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Volara Now Powering the WooHoo® Enterprise AI Assistant for Hotels
Volara | June 10, 2019
New York and Menlo Park, Calif. — June 10, 2019 — Volara is now powering the independent WooHoo® Enterprise AI Assistant for hotels from SmartBeings. Through a technical integration and exclusive distribution arrangement, hotel guests can now speak or touch a screen to command the Volara-powered independent voice assistant solution to order toiletries, contact the valet, expedite check out, play music, and control room temperature, lighting, or curtains, among other powerful interactions. Volara’s real-time conversation-management software and secure integrations hub connects WooHoo to more than 30 hotel technologies, giving travelers ...
Choice Hotels Signs With Legacy Partners to Develop Five Sleep Inn Hotels Outside of Houston, Texas
Sleep Inn® Dream Better Here® | June 10, 2019
ROCKVILLE, Md., June 10, 2019 -- Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH) has signed an agreement with Legacy Partners, LLC to develop five Sleep Inn hotels outside of Houston, Texas. The first hotel is slated to open in 2020. "With more than 550 Sleep Inn properties currently open or in the pipeline worldwide, Sleep Inn continues to be a strong leader in the midscale segment that appeals to business-savvy developers and guests alike," said Brian Quinn, head of development, new construction, Choice Hotels. "The brand's Designed to Dream prototype offers developers the lowest cost-to-build in the midscale segment, while guests love its...
Key Hotel & Property Management Set to Open Courtyard by Marriott in Toledo, Ohio
Courtyard by Marriott | June 10, 2019
Toledo, OH – June 10, 2019 – Courtyard by Marriott Toledo West is scheduled to open its doors in Toledo, Ohio this Thursday, June 13, 2019. 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 3536 Secor Road, the 118-room hotel will operate as a Marriott franchise, owned and managed by Key Hotel & Property Management of Toledo, Ohio. Whether traveling for business or pleasure, the Courtyard by Marriott Toledo West offers guests convenient access to the University of T...
Towneplace Suites by Marriott to Open in the Outer Banks With General Manager Amanda Phillips at the Helm
TownePlace Suites by Marriott | June 10, 2019
Kill Devil Hills, NC – June 10, 2019 – Get ready to be real and be you on long stays. Marriott International’s TownePlace Suites by Marriott Outer Banks Kill Devil Hills is scheduled to open for business this month. Built for travelers looking for a simple and friendly place where they can settle-in, keep their routine, and easily connect to the Outer Banks area. The new hotel located at 2028 South Virginia Dare Trail, will operate as a Marriott franchise, owned by First Flight Hotel, LLC and managed by Rocklight Capital of Williamsburg, Virginia. “We are excited to introduce the TownePlace Suites brand to the Outer Banks area,” ...
W Hotels Debuts Newly Reimagined W Atlanta – Midtown, W Atlanta – Buckhead and W Atlanta – Downtown
W Hotels | June 10, 2019
Georgia is on our mind. W Hotels Worldwide is excited to reveal major upgrades to each of the city’s three W hotels (W Atlanta – Midtown, W Atlanta – Buckhead and W Atlanta – Downtown). Through the vision of talented design partners and the W brand’s own globally renowned design team, a collective of 750+ guestrooms, multiple bars and restaurants and more than 50,000 square feet of innovative meeting space will soon be revealed. These exciting changes in Atlanta are the first of several renovations expected to be completed at W Hotels across North America, as hotel owners are poised to invest $200+ million on renovations showcasing ...
Renaissance New York Times Square Unveils New Guestrooms and Suites With Multi-Million-Dollar Refresh
Renaissance New York Times Square | June 10, 2019
NEW YORK (June 10, 2019) – Renaissance New York Times Square continues to provide travelers with unparalleled experiences in the heart of Manhattan with the official debut of its completely redesigned 317 guestrooms and suites, following the earlier completion of its unique terrace suites. The hotel’s chic renovations pay homage to its bustling Times Square neighborhood and the area’s evolution as an iconic hub steeped in theatrical history. “This redesign fully encapsulates the pulsating energy of this city,” said Renaissance New York Times Square General Manager Christine Devers. “We’ve created an authentic New York experie...
Radisson Hotel Group Appoints Hannes Bos as VicePresident, Commercial, Asia Pacific
Radisson Hotel Group | June 10, 2019
Radisson Hotel Group™ has appointed Hannes Bos as its Vice President, Commercial, Asia Pacific. An experienced hotel professional and revenue leader, Hannes was educated in the Netherlands and Sweden before embarking on his hospitality career with AMS Hotel Group in Amsterdam. Specializing in revenue management, he also held senior management positions with Concorde Hotels in Paris and Millennium & Copthorne in London and Singapore. Hannes joined InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) in 2008, initially as Director of Revenue Management for the Middle East & Africa based in Dubai, and later as Senior Director of Revenue Strategy ...
MSD Partners Closes Sale of 1,047-Room Boca Raton Resort & Club From Blackstone Group for $461.6 Million
MGM Resorts International | June 10, 2019
Jeff Ostrowski | The Palm Beach Post, Fla. June 07--In the biggest property sale in Palm Beach County history, the Boca Raton Resort & Club sold this week for $461.6 million, according to deeds made public Thursday. A company affiliated with billionaire Michael Dell announced in April that it would buy the iconic club from Blackstone Group, but the buyer and seller didn't disclose the price at the time. Dell's MSD Partners is the new owner of the 1,047-room hotel. Dell himself visited the hotel several times from 2000 to 2004, when the Boca Resort hosted annual meetings of The Business Council, an organization made up of the heads of th...
Business Travel and Millennials: How We’re Changing the Travel Industry
Hotel Tech Report | June 10, 2019
By Marie Nieves As a millennial and business leader, I can safely say that my travel habits differ vastly from those of my parents, as well as my younger colleagues and friends. This has got me thinking about all of the articles and research I’ve read over the years that deal with the behavioral patterns of millennials within the professional realm, how we combine business and leisure, and how we’re constantly touted as the generation that disrupts the norm and aims to change, well, everything. I’m not at all surprised to say that I agree with that. After all, someone has to disrupt the traditional norms, and who better than a ge...
Walking In Your Customer’s Shoes
Courtyard by Marriott | June 10, 2019
By Shep Hyken You may have heard the expression, “Take a walk in your customer’s shoes.” The idea is that you put yourself in the customer’s position and see the situation through their eyes. This is good advice for those who have customer-facing responsibilities. You may have heard other versions of this expression. One of the more humorous versions is, “Walk a mile in your customer’s shoes, and once you’re a mile away, you can say anything you want about the customer and they can’t hear you.” I said it was humorous. I didn’t say it was right. Recently, I was speaking at a convention in Philadelphia, where I h...
HVS Design and JN+A Release 2019 Hotel Cost Estimating Guide
June 10, 2019
Rockville, Md., June 7, 2019: HVS Design and Jonathan Nehmer + Associates, Inc. (JN+A), leading Architecture, Interior Design, and Project Management firms specializing in the hospitality industry, are proud to announce the completion of the 2019 Hotel Cost Estimating Guide. The Guide is a comprehensive listing of capital expenditure construction and FF&E costs for hotel renovations. Now in its eleventh year, the 2019 Hotel Cost Estimating Guide evaluates costs in a variety of hotel tiers including Economy, Extended Stay, Midscale, Upscale, Upper Upscale, and Luxury. Within each tier, costs are separated into the categories of Gues...
New Mexico’s Hilton Santa Fe Buffalo Thunder Selects Clear Sky Software to Better Manage F&B Inventory
Clear Sky Software | June 10, 2019
Santa Fe Buffalo Thunder has installed the company’s beverage inventory control system to help manage and track all beverage products. The Hilton Santa Fe Buffalo Thunder, in beautiful Santa Fe, selected Clear Sky Software over a crowded field of inventory control solutions and has been busy taking advantage of this industry-leading beverage inventory system. Called Clear Sky BEVERAGE, this is a comprehensive, perpetual inventory system that tracks and controls all beer, liquor and wine products. Functions include purchasing/ordering, receiving, electronic requisition, outlet transfers/issues/returns and physical inventory. Rounding...
CustomerCount® Teams With Noble System
CustomerCount® | June 10, 2019
Noble Agent Gamification Solution Integrated Into CustomerCount’s Enterprise Feedback System INDIANAPOLIS, IN (June 7, 2019) –CustomerCount®, has teamed with Noble Systems, the global leader in omnichannel contact center technologies, to launch yet another enhancement to CustomerCount’s enterprise customer feedback system. The new addition to CustomerCount’s capabilities is the integration of Noble Gamification software. Noble Gamification solutions increase productivity, reduce employee turnover, and improve customer satisfaction. Noble Systems provides innovative solutions for Contact Center, Workforce Engagement, a...
Briad Group Holds “Top-Off” Celebration for AC Marriott Bridgewater, New Jersey
The Briad Group® | June 10, 2019
Bridgewater, NJ, June 7, 2019 – AC Hotels by Marriott, an upscale lifestyle hotel, celebrated a major construction milestone yesterday with a “top-off” party marking the completion of the property’s roof. Conveniently located off of Route 202 and I-287, the hotel is minutes away from the Bridgewater Commons Mall and features a walkway to Zinburger Wine & Burger Bar, a boutique burger restaurant. AC Marriott Bridgewater will be the brand’s first property in New Jersey and will employee approx. 100 people. The property is owned and managed by Briad Lodging Group, LLC, the hotel division of Livingston, New Jersey-based The Briad ...
Downtown El Paso’s Plaza Hotel Undergoing $78 Million Renovation Now Rebranded to Plaza Hotel Pioneer Park
June 10, 2019
Vic Kolenc | El Paso Times, Texas June 06-- Jun. 6--The Plaza hotel building being renovated into a boutique hotel in Downtown El Paso has a new, longer name and a new general manager. The 19-story, 90-year-old hotel building, undergoing a $78 million renovation, is now The Plaza Hotel Pioneer Park. It will be run by Hersha Hospitality Management, or HHM, a Philadelphia hotel development and management company operating 125 hotels across the United States. The simple white, Plaza letter signs that have been atop the hotel's roof tower for years will remain.The giant letters have been refurbished. The 130-room, upscale boutique hot...
TRYP by Wyndham Transforms Former Pittsburgh Trade School Into Local Landmark Hotel
TownePlace Suites by Marriott | June 10, 2019
PARSIPPANY, N.J., June 7, 2019 -- TRYP by Wyndham today opens doors in Pittsburgh's trendy Lawrenceville neighborhood - once dubbed "America's Coolest Neighborhood" - transforming a historic trade school building into a celebration of local art and culture with TRYP by Wyndham Pittsburgh/Lawrenceville. The 108-room hotel was developed by The Century Group, a hospitality company with roots in Pittsburgh and a history of successful developments with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts brands. Lawrenceville, with a bustling art and design scene emerging from an industrial past, is a strategic addition for TRYP by Wyndham, a brand designed to offer g...
Days Inn® by Wyndham Debuts in New Zealand With Opening of Days Hotel & Suites by Wyndham Hamilton
Days Inn by Wyndham | June 10, 2019
HAMILTON, New Zealand, June 7, 2019 -- Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, the world's largest hotel franchising company, has introduced its globally-recognized Days Inn by Wyndham brand to New Zealand with the opening of a new landmark hotel, Days Hotel & Suites by Wyndham Hamilton. The addition bolsters the Company's presence in New Zealand and in Hamilton, the region's fourth most-populous city and a key growth market. Since April 1, 2018, Wyndham has opened 34 total hotels in the South East Asia and Pacific Rim region, three of which carry the Days Inn flag. Globally, the brand has more than 1,700 hotels across 25 countries. A modern ...
Parisi Udvar Hotel Budapest Officially Joins The Unbound Collection by HyattThe Unbound Collection by Hyatt
The Unbound Collection by Hyatt | June 10, 2019
CHICAGO (June 7, 2019) Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE:H) announced today the opening of Párisi Udvar Hotel Budapest as part of The Unbound Collection by Hyatt, following major restoration and full-scale renovation. The hotel is managed by Mellow Mood Hotels. It features 110 guestrooms and is situated on Ferenciek Square, between the River Danube and the bustling city center. As part of a collection of distinct hotels with their own unique stories, Párisi Udvar Hotel Budapest will offer an ideal location from which to explore the city’s rich history. Once home to Budapest’s most fashionable shops and cafés, the one-of-a-kind building...
Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center Completes $25 Million Renovation
Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center | June 10, 2019
ROCKVILLE, MD (June 7, 2019) — With the $25 million transformation of the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center, the bar has been raised for business and social event expectations in and around the Montgomery County corridor. The elegantly modern and contemporary Rockville hotel includes 455 guest rooms and elegant VIP suites, 50,000 square feet of flexible event and exhibit space, and new food and beverage options including elevated flavors served in at The Corby Kitchen. “The transformation at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center has evolved continuously through this renovation. Guest satisfaction...
Aiden by Best Western Opens in Austin, Texas Marking U.S. Brand Debut
Best Western Hotels & Resorts | June 9, 2019
Phoenix, Arizona (June 7, 2019) – Best Western® Hotels & Resorts today announced the arrival of Aiden® by Best Western in Austin, Texas. The first U.S. location for the company’s modern, suburban boutique brand, Aiden by Best Western @ Austin City Hotel will reflect Austin’s distinctive vibe while bringing comfort and convenience to guests. “We are excited to expand the footprint of Aiden to North America, and especially to the city of Austin, whose quirky vibe is perfectly reflected in the brand’s exciting style,” said Brad LeBlanc, Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer for Best Western Hotels & Resorts...
BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, Names Olivier C. Gaupin Director of Culinary Operations
BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company | June 9, 2019
The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, June 2019 … BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, has named Olivier C. Gaupin director of culinary operations, a newly created position to further enhance Benchmark’s food and beverage positioning and expanding recognition. Patrick Berwald, vice president food and beverage, made the announcement. “It is with great pleasure that I announce Olivier’s appointment and welcome him to our growing F&B team,” said Mr. Berwald. “He brings an extraordinary depth of culinary knowledge and global experience to his new role, gained both in Europe and across the United States. Olivier has also led mul...
Ventana Big Sur, an Alila Resort, Appoints Keith Potter as Executive Chef
Ventana Big Sur | June 7, 2019
Big Sur, Calif. (June 7, 2019) – Ventana Big Sur, an Alila Resort, has appointed Keith Potter as executive chef of the celebrated luxury resort tucked between towering redwood trees and the California coastline in Big Sur. Potter, who brings over 15 years of culinary experience at acclaimed restaurants in Chicago, will oversee all food and beverage operations for the 59-room resort including its signature indoor-outdoor restaurant, The Sur House. “I could not be more thrilled to join the team at Ventana Big Sur, a premier culinary destination in California,” said Potter. “California’s abundance of fresh, high-quality ingredients ...
Tikehau Capital and Le Groupe de l’Hôtellerie Acquire Two Hotels in Paris
Tikehau Capital | June 6, 2019
PARIS -- June 6, 2019 -- Tikehau Capital (Paris:TKO), the alternative asset management and investment group, with Le Groupe de l'Hôtellerie, the hotel management, investment and development specialist, acquire two hotels in central Paris through Tikehau Capital's Real Estate value-added fund. The Hotel Corona Opéra and the Hotel Touraine Opéra are both three star hotels with a combined capacity of 97 rooms. These hotels are located in the historical 9th district of Paris, close to the Paris Opera and the large department stores. Built during the 19th century, the hotels have strong potential for development while the hospitality and lei...
NYU Conference Takeaways: Cautious Optimism Turns to Caution
Rodney G. Clough | June 6, 2019
By Rodney Clough The 41st NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference wrapped up on June 4, 2019, and the overall sentiment of the event was one of caution, a shift from a sentiment of cautious optimism at conferences earlier in the year. Most expect the next industry downturn to come soon, perhaps as soon as next year or early 2021. Absent a Black Swan event, the expectation is for a correction rather than a deep downturn. Main takeaways include the following: Caution but Not Panic There is substantial equity and debt available for the hotel sector. The long-term view for the sector is positive and it is seen as less...
