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Choice Hotels Signs With Brar Hotels Group for Development of Spokane’s First Cambria Hotel
Cambria Hotels | August 6, 2019
ROCKVILLE, Md. -- August 6, 2019 -- Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH) has signed an agreement with Brar Hotels Group, LLC for the development of a Cambria hotel in Spokane, Wash.— fueling the company's westward expansion strategy and marking the brand's first location in the city. The four-story, 91-room upscale hotel is slated to open in 2020. Just minutes from the downtown central business district and the Spokane International Airport at 4611 S Dowdy Rd., the Cambria hotel will offer convenient access to several of the region's largest employers, including Fairchild Air Force Base, Providence Sacred Heart Medical Ce...
Hilton Adelaide Appoints Brent Assam as New Executive Chef
Hilton Hotels & Resorts | August 6, 2019
ADELAIDE, Australia -- August 6, 2019 -- Hilton Adelaide has welcomed back Brent Assam to lead the team as Executive Chef following time spent working on the Islands of Fiji. Following time working in Africa, Perth, Fiji and Hilton Adelaide where he was Executive Sous Chef from 2013 until 2015, Brent said the time is right to return back to Adelaide. Born and bred in Durban, South Africa, the outdoors have shaped Brent’s outlook to appreciate the smaller things in life. He is inspired by the abundant and diverse resources offered by South Australia’s local landscape (ocean, garden, farmlands) and its rich food history and heritag...
Owned and Managed by Solara Hospitality, 138-Room Courtyard by Marriott Opens in North Charleston, South Carolina
Courtyard by Marriott | August 6, 2019
North Charleston, SC -- August 6, 2019 -- Courtyard by Marriott Charleston-North Charleston opens its doors in North Charleston, South Carolina. 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 7465 Northside Drive, the 138-room hotel will operate as a Marriott franchise, owned and managed by Solara Hospitality of Columbia, South Carolina. The management team at the property is led by General Manager George Prioleau III, who has worked internationally and nationally for ...
Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel Completes Multi-Million Dollar Guest Room Renovation
RENAISSANCE BALTIMORE HARBORPLACE HOTEL | August 6, 2019
BALTIMORE, MD -- August 6, 2019 -- The Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel, one of Baltimore’s most popular Inner Harbor hotels, has just completed a multi-million dollar renovation, it was announced by Chris Madoo, General Manager. The five-month renovation project for this Baltimore luxury hotel focused on a complete redo of the hotel’s 622 guest rooms and suites including wall covering, carpeting, bedding, furnishings, and decorative items. The design features a calming palette of grays and blues. Guests will find supreme connectivity at their fingertips with multiple power and USB outlets to charge devices as well as 55-inch H...
Greenwood Hospitality to Manage Embassy Suites – Milwaukee Brookfield in Brookfield, Wisconsin
Greenwood Hospitality | August 6, 2019
Denver, CO -- August 6, 2019 -- Greenwood Hospitality Group, a full-service third party hotel management company, announced today that it has been awarded the management contract for the Embassy Suites by Hilton Milwaukee Brookfield in Brookfield, Wisconsin. Greenwood Principal Aik Hong Tan made the announcement. Centrally located in the Milwaukee area, the 203-room hotel is currently the only Embassy Suites by Hilton in the state of Wisconsin. Each of the property’s two-room suites offers a private bedroom and a separate living room with a sofa bed. All suites feature a refrigerator, microwave, wet bar, coffee maker, and free WiFi. ...
BENCHMARK® Names James Massey Director Culinary Experience for The Essex, Vermont’s Culinary Resort & Spa
The Essex, Vermont’s Culinary Resort & Spa | August 6, 2019
The Woodlands (Houston), Texas -- August 6, 2019 -- BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, has named James Massey as Director of Culinary Experience for The Essex, Vermont’s Culinary Resort & Spa. Mr. Massey brings more than 16 years of extraordinary culinary experience to the resort, a Gemstone Collection property, located in Essex, Vermont. “We are so pleased to welcome James to The Essex,” says General Manager Ron Droegmyer. “He’s arriving with an exemplary background in the culinary arts, and as Vermont’s summer season is providing fresh produce, grass-fed beef, fish and artisanal cheeses to the resort’s table....
Survey Says: Young Business Travelers Prefer Solo Sightseeing and Social Workspaces
Hilton Hotels & Resorts | August 6, 2019
MCLEAN, Va. -- August 6, 2019 -- As Hilton Hotels & Resorts continues to innovate its offerings for the next generation of business travelers, the flagship brand is releasing new survey findings uncovering the travel highs and lows for young professionals, ages 23-35, who attend meetings while on the road. The survey revealed that, while young business travelers prefer a buzzing social environment and in-person interactions during regular work hours, they would rather spend their evenings on their own. Hilton previously conducted research unveiling that business travel is a major work perk among this group. This year, the findings f...
Travel Trends Index: Travel Posts Worst Overall Performance in Nine Months
U.S. Travel Association | August 6, 2019
Leisure travel growth offset by flat business segment and contraction in int'l inbound travel WASHINGTON -- August 6, 2019 -- Travel to and within the U.S. grew 2.4% year-over-year in June, according to the U.S. Travel Association's latest Travel Trends Index (TTI)—travel's worst performance since September 2018. Most concerning is the 0.8% contraction of international inbound travel, which brought the sector's six-month trend below zero for the first time since September 2015. This drop in international inbound travel follows Friday's news that travel employment tumbled in July, losing 2,500 jobs despite the relative strength of th...
Sava Holdings Maximizes Hotel Security and Design With VingCard Essence Door Locks
ASSA ABLOY Global Solutions | August 6, 2019
Hotel development company implements stylish door locks with advanced encryption technology and the ability to upgrade to digital key functionality. Stockholm -- August 6, 2019 -- Sava Holdings, Ltd, a boutique hotel development company with nine properties currently flagged under several major hotel brands, has implemented VingCard Essence at two of its properties. As new construction projects, both the Aloft Fort Worth Downtown and Holiday Inn Express & Suites Plano East implemented Essence to present guests with a secure and convenient hotel environment along with a modern and enticing lock design. To maximize guest safety and...
INTELITY Appoints Jeff Swanson as Managing Director of Europe, the Middle East and Africa
INTELITY | August 6, 2019
The company adds to executive leadership team as part of its continued international expansion Los Angeles, CA -- August 6, 2019 -- INTELITY®, the provider of the broadest enterprise guest engagement and staff management platform for hospitality, announced today that Jeff Swanson has joined the executive team as Managing Director of Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). As Managing Director, Swanson will oversee extending the reach and growth of INTELITY in the EMEA region. “We are thrilled to welcome Jeff to the INTELITY team. He is a highly experienced business leader who has a wealth of international experience, and brings...
GuestTek Appoints Eli Aviv as Vice President of Finance
GuestTek | August 6, 2019
Calgary, Alberta – August 6, 2019 – GuestTek Interactive Entertainment Ltd., the global leader in providing innovative and interactive technology solutions for the hospitality industry, has appointed Eli Aviv as its new Vice President of Finance as of August 6, 2019; replacing Jeff Wood, who is entering retirement. Aviv is a seasoned and highly experienced executive bringing nearly 20 years of finance and operations experience in the tech industry. He holds a CPA, CMA designation and an MBA from Ben Gurion University and has been a senior level executive in organizations experiencing all phases of development and maturity. In his n...
Teneo Hospitality Group Expands Portfolio of Independent Brands and International Properties, Adds Six Hotels from The Dedica Anthology
The Dedica Anthology | August 6, 2019
Eden Prairie (Minneapolis), MN -- August 6, 2019 -- Teneo Hospitality Group, the premier Global Group Sales Organization, has expanded its portfolio of luxury, unaffiliated brands and international properties, adding six five-star European hotels that now make up the impressive and new The Dedica Anthology collection. The Milan-based company, founded in 2018, brings energy, spirit and imagination to the rebranding and renovation of these spectacular hotels, located in Italy, France, Hungary and the Czech Republic. They span historic icons, Renaissance palaces and a chic and contemporary example of modern Italian style. Each hotel is loca...
Despite RevPAR Dip, GOPPAR Gains at U.S. Hotels in June
HotStats | August 5, 2019
Revenue and profit aren't always simpatico. Check out what was up and what was down for U.S. hotels in June. Illustrating that revenue per available room and profit don’t always move lock and step, RevPAR at U.S. hotels in June declined year-over-year, but the drag did not bring down GOPPAR with it, according to the latest data tracking full-service hotels from HotStats. The result: RevPAR decreased 0.5% YOY to $175.14, while GOPPAR was up 0.9% to $113.10. Declining room occupancy, down 1.1 percentage points, was the likely culprit as achieved average room rate was up 0.8% YOY. Where, then, was the growth derived? Hotels in the ...
Mentoring in the Hospitality Industry: Insuring the Vibrancy for the Next Wave
Gary Hernbroth | August 5, 2019
By Gary Hernbroth “You’re never too good to get some help.” So says Shelby Hohenshil, 23, and just a year out of Michigan State University where she graduated last year from The School of Hospitality Business. But in some ways she has the wisdom of a wizened veteran when it comes to knowing what it takes to forge a successful career. Shelby landed a job right out of college at the monster-sized Hyatt Regency Chicago, the Windy City’s largest hotel at 2,032 rooms. But she has no misgivings. She knows she didn’t do it alone. “My mentor during my senior year at MSU played a huge role in getting me out of my comfort zone,...
Joint Venture Between Wexford Lodging Advisors and Trinity Private Equity Group Acquires 398-Room Marriott Kansas City Overland Park
Wexford Lodging Advisors | August 5, 2019
OVERLAND PARK, KANSAS -- August 5, 2019 -- Officials of a joint venture comprised of Wexford Lodging Advisors, a leading hotel investment and asset management firm, and Trinity Private Equity Group, one of the nation’s top alternative investment firms, today announced the acquisition of the 398-room Marriott Kansas City Overland Park. The joint venture will invest approximately $17 million to upgrade the property’s guest rooms and public spaces. Davidson Hotels and Resorts, one of the nation’s largest third-party management companies, will operate the hotel. “We are very pleased to announce our second acquisition with Trinity Pri...
Marriott Tops Leading Companies in The U.S. Hotel Construction Pipeline Followed by Hilton and IHG
Lodging Econometrics (LE) | August 5, 2019
PORTSMOUTH, NH -- August 5, 2019 -- In the Lodging Econometrics (LE) second quarter report for 2019, the franchise companies leading the United States hotel construction pipeline are Marriott International with 1,469 projects/193,458 rooms, up 9% by projects and rooms year-over-year (YOY). Next, coming off of last quarter’s all-time high, is Hilton Worldwide currently at 1,372 projects/152,853 rooms, a 3% increase YOY. InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) follows with 962 projects/97,647 rooms, also up 3% by projects and rooms, YOY. The leading brands in the construction pipeline for each of these three companies are Home2 Suites by Hilto...
John O’Connor Returns to Hospitality Management Corporation as Chief Operations Officer
Hospitality Management Corporation (HMC) | August 5, 2019
Dallas, TX -- August 5, 2019 -- Leo Spriggs, President and CEO of Hospitality Management Corporation (HMC) has announced John O’Connor will be re-joining the company as Chief Operations Officer. He previously worked 10+ years with HMC as Director of Operations and is returning with over 30 years of successful hospitality leadership. His main responsibilities will include working closely with all corporate department heads, as well as hotel managers focusing on day-to-day operations, training, sales, food & beverage, human resources and accounting – all with a goal of improved metrics. He will also provide guidance and direction f...
Sandestin Investments Plans Summer 2020 Opening of Hotel Effie Sandestin
Hotel Effie Sandestin | August 5, 2019
MIRAMAR BEACH, FL -- August 5, 2019 -- Ushering in a new era in aspirational vacationing to Northwest Florida’s Emerald Coast, Sandestin Investments, LLC announces the name and launch of its exquisite family-owned hotel, set to debut in early summer of 2020. Hotel Effie Sandestin is now accepting leisure and group reservations. The hotel features 250 guest rooms with multiple room types, a delectable three-meal restaurant, craft cocktail lobby bar, and in-room dining all curated by celebrity Chef Hugh Acheson. It also boasts a luxury spa, state-of-the-art fitness center, the only rooftop pool on Florida’s Emerald Coast and 20,000 sq....
White Lodging Acquires Marriott Plaza San Antonio Downtown Adding to Its Owned and Managed Portfolio
White Lodging | August 5, 2019
August 5, 2019 -- White Lodging, in partnership with REI Real Estate Services, today announced its continued growth in Texas with the acquisition of the Marriott Plaza Hotel in downtown San Antonio to its growing owned and managed portfolio of premium-branded hotels. The 251-room property is a six-acre urban oasis in the heart of downtown San Antonio, complete with sun-bathed courtyards, sparkling fountains and lush gardens. Guests can also enjoy a beautifully landscaped outdoor pool and 17,000 square feet of meeting space, which includes several historic 19th century bungalows converted into unique meeting spaces. The property’s premium...
Hospitality Properties Trust Opens Radisson Hotel Sunnyvale -Silicon Valley Following Multimillion Dollar Renovation
Radisson | August 5, 2019
August 5, 2019 -- Radisson, one of the best-recognized hotel brands, announced today the opening of Radisson Hotel Sunnyvale -Silicon Valley. The hotel, previously a Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, underwent an extensive renovation to join the Radisson portfolio.It is now the only newly renovated full-service hotel in the city of Sunnyvale. Guests can now enjoy a contemporary look and feel featuring the new Radisson design, focusing on providing a comfortable and natural environment and creating experiences that center around social spaces. The renovations include a lobby transformation with stylish furnishings, updated guest rooms, m...
Thomas Burke Tapped as Executive Chef at the Upcoming Mirbeau Inn & Spa Rhinebeck
Mirbeau Inn & Spa Rhinebeck | August 5, 2019
Rhinebeck, N.Y. – August 5, 2019 – Hudson Valley native and rising culinary talent Thomas Burke will lead the kitchen of the soon-to-open Mirbeau Inn & Spa Rhinebeck, including its just-announced signature restaurant, Willow by Charlie Palmer. The gifted chef has honed his skills at some of the most prestigious restaurants in the U.S. and joins the Mirbeau team from Connecticut’s award-winning Tavern at GrayBarns. Burke was tapped for his new role by world-renowned chef Charlie Palmer, who, in his first upstate New York venture, will oversee all food and beverage operations at the 50-room resort, from Willow to in-room dining, the ...
Hospitality Financial Leadership: Subsidizing Your Company, Association Meeting Costs / David Lund
David Lund | August 5, 2019
By David Lund In my recent travels working with clients and delivering keynotes as well as financial leadership workshops for management teams and hotel associations, I noticed an interesting way that more than one client used to “subsidize” their meetings—reducing their costs—and I wanted to share it with you. Having your regional meeting, national meeting or hosting your association event is expensive. There are travel costs, perhaps speaker fees and venue costs. Depending on the type of event there can be accommodations, meals, audiovisual and meeting room rentals. For companies, there is also lost productivity cost associate...
The Customer-Free Zone
Shep Hyken | August 2, 2019
By Shep Hyken There’s often a disconnect between organization leaders and customers. Leaders live in a customer-free zone where they don’t interact with customers on a daily basis and therefore don’t know what customers most desire. I had the great opportunity to interview John Brandt, the author of the new book, Nincompoopery: Why Your Customers Hate You—and How to Fix It. I love the title of that book and its content, including his concept of the customer-free zone. Here’s my take on this interesting concept—or, should I say, problem. The most important factor to customers is that they feel heard and cared about by the c...
Tourism Tidbits: Tourism and the Law
Dr. Peter Tarlow | August 2, 2019
By Dr. Peter Tarlow The Tourism/Visitor industry is a one of the world's great industries. Large industries, however, mean that there are large cash flows and large amounts of cash often mean multiple lawsuits and other legal problems. Often local CVBs or tourism offices are unaware of their own nation's laws and obligations. This ignorance of the law can be very costly. Tourism Tidbits does NOT give legal advice, and it strongly encourages all readers to ask specific questions to a licensed tourism legal professional. Please note that the information found below is only meant to be useful in helping tourism/travel professionals to obtain ...
