Marriott International Celebrates the 2024 J. Willard Marriott Awards of Excellence Honorees
Marriott International | May 16, 2024
Industry Happenings
TWO BELLMEN – An Action Comedy Debuts Today; Filmed at The JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. Live
Substance Over Hype | March 10, 2015
Shot Entirely At The JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. Live -- The Film Stars Henry Simmons (Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D), Miles Brown (Baby Boogaloo, Black-ish), William Spencer (Spider-man) and Caine Sinclair (Grimm) Los Angeles, CA – March 10, 2015 – The JW Marriott Hotels and Resorts brand is rolling out the "black carpet" today for TWO BELLMEN, the first original short film produced in partnership with the Marriott Content Studio. The film is being distributed on multiple platforms, including digital – twobellmen.com – in limited theatrical release and in JW Marriott guest rooms. Directed by Daniel "Malakai" C...
Marriott Becomes First Hotel Company to Offer Apple Pay Service to Its Guests
Marriott International, Inc. | March 10, 2015
Bethesda, Md., March 10, 2015 – Marriott International, Inc., (NASDAQ:MAR) will become the first global hospitality company to offer Apple Pay. This represents the latest step in Marriott's creation of a complete mobile-powered travel experience that is effortless, seamless and more rewarding for its guests. The phased introduction this summer in the U.S. will include brands in popular locations, such as The Ritz-Carlton, EDITION, Renaissance Hotels, and Marriott Hotels. Guests using Apple Pay at check-in will simply bring their iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus or soon, Apple Watch, near the contactless reader at the front desk. When their dev...
GBTA Slightly Downgrades its Forecast for Chinese Business Travel
March 10, 2015
SHANGHAI, March 10, 2015 -- The GBTA Foundation, the education and research arm of the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), today announces the results of its latest GBTA BTI™ Outlook – China report, a semi-annual analysis that relates unfolding economic events at home and abroad to their resulting impacts on China's business travel market. The report, sponsored by Visa Inc., includes the GBTA BTI™; an index of business travel spending that distills market performance over a period of time. China's so called "soft landing" continued during the second half of 2014. This describes a condition where overall growth moderates in ...
Noble Investment Group & Marriott Open AC Hotel by Marriott Kansas City Westport, Kansas City, MO
Noble Investment Group | March 10, 2015
BETHESDA, MD - March 10, 2015 - Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR) and Noble Investment Group debut the first AC Hotels Marriott property in Kansas City's Westport District. It is also the second AC Hotels by Marriott branded property to open in the U.S. Located in the heart of Westport, the region's oldest established community and popular shopping and entertainment destination, the 123-room lifestyle hotel embodies a sleek European look and feel coupled with unique local design elements. "We are excited to bring our newest lifestyle brand to this dynamic neighborhood of Kansas City," said Toni Stoeckl, Vice President of Marriot...
Three Separate Owners to Open Three New Mexico Red Lion Hotels to be Managed by Chandler Hotel Group
RLHC | March 10, 2015
Spokane, Wash., March 10, 2015 – RLHC (Red Lion Hotels Corporation, NYSE: RLH) announced today that the company signed franchise license agreements with the new owners of three hotels in New Mexico. The Red Lion Hotel Gallup, Red Lion Hotel Farmington and Red Lion Hotel Grants were purchased by separate entities controlled by First Capital Real Estate Investments. In turn, the new owners named Chandler Hotel Group as its management company. "All of these properties will undergo significant upgrades, elevating the overall guest experience and creating a renewed staff investment in the property," said Jared Chandler, CHG founder and CEO...
Hotelier Nick Troubetzkoy Honored with St. Lucia’s Medal of Honor for Contributions in Tourism
| March 10, 2015
ST. LUCIA (March 10, 2015) - A visionary champion of excellence in the Caribbean hospitality sector has been honored by the Government of St. Lucia. As part of Independence Day honors on February 22, 2015, Governor General Her Excellency Dame Pearlette Louisy, as Chancellor of the National Societies of Honour, awarded The Saint Lucia Medal of Honour (Gold) to Nick Peter Troubetzkoy, for his outstanding contribution to the development of the tourism industry in St. Lucia. Mr. Troubetzkoy is owner of the storied resorts, Jade Mountain and neighboring Anse Chastanet. The twin resorts often appear on lists of the world's leading properties....
PT Cahaya Warna Prima & Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas to Develop Six Senses Bali Resort
Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas | March 10, 2015
BANGKOK – March 10, 2015 - Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas has announced that it will develop a resort in the southwest of Bali at Uluwatu, a 35-minute drive from Ngurah Rai International Airport. The resort is set atop a rugged cliff, sharing the spectacular ocean views with the island's famed Uluwatu Temple. Drawing upon the renowned Six Senses commitment of providing top-tier facilities wedded to environmental responsibility, the resort and spa has been brilliantly designed and when combined with the innovative spirit of the owners, PT Cahaya Warna Prima, it will result in a rare development. True to Six Senses inimitable style, Six...
FCS e-Connect System Demonstrates Superior Guest Service and Management Efficiency at Rotana Hotels
FCS | March 10, 2015
Report provides account of how a leading hotel management company leverages FCS e-Connect across multiple properties as an integrative service management tool to maximize operational performance and guest request response times Dubai, March 10 2015 - FCS Computer Systems (FCS), a leading global provider of comprehensive hospitality solutions and services, has teamed up with Rotana Hotels for an industry-leading case study on their technology partnership. Rotana has partnered with FCS to bring the e-Connect solution to its hotels across the MENA region to help drive guest satisfaction through the optimization of guest services management...
IHG Appoints Sandi Macfie to Newly Created Role of Director, Hotel Performance Support for Africa
IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) | March 10, 2015
10 March, 2015 - InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), one of the world's leading hotel companies, announces the appointment of Sandi Macfie to the newly created role of Director, Hotel Performance Support for Africa. Based in Johannesburg, Sandi will lead the operations and performance of IHG's 17 franchised hotels across six countries in Africa. A native South African by birth, Sandi joins IHG with 30 years of extensive experience across the hospitality, finance and technology industries. She was most recently Group Director of Revenue in Tsogo Sun Hotels, during which time her background in information technology also put her in good ...
Rosewood Mayakoba Welcomes Executive Chef Juan Pablo Loza
Rosewood Mayakoba | March 10, 2015
Juan Pablo Loza brings more than 15 years of culinary experience to his newly appointed role as Executive Chef of the award-winning Rosewood Mayakoba resort, located in idyllic Riviera Maya. Loza will be responsible for overseeing the luxury resort's food and beverage operations as well as its five distinct dining venues: La Ceiba Garden & Kitchen, Casa del Lago, Agave Azul, Punta Bonita and La Cava. Upon graduating with a Bachelor's Degree in Hotel and Tourism Management from Escuela Internacional de Turismo in Mexico, Loza was a part of the Rosewood Hotels & Resorts team that opened Rosewood Sand Hill in Menlo Park, California...
Hotel Purchasing Firms Are Now Procuring Bathroom Vanities for Hotel Owners and Management Companies
Creation Hospitality | March 10, 2015
Partnering with Creation Hospitality, One of the Country's Leading Vanity Manufacturers For decades, hotel owners would typically have their General Contractors perform the purchasing services for all items in hotel bathrooms, as the owners were worried about the complexity of making such an important decision about a product placed in a bathroom space that requires a heavy amount of construction and retrofitting. Spaces need to be measured precisely wall-to-wall, with plumbing, sinks and faucet lines hooked up to either the same place or moved several feet away, to a different part of the bathroom, making the room feel larger. The Gene...
Top Hospitality Industry Trends for 2015
Katie Scheer | March 10, 2015
By Katie Scheer A key to longevity, success, and profitability is to stay on top of trends, and it's even more optimal to be the trendsetter. We do market research and competitor analysis at >3,000 global hotels per year so we witness, see, and hear what initiatives are being implemented and what is trending in this fast-paced, highly competitive industry. Here's our professional take on the top hospitality trends that you should capitalize on in 2015: Apps are being developed and used to directly connect guests/planners with hotels and to make communication more efficient and turnkey. These apps can perform mobile check-in, operate a...
Groupize Launches Highly Anticipated Groupize Pages, Offers Free 90 Day Trial to Hotels
Groupize Solutions | March 10, 2015
Hotels can now offer organizers of Weddings, Groups, Meetings and Events a dedicated website, known as a Group Page, where they can self-manage their group block and collaborate with their guests. Boston, MA, March 10, 2015 - Groupize Solutions, the leading provider of group booking technology for hotels, announced today the launch of their new Groupize Pages product with a free 90 day trial. Independent hotels, resorts and chain hotels can use the solution to create unique customized pages for organizers and attendees of weddings, meetings, groups and events to self-manage their room block online and via mobile devices. A dedicated gro...
Thompson Toronto Appoints Chef Kevin Sinclair
Thompson Toronto | March 10, 2015
March 10, 2015 (TORONTO) - Luxury lifestyle hotel Thompson Toronto is pleased to announce the appointment of Chef Kevin Sinclair. A Le Cordon Bleu alum, Chef Sinclair brings international expertise and experience to his new role, having worked at such notable and renowned dining establishments as Hotel Plaza Athénée (Paris) and Fabbrica (Toronto). Most recently, he served as Executive Chef of Marfraing Group in Paris, where he oversaw culinary operations of its two restaurant locations. Chef Sinclair and his team at Thompson Toronto will continue to elevate the hotel's culinary offerings, producing avant-garde fare for its array of ve...
Homewood Suites by Hilton Recognizes Brand Performers of 2014
March 10, 2015
MCLEAN, Va. - March 10, 2015 - Homewood Suites by Hilton, Hilton Worldwide's international brand of upscale, all-suite, extended-stay hotels, recently recognized its highest achieving properties. Over 100 individual and hotel awards were presented to recipients during a series of regional brand meetings across the country. The 2014 Hotel of the Year and Connie Award winner was presented to Homewood Suites by Hilton Mobile-East Bay/Daphne, AL. The hotel is overseen by general manager Chuck Cuff and director of sales Sandy Caruso. The Connie Award, named after Hilton Worldwide's founder Conrad Hilton, is awarded to the top hotel of the ye...
Baywood Hotels Set to Open 96-key Fairfield Inn & Suites Arundel Mills BWI Airport in Hanover, MD
Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott | March 10, 2015
Hanover, Maryland - March 10, 2015 - The 96-room Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott in Hanover, Maryland is scheduled to open on Thursday, March 12, 2015, with its smart, inventive public space and guest room design, and its bright and inviting dacor. Located at 7539 Teague Road, the Fairfield Inn & Suites Arundel Mills BWI Airport will operate as a Marriott franchise, owned and managed by Baywood Hotels of Greenbelt, Maryland. This is the latest Fairfield Inn & Suites in the area to feature the brand's new design and dacor, which enhance the guest experience through flexible features, and a warm and welcoming environment. L...
Young Hoteliers Summit 6th Edition – 6 days to go!
Young Hoteliers Summit | March 10, 2015
MONDAY 16th - WEDNESDAY 18th MARCH 2015, ECOLE HOTELIERE DE LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND Lausanne, March 10th 2015 - The 6th Edition of the Young Hoteliers Summit is fast approaching. We are excited to welcome this year's delegates from 31 hospitality management institutions around the world along with key industry players to campus for three days of focus groups, workshops, panels and keynotes culminating in the highly anticipated YHS Challenge, provided by Dorchester Collection. Eugenio Pirri (Vice President, People and Organisational Development, Dorchester Collection), shared this insight about the Challenge: "How we operate our hotels an...
IDeaS Named HTNG TechOvation Award Finalist
IDeaS | March 10, 2015
Recognized for innovative technology and industry leadership by HTNG Members MINNEAPOLIS - March 10, 2015 - IDeaS Revenue Solutions, the leading provider of pricing and revenue management software, services and consulting, today announced IDeaS Function Space Revenue Management (FSRM) has been recognized by Hotel Technology Next Generation (HTNG) as a TechOvation Award finalist. Presented at HTNG's North America conference, the TechOvation Award celebrates technology innovation in the hospitality industry by recognizing the top companies and products that are relevant to both hotel guests and owners. In total, eighteen leading hospital...
GM Roberto Henriquez Opens the 199-room Radisson Hotel Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic
March 10, 2015
MINNEAPOLIS (March 10, 2015) - Radisson®, one of the best-recognized hotel brands, today announced the Radisson Hotel Santo Domingo located in Midtown Santo Domingo is now taking reservations for April 1 and beyond. "The opening of this hotel illustrates our momentum as we work to expand the Radisson brand the Caribbean," said Javier Rosenberg, chief operating officer, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, Americas. "We look forward to serving both leisure and business guests at this hotel with our signature Yes I Can!SM service spirit that promises an extraordinary experience." Radisson Hotel Santo Domingo offers 199 recently refreshed, modern...
Lodging Interactive Expands Reputation Management & Social Media Marketing to Restaurants
Lodging Interactive | March 10, 2015
Online reviews and social media accounts are trusted avenues that consumers use to evaluate a restaurant. Hoteliers need to consider dedicating resources to creating a robust digital marketing strategy for their on-site restaurants that will reach and speak to potential diners. PARSIPPANY, N.J. - MARCH 10, 2015 - The belief is that the food, ambiance and service offered at a restaurant paints the picture of the dining experience at that establishment. However, as is reflective in the number of restaurant reviews online and how much stock consumers put in them, a digital presence on review sites and social media channels is just as impor...
Cornell Study Supports Strategic Price Positioning in European Hotels
The Center for Hospitality Research | March 10, 2015
Ithaca, NY, March 10, 2015 - A ten-year study of pricing and revenues in over 4,000 European hotels finds that pricing strategy drives revenue, when hotels are compared to their competitive set. The study, published by the Center for Hospitality Research (CHR), found that hotels that maintained average daily room rates (ADR) somewhat higher than the hotels in their competitive set recorded consistently higher revenue per available room (RevPAR), again compared with their competitor hotels. The study, "Competitive Hotel Pricing in Europe: An Exploration of Strategic Positioning," by Cathy Enz, Linda Canina, and Jean-Pierre van der Rest, ...
Hotel AG Closes Holiday Inn Downtown Savannah
Hotel AG | March 10, 2015
ATLANTA - March 10, 2015 - Hotel Assets Group, LLC (Hotel AG), announced today the firm transacted on a full-service hotel located in Savannah, Georgia. The hotel sold was the 127-room, 5-story Holiday Inn located within the historic district of downtown Savannah. The property sold for $28M or $220k per room to Key International. The seller represented was Historic Savannah, LLC. "This transaction is another representation of the continued interest in and strength of the Savannah transaction market. Savannah continues to show significant performance growth and sustainability making it a highly desirable market to be in," stated Brad Sin...
The Newly Built 70-room Sonesta Hotel San Antonio Opens in Chile Under the Management of GHL Hotels
Sonesta Hotels & Resorts | March 10, 2015
San Antonio, Chile (March 10, 2015) - Sonesta is expanding its global portfolio in Chile with the opening of Sonesta Hotel San Antonio, a modern and contemporary new build property that will feature 70 guest rooms, including seven Junior Suites and seven Executive Suites, operated under the management of GHL Hotels. This is the fourth Sonesta and GHL managed property in the Republic of Chile. San Antonio is the capital of the San Antonio province at the heart of the coastal area that spans from Rocas de Santo Domingo to Cartagena. Located adjacent to the city's vibrant Parque Arauco Mall complex and bayside promenade, Sonesta Hotel San ...
Mantra Group Set to Grow with SiteMinder’s Online Distribution Solutions
SiteMinder | March 10, 2015
10 March 2015 - Sydney, Australia - Mantra Group, a leading Australian-based hotel and resort marketer and operator, today announces it has selected SiteMinder to power the online distribution of its entire group located throughout the Asia Pacific. The move will see SiteMinder integrate Mantra Group's central reservation system (CRS), SIHOT, with more than 250 of the world's leading distribution channels to power the Group's MAX Distribution Hub. Luke Moran, Group Director of Revenue & Distribution at Mantra Group, says today's announcement is the result of a long tender process that identified SiteMinder as the clear market leader...