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Main Street Hospitality Group Appoints H. Jackson Donoyan as Vice President of Operations
Main Street Hospitality Group | October 29, 2019
STOCKBRIDGE, MA -- October 29, 2019 -- Sarah Eustis, CEO of Main Street Hospitality Group, announces the appointment of H. Jackson Donoyan as the vice president of operations for the growing hotel management company. “It is a great pleasure to welcome Jackson Donoyan as the newest addition to Main Street Hospitality Group,” said Eustis. “Jackson’s proven leadership and expertise in the hospitality industry is a valuable addition to our team and we look forward to having him spearhead a number of key initiatives across Main Street’s expanding portfolio of properties,” she added. As vice president of operations, Jackson will wor...
Why Universities Are Bringing Hotels on Campus
October 29, 2019
Universities are regularly pulling in visitors for big games, graduations and symposiums. Then there’s the steady flow of prospective students that come to tour, and families that need a place to stay when visiting their children. Often, there’s a shortage of accommodation nearby. So, to help fill the gap, universities have started building their own hotels. “Given their size and the academic and athletic events generated by many institutions, there are real opportunities for colleges and universities to build hotels on campus,” says Matthew Do, Senior Vice President at JLL. “We’re finding this approach can make a lot of...
Vacationing in a Tree House? Why Singapore Hotels Are Tapping Into Biophilic Design / Holden Madison
Holden Madison | October 29, 2019
By Holden Madison Singapore -- October 29, 2019 -- Singapore is stepping into this field by building a Super Low Energy (SLE) resort in the backyard of its National Singapore Zoo. This zone, called the Mandai Project, aims to support Singaporean flora and fauna and to eventually become a destination for nature lovers. WOW architects, in partnership with Banyan Tree Holdings Limited, is designing treehouses in the shapes of seeds. Perched above the canopy, 338 rooms will feature stunning rain forest vistas. What is biophilic design? How will this be made possible? By biophilic design of course. First coined by American biolog...
Bad Timing or Bad Decision
Shep Hyken | October 29, 2019
By Shep Hyken Recently, my wife and I went out to dinner. We planned to go to a movie afterward but couldn’t decide what to see. Easy solution—we decided to go home and watch one of our favorite shows on Netflix. We arrived home, got comfortable, turned on the TV and… nothing. The TV went on, but there was no cable or Internet signal. There was an outage. Obviously, the cable company didn’t do this on purpose. It was out of their control. Sometimes things happen. It was just bad timing. A couple of weeks later, I attended a conference at a hotel in Orlando. We enjoyed the speakers in the morning session, and after about two hour...
Quore CapEx Tool Is Helping Hotel Management Companies Save Time and Money
Quore | October 29, 2019
Franklin, Tenn. – October 29, 2019 – Budget season is over, and hotel owners/operators are breathing sighs of relief now that they’re through with the arduous weeks — maybe even months— of prepping annual budgets and taking care of a backlog of capital requests. Quore, an award-winning provider of workforce communication and engineering/housekeeping management technologies, has a tool that is helping multi-property management companies make better financial decisions by staying on top of all property-level capital requests. The CapEx app customizes and automates the flow of approved expenses for increased efficiency. The too...
The Top 5 Things You Need to Know Now in Hotel Digital Marketing: October Edition
NextGuest Digital | October 29, 2019
By Margaret Mastrogiacomo, EVP Strategy The world of hospitality digital marketing is always changing, and the key to success is staying ahead of the curve. This month, the latest digital innovations include Google testing search results without URLs, the benefits of being GDPR-compliant, and the colors that will be making a splash in 2020 design. From SEO to design, find out the top five things you need to know now in hotel digital marketing to make sure your hotel is ready to reach your next guest. 1. SEO: Google is testing search results without URLs. Recently, Google has been testing completely removing URLs from search results i...
Leadership Lessons: Pull the Weeds
Bryan K. Williams | October 29, 2019
By Dr. Bryan K. Williams Do you know what annoys a gardener more than anything else? A weed. They hate weeds. As soon as a weed rears its head the gardener pulls it out! In my analogy, the "gardener" is the leader and the "weed" is not the problem employee... it is the undesirable behavior (blaming other depts, bad attitude, etc). If your goal is to have a thriving garden (team), here are some keys to note regarding weeds: *You never have to try to make weeds grow. *Weeds don't start big. They always start small. *It's always easier to pull weeds when they are small. *Weeds are a sign of neglect. Whenever you see weeds, it mean...
Salt River Devco Opens Residence Inn by Marriott in Scottsdale, Arizona
Residence Inn by Marriott | October 29, 2019
Scottsdale, AZ – October 29, 2019 – The 111-suite Residence Inn by Marriott in Scottsdale, Arizona is now open with its upscale, stylish décor that offers flexibility, while creating a unique environment. Located at 5351 North Pima Road, the all-suite Residence Inn Scottsdale Salt River is owned by Salt River Devco and managed by Marriott International, Inc. Located three miles from Old Town Scottsdale and 10 miles from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, the Residence Inn Scottsdale Salt River offers its guests convenient access to the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community, Scottsdale Fashion Square Mall, Talking Stick Cas...
Courtyard by Marriott Edina Bloomington Opens in Minnesota
Courtyard by Marriott | October 29, 2019
Bloomington, MN – October 29, 2019 – Courtyard by Marriott Edina Bloomington is set to open its doors in Bloomington, Minnesota today. 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 4460 West 78th Street Circle, the 209-room hotel will operate as a Marriott franchise, owned by Merica Lodging LLC and managed by Hawkeye Hotels of Coralville, Iowa. Whether traveling for business or pleasure, the Courtyard Edina Bloomington offers guests convenient access to Mall of ...
The Vanderbilt, Auberge Resorts Collection Welcomes David Crone as Executive Chef
Auberge Resorts Collection | October 29, 2019
NEWPORT, R.I. (October 29, 2019) – The Vanderbilt, Auberge Resorts Collection, the historic Gilded-Age mansion turned modern-day, luxury hotel in the heart of charming Newport, R.I., today announced the appointment of David Crone as Executive Chef. With two decades of culinary experience earned at luxury hotels and restaurants across the East Coast, Crone will oversee culinary development, operations and programming at the hotel’s signature restaurant, The Vanderbilt Grill, the seasonal Garden Terrace, and the Roof Deck, the popular rooftop lounge and restaurant featuring panoramic views of Newport’s scenic waterfront. Crone’...
Highgate Appoints Erik Palmer as Managing Director of Park Central Hotel and WestHouse New York
October 29, 2019
Erik Palmer has officially been appointed Managing Director of Park Central and WestHouse Hotels in New York City on October 15. With industry experience spanning over two decades, Mr. Palmer will lead the daily operations of the two HIGHGATE-managed properties. Prior to his current position, Mr. Palmer also served as Managing Director of TWA Hotel for MCR, the sixth largest hotel owner-operator in the United States. In this role, Mr. Palmer carried out the operational logistics through opening of the new 512-room TWA Hotel at John F. Kennedy International Airport in spring of this year. Erik’s previous experience to MCR was as Hotel ...
Restaurateurs, Insights Await!
PolyU’s School of Hotel and Tourism Management | October 29, 2019
Restaurateurs will finally have the opportunity to gain comprehensive insights into tourists’ dining preferences and behaviour through analysis of online reviews thanks to a ground-breaking study by Professor Rob Law of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and his co-researchers. Having developed a data-mining framework to analyse more than 40,000 reviews of restaurants in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia, the researchers reveal a range of tourist preferences and suggest that their method could be extended to other areas of tourism. Everyone has to eat, and food is an important part of ...
U.S. Hotel Industry Resilient, GOPPAR Up in September
HotStats | October 29, 2019
The third quarter ended on a high note for U.S. hotels, as September profit per room climbed year-over-year, indication that the current cycle still has teeth. GOPPAR in the month was up 1.9% over the same time last year, part of a third quarter that saw profit grow 0.2%, dragged down by a challenging July when GOPPAR decreased 2.0% YOY, according to data from HotStats. September’s bottom-line rise was fueled by a 1.1% YOY jump in RevPAR, led wholly by a 1.4% increase in average room rate. Occupancy for the month was down 0.3 percentage points YOY. The corporate segment led the growth in RevPAR, with a stout 5.1% YOY increase in ra...
Q3 Proves Tough for UK’s Regional Hotels as RevPAR Falls Again, Reveals Latest Hotel Market Tracker
HVS | October 28, 2019
28 October 2019, London: Trading in Q3 for UK hotels has again showed a considerable contrast between those in London compared with the Provinces, according to the latest UK Hotel Market Tracker: Q3 2019, produced by HVS London, AlixPartners and STR. With London properties seeing rate-driven RevPAR [rooms revenue per available room*] growth of 5.1% to £145.97 year-on-year, hotels in the regions saw a decline of 1.3% to £63.42, the third consecutive quarter of decline. In London performance was largely boosted by strong room rates, up 5.3% year-on-year to an average of £165.69, despite a slight fall in occupancy of 0.3% to 88.1%. Perf...
Aimbridge Hospitality and Interstate Hotels & Resorts Complete Merger
Aimbridge Hospitality | October 28, 2019
DALLAS and ARLINGTON, Virginia, Oct. 28, 2019 - Aimbridge Hospitality ("Aimbridge"), North America's largest independent hotel management firm, announces that it has completed its merger with Interstate Hotels & Resorts ("Interstate"), a leading independent multinational hotel operator on October 25, 2019. The combined company will manage a portfolio of more than 1,400 branded and independent properties in 49 states and 20 countries. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. With this merger, Aimbridge and Interstate will create enhanced offerings for hotel owners benefiting from a scaled, global platform: enhanced data and analy...
Hospitality Financial Leadership: The Ultimate Hotel P&L
David Lund | October 28, 2019
By David Lund I know a lot of people have some confusion and a slight frustration when it comes to the financial information that’s available in a hotel and the way it’s presented. The 11th edition of the Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industry (USALI) is rock solid in its acceptance and use in our industry for those who know about it and choose to use it. But what if there is a better way to look at the financial information that helps operators see their results (and better still their budgets and forecasts) in a different light? A light that shines on the various different levels of profitability by business type. ...
Playa Hotels & Resorts Appoints Pedro Tomás as General Manager of The New Hyatt Ziva & Hyatt Zilara Cap Cana
Playa Hotels & Resorts N.V. | October 28, 2019
Ft. Lauderdale, FL (October 28, 2019) – Playa Hotels & Resorts N.V. (NASDAQ: PLYA, “Playa”) named Pedro Tomás as General Manager for the highly anticipated, all-inclusive Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana and Hyatt Zilara Cap Cana, set to open Nov. 1, 2019. A Dominican Republic native, Pedro has spent his entire career in hospitality and brings first-hand knowledge to his new role at the flagship resorts for the Hyatt All Inclusive brands. Pedro will oversee the operation of the two resorts which include 750 oceanfront suites on a 40-acre beachfront property. The all-ages Hyatt Ziva will feature a full-scale water park, extensively themed a l...
Loden Properties Appoints Tim Rogers as General Manager for The Longleaf Hotel Opening Late 2019
The Longleaf Hotel | October 28, 2019
(RALEIGH, NC; October 28, 2019)—LODEN Properties, the development company behind the highly anticipated Longleaf Hotel, has appointed its General Manager in advance of opening at the end of the year. With a passion for hospitality rooted in his 16 years of hands-on experience, Tim Rogers has held sales and management positions at Marriott and Starwood properties throughout the south. Most recently, he was part of the opening team for the Aloft Hotel in Downtown Durham before taking on the General Manager position at The Longleaf Hotel where he’ll oversee all hotel operations. “The Longleaf Hotel will be an exciting addition to the...
TraknProtect Launches Educational Series on Staff Safety (Panic Button) Alert Legislation, Compliance and Implementation
TraknProtect | October 28, 2019
Leading hotel technology provider to deliver industry education and informational resources for hoteliers looking to deploy staff safety button solutions Chicago – October 28, 2019 – TraknProtect, a leading provider of real-time location technology purpose-built for the hospitality industry, has announced the launch of a specially developed educational series on staff safety legislation, compliance and implementation. The series kicked off last week with the premiere of TrakCast, a new podcast dedicated to educating the industry on advances in hospitality technology. Hosted by TraknProtect’s Monica Newsome, TrakCast’s “Safety...
Peter Tichy Appointed Opening General Manager of New Radisson Blu Resort Cam Ranh Bay
Radisson Blu | October 28, 2019
Radisson Blu Resort Cam Ranh Bay, the brand new beach resort nestled on Vietnam’s stunning south-east coast, has announced the appointment of Peter Tichy as its opening General Manager. A highly-skilled hospitality professional with more than 30 years of industry experience, Peter has enjoyed an impressive career that included spells managing hotels in Russia, Sweden, Germany, Ukraine, Egypt, Nigeria and now, Vietnam. He also has a proven track record of hotel openings, having successfully launched multiple new properties worldwide. Peter is no stranger to Radisson Blu, having previously managed four of the upper-upscale brand’s hot...
Sonesta Silicon Valley Appoints Pooya Banifazl as New Director of Food & Beverage
Sonesta Silicon Valley | October 25, 2019
Sonesta Silicon Valley, in the heart of the tech industry, is pleased to announce that they have appointed Pooya Banifazl as their new Director of Food and Beverage. Pooya is charged with launching the hotel’s new California Table and Bar, Manzanita (scheduled to open in November), as well as the introduction of the Sonesta Event Center in December. Prior to coming to Sonesta Silicon Valley, Banifazl was Director of Outlets at The Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel in San Francisco. He has been in the food and beverage industry for more than 15 years, working with both freestanding restaurants and hotels, including extensive experience with PF...
Boston’s Kimpton Onyx Hotel Appoints Dannie Halloran as Director of Sales
Kimpton Onyx | October 25, 2019
Boston, MA, October 25, 2019 — Kimpton Onyx hotel is pleased to announce the appointment of Dannie Halloran as Director of Sales for the 112-guestroom, boutique hotel located in Boston, MA. In this role, Halloran is responsible for the daily sales efforts of the hotel, directing both corporate and transient sales, developing new guest experiences and implementing Kimpton brand communi-cation, internally and externally. In addition, he’ll work closely with the hotel’s revenue team and general manager to forecast and achieve hotel sales goals. Halloran joins Kimpton Onyx with nearly ten years of hotel industry experience, most recently...
8 Tips for Incorporating Influencers Into Your Hotel Marketing Strategy
Kacey Bradley | October 25, 2019
If you've logged onto Instagram at any point in the last couple of years, you've probably noticed your favorite actor, singer or another celebrity making posts with hashtags such as "ad" or "sponsored." With so many followers watching what they do, these people become influencers, inspiring others to buy the products they use just by showing the world that they use them. Often, companies collaborate with these celebrities or Insta-famous individuals to get them to showcase their offerings, too. As it turns out, this type of social media marketing can be a super useful marketing technique for hotels. Influencers come in and document their s...
Redefining The Value Chain in Tourism: Lessons From Thomas Cook’s Demise
Achim Schmitt | October 25, 2019
By Achim Schmitt Thomas Cook: An Industry Perspective On September 23rd, 2019, Thomas Cook – one of the world’s oldest travel companies – declared bankruptcy. The 178-year old travel firm was forced to indefinitely suspend its operations after failing to secure £200 million in emergency funding, despite having already reached an agreement for a £900 million rescue deal. But this wasn’t the first time that Thomas Cook rifled with financial struggles. The company almost went under in 2011 when its debt reached £1.24 billion – but narrowly avoided it by securing an emergency loan of £100 million. Now, 8 years later,...
