How Technology Is Making De-Flagging Easier and Levels the Playing Field for Going Independent
Aaron Shepherd | October 31, 2023
Travel Outlook’s Annette, The Virtual Hotel Agent™ Revolutionizes the Caller Experience at Camelback Resort
Travel Outlook The Premier Hotel Call Center | October 26, 2023
Operations
Front Desk Training Can Help Secure More Direct Bookings
Doug Kennedy | February 4, 2015
By Doug Kennedy February 4, 2015 As hotel managers look to reduce the costs of customer acquisition by focusing on direct bookings, one often overlooked resource is the front desk team working in your lobby right now. The frontline colleagues staffing the reception desk are interacting with guests every day and have numerous opportunities to help lock-in more direct bookings. Here are some suggestions and training techniques. As a starting place, make sure the frontline colleagues understand the costs of various distribution channels. Those I talk to in my workshops tend to grossly underestimate the distribution costs their hotel is p...
HeBS Digital Invites Hoteliers to Be Their Guest at the HSMAI Digital Marketing Strategy Conference
HeBS Digital | February 4, 2015
Conference to be Held in New York City HeBS Digital, the award winning hotel digital technology, website design, full-service digital marketing and website revenue optimization consulting firm, is offering complimentary HSMAI Digital Marketing Strategy conference passes for hoteliers who partner with the firm prior to the conference. NEW YORK, NY February 4, 2015 - HeBS Digital, the industry's leading digital technology, full-service hotel digital marketing, website design and direct online channel consulting firm, is offering a limited number of guest passes to the HSMAI Digital Marketing Strategy Conference in New York City where HeB...
From Slowtelier to Intrapreneur
Larry Mogelonsky | February 4, 2015
by Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.lma.ca) The hotel industry isn't exactly known for operating faster than a speeding bullet. Even in independent properties, there are many layers of management to funnel change and multiple operational departments that must be coordinated to make any transition effective. In other words, when it comes to executing a strategic plan, many hoteliers might as well be known as slowteliers. Pardon the cheesy portmanteau. Don't let this be you! With the current pace of new initiatives, hotel organizations (independent as well as chain) must learn to mimic the agility of a tech startup or an entrepreneuria...
Concord Hospitality Completes $7M Renovation of Renaissance Meadowlands Hotel, Rutherford, N.J.
Rockbridge | February 3, 2015
RUTHERFORD, N.J. - February 3, 2015 - Concord Hospitality, one of the top-ranked hotel developer/owner/operators in North America, today announced the completion of a $7 million renovation of the 167-room (including five suites) Renaissance Meadowlands in Rutherford, N.J. The hotel is owned in a joint venture between Rockbridge, a private equity firm that invests in hotels, and Concord. The five-month project involved a complete rejuvenation of all guest rooms, guest bathrooms, and public spaces. This included a rebranding of the hotel's restaurant, Finch's, and reconfiguration of the lounge and lobby creating more of a "great room" sty...
Hilton Worldwide Partners with CIMC to Develop its First Modular Hotel at Bristol Airport in the UK
Hampton Hotels | February 3, 2015
Construction Model to Facilitate Growth in Mature and Emerging Markets February 03, 2015 - Bristol, UK and MCLEAN, Va. - Hilton Worldwide has reached an agreement with modular building provider CIMC to develop the first hotel at Bristol Airport under its economy Hampton by Hilton brand. Financed and owned by CIMC, the hotel will be managed by Hilton Worldwide, drawing on its extensive experience of operating airport hotels at many of the world's top transport hubs. Today's announcement marks a strategic partnership between Hilton Worldwide and CIMC. CIMC's innovative modular technique significantly reduces the time taken for constructio...
Enterprise Data Services LTD Bringing FCS Solutions to Indian Ocean
FCS | February 3, 2015
Leading Technology Integrator for the Indian Ocean region boosts its hospitality market offerings by adding the FCS line of solutions to their client services portfolio. Rose Hill, Mauritius - February 3, 2015 - FCS Computer Systems (FCS), a leading comprehensive hospitality solutions and services provider, has signed its latest Business Partnership (BP) agreement with Enterprise Data Services Ltd (EDS), a prominent networking and telecommunications integrator for several industries, including finance and hospitality, within the Indian Ocean region. As a result of EDS' newly-appointed BP status, the company will have the full range of ...
Travel Tripper is Certified as a TripConnect™ Premium Partner by TripAdvisor
Travel Tripper | February 3, 2015
Travel Tripper hotel clients now have a powerful tool to generate direct bookings on one of the world's largest travel site NEW YORK, February 3, 2015 - Travel Tripper, one of the industry's most innovative providers of hotel reservation solutions, today announced its certification as a Premium Partner with TripConnect™, a platform created by TripAdvisor that helps independent hotels drive more direct bookings by showcasing rates and availability directly on the hotel's TripAdvisor page. As a Premium Partner, Travel Tripper's hotel clients will be able to take advantage of TripAdvisor's Instant Booking feature that allows travelers t...
HeBS Digital Unveils the smartCMS, Transforming Content Management System Technology in Hospitality
HeBS Digital | February 3, 2015
The industry's leading digital technology, full-service hotel marketing and website design firm has launched its 6th generation CMS technology, the smartCMS 6.0., granting hoteliers complete control over website content as well as unprecedented capabilities for dynamic content personalization and one-to-one marketing. NEW YORK, NY February 3, 2015 - HeBS Digital, the industry's leading digital technology, full-service hotel marketing and website design firm, announces the launch of its 6th generation CMS technology, the smartCMS 6.0. This award-winning technology offers complete control over website content and provides unprecedented ca...
Carlson Rezidor to Resume Direct Radisson Brand Development in Latin America
Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group | February 3, 2015
MINNEAPOLIS (February 3, 2015) - Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, one of the world's largest and most dynamic hotel groups, today announced the company has entered into a definitive agreement to resume direct Radisson brand development from Royal Hotels International Inc. (Royal). "This is a very exciting opportunity for Carlson Rezidor to assume full control of Latin America and continue to further develop the footprint of our brands in the region. We have been a strong player in the region and look forward to further strengthening our position," said Javier Rosenberg, chief operating officer, Americas, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group. "Royal ...
In Memoriam, a Tribute to James Simkins, 1952-2015
January 30, 2015
The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, January 2015 ... James Simkins, who was until recently Benchmark's Chief Operating Officer for Personal Luxury Resorts & Hotels and instrumental in the successful launch of the Personal Luxury brand, passed away peacefully on January 16th. He had been engaged in a heroic struggle with cancer. James was a legend and a giant within the hospitality industry, and a person for whom every day held a unique adventure. A consummate world-class hotelier, he mused at the completion of his career on how fortunate he had been to be mentored by many of the world's finest hoteliers, and to have had the opportunity ...
Hard Rock International Honors Outstanding Employees, Franchisees and Partners for 2014
Hard Rock International | January 30, 2015
Orlando, Fla., January 30, 2015 - Hard Rock International is proud to announce the winners of its 2014 awards in recognition of outstanding accomplishments and dedication of employees, franchisees and partners throughout the year. Hard Rock selected the top "rock stars" from more than 197 Hard Rock venues in 62 countries and hundreds of partners worldwide. The awards were chosen based on financial performance, unique sales accomplishments, community contributions, creativity, strategic marketing, philanthropy, brand loyalty and leadership. This year's conference was held at Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya in Mexico. The conference's top aw...
White Lodging Announces New Regional Vice Presidents and General Managers Named in Q4 2014
White Lodging | January 28, 2015
MERRILLVILLE, Ind., Jan. 27, 2015 -- White Lodging is pleased to announce the following individuals have been named regional vice presidents and general managers last quarter across the company. Chris O'Donnell was promoted to regional vice president, overseeing hotels in Texas; Nashville, Tenn.; and Bloomington, Ind. O'Donnell has been with White Lodging since 2007 when he joined the company as the general manager of the Courtyard Hartford-Farmington. He also served as the dual general manager of the Courtyard and Fairfield Inn & Suites Phoenix-Chandler. He was a regional director of sales and marketing before his promotion to regi...
Best Western International has Record Breaking Year
Best Western International | January 28, 2015
This follows the company's previous two year record of a RevPAR index of 110 or above and represents a 26.8 percent growth rate in RevPAR since 2011 Phoenix, January 28, 2015 - Best Western International set a brand record achieving a North American revenue per available room (RevPAR) index of 111.2 in 2014* (100 represents fair market share). This follows the company's previous two year record of a RevPAR index of 110 or above and represents a 26.8 percent growth rate in RevPAR since 2011, outpacing the competition by six points. 2014 also saw the brand reach two other milestones; generating total revenue of $3.9 billion in North Ameri...
Retirement Must Spur Mentoring
Larry Mogelonsky | January 28, 2015
by Larry Mogelonsky, MBA, P. Eng. (www.lma.ca) Now in my 60s, part of what keeps me young (apart from the hair-loss-inducing challenges of rearing my millennial progeny) is the learning that comes from keeping up with changes in our industry, be they technological, financial, service-oriented or from a creative application standpoint. To me, the thought of continuous learning is a critical driver and a constant source of brain activation. Mark my words: the day you stop learning is the day you die. And the ability to pass on this new learning - as well as the application of 30+ years working as a hotelier - through articles, newsletters...
Maestro PMS Puts Housekeeping App to Work for Independents
Maestro Property Management Solution | January 28, 2015
Easy-To-Use Mobile Housekeeping App Increases Productivity; Tablet and smartphone Ready; No Internet Connectivity Needed January 28, 2015 - Maestro PMS™ announced it will put a new Mobile Housekeeping App to work for independent operators. The app is fully integrated with the Maestro PMS and will be available March 1. It enables housekeeping staff to be more productive by instantly seeing real-time room status and occupancy with housekeeper assignments. The new app frees housekeepers from relying on legacy technology, such as in-room telephone and movie system- based options for room status updating, so they can work smarter and fast...
Award Winning BlackLine Systems Now Tailored Specifically for Hospitality by PAS
PAS | January 27, 2015
PAS and BlackLine Systems announce global partnership Gaithersburg, MD – PAS is bringing the world's most trusted solution for Finance Controls and Automation, BlackLine Systems, to hospitality. Leveraging their in-depth experience in hospitality operations and their hands free integration platform, pasUNITY, PAS is creating an unparalleled solution surrounding the Financial Close - Balance Sheet, Bank and Credit Card Reconciliation Automation. The security and integrity that comes with pasUNITY integrations, eliminates many of the human errors that are commonly associated with such sensitive financial information. "We know what makes...
Marriott’s Moxy Brand Arriving in the U.S. with Eight Planned Metropolitan Projects
Marriott International, Inc. | January 27, 2015
LOS ANGELES and BETHESDA, Md., Jan. 26, 2015 -- Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) announced today the introduction of Moxy Hotels to the U.S. The new and contemporary brand, first launched in Europe, is entering the market in a bold way, with eight identified projects slated for major metropolitan locations, including New York City (Chelsea, Mid-town and Lower Manhattan), San Francisco, Seattle, New Orleans and Chicago. Moxy Hotels was launched in fashion forward Milan last September and more hotels are set to open across Europe in Germany (Munich, Frankfurt and Berlin); Denmark (Copenhagen); and the United Kingdom (London) ove...
Destination Hotels Appoints Julie Purnell as Senior VP of Acquisition and Business Development
Destination Hotels | January 26, 2015
Englewood, Colo. - January 26, 2015 - Destination Hotels announces the appointment of Julie Purnell as Senior Vice President, Business Development & Acquisitions. In this position, Julie's primary role will be to help lead the company's growth efforts throughout the West region. Based in San Francisco, she will focus on securing new hospitality management contracts and will play a direct role in identifying and leading hotel and resort acquisitions. Before joining Destination Hotels, for the past two years, Purnell was the Senior Vice President of Acquisitions and Development at Denihan Hospitality. In this role, she was responsible...
Host Hotels Selects Sage Hospitality to Manage the 628-key Denver Marriott Tech Center Hotel
Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. | January 26, 2015
BETHESDA, Md., Jan. 26, 2015 -- Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: HST), announced today that as part of the Company's efforts to transform the Denver Marriott Tech Center Hotel, the Company has selected Sage Hospitality to manage the hotel pursuant to a Marriott franchise agreement. The Denver based Sage is one of the largest privately held hospitality investment, management and development companies in the nation operating more than 65 premium branded and lifestyle hotels. Beginning in late 2015, the hotel will undergo an extensive multi-million dollar renovation to completely modernize every aspect of the hotel. This renovation i...
How Can Hoteliers Take Advantage of the Disruptive Shift from Desktop to Mobile?
the Author and HeBS Digital | January 26, 2015
by Max Starkov The 2014 device usage results are in! The massive shift from desktop to mobile and tablet devices continued its rigorous pace: Last year over 38% of web visitors and nearly 40% of page views were generated from non-desktop devices (mobile and tablet), while nearly 21% of bookings and 17% of room nights came from tablets and mobile devices. In this multi-device world "inhabited" by always-connected travel consumers, hotel marketers face a major challenge: Creating and managing a digital presence across three distinct distribution and marketing channels (desktop, mobile, and tablet). This means investing in technology that ...
Hotel Van Oranje in the Netherlands Joins Marriott’s Autograph Collection
Autograph Collection | January 26, 2015
London, January 26, 2015: Autograph Collection has added a new Netherlands-based hotel to its portfolio: Hotel van Oranje in Noordwijk. The hotel complements Autograph Collection's continually growing portfolio of upscale and independent hotels as the collection expands across Europe and beyond. As the first hotel in the Benelux to form a partnership with Marriott International's Autograph Collection, Hotel van Oranje enjoys a prime location on the Dutch coast. Situated just steps from Amsterdam's beaches and the lively Noordwijk shopping boulevard, Hotel van Oranje has been recently refurbished with newly modernised rooms. The five res...
Hotel Equities Selected to Manage Three Fairfield Inn & Suites Hotels Under Development in Texas
Hotel Equities | January 26, 2015
Atlanta, GA - January 26, 2015 - Atlanta-based Hotel Equities (www.hotelequities.com) recently announced its selection as the management firm for three Marriott hotels in the Lone Star State. The hotels under development include the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott in Waxahachie, Texas; the Fairfield Inn & Suites in Pasadena, Texas; and the SpringHill Suites in Austin, Texas. Hotel Equities now manages 35 Marriott hotels nationwide with over 60 hotels in its portfolio. "Expanding our management portfolio deeper into the heart of Texas is of strategic and significant importance to our firm," said Joe Reardon, Vice President of ...
Hawaii’s Mauna Kea Beach Hotel Joins Marriott’s Autograph Collection
Autograph Collection | January 22, 2015
BETHESDA, Md., Jan. 22, 2015 -- A landmark of luxury on Hawaii Island, Mauna Kea Beach Hotel joins the exclusive portfolio of Autograph Collection hotels as the group's first Hawaiian property and the 75th in its global portfolio. Now celebrating its 50th anniversary, the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel was founded by venture capitalist and passionate conservationist Laurance S. Rockefeller as the first resort built on fthe raw and stunning Kohala Coast, still boasting an extensive collection of Asian and Pacific Rim art today. The striking mid-century modern style that earned the resort a place in the American Institute of Architects (AIA) top 1...
Aimbridge Hospitality to Manage Newly Acquired Hilton Rose Hall Resort & Spa, Montego Bay, Jamaica
Hilton Rose Hall Resort & Spa | January 22, 2015
DALLAS, Jan. 22, 2015 -- Aimbridge Hospitality announces that it has been selected to manage the landmark oceanfront Hilton Rose Hall Resort & Spa on the Caribbean island of Jamaica, effective immediately. Nestled between Jamaica's scenic mountain range and the Caribbean Sea, the all-inclusive Hilton Rose Hall Resort & Spa features 489 newly designed guestrooms and suites, 1800 feet of private, secluded beach, Sugar Mill Falls water park, Soothe Spa, remodeled meeting space and the nearby Robert VonHagge designed Cinnamon Hill Ocean Golf Course. Sagicor, which owns three Jewel Resorts in Jamaica, completed its acquisition of the...
1
Industry Happenings
2
Technology
3
Operations
4
All Things Independent
5
Appointments/People on the Move
Today's News
Rosewood and Murbee Resorts Partner to Expand in Caribbean With Development on Barbuda
Estreya Gosalbez Appointed as General Manager of Four Seasons Resort Mallorca at Formentor
U.S. Hotel Results for Week Ending 2 December
HSMAI Announces 2023 Top 25 Extraordinary Minds
As the first news aggregate for the hotel industry, Hotel-Online is the industry’s must-read daily news source for everything hotel curated for busy professionals. Sign up today for industry news delivered to your inbox.