Hospitality Net: Latest Industry News

The Problem With Marketing | By Conor Kenny

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 15:59:31

To quote a famous fellow Irishman (he’s famous, I’m Irish) George Bernard Shaw, playwright, once said; “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” Marketing has never been so necessary. A changed landscape means the need for a new plan, a new marketing plan.

HEI Hotels & Resorts Sells Two Philadelphia Hotels to LaSalle Hotel Properties

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 15:50:40

HEI Hotels & Resorts (HEI), the nation’s fastest growing private owner/operator of hotel real estate, today announced that it has sold two of its Philadelphia hotels, the 294-room Westin Philadelphia and the 288-room Embassy Suites Philadelphia-Center City, to LaSalle Hotel Properties (NYSE:LHO), a leading real estate investment trust (REIT), for an undisclosed amount. Under terms of the deal, brokered by Hodges Ward Elliott, HEI will continue to operate the hotels on behalf of its new owners.

HSMAI Foundation Announces Recipients Of Scholarship Program

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 15:45:04

The Foundation of the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) recently awarded scholarships to four students pursuing careers in the hospitality industry. Three of the students were awarded HSMAI’s merit scholarships, sponsored by American Express, and one student received the second annual HSMAI Foundation Mike Dimond Scholarship for graduate students in the field of Hospitality.

French Hotel Industry Performances | July 2010

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 15:39:49

In July, hotels in Paris, regional France and the Côte d’Azur demonstrated similar RevPAR tendencies: an increase of over 10% for 4 star hotels, a more modest progression for 3 star hotels and a stagnation for 2 star hotels. More luxurious establishments benefited from the return of overseas guests, whilst budget, 1 and 2 star hotels were more heavily influenced by the behavior of the domestic market – increasingly watchful of accommodation expenses, with alternative lodging solutions often being favored.

Understanding The Top 5 Travel Distribution Trends

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:05:16

Where is the travel sector headed? Which areas of distribution are going to see maximum growth? How is the whole travel planning, booking and in-destination process changing for the travellers? What is the role of technology and gadgets for additional sales channels and driving customer loyalty in the time to come?

Hotels.com Guest Reviews Reveal Increase in Airport Hotel Popularity

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:41:00

According to guest reviews collated by the accommodation provider, staying at an airport has gone from bleak to chic with the introduction of luxe amenities and convenient time and money saving services that rival more expensive city-centered hotels. It's a fact that airport hotels have always given travelers the ease and convenience of being as close as possible to their gate the night before a trip, and are also known as a place to crash in between bad weather and "technical difficulties". Hotels.com's guest reviews show airport hotels have surprisingly exceeded expectations and have made travelers reconsider staying at airport hotels.

Hilton Worldwide Appoints New Area President, Operations, Middle East and Africa

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:20:31

Hilton Worldwide today announced that Rudi Jagersbacher will become Area President, Operations, Middle East and Africa, for the hospitality company, effective January 1, 2011. Jagersbacher will replace Jean-Paul Herzog, who will retire from Hilton Worldwide at the end of the year after 40 years of service.

On The Up And Up | Business Travel Buyers And Suppliers Project Rising Travel Volumes And Identify New Pressures From Upper Management For The Second Half Of 2010

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 12:56:28

Airlines, hotels and car rental companies in the United States reported good to excellent recovery patterns as business travel hit an acceptable stride in the second quarter of 2010. These earnings numbers are supported by worldwide travel agency sales data from Airlines Reporting Corporation, which has shown an average increase of 21.7 percent over the first half of 2010 based on 7.5 percent higher domestic transactions and 11 percent more international transactions when compared to the same period last year.

US Hotel Brands In The Caribbean - Under Represented Or Under Delivering?

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 12:03:53

A recent article by Parris Jordan and La Baik of HVS provided interesting data on the apparent low volume of US-branded hotels in the Caribbean, when compared to the hospitality scene in North America. The conclusion reached was that there may be an opportunity for significant growth by brands in the region in the near future.

The James Brings Its Brand of Liberated Luxury to New York City With Soho Luxury Hotel

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:43:52

The James, a hospitality brand synonymous with the seamless blend of modern, residentially styled, state-of-the-art technology and guest-centric service, today announced the opening of its New York luxury hotel, The James New York. The Soho luxury hotel, anchoring the southwest corner of Soho at Grand and Thompson Streets, is today accepting reservations at its 114 guestrooms and suites. In conjunction with the opening, the hotel is offering introductory rates starting from $349 and including in-room breakfast.

LaSalle Hotel Properties Acquires Three Hotels

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:03:06

LaSalle Hotel Properties (NYSE: LHO) today announced that in three separate transactions it acquired the Hotel Monaco San Francisco for $68.5 million, the Westin Philadelphia for $145.0 million and the Embassy Suites Philadelphia – Center City for $79.0 million. Additionally, the Company sold the Seaview Resort for $20.0 million. The Company funded the acquisitions with borrowings under its senior unsecured credit facility and from available cash, including cash from operations, the sale of Seaview and approximately $75.0 million in net proceeds from prior issuances of common shares under the Company's at-the-market offering program.

Hyatt Place® Columbus/OSU Celebrates Grand Opening

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:54:56

Hyatt Hotels & Resorts and Columbus Hospitality today announced the opening of Hyatt Place Columbus/OSU, located near The Ohio State University in downtown Columbus. In addition to the OSU campus, Hyatt Place Columbus/OSU is closely situated to the Greater Columbus Convention Center and Arena District, as well as shopping destinations such as the Short North Shops and Easton Towne Center.

Suzhou’s First Regal Hotel to open in 2013

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:33:21

Regal Hotels International Limited (Regal Hotels Group) is pleased to announce the signing of a hotel project with Suzhou Sicheng Real Estate Company Limited (Sicheng Group) to open a four-star business hotel in Suzhou, the Regal Fanhua Centre Hotel. Situated at Xiang Cheng District, this four-star property will provide a full range of facilities and services to cater for business and leisure travelers.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Launches Its First Application for BlackBerry Smartphones

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:24:37

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) and its award-winning Starwood Preferred Guest(R) program announce the launch of the SPG Appfor BlackBerry(R) smartphones. To celebrate the launch, SPG will give away 100,000 Starpoints(R) to two lucky members who download and log in to the new application by September 30, 2010. The SPG App is now available on BlackBerry App World(TM) or by visiting spg.com/BBapp.

Aloft Hotels Introduces Style at a Steal to the Capital of Europe with the Opening of Aloft Brussels Schuman

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:17:06

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.(R) (NYSE:HOT) and its new destination sensation brand, Aloft(R) Hotels, announce that Aloft Brussels Schuman, the first Aloft hotel in Europe, opens today. Aloft Hotels delivers urban-inspired, modern design and an energetic guest experience at an affordable price point.

10 Annoying Hotel Room Designs | HotelChatter

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 09:59:05

We gush about a lot of the good things we find in hotel rooms--toiletries, bathrobes, free WiFi, books--but today we're taking a moment to talk about what really grinds our gears (and sometimes causes injury) when it comes to hotel room design. As usual, these are just a few things we've come across during our hotel stays but we always want to know what bothers or delights you so drop in your experiences in comments below.

Customer Direct And Travel Tripper Team Up To Offer Best In Class Hotel Call Center Services

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:42:02

Customer Direct, LLC and Travel Tripper, LLC have created a new, best of breed call center offering for hotels in North America. The solution leverages Travel Tripper’s leading booking engine technology and Customer Direct’s award winning call center solution. “The Hotel industry is clamoring for a high quality, US based, reservation call center that can effectively service the still important voice reservation calls,” says Scott Brodows, Executive Vice President for Travel Tripper.

33 Tips For Effective Social Media Platforms | By Jeff Higley - HotelNewsNow.com

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:22:55

OK, so I’m a dweeb. I admit I have trouble reading the first paragraph of this blog with a straight face. I also admit that I have a little bit of a social media phobia. It’s not the concept of it or the advantages of using it that I don’t get. No, my problem revolves around not being able to get my arms around it. Social media is a huge universe these days—and it can be intimidating. It’s like learning an alien language.

Accor Celebrates its 10th Hotel in México

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:16:50

Accor, the French hotel group and leading global hotel operator, celebrates the opening of its 10th hotel in Mexico – the ibis Hermosillo. This milestone achievement extends the network to a total of more than 1,400 rooms in the country, including two Novotel brand hotels (Mexico City and Monterrey) and eight units under the leading economy hotel brand ibis in Mexico City, Monterrey (2), Guadalajara, Aguascalientes, Merida, Chihuahua, and most recently, Hermosillo.

Major Corporations Turn To Standardized Environmental Performance Metrics To Simplify Hotel Supplier Selection

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:06:19

The Carbon Accounting Company (www.thecarbonaccountingcompany.com) officially launched Green Hotels Global (www.greenhotelsglobal.com), the industry’s only standardized, comprehensive online source of information on the environmental performance of hotels worldwide at the NBTA Show in Houston.