HONG KONG, June 4, 2018 -- Rosewood Hotels & Resorts® has been selected by McNair Interests to manage a new, ultra-luxury hotel in Houston. Set to open in 2023, the hotel will be Rosewood's second in Texas and their ninth in the United States. Ideally located in the city's exclusive Uptown District, the hotel will be near several of Houston's most popular sites including The Galleria, Texas' largest luxury shopping destination, and the Texas Medical Center, the largest medical center in the world. 

The Rosewood hotel will consist of 150 rooms and will be located in an exclusive mixed-use and high-rise development led by McNair Interests, managed by the Patrinely Group and designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, a leading international architecture firm. In addition to the hotel, the six-acre site will include 80 luxury residences atop the hotel, multi-family residences, lifestyle-driven amenities, and retail and office space in Houston's highly covetable Uptown District. 

Boasting two distinct dining venues, including a full-service restaurant and a vibrant outdoor pool bar, the hotel will offer visitors a sophisticated urban dining experience. Guests will also have access to Sense, a Rosewood Spa, as well as an outdoor pool and fitness center. The property's extensive meeting and events spaces will accommodate a variety of private gatherings, conferences and special events. 

"Texas is the birthplace of the Rosewood legacy, which launched with the Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas in 1979, so we are thrilled to expand our presence in one of Texas' most vibrant cities," says Sonia Cheng, Chief Executive Officer of Rosewood Hotel Group.  "Offering innumerable cultural attractions, a sophisticated culinary scene, and unparalleled shopping, Houston is a natural destination for Rosewood's affluential explorers.  Ideally situated in the Uptown District, Rosewood's new property in Houston will serve as the ultimate urban retreat from which travelers can explore everything this exciting city has to offer."   

"This is a defining development for McNair Interests and the city of Houston," said Cary McNair, Chairman and CEO of McNair Interests. "Our vision redefines the southernmost entrance of Post Oak Boulevard and the Uptown District, fusing a distinctive, sophisticated design with Houston's future. We are excited for what this project will bring to our city and to visitors from around the world."

TORONTO, June 4, 2018 - Cadillac Fairview is pleased to announce it has acquired the interest of Simcoe Wellington Hotel Limited Partnership, making it the 100% owner of The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto.  As part of this transaction, Marriott International will continue to operate the hotel under The Ritz-Carlton brand.

"As one of the original developers of The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto, we are proud to increase our ownership interest in one of Toronto's premier luxury hotels," said John Sullivan, President and CEO, Cadillac Fairview. "Located at the intersection of the financial, entertainment and waterfront districts, we view The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto hotel as a strong complementary asset to our office portfolio in the vicinity, including Simcoe Place, RBC Centre and one future office site at 160 Front St."

Opened in February 2011, the 53 story building comprises 20 floors featuring 263 luxury rooms, 33 floors dedicated to private Ritz-Carlton Residences and fine dining options at TOCA, DEQ Terrace and Lounge and the Ritz Bar.  The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto is recognized as one of the top luxury hotels in Canada, as demonstrated by its Forbes Five Star Award & CAA/AAA Five Diamond Award. The hotel is a preferred location in the luxury group market for high profile meetings, with 13,000 square feet of meeting space, and is recognized as the main luxury hotel hub for the entertainment business for the Toronto International Film Festival activities.

In addition to its premier meeting facilities and restaurants, the hotel is well known for its spa, Spa My Blend by Clarins, which has been awarded Travel+Leisure #1 Hotel Spa in the world, Forbes Four Star Award, and CAA/AAA Four Diamond Award. It also offers an exclusive luxury club floor, with complimentary culinary selections and a dedicated concierge. For more information, please visit www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/canada/toronto.

By David Lund 

Coaching people around the financials in hotels is what I do. I accomplish this by one-on-one coaching usually on the phone, through Skype, or in workshops where as a group we explore and debunk the mystery around the numbers. Many people are fond of saying the numbers are the hard part of hospitality. That is not true. What is true is we do not exercise these muscles. We do not even know we have a financial muscle in many cases. This story is about one of those people and how I was able to help them. Names and places are changed to keep anonymity.

Chris sent me an email requesting some of my free documents that I offer on my weekly blog posts. I think he had read the article, “Financial Statements and Your Hotel Career. “ His note was uplifting and he thanked me for writing the blog. Short and sweet. I replied and thanked him for his kind words and attached his free stuff to my email. About a month later he wrote to me again and asked if I could help him understand the rooms productivity measurements. I replied and sent him the link to the blog that explains how they are used.

“Read this and if you want more help let’s have a call,” I wrote, “It will be a gift from me to you.” He replied thank you and we scheduled a call the following week.

During the call, he explained to me that he was the rooms division manager of a 350-room hotel in San Francisco, Calif. They had a labor planning tool and daily labor reports but no real productivity measurements to work with and no labor statistics in the property financial statements. What they were using was “the standard” that the labor planning tool generated based on job tasks that each department manager created for each position. They would input the forecast rooms and the system produced a schedule. They would compare the actual standard to the scheduled standard at the end of each week. All of this sounded familiar. I asked him what the problem was. He said, “We use this tool but at the end of the month the payroll on the financials is always too high and as a result, no one likes the tool.”

We looked at two things during that first call

He was able to find the latest schedule and tell me how many rooms were forecast for the next week and he also ran another report from the labor tool and was able to tell me the hours that the system had scheduled.

We then broke down the hours into the following buckets: front office, reservations, bell desk, room attendants and general housekeeping. We had a subtotal for each and a total number of hours for the week. Then I had him do the division on each subtotal and the overall number. Now we were getting somewhere. Now we had the productivity for each sub-department. This took us most of the hour to unravel and he was excited to see the results. His hours per room occupied by sub-department and for the rooms division for the next week's schedule. He then asked, “Now what?”

What I explained next was what he needed to do to make this weekly number relevant. I told him to go back for the past 12 months and get the hours by month for the same sub-departments and in total. Once he had that, I explained he then need to total each month’s hours, for hourly and management and divide those subtotals and the total for each month by the rooms occupied for each month. I then told him to only get the productive hours: hours of regular, overtime and double time. No holidays or other hours are needed. He said, “That’s a lot of work.”

I replied, “Not really when you consider what you will have as a result—the baseline productivity for an entire year by sub-department and in total for the rooms division.”

Then I moved to wrap up the call. I asked him if the information was helpful. He exclaimed that it was indeed, and we agreed on a regular series of calls. In a few short weeks, he was able to start scheduling based on productivity targets and he taught all his managers the productivity system.

We then turned our attention to expenses and devised a system for him to zero base his departments’ expenses. He, in turn, got his team on board to do the same exercise in each area. We worked hard to get numbers figured out. The last piece we worked on was him producing the commentary for the monthly manager’s report that he submitted to his GM. Again, we worked on all the pieces and getting his managers to do their individual parts of the commentary using what he created with the labor productivity and expense management tools.

In a few short months, he really grew as a manager and leader. The exercise I put him thru paid off. His department’s results—the rooms profit—finished the year ahead of budget. The flow thru to the previous year was off the charts and he accepted a promotion to a bigger hotel and a bigger job. All because he got some help to learn how to use his financial muscles.

It’s not accounting—it’s business thinking—and it’s not the hard part of hospitality.

Minneapolis (June 4, 2018) - Country Inn & Suites^® by Radisson, a leading upper midscale hotel brand, today announced the opening of Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Indianapolis East, IN. Located at 7610 Old Trails Road, the hotel adds ease for visitors in town for some fast-paced fun at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It is also near Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Indianapolis Colts, and the Indiana Convention Center. The hotel recently completed an extensive $1.3 million renovation, which includes upgrades to the guest rooms, business center, fitness center, veranda and lobby.

“We are thrilled to see the continued growth of the Country Inn & Suites by Radisson portfolio with the addition of this refreshed hotel,” said Aly El-Bassuni, senior vice president, Franchise Operations, Americas, Radisson Hotel Group. “The investment the hotel owners have made in this property, coupled with our brand’s complimentary amenities and focus on providing a welcoming, home-like atmosphere will lead to an exceptional guest experience.”

The hotel offers 93 guest rooms and suites. Each room features all the comforts of home and a touch of luxury with the custom designed White Water Collection of bath amenities by Beekman 1802. The hotel includes an onsite fitness center, business center, an outdoor pool, free Wi-Fi and the brand’s signature and complimentary, hot Be Our Guest breakfast served daily on classic dining ware. Guests can relax and unwind by sitting near the fire pit in the outdoor patio and treat themselves to complimentary freshly baked cookies as well as coffee and tea throughout the day. The hotel also offers a flexible meeting space that can accommodate up to 70 guests. 

“We are very proud to open the doors of our beautiful hotel under the Country Inn & Suites by Radisson brand,” said Jay Kingson, the hotel’s general manager. “The friendly and accommodating staff trained in the Be Our Guest service philosophy is guaranteed to provide a comfortable and relaxing stay for our guests.”

Marriott International (NASDAQ: MAR) today announced its transformation vision for Sheraton Hotels and Resorts, the third largest brand in its portfolio, and the largest outside of North America in terms of room count. The company, which introduced its new Sheraton guestroom late last year, is showcasing its vision for Sheraton’s public spaces at the NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference in New York, bringing to life for owners and investors the company’s brand strategy as well as its signature focus on guest experience, hotel operations and design philosophy.

“From the moment we closed the Starwood merger in late 2016, the revitalization of Sheraton has been a top priority for our company,” said Arne Sorenson, President and CEO of Marriott International.  “We knew that the way to restore this incredible brand was focus and collaboration with our hotel owners.  We wanted to build on Sheraton’s rich legacy of sitting at the heart of communities across the globe, but also to create a differentiated positioning and compelling proposition for our owners. With our Sheraton transformation plan, we’ve put together all of the pieces of the equation to work cooperatively with our owners to set this iconic brand on a new, disciplined and successful path. We are ready, our vision is clear and the energy is robust for Sheraton.”

Owners are already responding to the new vision with optimism and energy, committing an estimated half-a-billion dollars in renovations of hotels across the U.S. Globally, 25 percent of Sheraton hotels have committed to renovations with some already underway.

The Sheraton Experience
This week, Sheraton has built out a 4,200-square-foot vignette at the NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference that brings its vision to life, allowing investors to understand and experience Sheraton’s transformation plans firsthand, particularly the concepts for the hotel’s public spaces. Reverting to its roots as the gathering place for locals and guests, Sheraton today amplifies that legacy by leaning into services and design that enable socialization, productivity, and personalization.  Its strategy features collaborative venues, technology enabled designs, and a host who helps deliver a unique experience that is exclusive to Sheraton.

“Marriott International is well positioned to deliver a comprehensive strategy for Sheraton’s brand transformation and we already have great momentum. This is the first time in years that the brand has been above competitive benchmark in both rate and occupancy,” said Tina Edmundson, Global Brand Officer, Marriott International. “We have improved brand standards, increased group bookings, and have ramped up our business engine over the last year as a first step in a multi-phase, multi-year plan, leveraging our experience in revitalizing lodging brands.”

The company undertook a repositioning of the Marriott Hotels brand beginning in 2013, redesigning the guest room and MClub Lounge working in close cooperation with Marriott Hotel owners. The work has resonated with guests and owners alike. Renovated Marriott Hotels have seen market share gains of, on average, nine percent and “intent to recommend” scores from customers that are eight points on average higher than non-renovated hotels.

Sheraton by the Numbers
Since joining Marriott International as part of the acquisition of Starwood Hotels and Resorts in September 2016, Sheraton has exited 6,000 rooms with another 2,000 expected to depart by the end of the year. During the same period, 5,000 rooms have been signed to the portfolio. Intent to recommend for the brand has already increased 2 points year-over-year and market share has grown for the first time in years.

Systemwide, Sheraton generates $9.2 billion in property revenue globally. Sheraton’s portfolio currently consists of nearly 450 open hotels with 80 additional projects in the pipeline in 72 countries and territories. By 2020, the brand’s footprint is expected to expand to 90 countries.

The Sheraton Experience is located in Times Square, not far from the Marriott Marquis, site of the NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference. The site will be open for private tours Monday, June 4 and Tuesday, June 5, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm both days. To visit The Sheraton Experience please call: 202-360-6038.

Radisson Hotel Group is excited to announce the signing of the first Radisson Collection hotel in Eastern Europe and Russia. The Tsinandali Estate, A Radisson Collection Hotel will open its doors in October 2018 in the iconic wine region of Kakheti, Georgia.

True to Radisson Collection’s pioneering ethos, the Tsinandali Estate will establish a new benchmark of quality in the country. A model of locally-inspired, contemporary design, the property will set out to shine a light on Tsinandali’s rich history and build the region’s profile as an emerging travel hotspot.

A truly unique property, the hotel is set amidst the Tsinandali Estate’s own remarkable vineyards, amongst the finest in a region renowned for its diverse selection of wines. The hotel grounds also neighbor an historic 18-hectare park, only a short distance from the Tsinandali Palace Museum of Prince Alexander Chavchavadze – a memorial to the founder of Georgian Romanticism and an important cultural attraction in its own right.

Elie Younes, Executive Vice President & Chief Development Officer of Radisson Hotel Group said: “The Tsinandali Estate, A Radisson Collection hotel is welcome addition to our expanding portfolio in Georgia; offering its guests a unique authentic experience and our owners the opportunity to develop an individualized property that benefits from a glocal network.”

John Losasso, Chief Executive Officer of Silkroad Hospitality Group said: “We are pleased to further strengthen our business relationship with Radisson Hotel Group by launching the first Radisson Collection in Georgia with this incredible property. The Tsinandali Estate is a destination in its own right and we can clearly see an alignment between the estate and the Radisson Collection brand. We are positive that our guests will naturally enjoy an exceptional experience, enjoying the delightful Georgian countryside and the rich heritage of the estate itself – not to mention the famous Georgian winemaking culture.”

The hotel will offer 141 stylish guest rooms and suites and a range of exceptional hotel facilities. These include an infinity rooftop pool, with stunning vistas of the Caucasus Mountains; an energizing hotel spa; an exciting variety of restaurants; an open-air amphitheater, for 1,200 guests; sophisticated meeting facilities; a helicopter landing spot and – of course – exclusive access to the Tsinandali Estate park.

The on-site Tsinandali Vineyards offer an authentic Georgian experience for our guests, with a unique vinotheque, wine-tasting bar and Prince Alexander Chavchavadze’s personal wine cellar collection. It will offer a truly inspiring experience for wine lovers and an insider journey into the heritage of Georgian wine production.

The Tsinandali Estate, A Radisson Collection Hotel will be located 104km from Tbilisi, the Georgian capital. It will feature stunning MICE facilities, designed in a Georgian architectural style by world-renowned industrial designer Ingo Maurer in collaboration with celebrated Georgian artist and sculptor Tamara Kvesitadze.

By David Goldstone, President, The Americas - DigiValet

What was the experience of staying at hotels twenty or thirty years ago?

In most cases, it was a pretty straightforward affair.

One checked into a property, entered the room. If all went well, the TV worked, you maybe had HBO and everything was clean and the room features and amenities were as promised.

If it was the late 1990s and you were a savvy business traveler, you looked for a connection for the modem for your computer, plugged it in and you were hopefully on your way.

(Most often, those modem connections did not actually work and rarely got you dialed up quickly and effectively).

If you were a luxury traveler staying at a top tier property, you paid for an additional suite of services: a well - appointed lobby bar, valet parking, a fine dining restaurant, perhaps a spa onsite.

As they have always been, hoteliers were adept at creating great experiences - but guest services were fairly well standardized and their scope was entirely within the control of the hotel owner and manager.

The New Reality

Welcome to the 21st century.

Today’s travelers are sophisticated, tech savvy and are accustomed to being in full control of their stay, and experience. They have been conditioned by an “on-demand” marketplace to see a hotel visit as part of an immersive travel experience that begins with booking and continues through multiple engagements and touch points.

Airbnb and other “shared economy” businesses are changing the travel landscape. Travel providers who wish to deliver personalized, truly local experiences for guests are taking note and starting to deliver such services.

Although it may sound counterintuitive, to satisfy today’s guests, it must be made clear, that it is the guest – not the hotel – who controls the experience.

Do you want streaming videos in your hotel room from your own device?

We’ve got that.

Prefer to watch your own personal content, but on the TV in the room?

We can do that too.

How about ordering tickets for tomorrow night’s show from your bedside having the tickets in your e-wallet in seconds and in the next click, scheduling room service for delivery in less than 30 minutes?

We’ve got it covered.

What this really means is that emphasis has shifted – a memorable guest experience is no longer about what the hotel provides to guests . . . it’s about the kinds of tools the hotel provides to enable guests to create their own stay, preferences and desires their way.

Introducing the “Shared” Hotel Room

As I noted in another article, in a way the hotel room no longer belongs to the hotel -

it belongs to the guest . . . at least for the duration of his or her stay.

https://www.phocuswire.com/Shared-hotel-room

It’s incumbent on us to deliver on guest expectations each and every time they enter the property.

While this places new burdens on hotel owners and managers, but it also creates new opportunities.

The technology needs are great. Ideally, one implements a strong backbone of integrated hotel systems that tie seamlessly together – including the CRM, PMS, request management systems, guest feedback systems and in-room devices that control everything from lights to thermostats, television sets, smart showers and door locks.

Absent a totally integrated system, owners are left piecing together individual technology components – a costly, complicated process.

But technology is moving much too fast for any single solution that originates outside the guest room to fully keep pace with the changing tastes of consumers as they evolve within the room during their stay.

That’s why at DigiValet, we return to the guest room as the core of the guest experience.

We believe that every important feature in a guest room can be connected via a single point of contact, with the guest in charge of the experience.

Using an iPad placed in their rooms, or via their own personal device, guests can now stream their own video content; order room service at any time without picking up the phone; turn off the lights, set their own wake up experience, change their room temperature, tune to their favorite TV channel– all from a single device, from the comfort of their bed, and all with one touch of a screen.

The promise is for a totally seamless guest experience, delivered on demand – but there is also great upside for the hotel.

A platform such as DigiValet’s not only enables seamless service delivery, but also tightens the guest’s connection to the hotel's staff, while simultaneously enabling hotel operations to learn and act on guest preferences. Luxury today is about personalization and no one does it better than DigiValet.

Guest requests can be acted on in real time, and going forward, they can be anticipated: The hotel has the ability to capture preferences and retrieve them for later use, making them actionable for a future visit, which will help enhance the guest visit upon their return. Which equates to increased loyalty.

By deploying DigiValet, hotel staff will have the ability to do their jobs better, faster and with greater direct impact on the guest experience. This means big leaps in guest satisfaction and the hotels ROI.

TripAdvisor reviews from properties that use the DigiValet system bear this out - in many cases evidencing a stunning uptick in reviews for high end properties.

Seizing the Day

To be sure, it’s no longer your “daddy’s” hotel. 

The distance between the on property experience of the 1980s or 1990s and today is widening exponentially with each passing year.

This has significant implications for how you spend on technology and where you invest in the guest experience.

We must face the fact that to a great extent, the manner in which guest demands are evolving have little or nothing to do with what you learned in Hotel Management 101.

The good news is, we now have the tools and understanding to seize the moment, and allow the hotel to profit from what has become a totally shared hotel experience.

Carpe diem. 

A daily, online news source for professionals working in the food and beverage industry

Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®) continues to build on its online news series with the addition of its F&B Bytes website. Powered by Hsyndicate, an electronic media-hub based in The Netherlands, F&B Bytes is an aggregated content destination where users will find the latest food and beverage news all in one place. Recognized as a global educator in the hospitality industry, HFTP now offers hospitality professionals online news resources specific to technology, clubs, finance, GDPR, F&B and its association at large. HFTP's informational sites include: HITEC Bytes, Club Bytes, Finance Bytes, F&B Bytes, GDPR Bytes and HFTP News.

The website allows users to stay updated with food and beverage trends, information and updates in the same easy-to-access format featured on its other news sites. F&B Bytes is a cross-platform site serves as a daily news outlet that brings together specific publications, reports, feature articles, white papers and more.

"As the global spokes group for hospitality finance and technology professionals, HFTP has an obligation to provide our stakeholders with a trusted digital channel of information," said HFTP CEO Frank Wolfe. "Expanding the industry's access to curated knowledge is another reason that HFTP is granted nonprofit status and entrusted with experts who volunteer their time to provide solutions to everyday industry problems."

HFTP's informational news sites were created with the goal of categorizing the large amounts of available information, and presenting the news in a more convenient way for users. F&B Bytes allows companies to publish their content to the site; registered users receive the additional benefit of having their content published to both F&B Bytes as well as PineappleSearch.com, the world's only hospitality-specific search engine. For those interested in publishing content or advertising on F&B Bytes, please contact HFTP Chief Marketing Officer Jennifer Lee, CAE at jennifer.lee@hftp.org or +1 (512) 220-4023.

For more information, visit www.hftp.org and https://fb.hftp.org.

The Courtyard Prince George features the brand’s latest lobby design, where guests can enjoy an open and modern environment outside of their rooms. The newly designed Bistro is the epicenter of the lobby, which fosters social connections and collaboration with more flexible and informal seating options. The Bistro offers guests a wide variety of “made to order” breakfast and dinner items, “grab and go” options, and also features an array of cocktails, beer and wine for guests to unwind at the end of the day.

Throughout the hotel, guests can connect with ample electrical outlets. The business library features several computer terminals, along with a printer and separate computer stations dedicated solely to printing airline boarding passes and checking flight status.

Green has been Courtyard’s signature color since Marriott launched the brand 30 years ago. Now it is even greener with the introduction of a guest recycling program for the environment. Receptacles for paper, glass, plastic and metal are conveniently located by side exits.

The six-story hotel features an indoor swimming pool and whirlpool spa, a large fitness centre and guest laundry, and offers 6,538 square feet of meeting space to accommodate functions of up to 630 people.

Prestigious Award Based on Travelers’ Reviews Over Five Consecutive Years

Big Sky, Montana, June 2018 ... TripAdvisor, the world’s largest online travel community, has named the historic 320 Guest Ranch to its Certificate of Excellence Hall of Fame. This prestigious award is presented to properties that have earned TripAdvisor’s coveted Certificate of Excellence for five consecutive years. The award is based on travelers’ opinions and reviews of hotels, resorts, destinations, cruise companies and airlines.

Founded in 1898, the 320 Guest Ranch offers an authentic Montana experience with 21^st Century comforts and amenities. The ranch is set in Montana’s spectacular Gallatin Canyon, a center for great sport, fine dining, music festivals and special events. Yellowstone National Park is just 45 minutes away and Big Sky Resort, famed for its exceptional skiing is just 20 miles from the ranch.

“We are so proud to have earned TripAdvisor’s highest honor,” says General Manager John Richardson. “Our guests, with their recognition of the 320 Guest Ranch experience, and our dedicated staff have made this possible.”

To qualify for the Certificate of Excellence Hall of Fame, the 320 Guest Ranch had to maintain an average TripAdvisor rating score of at least 4 out of a possible 5, as reviewed by travelers, for five consecutive years.  Additional criteria included the volume of reviews and how recently they have been submitted by TripAdvisor travelers.

Guest reviews cite the breathtaking scenery of Montana’s Big Sky Country and the many activities available.  Reviewers loved the bountiful breakfast that prepared them for a day of activity and the sophisticated cuisine at the 320 Ranch Steakhouse, noted for delicious Montana beef, wild game, and fish fresh. The restaurant’s exceptional wine list enhances the uniquely Montana menu.

The ranch’s log cabins provide every modern amenity with a distinct Old West vibe, including free WiFi. Some cabins have fully equipped kitchens, spacious bedrooms, and living areas. Many of the cabins have wood-burning fireplaces, and wood is provided by the ranch.

Says John Richardson, “Most important, reviewers consistently praised our staff, from our exceptional culinary and housekeeping teams to the wranglers who guide our guests through a unique and memorable Montana Experience.”

To learn more about or book the 320 Guest Ranch call 406-995-4283 or 800-243-0320, or visit www.320ranch.com.

Country Inn & Suites^® by Radisson, a leading upper midscale hotel brand, today announced the opening of Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, La Crosse, WI located at 2110 Rose Street. The hotel recently completed a nearly $2 million renovation featuring the brand’s latest design, which includes modern interiors, stylish furnishings and spacious guest rooms and suites. Guests have the added convenience of being only four miles from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and the beautiful hiking trails along the cliffs at Grandad Bluff

“As part of our 5-year strategic plan, we aim to accelerate the transformation of our Country Inn & Suites by Radisson portfolio to our Generation 4 product,” said Aly El-Bassuni, senior vice president, Franchise Operations, Americas, Radisson Hotel Group. “This hotel is a wonderful representation of that plan in action and a strong partnership with our owner, who is committed to investing in their property and delivering exceptional hospitality to our guests.”
         

The hotel offers 91 guest rooms and suites. Each room features all the comforts of home and a touch of luxury with the custom designed White Water Collection of bath amenities by Beekman 1802. Guests have access to an onsite fitness center, business center, an indoor pool, free Wi-Fi and the brand’s signature and complimentary, hot Be Our Guest breakfast served daily on classic dining ware. A meeting room is also available that can accommodate up to 26 people. Throughout their stay, guests can also treat themselves to complimentary freshly baked cookies as well as coffee and tea

“We are thrilled to open the doors to our refreshed hotel under the Country Inn & Suites by Radisson brand,” said Bob Patel, the hotel’s owner. “Our hotel’s modern design, complimentary amenities and focus on providing a welcoming, home-like atmosphere is guaranteed to make us a success.”

LAS VEGAS, June 5, 2018 -- Caesars Entertainment Corporation (NASDAQ: CZR) has announced plans to create unique branding and licensing opportunities with four of its iconic brands - Caesars Palace, Flamingo, The Cromwell and The LINQ.  The move allows Caesars and select strategic partners to expand the global reach of these distinct brands into gateway cities around the world.

"Caesars Entertainment brings instant brand-recognition, category-leading customer loyalty, unique hospitality and entertainment amenities as well as decades of management expertise to world class partners seeking to deliver distinct lodging and resort experiences to a wide range of consumers," said Mark Frissora, President and CEO of Caesars Entertainment. "Our unmatched experience collaborating with celebrity chefs and entertainers is an especially appealing differentiator to potential partners looking to carve out hospitality niches in gateway cities and resort destinations."

Each of the brands has unique characteristics to serve the different tastes and preferences of Caesars Entertainment guests around the world:

• Caesars Palace: Indulgent and Fun Luxury  
  From its unique Roman architecture, opulent design, mouth-watering culinary experiences, high-energy performances by entertainment idols and once-in-a-lifetime extraordinary events, to the always-welcoming smile of every employee, Caesars makes the everyday truly extraordinary. 
   
• FLAMINGO:Vibrant Vegas-Style Resort
  Classic Vegas still lives inside our walls— where having a history to be proud of doesn't mean being "outdated." Where other hotels treat history as a remnant of the past, we embrace it, proving there is a reason why Vegas never goes out of style. Walking through Flamingo, guests can feel the essence of vintage Vegas, taste the liquid cool of a dry martini and hear the seductive sounds of the cabaret.
   
• The Cromwell: Luxury Lifestyle Boutique - The Place to "see-and-be-seen."
  The Cromwell is an intimate, lifestyle boutique hotel that provides a distinct and curated experience because of its decadent and whimsical design, eclectic nightlife and signature dining offerings. Chic suites and sophisticated rooms feature a contemporary design aesthetic and deluxe amenities. 
   
• The LINQ: Social, Sensory and Modern 
  The LINQ is a 360° full-sensory hospitality and entertainment experience: a curated lifestyle destination that evokes the excitement of exploration and self-expression. It is for those who seek the electric feeling of being in the right place at the right time; where style and culture evolve and envelop each visitor. Social in nature, The LINQ encourages connections and interaction. It immerses guests in a fresh and dynamic atmosphere, sending them on a journey of discovery and ensuring they have an experience that is all their own.

This announcement follows news that that Caesars Entertainment will brand and manage two luxury hotels and a beach club at Meraas' Dubai-based Bluewaters Island development. In late 2018, Bluewaters Island is expected to become home to Caesars Palace Bluewaters Dubai and Caesars Bluewaters Dubai -- both of which will represent Caesars Entertainment's first non-gaming resorts. Additionally, Caesars recently announced plans to bring a non-gaming Caesars Palace resort to beach-front property along the coast of Puerto Los Cabos, Mexico. 

Caesars' value proposition extends beyond its diverse portfolio of established brands. With more than 55 million members, Caesars Entertainment's Total Rewards loyalty program is one the world's largest programs and acts as a tourism driver for the cities and destinations in which it operates. It also prides itself in having an established infrastructure, centralized services and a management team with a proven track record of overseeing 47 properties with 1,200 reservations agents answering phones in 50 languages. 

"Our commitment to these two exciting projects demonstrates the demand for Caesars brands in five-star destinations," Mr. Frissora said. "This is only the beginning of what we believe will be continued progress against our strategy to expand the company's non-gaming and gaming businesses presence in a capital efficient manner."

Irvine, Calif. (June 4, 2018) – Pacific Hospitality Group (PHG) announces the appointment of Paul J. McCormick as its President and Chief Operating Officer. In this new role, McCormick will oversee the operations of the current portfolio of 11 properties as well as activation of all new acquisitions for the growing hospitality company.

“I look forward to continuing to assist with the development of a world-class team to diligently drive a strong performance at our hotels & resorts,” said McCormick. “Our goal is to create a “Win-Win” relationship with our investors, community, guests and team members by developing exceptional guest experiences while increasing our portfolio’s overall asset value”

Prior to joining PHG, McCormick excelled in corporate and hotel-level leadership roles at a number of prominent hospitality companies. Most recently, as Senior Vice President of Miraval Group, he was responsible for providing operational oversight of the company’s destination wellness resorts and spas, and helped with the transition of the Group’s assets to Hyatt Hotels Corporation. Additionally, he served as Divisional Vice President for Sage Hospitality’s Premier and Lifestyle Division, leading operations for 10 luxury properties including the Ritz Carlton Chicago, The Logan Hotel in Philadelphia and the Oxford, Crawford and Halcyon hotels in Denver, Colorado. McCormick also spent more than 15 years with KSL Resorts, an affiliate of KSL Capital Partners LLC, serving as Vice President & Managing Director for several of its properties, including La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California, Barton Creek Resort & Spa in Austin, Texas, La Quinta Resort and Club & PGA West in La Quinta, California, and the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa in Traverse City, Michigan.

“We are excited to have Paul lead the organization on a path toward continued growth,” says Tim Busch, CEO of PHG. “He has an exceptional track record as a leader in the hospitality industry and his outstanding operational expertise will add remarkable value to PHG.”

Pacific Hospitality Group is comprised of 11 hotels and resorts located throughout the United States, and the company continues to expand its existing portfolio with the recent opening of the dual-branded AC Hotel and Residence Inn Dallas by the Galleria and debut of Vista Collina Resort in Napa Valley, California, set to open July 2018. For more information about Pacific Hospitality Group, visit pacifichospitality.com.

Today, Scandic Hotels has completed the rebranding of Restel's former Cumulus hotels to the Scandic-brand. 

In December 2017, Scandic acquired Restel’s hotel operations with 43 hotels and around 7,600 rooms, most of which were operating under the Cumulus brand. The acquisition made Scandic the market leader in the hotel industry in Finland and gave the company a considerably stronger position in the growing leisure segment.

"We now have a strong presence in Finland, which during the first quarter accounted for a quarter of Scandic’s net sales. We are pleased to have completed the rebranding of Restel’s hotels and we see great potential for revenue synergies when the hotels are fully integrated into our strong distribution system. We estimate that the acquired hotels will start contributing positively to Scandic’s EBITDA during the second quarter," says Even Frydenberg, President & CEO of Scandic Hotels Group. 

The process of rebranding the hotels started in February 2018, with Scandic rebranding an average of three hotels a week.

"Acquiring Restel was the most significant event for Scandic last year and I am extremely proud that our team members have worked so quickly and professionally with the integration. I am also happy that our new team members have been so positive and shown such commitment to Scandic. Thanks to this acquisition, we now have very good geographic reach in Finland, offering our guests the chance to enjoy great hotel experiences in 15 new locations," says Aki Käyhkö, Managing Director of Scandic Hotels in Finland.

The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, June 2018… BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, has appointed Stephen Cullen area general manager for the Copley Square Hotel and the Ames Boston Hotel, a member of the Curio Collection by Hilton™. Both properties are located in the historic center of Boston, Massachusetts. Greg Champion, Benchmark’s president and COO, made the announcement.

"It is a pleasure to announce Stephen’s new position within our company,” said Mr. Champion. “He has done an outstanding job leading the Copley Square Hotel and now also brings these skills to the Ames Boston Hotel. We look forward to his leadership in the Boston market, and to the successful operation of both of these hospitality gems.”

This represents a promotion for Stephen Cullen, having previously served as Benchmark’s general manager for the Copley Square Hotel. He joined the company when Benchmark merged with Gemstone Hotels & Resorts in 2016. While with Gemstone, Mr. Cullen formerly held the position of director of operations for the company’s Carlton Hotel located in New York City. He also served as general manager at the Fitzpatrick Manhattan Hotel in New York.

Mr. Cullen is a native of Ireland, where he attended Dublin Institute of Technology. He currently resides in Boston.

MEXICO CITY, June 06, 2018 -- Grupo Hotelero Santa Fe, S.A.B. Of C.V. (BMV:HOTEL) ("HOTEL" or "the Company"), one of the leading companies in the hotel industry in Mexico, announces the signing of a strategic alliance with AMResorts. With this strategic alliance, a co-branding will be implemented between Reflect® Resorts & Spas brand and Krystal Grand® brand for the hotels in Punta Cancun, Los Cabos and Nuevo Vallarta that altogether, represent 1,329 rooms. With this alliance we expect to significantly increase sales of our three hotels, in addition to the opportunity to expand this partnership to more properties. This strategic alliance begins on July 1^st, 2018.

Through this strategic alliance with HOTEL, AMResorts will be responsible for the commercialization, sales and marketing of the properties, which will give the Company higher growth on international sales, and therefore, a higher dollar-denominated sales percentage, as well as better customer acquisition thanks to Apple Leisure Group’s distribution network, the largest global operator for leisure travel to Mexico, the Dominican Republic and one of the largest to the Caribbean. HOTEL maintains property of the Hotels and will continue operating them. 

The signing of this strategic alliance will give us access to more direct, diversified and profitable distribution channels. This, combined with our proven capability as the best hotel operator in Mexico, will optimize the results of these properties. Currently HOTEL has 6,295 rooms in 25 hotels in 15 cities in Mexico including hotels in construction. 

AMResorts is a company of Apple Leisure Group, and a leading hotel brand management company of resorts in Mexico and the Caribbean, with a solid global sales, marketing and distribution structure. Currently, AMResorts has an inventory of over 19,000 rooms and specializes in the luxury all-inclusive vacation segment. Apple Leisure Group is a leading North American leisure travel company, with the only vertically integrated business model, serving travelers and destinations around the world.

Fort Lauderdale, Fla. – June 6, 2018 – Driftwood Acquisitions & Development (DAD), an innovative hospitality industry leader with decades of experience and a strategic focus on hotel and resort acquisitions, has celebrated the groundbreaking of its $50M+ dual-branded Tru by Hilton and Home2 Suites by Hilton hotel in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Located at 315 NW 1st Avenue, the property will be managed by DAD’s North Palm Beach management arm – Driftwood Hospitality Management (DHM) – and is expected to open in early 2020, merging two of Hilton’s popular brands in the vibrant Flagler Village neighborhood in downtown Fort Lauderdale. A festive groundbreaking event took place, welcoming more than 60 attendees, including representatives from Hilton, Merrimac Ventures (Driftwood’s co-developers and GP partners), as well as local dignitaries and special guests. 

“Fort Lauderdale is booming with development and undergoing an extensive urban revitalization, and this unique dual-branded hotel is the perfect addition to the area,” said Carlos Rodriguez, CEO of DAD. “We are pleased to be working with our partners at Hilton once again, creating an exciting new destination for a cross-generation of leisure and business travelers to visit while exploring all that the area has to offer.”

Tru is Hilton’s newest midscale offering, providing young travelers a colorful design language with an emphasis on personalization, and efficient guestroom layouts in an amenity-rich building. Home2 Suites is Hilton’s midscale all-suite hotel brand, featuring contemporary accommodations and customizable guest room design.

“We are excited to celebrate the continued expansion of our dual-branded hotel portfolio, as well as this unique new property in the Downtown Fort Lauderdale market,” said Isaac Lake, director of key partners for Hilton.“The Tru and Home 2 Suites brands perfectly complement each other, providing guests with a game-changing, contemporary, fresh experience in an affordable way.  We look forward to our growing partnership with Driftwood and working together to make this property a success.”

When it opens, the new-build hotel will rise to 19 stories and feature two distinctive lobbies – each of which will boast its own breakfast bar, lounge, and other brand-specific amenities. The lobbies will be connected by an indoor corridor and will share the same elevator bank. The property will also offer 102 parking spaces available to guests for a nightly rate, an outdoor pool deck complemented by an outdoor bar, a fitness center, and 4,843 square feet of private event and conference space.

Upon completion, the property will feature 112 Tru guestrooms and 106 Home2 Suites guestrooms. The Tru portion of the hotel will be designed to appeal cross-generationally, and complimentary amenities will include the brand’s signature “Top It” breakfast, coffee and tea; mobile check-in and Digital Key available through the Hilton Honors mobile app; and segment-leading Wi-Fi bandwidth.

The pet-friendly Home2 Suites portion of the hotel will offer extended stay guests the amenities and services they need to feel comfortable, with the flexibility to customize their suite to their style and preference. Guestrooms will feature en-suite kitchens, and guests will enjoy complimentary Wi-Fi, inviting communal spaces, and more.  Trademark Home2 Suites amenities will be present, including Home2 MKT for grab-and-go items, and the Inspired Table, a complimentary daily breakfast that includes more than 400 potential combinations.

“We are excited to partner with Driftwood on this exciting dual-branded hotel, which will further activate Flagler Village and contribute to the momentum and energy already happening in the area,” said Dev Motwani, president and CEO of Merrimac Ventures.  “Our family has been in the hotel business in Fort Lauderdale Beach for over 30 years, starting with the Merrimac Hotel and now the Four Seasons, and we couldn’t be more excited to expand our footprint into the downtown hospitality market with this project.”

Located five miles Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport, and less than a mile from the newly-opened Brightline downtown Fort Lauderdale high-speed train station, the property’s central location will provide guests with easy access to some of the city’s finest boutiques and restaurants on Las Olas Boulevard, and local landmarks including Fort Lauderdale Beach, Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, Bonnet House, Florida Atlantic University and Keiser University.

For more information on Driftwood Acquisitions & Development, please visit www.dadlp.com. 

For more information about Tru by Hilton or Homewood Suites by Hilton, please visit www.trubyhilton.com and www.homewoodsuites.com.

Fresh Meadows, NY – June 6, 2018 – Marriott International, Inc. announced that a dual-branded 123-room Courtyard and 95-room Fairfield Inn & Suites property opened today in Fresh Meadows, New York. The hotels are owned by East West United Realty Development Group and managed by Great American Hotel Group of Dover, New Hampshire. General Manager Jon Kozma will lead the management team at both properties.

Whether traveling for business or pleasure, the properties offer easy access to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Citi Field, St. John’s College, Queens College, Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum and the Aquaduct Racetrack. The hotels are also nearby to the Queens Museum, the New York Hall of Science, Queens Botanical Park, Queens County Farm Museum and Riker’s Island.

"Attracting both business and leisure travelers, the Fresh Meadows area is an ideal location for this dual opening," said Janis Milham, senior vice president, Classic Select Brands for Marriott International. "Each brand offers distinct amenities and services that tailor to all visitors."

About The Courtyard New York Queens/Fresh Meadows
Courtyard constantly researches trends and evolves to meet the changing needs of its guests. The latest room design offers hybrid zones for working, sleeping, relaxing and getting ready. Indirect lighting and a neutral, tone-on-tone color palette makes for a soothing and calm environment.

The new room design is intuitive and thoughtful, offering flexible yet comfortable spaces that enable technology. Upon arrival, guests can store bags on the “Luggage Drop” and plug personal devices into the “Tech Drop” ledge for seamless technology integration. Signature furniture and architectural elements replace traditional art in the new guestroom. The “LoungeAround” sofa offers a pop of color and a comfortable area for relaxing or for working. The new design also features a light desk on wheels, allowing guests to work from anywhere in the room.

The Courtyard New York Queens/Fresh Meadows features the brand’s latest lobby design, where guests can enjoy an open and modern environment outside of their rooms. The newly designed Bistro is the epicenter of the lobby, which fosters social connections and collaboration with more flexible and informal seating options. The Bistro offers guests a wide variety of “made to order” breakfast and dinner items, “grab and go” options, and also features an array of cocktails, beer and wine for guests to unwind at the end of the day.

The Courtyard New York Queens/Fresh Meadows is located at 183-15 Horace Harding Expressway and offers the 24/7 Market, the GoBoard, an expansive fitness center, an outdoor fire pit and 864 square feet of meeting space to accommodate functions of up to 70 people.

About The Fairfield Inn & Suites New York Queens/Fresh Meadows
The room décor warmly welcomes guests into a comfortable, productive and restful environment. Flexible and functional, the guest room includes a well-designed work area, an ergonomic chair, task lighting and electrical outlets where guests need them. A curved, mobile desk enables guests to create their own work space, while also optimizing their television viewing.

The thoughtfully designed rooms and suites place the living and working area near the window to allow for more natural light and views. The design also places the sleeping area toward the middle of the room, helping to give guests a better night’s sleep on plush mattresses, as well as easier access to the bathroom and wardrobe.

The Fairfield Inn & Suites New York Queens/Fresh Meadows is located at 183-31 Horace Harding Expressway and offers a 24-hour Corner Market, a complimentary hot breakfast, an expansive fitness center, an outdoor fire pit and 700 square feet of meeting space to accommodate functions of up to 43 people.

By Georges Panayotis

After battling against all forces to confront the profound changes in our sector, we react rather than act. And yet, Churchill once said, "We must take change by the hand or rest assuredly, change will take us by the throat." Aside from a few cosmetic changes for some, none of the current players has revolutionized its product or services.

What we are seeing, however, is that the responsibilities are shifting… the monkey is changing backs… brand owners no longer own both the walls and the business. Today, franchisees support investment costs and must make up for years of backlog. Meanwhile, rather than invest to modernize and maintain the supply, operators have chosen to invest in faraway markets or other types of accommodation. But within this squaring of the circle, we can only observe that the problem has grown more complex. Owner operators will have to break away, and within this metamorphosis what will happen to brands? In France, the economy and budget supplies represent more than 60% of the chain hotel and independent supply combined, if we include the midscale that accounts for close to 90% of the total room supply.

But some operators are turning to the high-end market with an aim to offset distribution and maximize their EBITDA. What about this economy and midscale offer? How will it remain profitable and competitive? New hybrid concepts have been appearing on the market for about ten years now. Hannes Spanring announced at the Global Lodging Forum last April that he has no less than 120 projects underway in promising destinations as well as 25 properties in the pipeline in the United States.

More than 2500 years ago, Heraclitus made this observation: "The only thing that is constant is change", one cannot say they were unaware of it. The offensive is there and well established, but who will retaliate and how? New-generation concepts offer products that are cheaper to produce (such as Qbic, which is developing a technology that allows it to build quickly and at low cost), where much of servuction is digitized with strong and differentiating products, very carefully selected locations (no more under-serviced suburban areas) and staff reduced to the strict minimum for the most part. Guests check themselves in, digital tools follow them, guide them and even encourage additional sales. The staff, for their part, develops skills but also, and above all, know-how and all this at the service of the sacrosanct customer experience. In the end, it is the customer who works and is delighted to do so!

Competition between destinations will intensify, not only to attract tourists, but also to attract new projects, and it will become necessary to attract all stakeholders, from the investor to the operator. To do so, it is imperative to federate all the players in the territory, to communicate effectively and also to provide potential investors and managers with effective monitoring tools for the destination. The appeal of destinations, and therefore their tourist income, is at stake. To ensure that they hold all the cards, resources must be decentralized to the territories so that each tourist destination can work alongside professionals to develop creative and relevant communication methods and promote the DNA of our territories.

The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, June 2018 … BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, has named Eileen S. Cole director of sales & marketing for Eaglewood Resort & Spa, a Benchmark Resorts & Hotels property located in Itasca (Chicago), Illinois. Eric Bates, Benchmark’s general manager at the resort,made the announcement.

"It is a great pleasure to welcome Eileen to Benchmark and to Eaglewood Resort & Spa,” said Mr. Bates. “She brings significant sales leadership experience to our resort. She also has important business contacts and market awareness which will be vital to Eaglewood’s success. We look forward to her active participation as part of our resort’s leadership team.”

Eileen Cole comes to her new position with Eaglewood Resort & Spa with three decades of success in hospitality sales and marketing, much of it invested within the Chicagoland market. She was most recently vice president of sales & marketing for The Bricton Group of Mt. Prospect, Illinois, where she and her team successfully drove hotel and resort revenues for the company and supported its hospitality portfolio growth nationally. Previous to this, she held the position of director of sales and marketing for the Chicago Marriott Southwest at Burr Ridge.

Ms. Cole has held several sales positions of increasing responsibility throughout her hotel sales career. She has also participated in destination sales, while working with the Northern Kentucky Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Eileen Cole is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University where she received her Bachelor of Business Administration degree. She resides in Mt. Prospect, Illinois.