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Quail Lodge & Golf Club Appoints Brian Parks as Executive Chef
Quail Lodge & Golf Club | September 5, 2019
CARMEL, CALIF. (September 2019) – Quail Lodge & Golf Club announces the appointment of Brian Parks to the position of Executive Chef. In his new role, Chef Parks will oversee all culinary operations at Quail Lodge including the menus at the property’s signature restaurant, Edgar's, and hotel bar, Waypoint Bar + Kitchen, in addition to banquets, wedding and special events on property. Parks is a graduate of both the California School of Culinary Arts and College of the Canyons with degrees in Culinary Arts, Business Sciences and Social Sciences. He is a seasoned veteran in the hospitality industry and brings a high level of standard...
Hotels in North Texas Are Getting a New Tool to Prevent Human Trafficking
Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking (BEST) | September 5, 2019
Dallas, TX (September 5, 2019) – The Hotel Association of North Texas (HANTX) today announced a new partnership with the Seattle-based nonprofit, Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking (BEST) to make human trafficking awareness training available to all HANTX members and their staffs, free of charge. BEST provides training in human trafficking prevention, and BEST’s Inhospitable to Human Trafficking training, sponsored by AAHOA, will now be available to help hotel employees in North Texas learn the indicators of human trafficking and how to safely report it to law enforcement. This partnership will give more hotel owners in North Texa...
Marriott International Signs With Larco to Debut the W Hotels Brand in Toronto Following $40M Transformation
W Hotels Worldwide | September 4, 2019
Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) has signed an agreement with Larco to bring W Hotels’ bold design, signature Whatever/Whenever® service and innovative programming to Toronto for the first time, underscoring growing demand for luxury in Canada and the brand’s boundary-breaking approach to design. The 9-story, 255-room property located at 90 Bloor Street East in Toronto’s fashionable Yorkville neighbourhood, will be surrounded by high-end boutiques, galleries and design studios as well as chic cafes, polished bars and fine-dining restaurants. The property is undergoing a $40 million design transformation to the property’s...
Travel Trends Index: International Inbound Travel Tumbles for Fourth Month This Year
U.S. Travel Association | September 4, 2019
Business travel rebounds to help sustain healthy growth of domestic market Washington — Travel to and within the U.S. grew 3.2% year-over-year in July, according to the U.S. Travel Association’s latest Travel Trends Index (TTI)—a slight rebound from June’s nine-month low. International inbound travel contracted once again in July, falling by 1.2%. The decline follows a disappointing June performance which saw the sector’s six-month trend fall below zero for the first time since September 2015. The Leading Travel Index (LTI), the predictive component of the TTI, projects international inbound travel growth will re...
Hilton Appoints Feisal Jaffer as Global Head of Its Newest Luxury Brand, LXR Hotels & Resorts
LXR Hotels & Resorts | September 4, 2019
MCLEAN, Va. - Hilton (NYSE: HLT) today announced the appointment of Feisal Jaffer as global head, LXR Hotels & Resorts. Jaffer will oversee Hilton’s newest luxury collection brand, which launched in 2018 and is comprised of independent hotels for the world’s most seasoned luxury travelers. LXR offers guests enriching, uncommon experiences tailored to each distinct hotel and traveler. “Set apart by an extraordinary commitment to personalized attention, the LXR brand is rooted in a unique sense of discovery and adventure,” said Martin Rinck, executive vice president and global head, Luxury & Lifestyle Group, Hilton. “In our...
Richard Schestak Appointed Managing Director of Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok, Thailand
Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok | September 4, 2019
Bangkok, 4 September 2019 - Richard Schestak has been appointed as the new Managing Director at Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok. Looking back to 28 years of experience in international hospitality industry, Richard joins this luxurious iconic landmark in the heart of Bangkok from Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates where he was General Manager at Fairmont Marina Resort and Fairmont Marina Residences. Austrian-born Richard Schestak brings to the hotel a wealth of international hotel experience gained in Europe, North America, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific with an extensive background in hotel operations - in particular Food & Beverage...
Hilton Miami Downtown Appoints Sirle Martorell as General Manager
Hilton Miami Downtown | September 4, 2019
MIAMI (Sep. 4, 2019) – Hilton Miami Downtown is excited to announce the promotion of Sirle Martorell to General Manager, who has served as the hotel’s Hotel Manager for the past two years. In her new role, Martorell will be responsible for overseeing Hilton Miami Downtown’s daily operations, personnel, business development and guest relations. “I’m so honored to have been granted the opportunity to become Hilton Miami Downtown’s new General Manager,” Martorell said. “I’ve fallen in love with this exceptional property during my time here, and I’m looking forward to continuing working with our team to achieve higher leve...
Olde Mill Inn Ties the Knot With Maestro PMS to Help Support 1,200 Corporate and Social Events a Year Including 240 Amazing Weddings
Maestro PMS | September 4, 2019
The Olde Mill Inn was voted “Best of Weddings” by The Knot from 2007 to 2019 and Maestro PMS is Part of the Wedding Party September 4, 2019 – The Olde Mill Inn in Basking Ridge, New Jersey embraces couples with two fairy-tale wedding venues on a landscaped 10-acre estate. In addition to more than 240 weddings per year, the property also works with numerous corporations and hosts approximately 1,200 social and corporate events annually. The Olde Mill Inn runs a high-volume property seven days a week. “Maestro PMS handles everything from fast, smooth check-ins to group rooming lists for our brides, and also delivers post-event Analyt...
First Hospitality Adds Homewood Suites by Hilton Orland Park to Management Portfolio
First Hospitality | September 4, 2019
(CHICAGO, IL; September 4, 2019)—First Hospitality, a premier hospitality management and development company based in Chicago, assumes management of Homewood Suites by Hilton Orland Park (16245 S. LaGrange Rd., Orland Park, IL). The property features 81 suites with extended stay rate options, an indoor pool, fitness and business centers, meeting rooms, pet-friendly rooms, and complimentary parking, wifi, breakfast, and evening social hours. “This is our first hotel in the lively Orland Park neighborhood,” says David Duncan, president of First Hospitality. “We look forward to managing this property that is sure to offer the utmost c...
How Many Rooms Is Too Many?: Per-Capita Demand and the Hotel Cycle
Adam R. Lair | September 4, 2019
By Adam Lair In a recent New York Times op-ed titled Why Rate Cuts Don’t Help Much Anymore[1], Austan Goolsbee, former economic advisor to President Obama, cited a study on the effect of Federal Reserve rate cuts on demand for mortgages, stating: Fundamentally, there wasn’t much pent-up demand for investment after years of low rates, accelerated depreciation, ‘temporary’ investment expensing, and other stimulus. The lack of pent up demand also means that cutting interest rates now is unlikely to entice businesses to invest much more. In other words, to summarize Goolsbee’s general point, rate cuts don’t unleash the same i...
Pegasus & Travel Tripper Expand Reach and Capabilities of Powerful Analytics Platform for Hoteliers
TRAVEL TRIPPER & PEGASUS | September 4, 2019
(NEW YORK) - September 4, 2019 — Pegasus & Travel Tripper, a leading hotel technology provider, is now offering its proprietary Distribution Analytics platform to all customers using RezTrip CRS and booking engine, providing enhanced data discovery capabilities to the entire company’s customer base. Pegasus Analytics, which launched in 2018 prior to the merging of the two companies, is a premier business intelligence platform designed for multi-dimensional data discovery, allowing hoteliers to explore their data in detail using rich, interactive visualizations. The analytics platform aggregates data from multiple sources, including...
BMC Investments and Vision Hospitality Group Break Ground on Hyatt House Denver/Aurora, CO
Vision Hospitality Group, Inc. | September 4, 2019
DENVER, CO., SEP. 4 2019— Denver-based BMC Investments(BMC) in partnership with Chattanooga-based Vision Hospitality Group, Inc., has broken ground on a 140-key extended stay Hyatt House hotel at the Fitzsimons Medical Campus in Aurora, which will include 8,000 square feet of ground level retail. BMC acquired the property, which is located at the southeast corner of Colfax and Peoria – also known as the Gateway at Fitzsimons – in 2013. The project will be one of the first opportunity zone projects in the Denver metro area to break ground. The Hyatt House hotel will be managed by Vision Hospitality Group. The 8,000 square feet on the gro...
Hotel Whitcomb Partners With Hotel Internet Services to Provide Guests With Latest Standards in Wi-Fi Connectivity
Hotel Internet Services, Inc. | September 4, 2019
Historic San Francisco property leverages HIS industry-leading expertise to upgrade property-wide Wi-Fi services and provide each guest with a fast, reliable and secure internet connection. SAN FRANCISCO — September 4, 2019 — Hotel Internet Services (HIS), a full-service provider of internet services and solutions, has announced the successful upgrade of guest Wi-Fi services at the Hotel Whitcomb. An iconic 110-year-old San Francisco landmark that once served as the location of City Hall, Hotel Whitcomb has more recently undergone an extensive refurbishment project to provide its guests with a unique combination of elegance and moderni...
Can Third-Party Managers Be the Answer to the Middle East’s Performance Sag?
David Eisen | September 3, 2019
By David Eisen The third-party hotel management agreement or HMA is decades old, yet still not fully embraced by the global hotel industry. But as industry fundamentals in regions like the Middle East sputter, impeding revenue and profitability, change could be afoot. Hotel owners with an eagle eye on the bottom line are now more inclined to seek out specialized experts to be the caretakers of their assets in order to keep profitability afloat. In the United States, the third-party management model thrives. According to the Management Companies 2019 Survey, released by Hotel Business, there are more than 140 such companies operating one...
Hotel Equities Onboards New Class of Management Trainees
Hotel Equities | September 3, 2019
Manager in Training program elevates next generation of hospitality leaders Atlanta, GA – September 3, 2019 – Hotel Equities (HE) welcomed a new class of trainees to its Manager in Training (MIT) program. The new group is HE’s fourth class of trainees to embark on its MIT program, first rolled-out in 2015. The program was designed for recent college graduates who have an interest in the hospitality industry. Following a series of interviews, seven individuals were selected to participate in the program. Kareem Downer, a graduate of Georgia State University; Lauren Cohen, a graduate of Florida State University; Cammie Nguyen, a gra...
Accor Celebrates Groundbreaking of Dual-Branded Melbourne Airport Hotel
Accor | September 3, 2019
Key points Dual-branded 464-room hotel operating under Accor’s Novotel and ibis Styles’ brands. 120 job opportunities created when open. 450 jobs created during construction. Total project cost $163 million. The first sod was turned today on the construction of a brand new hotel at Melbourne Airport to support growing traveller numbers and address constraints in hotel occupancy. The 464-room hotel, created to serve Melbourne’s burgeoning conference and tourism markets, will be conveniently located steps from Terminal 4 within a brand new precinct known as ‘The Hive’. The 10-storey hotel will be dual-branded o...
The Brown Palace Hotel and Spa Names Rodney Herwerth as Complex Executive Chef
The Brown Palace Hotel and Spa | September 3, 2019
DENVER -- Sept. 3, 2019 -- The Brown Palace Hotel and Spa, a legend among Downtown Denver hotels since 1892, proudly welcomes Rodney Herwerth as Executive Chef of the iconic landmark and the adjacent Holiday Inn Express Denver Downtown, part of The Brown Palace hotel complex. In this role, Herwerth will utilize his wealth of knowledge, creativity and enthusiasm to oversee all culinary direction and operation for the hotel, banquets and daily dining within its six renowned restaurants and lounges. "We're excited about the diverse culinary background Chef Rodney Herwerth brings to The Brown Palace complex," said Timothy Wolfe, C...
Paris Hotel Market – A Rocky Start to the Year
Dayk Balyozyan | September 3, 2019
By Dayk Balyozyan & Sophie Perret Since our previous article in April 2018, the business environment in France has experienced positive change with a decrease in unemployment rate and an increase in purchasing power, following the ‘gilets jaunes’ disruption. The Economist Intelligence Unit forecasts modest GDP growth to pick up to around 1.5% for the foreseeable future. In terms of tourism, Paris enjoys an exceptionally well-balanced mix of business and leisure demand, which allows the City of Lights to have both a broad seasonality and strong average rate. Paris has remained, alongside London, one of the two most desirable destina...
Radisson Hotel Group Signs With Nine Hotel Group for Radisson RED London Greenwich in the UK
Radisson Red | September 3, 2019
Brussels/London -- September 3, 2019 -- Radisson Hotel Group is delighted to announce the signing of the Radisson RED London Greenwich in the UK. It will be the first property to bring the group’s upscale, lifestyle select-service hotel brand to the English capital, joining other UK landmark Radisson RED hotels in Glasgow and Liverpool. Home to the world’s busiest concert and events venue, the iconic O2 Arena, Greenwich puts guests at the heart of the action. From Elton John to Roger Federer, it boasts the biggest names in music, sport and entertainment. Elie Younes, Executive Vice President & Chief Development Officer, Radisson...
Apple Leisure Group Names Alejandro Reynal Chief Executive Officer
Apple Leisure Group | September 3, 2019
NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. -- Septemer 3, 2019 -- Apple Leisure Group®, ("ALG"), one of the world's leading travel, leisure and hospitality management groups, announced today the appointment of Alejandro Reynal as Chief Executive Officer. In a planned transition, Reynal will succeed Alex Zozaya, who will serve in a full-time capacity as Executive Chairman and lead the Board of Directors. Both appointments are effective September 3, 2019. In his new role, Reynal will oversee ALG which is comprised of a collection of leading subsidiary companies including AMResorts®, an award-winning resort brand management company with 66 branded resorts; de...
Marriott International Debuts Delta Hotels Into Middle East and Africa with Delta Hotels by Marriott Jumeirah Beach, Dubai
Delta Hotels and Resorts | September 3, 2019
Marriott International today announced the official debut of Delta Hotels by Marriott into Middle East and Africa with Delta Hotels by Marriott Jumeirah Beach, Dubai. Within easy access from key business hubs including Media City, Internet City and Knowledge City, the hotel is ideally located in the heart of one of Dubai’s most vibrant destinations, the famous Jumeirah Beach Residences (JBR). With direct beach access, it rises tall between the Dubai Marina, Jumeirah Beach and The Walk, Dubai’s first shopping and dining promenade. Offering a simple and hassle-free travel experience, it allows guests to achieve a perfect balance between the...
IHG Launches InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort
IHG | September 3, 2019
IHG® (InterContinental Hotels Group), one of the world's leading hotel companies, opens InterContinental® Maldives Maamunagau Resort(InterContinental Maldives), the latest in a series of new luxury resort openings which includes ANA InterContinental Beppu in Japan and InterContinental Hayman Island in Australia. Known for occupying the very best locations around the world, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts’ first property in the region is situated on the southernmost tip of the Raa Atoll near Baa Atoll, a UNESCO biosphere reserve, and one of the most secludedlocations in the Maldives. The resort boasts 81 Beach, Lagoon and Ov...
Trinity Investments and Elliott Acquire JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa
Trinity Real Estate Investments LLC | September 3, 2019
PHOENIX--September 3, 2019--A joint venture among funds managed by Trinity Real Estate Investments LLC (“Trinity”) and funds managed by Elliott Management Corporation (“Elliott”) today announced the acquisition of the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa (the “Resort”), the largest resort in Phoenix. This transaction follows Trinity and Elliott’s joint purchase of the Grande Lakes Orlando Resort in December 2018, advancing the partnership’s strategy of acquiring market-leading large hotel properties with value-add opportunity. Spanning 396 lush acres, the Resort features a 950-room hotel, 212,500 square feet of flexibl...
China’s Hotel Construction Pipeline Continues to Expand, Setting an All-Time High, Despite Economic Slowdown
Lodging Econometrics (LE) | September 3, 2019
September 3, 2019 – PORTSMOUTH, NH – Analysts at Lodging Econometrics (LE) report that at the end of the first half of 2019, China’s total construction pipeline swelled to 2,991 projects/592,884 rooms, up 19% by projects and 7% by rooms year-over-year (YOY), both at all-time highs, amidst an economic slowdown. The China growth rate is expected to be 6.2% for 2019, the lowest reported since 1990. The rocky economic climate is due to high debt levels, a trade war with the United States and on-again, off-again discussions that add further to economic instability. China has 2,174 projects/407,594 rooms presently under construction, ...
