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Choice Hotels Appoints Chad Fletcher as Vice President of Global Sales
Choice Hotels | February 2, 2018
ROCKVILLE, Md. (February 2, 2018) – Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), one of the world's largest hotel companies, announced Chad Fletcher has joined the company as vice president of global sales. In this role, Fletcher will lead the company's corporate, travel agency and group sales strategy to support the continued growth of business travel. He will oversee the team responsible for maintaining relationships with key corporate clients, and work with Fortune 500 companies and large, global travel agencies. "Our approach to corporate and group sales focuses on segmenting corporate customers across our portfolio of brand...
Pageant Beach Hotel and Aimbridge Hospitality Plan 351-Room Grand Hyatt Grand Cayman Hotel & Residences
Grand Hyatt | February 2, 2018
CHICAGO (February 2, 2018) – Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) announced today that a Hyatt affiliate has entered into a franchise and related agreements with Pageant Beach Hotel Ltd. for the 351-room Grand Hyatt Grand Cayman Hotel & Residences. The hotel will be managed by an affiliate of Aimbridge Hospitality, one of the largest independent hotel investment and management firms in North America and the Caribbean. "We are delighted that the Grand Hyatt brand is expanding in the Caribbean, and especially in Grand Cayman where the hospitality and tourism sector is primarily aimed at the luxury market," said David Tarr, senior ...
Choice Hotels Completes Acquisition of WoodSpring Suites Brand and Franchise Business
Choice Hotels | February 2, 2018
ROCKVILLE, Md., Feb. 2, 2018 -- Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), one of the world's largest hotel companies, completed its acquisition of the brand and franchise business of WoodSpring Suites, an extended-stay lodging brand, from WoodSpring Hotels LLC. The acquisition was announced on December 18, 2017, and adds nearly 240 extended-stay hotels in 35 states to the Choice Hotels portfolio, creating an extended-stay portfolio of more than 350 properties with existing brands, MainStay Suites and Suburban Extended Stay. WoodSpring Suites highlights include: The nation's fastest growing economy extended-stay hotel bran...
BENCHMARK Appoints Nathan DeWindt Director of Operations for Hotel Contessa, San Antonio, Texas
Hotel Contessa | February 1, 2018
The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, February 2018 … BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, has named Nathan DeWindt director of operations for Hotel Contessa, a Benchmark Resorts & Hotels property located on the Riverwalk in historic San Antonio, Texas. Troy Mathews, general manager, made the announcement. "I am very pleased to welcome Nathan to Hotel Contessa," said Mr. Mathews. "He brings solid hotel operational experience to his new role, and a love of travel, which is so important to our property and our guests' experiences here and in our city." Nathan DeWindt most recently held the position of director of front ...
Hotel Equities Enters Canada; Creates Regional Support to Manage Two Marriott Hotels in Edmonton, Alberta
Hotel Equities | February 1, 2018
ATLANTA–February 1, 2018 – Hotel Equities has entered the Canadian market to oversee two Marriott hotels in Edmonton, effective immediately. Hotel Equities adds its first hotels in Canada after the firm's executive team recently restructured the organization to support both domestic and international growth. Located in Alberta, in the western region of Canada, the new Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Edmonton North and the recently built TownePlace Suites by Marriott Edmonton South are owned by Iliyan Hospitality, Inc. Owners of Iliyan Hospitality explored several management options and felt Hotel Equities was a great ...
Sage Hospitality Appoints Pritpal Singh General Manager of Perry Lane Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Savannah Opening Spring 2018
Perry Lane Hotel | February 1, 2018
SAVANNAH, GA. (February 1, 2018) – Sage Hospitality announced the appointment of Pritpal Singh as General Manager of Perry Lane Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Savannah. Scheduled to open in Spring 2018, Perry Lane Hotel is one of the most anticipated hotel openings in the U.S. The property will feature 167 guest rooms, a rooftop pool and sundeck, 8,100 square feet of meeting and event space and three lively dining concepts: Emporium Kitchen and Wine Market, a unique concept by Sage Restaurant Group, The Wayward Bar, and Peregrin Rooftop Pool & Bar. Commenting on Pritpal's appointment, George Fischer, Vice President of Opera...
IHG and Toledo International Partner to Bring Holiday Inn Express to the Heart of Singapore
IHG | January 31, 2018
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG®), one of the world's leading hotel companies, has announced the signing of a new property in Singapore: Holiday Inn Express Singapore Serangoon. This latest addition to the fast-growing Holiday Inn Express portfolio, in partnership with Toledo International, is located at the emerging hip and creative area, Jalan Besar. Expected to open in 2018, Holiday Inn Express Singapore Serangoon will be situated at the crossroads of Little India and Serangoon and close-by Singapore's commercial and industrial areas, appealing to both leisure and business travellers. The select service hotel will add 120 room...
Le Grand Amman – Managed by AccorHotels to Transition to Sofitel Amman Following Extensive Refurbishment in Late 2019
AccorHotels Middle East | January 31, 2018
AccorHotels, the world's leading travel and lifestyle group, has announced the rebranding of a prominent landmark hotel in Jordan to Le Grand Amman - Managed by AccorHotels. The property consists of 298-rooms and 67 well-appointed serviced apartments and was launched in partnership with Iskan Co. for Touristic & Hotel Investments. Le Grand Amman is situated near the upcoming Abdali Downtown Project, a ground-breaking development that is set to become Amman's premiere leisure, tourism and business hub. Catering towards a growing number of business travelers, the hotel is located at the center of the Shmeisani commercial hub c...
Agilysys’ Lodging Management System® Adds Mobile Housekeeping to Help Customers Increase Productivity and Maximize Revenue
Agilysys | January 31, 2018
New Housekeeping Functionality in Industry-Leading Property Management System Includes Real-Time Updates ALPHARETTA, GA. — January 31, 2018 — Agilysys, Inc. (Nasdaq: AGYS), a leading global provider of next-generation hospitality software solutions and services, today announced new mobile housekeeping capabilities in the latest release of its Lodging Management System® (LMS). In addition to Mobile Housekeeping, LMS 7.4, announced during G2E in October of 2017, includes a wide range of new industry-leading features and add-on functionality that will enable operators to improve operational efficiency and drive revenue. Mob...
Twelve Useful Tips for Hotel Renovations
Larry Mogelonsky | January 31, 2018
By Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.hotelmogel.com) With the kids gone, it was time to follow the footsteps of many other boomers and downsize to a condominium. What started as a mere paint job, however, morphed into a $150-per-square-foot renovation of the entire apartment comprising appliances, lighting, flooring, soft goods, mirrors, kitchen and plumbing fixtures. What we ended up having on our hands was a genuine case of 'scope creep' – something not uncommon in any property refurbishment. Hotel renovations are a necessary dread of our industry in order to keep apace with the constantly changing décor trends, star ra...
Groundbreaking rGuest Stay PMS Solution Adds Facial Recognition for More Efficient Guest Service
Agilysys | January 31, 2018
Cloud-based Property Management System Leads in Innovation ALPHARETTA, GA. — January 31, 2018 — Agilysys, Inc. (Nasdaq: AGYS), a leading global provider of next-generation hospitality software solutions and services, today announced that facial recognition has been added as one of the innovative capabilities of their rGuest® Stay PMS solution to help streamline operations and deliver an improved guest experience. Built on the rGuest hospitality platform, the property management system is a native cloud-based solution that delivers innovations in guest service, property operations and 3rd party integrations. Facial recog...
Facebook Dynamic Ads for Travel: A Marketing Tool to Boost Direct Bookings
HEBS Digital | January 30, 2018
By Victoria Hsia Facebook Advertising has always proven its value for brands striving to reach the platform's massive audience, but now it may become even more valuable. In a recent announcement, the social media platform revealed upcoming changes to its News Feed algorithm which prioritize organic content from family, friends, and groups. This means that users can expect to see less organic brand content, giving brands more pressure to invest in Facebook Advertising in order to maintain and build reach in the News Feed. While Facebook continues to limit brands' organic reach, it also continues to develop more effective Facebook Adverti...
309-Room DoubleTree by Hilton Burlington Vermont Joins DoubleTree Portfolio Following Major Renovation Led by General Manager Tristan Harris
DoubleTree by Hilton | January 29, 2018
BURLINGTON, Vt. - January 29, 2018 - DoubleTree by Hilton Burlington Vermont, a 309-room, state-of-the-art, full-service, conference center hotel, located just five minutes from downtown Burlington and the city's major attractions, is the latest addition to the growing portfolio of DoubleTree by Hilton, one of Hilton's (NYSE: HLT) 14 market-leading brands. "We are the new cookie in town and are pleased to further enhance and strengthen Hilton's existing presence in the Burlington area, joining Hilton Burlington, Hilton Garden Inn Burlington Downtown, Homewood Suites by Hilton Burlington and Hampton Inn Burlington,"...
Waterford Hotel Group Appoints Lisa Reeser to General Manager of Courtyard by Marriott Lake Placid
Courtyard by Marriott Lake Placid | January 29, 2018
WATERFORD, CT (January 29, 2018) – Waterford Hotel Group has announced the appointment of Lisa Reeser to General Manager of Courtyard by Marriott Lake Placid. As General Manager, Reeser is responsible for all aspects of the hotel's operations. Waterford Hotel Group, a national hotel and convention center management firm, manages the 96-room hotel. Reeser joins Waterford Hotel Group with more than 25 years of hotel management experience. She started her management career as the Assistant Front Office Manager at the Adam's Mark Hotel in Philadelphia. She then went on to become the Rooms Division Manager position at the Nassau Inn lo...
Hard Rock International Appoints Jeffrey Hook Executive Vice President of Development and Marketing
Hard Rock International | January 29, 2018
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – Hard Rock International, with an expanding global network of hotels and casinos, announces the promotion of Jeffrey Hook as executive vice president of development and marketing. In his new position, Hook will be responsible for the global development of Hard Rock Casinos outside of the Asian continent, where the company's CEO of Asia, Ed Tracy, will continue to be responsible for casino development. Hook was most recently senior vice president of business development and marketing for Hard Rock International. Hook's promotion was announced by Hard Rock International Chairman, Jim Allen, who applauded his accompl...
Agilysys Donates Property Management Software to University of Nevada, Las Vegas to Assist Hospitality Students in Practical Learning
Agilysys | January 29, 2018
UNLV's Harrah College of Hospitality and Agilysys Partner to Promote Learning at Current Campus and New Hospitality Hall ALPHARETTA, GA. — January 29, 2018 — Agilysys, Inc. (Nasdaq: AGYS), a leading global provider of next-generation hospitality software solutions and services, and UNLV's Harrah College of Hospitality, today announced that Agilysys is providing their industry-leading property management system, LMS®, for use by students and teachers as part of the hospitality educational program at the college. Installation of the software, training of employees and ongoing support are included in the partnership, allowi...
OfferCraft and Agilysys Announce Strategic Partnership Helping Customers Use Artificial Intelligence to Optimize Marketing Offers and Revenue
OfferCraft | January 29, 2018
Solutions from OfferCraft Integrate with Agilysys POS and PMS Products ALPHARETTA, GA and LAS VEGAS, NV — January 29, 2018 — Agilysys, Inc. (Nasdaq: AGYS), a leading global provider of next-generation hospitality software solutions and services, and OfferCraft, a software company that uses artificial intelligence and gamification to make content more effective, today announced that Agilysys is now a reseller of OfferCraft's solutions. As part of the new relationship, OfferCraft's software is being integrated with Agilysys' point-of-sale and property management solutions to help hospitality venues increase revenue and guest s...
Interstate Hotels & Resorts Completes Acquisition of 83 Property Management Agreements from White Lodging
Interstate Hotels & Resorts | January 25, 2018
ARLINGTON, Va. – January 25, 2018 – Interstate Hotels & Resorts ("Interstate" or the "Company") – the leading U.S.-based global hotel management company – announces it has closed on the acquisition of the management agreements of 82 premium-branded, select- and full-service hotels, plus one restaurant, from White Lodging effective January 24, 2018. "A transaction of this nature aligns well with our growth strategy and we're excited with the direction this new expansion is taking us," said Michael Deitemeyer, Interstate's president & CEO. "We've gained high quality hotels under long-term management agreeme...
BENCHMARK Appoints Jean Spaulding Director of Sales & Marketing for Villas of Grand Cypress
Villas of Grand Cypress | January 25, 2018
The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, January 2018 … BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, has named Jean Spaulding director of sales & marketing for the Forbes Four Star-rated Villas of Grand Cypress, a Gemstone Collection property located in Orlando, Florida. Mark Cox, BENCHMARK's general manager at the resort, made the announcement. "It is with great pleasure that I welcome Jean to Benchmark and to Villas of Grand Cypress," said Mr. Cox. "She comes to us extremely qualified and with extraordinary leadership skills. Her connections within the industry will serve our resort well and we look forward to her active role i...
Legoland’s Castle Hotel Set for Late April Opening in the Carlsbad Theme Park
AHLA | January 24, 2018
Jan. 25--The wizards, dragons and royal princesses have not yet taken up residency in Legoland's newest hotel, but the castle facade is complete and the themed guestrooms are on track for an April 27 opening, the Carlsbad theme park announced Thursday. The 250-room hotel, which started construction a year ago, marks the second themed lodging destination operating within the park itself, catering to families planning to spend more than a day at Legoland. Although park officials never divulge how much Legoland's owner, London-based Merlin Entertainment Group, invests in park projects, the castle hotel is expected to be even pricie...
HRI Lodging Unveils Holston House in Nashville’s Historic 1920s-Era James Robertson Hotel Building
HRI Lodging | January 24, 2018
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (January 24, 2018) – HRI Lodging, LLC and Hyatt proudly unveil Holston House, located in the heart of downtown Nashville and the newest addition to The Unbound Collection by Hyatt brand, a group of unique, story-worthy stay experiences. The 191-room premier boutique hotel is located in an iconic 88-year-old Art Deco building just blocks from the Cumberland River, where the city of Nashville was born. Located next to many of Music City's signature attractions, Holston House has an ideal location for modern travelers to discover Nashville's vibrant streets and neighborhoods. "We're excited to open our doors to the g...
BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, Announces Wingspread Retreat & Executive Conference Center Open for Collaborative Corporate Meetings
January 24, 2018
Frank Lloyd Wright Masterpiece a Benchmark Resorts & Hotels Property The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, January 2018 … Wisconsin's iconic Wingspread Retreat & Executive Conference Center is now available to organizations committed to collaborative meetings with purposeful outcomes. BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, which has managed the property since 1991 on behalf of The Johnson Foundation at Wingspread, made the announcement jointly with The Foundation. The historic property, noted for its unique Frank Lloyd Wright architectural design, is located near Lake Michigan in Racine, Wisconsin, just 35 minutes from M...
Aimbridge Hospitality Names Adrian Nieto as Director of Sales for The Statler
The Statler | January 24, 2018
DALLAS – The Statler, an iconic downtown Dallas hotel, announces the hiring of Adrian Nieto as Director of Sales. Aimbridge Hospitality, the nation's largest hotel management company, manages The Statler. Aimbridge selected Nieto for his vast hospitality experience and proven record of sales achievements within leadership roles. Nieto's extensive knowledge with multiple lodging brands, systems and operating procedures will play a key part in his success at The Statler. His duties include planning, directing, and implementing all sales strategies and activities to boost overall revenue at the 159-room historic hotel that recently u...
Dream Hotel Group to Develop Three New Hotels in Mexico and Central America
Dream Hotel Group | January 24, 2018
NEW YORK, NY (January 24, 2018) – Renowned hotel and brand management company Dream Hotel Group today announced the development of three new hotels in Mexico and Central America: Unscripted Tulum, Unscripted Belize and Dream Belize. The signings represent a major milestone for Dream Hotel Group, positioning them as international hospitality leaders and paving the way for new growth in the Mexico and Belize region. "We are thrilled to announce the development of three new hotels in two of the world's most desired destinations," said Jay Stein, CEO of Dream Hotel Group. "We are honored to partner with Luke and Mauricio to bring both...
