctive luxury beachfront resort. Set within Christophe Harbour on Banana Bay, Park Hyatt St. Kitts features 126 sustainably-designed guestrooms, three innovative restaurants, a world-class Miraval Life in Balance Spa, and state-of-the-art event spaces. “As Park Hyatt’s first and only property in the Caribbean, we are excited to welcome Marc to the helm of Park Hyatt St. Kitts – A luxury resort that authen...
Art Ovation Hotel Appoints Okan Karadağ as New General Manager
Art Ovation Hotel | November 21, 2019
SARASOTA, FL – NOVEMBER 2019 – Art Ovation Hotel, downtown Sarasota’s signature hotel of the arts, has announced Okan Karadağ as the new General Manager of the creative 162-room Autograph Collection Hotel. Karadağ will oversee all aspects of the hotel, including daily operations, staff development, financial strategies, budgeting, increasing sales and revenue, and overall guest satisfaction. Karadağ joins Art Ovation with an extensive hospitality background, spending the past 19 years holding general manager and director of sales and marketing roles within domestic and international properties. He most recently served as the g...
IDeaS Achieves Global Customer Support Certification From Hotel Tech Report
IDeaS | November 21, 2019
IDeaS earns high scores across the GCSC Rubric for its pre-emptive support, reactive support, coaching and customer validation Tweet This: @IDeaS_RevOpt received the Global Customer Support Certification from @hoteltechreport. IDeaS earned high scores across all key pillars of the GCSC Rubric including: pre-emptive support, reactive support, coaching and customer validation. www.ideas.com/news MINNEAPOLIS—Nov. 21, 2019—IDeaS Revenue Solutions has received Hotel Tech Report’s Level III Global Customer Support Certification (GCSC). Awarded for its heavy investments into tools, processes and strategies to ensure the ongoing success o...
