Symbolizing the hotel’s supporting role in the revitalization of Jersey City, Concord President and CEO Mark Laport, along with B. Anthony (Tony) Isaac - Sr. Vice President Strategy & Development Hyatt Hotels Corp, Jersey City Ward F Councilwoman Diane Coleman,  Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop and Councilwoman at Large Joyce Watterman sign an 800-pound support beam that will become part of the hotel’s foundation, connecting the historic structure with the new.

JERSEY CITY, N.J., August 12, 2014- Concord Hospitality Enterprises and Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop began construction on a 258-room Hyatt House hotel in the Exchange Place district of Jersey City, part of a public/private revitalization effort that will bring 350 construction jobs, and 80 permanent and 60 part time hotel jobs to New York’s Hudson River neighbor.  The project, an adaptive re-use of a 92-year old bank building into Jersey City’s first Hyatt House hotel, represents an investment of more than $90 million in Jersey City that will produce more than $1.6 million in annual revenue to the city.  

The 13-story, residentially inspired, extended-stay hotel, located at One Exchange Place, will feature 10,000 square feet of street-level retail space, as well as a roof top, outdoor lounge and upper-level “jump” lobby.  The project will involve the renovation and expansion of an existing building (originally, the First National Bank of Jersey City) and the demolition of other abandoned structures to make way for a 10,000 square foot addition.  Jersey City is the state’s second largest city, and the new Hyatt House hotel will be the city’s sixth hotel and second Hyatt property.

“That Jersey City continues to attract the interest of prominent international brands, such as Hyatt, and well respected developers like Concord Hospitality who are willing to make substantial investments in our community is a testament to our location as a destination, the quality of our workforce, and our City’s commitment to grow our tax base by attracting new business,” said Mayor Fulop.  “Concord Hospitality is taking great care to transform the state’s oldest bank building into a new hotel, which speaks to their thoughtful and respectful approach to the projects they undertake.  Today, with the signing of a support beam, Concord and Hyatt become part of the very foundation of Jersey City’s thriving economic redevelopment.”  

“Thanks to the efforts of Mayor Fulop, the City Council and the Jersey City Economic Development Corporation, Jersey City has become a very attractive business alternative to Manhattan,” said Mark Laport, president and CEO of Concord Hospitality.   “We are eager to get started revitalizing this long-neglected site and turning it into an asset that will benefit the residents, as well as the business community.” 

According to Laport, the hotel could open as early as December 2015.

“Concord Hospitality is one of the lodging industry’s most respected owners and developers, and we are delighted to expand our relationship with them to continue the growth of Hyatt’s select service brands in North America,” said B. Anthony Isaac, head of select strategy and development for Hyatt. “Through the support of Mayor Fulop, City Council and the Jersey City Economic Corporation, the revitalization of this city allows Hyatt to reinforce its commitment to Jersey City by joining Hyatt Regency Jersey City, which has been part of the community since 2002. The development of this hotel is an industry indicator of business and tourism growth, and as Jersey City continues to grow and thrive economically, we are excited to add to the momentum by introducing the first Hyatt House hotel to the city.” 

“This project falls right in our sweet spot,” said Laport.  “Historically, we have chosen opportunities where there are solid infrastructures and high concentrations of medical, educational, banking or technology concerns.  The Hyatt House hotel in Jersey City will be built in the midst of a solid and growing financial center and served by a major transportation hub that puts nearly five million people annually at our doorstep.   I have every confidence that the Hyatt House brand in this part of the city will be very well received.” 

Using public transportation, the hotel will be just 12-minutes from the World Trade Center and Newark’s Penn Station, making it a prime overflow destination when Manhattan hotels are running at peak occupancy.

BETHESDA, Md., Aug. 12, 2014— As part of its global mobile strategy, Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR) is announcing a significant expansion of the company’s popular mobile check-in and checkout feature.  Now, ten additional brands – The Ritz-Carlton, JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Renaissance Hotels, Autograph Collection, Courtyard, SpringHill Suites, Fairfield Inn & Suites, Residence Inn, TownePlace Suites and Marriott Executive Apartments* – are joining the nearly 500 properties of the company’s flagship Marriott Hotels brand in providing mobile check-in and checkout to guests. With these latest additions, these services are immediately available at 1,200 properties worldwide, and will be live at more than 4,000 hotels worldwide by year-end. 

Marriott is laser-focused on delivering the mobile services travelers told the company that they want most and making these services as widely available as possible. The company is rapidly introducing mobile services that improve the travel experience by giving guests added convenience and greater choice, while giving hotel staff the opportunity to deliver an even higher level of service. When it comes to fulfillment, the company’s hotels have achieved a near perfect success rate in executing a half-million mobile check-ins to date, leading to nine out ten guests saying they will use it again.

With the Marriott Mobile app, check-in and checkout is simpler. Marriott Rewards members receive a push notification on their Apple iPhones or Android devices after 4 pm on the day before their arrival alerting them they can check-in. Then they receive an automatic notification when their room is ready. Communicating in advance means the hotel is prepared for their arrival. Because payment information is stored within members profiles, guests simply walk up to the expedited mobile check-in desk where their pre-programmed key card will be waiting for them.

At the end of their stays, guests receive a push notification alerting them that mobile checkout is available. Upon completion, guests will then be prompted to provide an email address where their bill should be sent, allowing them to confidently bypass the front desk. Mobile check-in and checkout are available in five languages: English, French, Spanish, German and Mandarin.

Leading with its flagship Marriott Hotels brand, the company continues innovating in the mobile space. The brand now offers mobile service requests in fifteen markets in North America, where hotels are serving as “mobile incubator” laboratories for the future. For example, guests at these hotels can use a drop down menu of the most typical service requests, such as extra towels and pillows, or chat directly with hotel staff using a mobile app. The company will offer these and other mobile services to its Marriott Rewards members at the Marriott Hotels brand beginning early next year. 

“You cannot separate the mobile experience from the personal interaction between guests and our hotel associates. When executed flawlessly and consistently, they complement each other and enhance the overall experience,” said George Corbin, senior vice president, Digital. “In our testing of mobile service requests so far, 86 percent of guests who used the feature have chosen to chat directly with hotel associates, illustrating how much guests appreciate the personal interaction using their mobile devices, and nearly nine out of ten guests gave the experience a very high positive rating.”

Recently, the company’s award-winning Marriott Rewards became first major hotel loyalty program to offer geo-targeted, mobile offers using beacon technology. Participating hotels send members, who opt-in, push notifications on their mobile devices as they pass by “hot spots” within the property.  Called LocalPerks, offers are tailored to the property, ranging from food and beverage to spa to golf. Future plans for LocalPerks include Marriott Rewards’ offers available locally in the neighborhoods surrounding participating hotels.

*Mobile check-in and checkout is available at all Marriott Hotels, JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Renaissance Hotels, Marriott Executive Apartments and at a select but increasing number of Ritz-Carlton, Autograph Collection, Courtyard, SpringHill Suites, Fairfield Inn & Suites, Residence Inn and TownePlace Suites properties. 

MCLEAN, Va.—As a way to provide meeting industry professionals and customers with     key insights and best practices, Hilton Worldwide (NYSE: HLT) has launched Hilton Elevated Discussions (HED     Talks) – a video series showcasing thought leadership from various     meeting industry professionals and travel industry influencers.

HED Talks feature notable speakers such as Roger Dow, president & CEO of the U.S. Travel Association; Bernard Quancard, president and CEO of the Strategic Account Management Association; Deborah Sexton, president & CEO of the Professional Convention Management Association; Bobby Heard, associate executive director at the American College of Emergency Physicians; and Marie Hunter, senior director, meetings, conferences & events for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

“Hilton takes pride in representing the most connected meeting, travel and business experiences, but it’s understanding what’s important to our customers and providing them with solutions, tools, insights and information that makes the difference,” said Mark Komine, senior vice president and head of sales for the Americas. “The HED Talks videos create an opportunity for planners and thought leaders to share peer-to-peer best practices, which isn’t being done by others in the industry. It’s about human connection and helping move our customers’ world closer to those connections – H2H – human-to-human.”

Videos are organized into four areas of focus – Building Connections, Driving Results, Creating Experiences and Doing It All Responsibly. The series will continue to evolve with the industry as new trends and best practices are identified.

HED Talks are part of Hilton’s broader sales philosophy – dubbed Connect – which refers to the company’s belief in the power of human interactions. HED Talks address the importance of these face-to-face connections and how planners can overcome the challenges of limited time and budgets to achieve a return on investment and to create environments that enrich the lives of attendees.

For more information on HED Talks, or to view the series, visit http://www.hiltonworldwide.com/hedtalks. 

By Zach Blatt

MIAMI - Aug. 12, 2014 - Kimpton’s Surfcomber Miami, South Beach announced the additions of hospitality veterans Donte Johnson as general manager, and Alex Batista as director of sales and marketing of the “backyard bliss” design-inspired, oceanfront hotel that combines the best of South Beach with the welcoming elements of surprise and delight the Kimpton brand is known for.

“We are thrilled to welcome these dynamic and seasoned professionals who embody the qualities, vision and energy that will continue to elevate the guest experience at Surfcomber,” said Eric Jellson, area director of sales and marketing. “Donte and Alex both bring a wealth of knowledge of the destination and the industry, with a large dose of passion, enthusiasm and leadership that will play a vital role in making Surfcomber an iconic favorite on the beaches.”

Originally from Washington, D.C. Johnson is no stranger to the Kimpton family, having started his career with hotel group more than twelve years ago as a guest service agent and most recently, serving as general manager of Topaz Hotel in Washington, D.C. With more than 13 years of experience and a track record of success at Kimpton, Johnson is excited about the change of scenery and the opportunity to bring a fresh perspective and forward-thinking approach to the property. As the newly appointed general manager, Johnson will oversee all hotel operations and ensure the creation and execution of business plans, marketing strategies, sales activities, and property operations, while maintaining guest and employee satisfaction. Johnson is also a shining model of true leader in his spare time, evidenced by his involvement in the community, which includes serving on the board of directors for The Hotel Association of Washington D.C., mentoring the next generation as an advisory board member at The Hospitality High School of Washington, D.C. and his notch on The Washington Business Journal’s “Top 40 Under 40” list.  

Also new to the team is Alex Batista, who brings more than 19 years of experience in the hospitality sales industry to Surfcomber. As the hotel’s new director of sales and marketing, Batista will be responsible for developing and implementing strategic marketing and sales plans to achieve property and corporate objectives. He will also establish and maintain relationships with industry influencers and key strategic partners that will help to position Surfcomber as the area’s choice hotel for boutique offerings. Prior to joining the Surfcomber team, Batista was the director of sales at the Ritz-Carlton, South Beach, where he was responsible for achieving group, catering and food and beverage revenue goals, maintaining booking pace, and achieving guest and associate satisfaction. 

Located in the heart of the Art Deco District on historic Collins Avenue, Kimpton’s Surfcomber, Miami, South Beach continues to bring a sense of playfulness and whimsy to South Beach offering guests the perfect quartet of sun, sand, surf and social. With direct beach access, this fully renovated hotel offers visitors a one-of-a-kind “daylife” experience with its iconic, sun-drenched pool deck providing guests with the most hours of sun than any other hotel in the area as well as 30 private cabanas, a pool bar, and varied beach and poolside activities.

DALLAS - August 12, 2014 - Hilton Anatole today announced the appointment of Kavin Schieferdecker as the hotel’s director of sales and marketing. In his new position, Schieferdecker will oversea oversee all aspects of sales and marketing for the 27-story, 1,606-room property managed by Hilton Worldwide.

“Kavin’s impressive sales track record, focused energy and intensity make him an excellent choice for this position,” said Harold Rapoza, general manager of Hilton Anatole. “We have every expectation that under his leadership the hotel continue to break sales records and serve as a premiere destination for leisure and business travelers.”

Schieferdecker has been part of the Hilton Anatole team since 2009, serving as the director of sales. He has proven his success in this role by delivering increased room production year after year.  In 2011, the team booked 94,000 rooms for 2012 - breaking records within Hilton Worldwide for a single year’s bookings.  In addition, he has led the team to increase group room revenue by 24 percent since he started in 2009.  

Prior to his joining Hilton Worldwide, Schieferdecker spent 13 years with Marriott International, holding leadership positions as area director of sales and marketing in Boston, director of sales and marketing in Vancouver, and director of hotel sales in San Antonio.   He also held senior sales roles at hotels in San Antonio; Rancho Mirage, California; and Cleveland. 

Schieferdecker is a graduate of the University of North Dakota with a degree in business management and holds a master of science degree from Georgia Southern University. 

He and his wife reside in Irving, Texas, where their three boys enjoy playing competitive baseball, football and basketball.

12 August 2014, London: Hotels in the Seychelles have the highest value per room across Africa, according to the first annual African Hotel Valuation Index (HVI) compiled by hotel valuation specialist HVS London.

The survey of internationally branded properties covers 14 African markets including Nigeria, Ghana, Egypt, South Africa, Morocco, Angola and Zambia. The HVI ranks each market relative to an African average and monitors annual percentage changes in the values of four- and five-star hotels, reporting the average value per room in each region in US dollars.

Hotels in the Seychelles demonstrated the highest value per room (US$522,000) largely because of the high quality of properties on the islands and high barriers to entry, along with its reputation as a luxury leisure destination. Occupancy in the Seychelles is around 65%, although visitation to the region has grown by 8% from 2008 to 2013.

In terms of value growth hotels in the Nigerian capital of Abuja, a city that was built in the 1980s, have seen a rapid rise in value from US$450,200 in 2012 to US$492,000 in 2013, ranking it second in the HVI. Hotels in Nigeria are expected to retain their position as one of the top performers because hotel supply is limited.

With an average hotel rooms value of US$380,300 Lagos, the centre of Nigeria’s modern economy, is one of the hot spots of Africa’s hotel development. The city already boasts a number of internationally branded hotels, including the newly-opened 352-room InterContinental. More than 4,000 are in the pipeline for development and occupancy in the high 60%s.

Lack of supply was the reason hotels in the Angolan capital city of Luanda reached third place in the valuation index at US$471,000 per room. The city, despite having high levels of poverty, is acknowledged to be one of the most expensive in the world with accommodation in short supply and the oil industry employing a high level of foreigners. Value increases of 15% in 2013 meant that Luandan hotels have seen the highest rise in room value of the 14 markets surveyed for the African HVI.

Hotels in Nairobi have been amongst the most turbulent over the past few years, largely because of the country’s political problems and terrorist attacks. However, values per room have remained virtually unchanged from 2009 to 2013 at around US$160,00, with last year being another year of recovery.

“Recent events in Kenya and Nigeria remind us of the unique challenges hotel investors to this continent face. It is not for the faint-hearted, but returns available can compensate for the risks,” said HVS director Tim Smith, co-author of the report.

“The African continent is one of fastest growing emerging markets in the world with rapidly evolving economies and developing local wealth which is leading to an increased demand for hotels that is not satisfied by current stock.”

Global valuation and strategic specialist HVS has recently increased its interest in Africa as a result of investor demand for local knowledge across the continent. A new HVS office will open later this year in Cape Town, reflecting the demand for investment expertise.

“There is enormous demand from operators and investors to add to hotel supply across the African continent, but the challenge is to understand where and when to open these hotels. HVS has now developed a comprehensive understanding of hotel supply and demand across Africa and we are now well placed to advise on development opportunities,” Smith added. 

“We are hugely excited about the launch of the inaugural African HVI,” commented report co-author and HVS director Sophie Perret. “We look forward to expanding the survey into new markets as more data becomes available in future years.”

You can download a copy of 2014 African Hotel Valuation Index, by Tim Smith and Sophie Perret at http://www.hvs.com/article/7017/2014-african-hotel-valuation-index/?campaign=email

LA QUINTA, Calif. - August 13, 2014 - La Quinta Resort & Club, A Waldorf Astoria Resort and PGA West announced the appointment of Chris George as Director of marketing of the legendary 1926 desert escape effective August 4, 2014. George will oversee marketing and communications as well as repositioning the resort following a multi-million dollar restoration of its 718 signature casitas and suites. La Quinta Resort & Club encompasses the award-winning Spa La Quinta®, three restaurants, 23 tennis courts, La Quinta Resort Dunes and Mountain golf courses and famed PGA WEST public golf courses.

George joins La Quinta Resort & Club and the Hilton Worldwide family from Greater Palm Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau where he served as director of digital marketing promoting the region’s $5 billion tourism industry. During his tenure with the bureau, George was credited with launching three new websites, boosting website visitation by 65 percent and creating social media campaigns driving a 1500 percent increase in its Facebook fan base. He also shared the spotlight reeling in four digital specific ADDYS (American Advertising Federation/Palm Springs Chapter) for Greater Palm Springs CVB.   George has held multiple posts with Hilton Hotels Corporation since 2001, most recently as manager of digital marketing at La Quinta Resort & Club in 2010.

“Chris’ marketing ingenuity and fresh perspective will create buzz for La Quinta Resort’s multi-million dollar restoration, which debuts in the fall,” says Paul Cherrett, managing director,La Quinta Resort & Club. “We’re pleased to have him back on the La Quinta team.”

Raised in Phoenix, Arizona and a current resident of La Quinta, California with his wife and two small children, George received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Global Business and Master of Business Administration from Arizona State University. He is an active member of the American Marketing Association and American Advertising Federation and enjoys staying active and spending time with family.

GOLD COAST, Australia, Aug. 13, 2014—Wanda Group hereby announces it has purchased the famous Jewel project in Australia’s Gold Coast. As Jewel’s absolute controlling shareholder, Wanda will jointly develop the project with its original owners. The company plans to invest USD900 million to build a luxury five-star Wanda Vista hotel and serviced apartments. The Jewel is Wanda’s fifth overseas hotel project announcement.

The Gold Coast is situated in Australia’s Queensland State and is one of the world’s top ten tourist destinations. 21.7 million tourists visited the city in 2013, with 415,000 of them coming from China, growing 24% year-on-year. The city is known as the “Gold Coast” due to its stretch of over 50 km of pristine gold sandy beaches and crystal clear waters. The Gold Coast enjoys a pleasant year-round climate, with a maximum summer temperature of 33 degrees Celsius, a minimum winter temperature of 15 degrees Celsius and low humidity, making it a dream travel destination.

The Jewel development is located at Surfers Paradise, a celebrated heart of the Gold Coast. It is the city’s only five-star hotel and apartment project approved to be built on the beachfront. With a planned gross floor area of 146,000 square meters, the project will comprise three towers, one of which will be a five-star hotel, while the other two will house serviced apartments. The Jewel’s design is especially unique and is the first project on the Gold Coast to adopt the facade cladding technique to represent three crystalline forms on the beach. The project’s central park, conference rooms, restaurants, bars and other entertainment facilities will be located directly on the beachfront. The landmark Jewel project will begin construction in 2015 and open in 2018.

Wanda has quickened its overseas development in recent years and aims to build at least 15 luxury five-star Wanda Vista hotels in 15 international cities by 2020.

“Total Mobility” Property Performance Data and Reports with STR Comparisons Help Highpointe Hotel Corp. GMs Make Better Decisions, Manage by the Numbers Anywhere

Pittsburgh, PA - August 13, 2014 - “One of our GMs pulled out his company iPad while he was at a national hotel management conference last month. He wanted to check his property’s labor and expense numbers for the previous day. The manager beside him at the table thought it was pretty cool; he’d never seen anything like it,” said Mark Pate, assistant controller and IT manager for Highpointe Hotel Corporation. “All of our GMs use tablets and Execuvue Reports to be totally mobile and stay current on property operations.”

Highpointe operates 15 hotels in 3 states. Its properties are primarily Hilton, Marriott and Wyndham brands that include Hampton Inn, Homewood Suites, Residence Inns and Marriott Courtyard flags. Aptech Computer Systems is the leading provider of hospitality software for business intelligence, budgeting, and enterprise financial accounting. Click here for more on Aptech’s products and services.

“We use the Aptech Execuvue® solution to automatically gather data from all of our separate hotel property management systems daily and combine it with each property’s STR comp-set information,” said Pate. “Aptech merges the data, analyzes it, and creates interactive reports and mobile tablet dashboards for every property. Each GM has a daily snapshot of his or her financial performance, labor costs against budget, guest satisfaction reports and their STR comp set comparisons on one screen.” 

Having Highpointe’s operational and performance information in one place is particularly valuable when property owners and partners come to GMs with questions. “The GM Dashboard lets our managers answer questions with accurate next-day information on labor against budget, revenue performance, and even guest service scores from Marriott and SALT scores from Hilton,” Pate said. “In the past I had to go to a separate location to get a snapshot of property financials, STR ranking, payroll, and guest satisfaction. Now I can see all these important measures in one place. Highpointe’s managers can easily spot issues with performance against budget for payroll; the historic revenue comparison shows at a glance where I am, and where I should be.”

Highpointe also worked with Aptech to create mobile-friendly reports for its GM tablets. “With Aptech’s Active Reports on their tablets, our GMs can check department performance on interactive reports,” said Pate. “They can touch the screen to highlight specific areas, or open a comment box to send an email to a specific staff member for clarification. This lets them manage by the numbers faster, and quickly interact with our corporate offices or their properties.”

“Aptech’s latest Execuvue release significantly increases the mobility and flexibility of our BI solution,” said Cam Troutman, vice president and officer at Aptech. “Mobile devices, particularly tablets, are widely used in business. Execuvue’s flexible platform allows our clients to view dashboards with an array of data and a variety of charts or graphs. Anyone within an organization who requires performance management information can view it on whichever device best suits them wherever they may be. Execuvue leverages the latest IBM/Cognos tools to deliver mobile data to our users, and it is drawing an enthusiastic response from our multi-property, multi-flag operators.”

DALLAS, Aug. 13, 2014—The Hotel Palomar Dallas has been reimagined and recently unveiled as The Highland Dallas following a change of management from Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants to Interstate Hotels & Resorts. A modern, 198-room luxury boutique hotel, The Highland Dallas is located at North Central and Mockingbird Lane and defines an intersection of style, culture, sophistication and comfort.

As part of this change, The Highland Dallas will be one of the first renowned properties to join Hilton Worldwide as part of Curio – a Collection by Hilton. Curio is a carefully-selected, global collection of distinctive four and five-star hotels created for travelers who seek discovery and authentic experiences.

Existing Hotel Palomar Dallas reservations are intact at The Highland Dallas, and current and future guests may immediately begin collecting and redeeming Hilton HHonors® points. Customers may book new reservations by visiting www.thehighlanddallas.com, or calling 1-800-HILTONS. The property will be managed and operated by Interstate Hotels & Resorts, the leading U.S.-based global hotel management company.

“A premiere luxury boutique hotel, The Highland Dallas enhances the Interstate portfolio with a showcase property in one of the top U.S. travel destinations,” said Jim Abrahamson, CEO of Interstate Hotels & Resorts. “As one of the first properties included in Curio – A Collection by Hilton, our management team at The Highland has developed a sophisticated guest experience that will resonate with today’s modern traveller.”

“It’s fitting that one of the first hotels to join Curio is a former Hilton property – while it returns to the Hilton portfolio, it will retain the unique identity it has developed over the past several decades,” said Dianna Vaughan, global head, Curio – A Collection by Hilton. “This perfectly illustrates how the brand encourages hotels to preserve what makes them special while also offering guests the quiet reassurance the Hilton name provides and the benefits of our invaluable HHonors loyalty program.” 

World-class Amenities

With 198 well-appointed guestrooms and suites, The Highland Dallas offers a sophisticated and contemporary guest experience. Featuring stylish décor and intuitive service touches, guests enjoy unsurpassed accommodations surrounded by a dynamic Dallas location. Each guestroom features a plush king-sized bed with Frette linens, designer headboards and an oversized desk. Guests will also enjoy luxurious bath amenities, and comfortable seating area for enjoying the state-of-the-art flat-screen plasma TV, iHome docking station and DVD player.

The Highland is also home to the acclaimed restaurant, Knife, a reinvention of the steakhouse experience created by nationally-acclaimed, James Beard-nominated and Bravo’s “Top Chef” contestant Chef John Tesar. Melding classic “Old School” with modern “New School” dishes, Knife features all-natural born and raised Texas beef, pork and lamb in dry-aged prime cuts as well as exotic specialty cuts. Boasting more than the average steakhouse, the menu also incorporates an extensive charcuterie program, bacon and ham tastings, sausages and burgers.

Guests can also rejuvenate and reenergize at Exhale, Dallas’ premiere destination for health and wellbeing. Exhale offers daily superior fitness classes including Core Fusion Barre, Bootcamp, Cardio and Yoga. An expansive suite of spa therapy rooms accommodates a full menu of face and body treatment offerings. Guests begin and culminate their restorative experiences in fully appointed changing rooms featuring private daily lockers, showers, and a eucalyptus steam room.

Specializing in the very latest in hair, skin and nail care, Salon Pompeo is dedicated to offering the best, individualized salon experience possible. The salon delivers contemporary hair styles and premium nail care, all in a stylish environment that features a fully-stocked bar.

Blending exceptional service, world-class amenities and a new signature style, The Highland Dallas is evocative of the affluence and elegance of the nearby Highland Park community, often described as the “Beverly Hills of Texas.” Guests may explore and experience upscale shopping at the Highland Park Village, featuring haute couture boutiques set amidst the gorgeous confines inspired by Spanish Mediterranean architecture. Additional shops and services are conveniently located adjacent to The Highland at Mockingbird Station.

http://www.thehighlanddallas.com 

RoamingAround’s Mobile Engagement Solution is helping hoteliers build lasting, personalized relationships with their guests through creative, targeted and engaging mobile offers 

BOSTON, MASS. - AUGUST 13, 2014 - It takes 90 minutes for the average person to respond to an email, but just 90 seconds for the average person to respond to a text message, according to CTIA - The Wireless Association®. This is just one of many reasons why hoteliers need to make mobile engagement with guests a priority in 2014 and beyond. RoamingAround, provider of hospitality industry mobile-engagement solutions, has designed a platform that will help hotel marketers better interact with their customers on their terms. Learning about travelers’ habits and preferences will make mobile messaging more engaging. RoamingAround’s Mobile Engagement Solution not only assists with determining what type of mobile incentives to send to guests, but when to send them and how often.

Consider these statistics:

• Almost half of Internet consumers worldwide are now using mobile devices as their primary mechanism for surfing the Web (Marketing Land)
• Mobile subscriptions will reach 9.3 billion by 2019, and of these, 5.6 billion will be for smartphones (Ericsson);
• 91% of all Americans keep their mobile devices within reach at all times, i.e., 24/7 (Morgan Stanley).
• 70% of all mobile searches result in action within one hour (Mobile Marketer)
• Mobile coupons get 10 times the redemption rate of traditional coupons (Borrell Associates)

“RoamingAround’s Mobile Engagement solution delivers a dramatically new method of interaction between the hotel and its guests,” said Michael Garvin, RoamingAround president and CEO. “Designed as a guest-facing mobile app, hotel staff can push to guests’ personal mobile devices specific offers that will motivate them to become viral advocates for the hotel or brand. These custom offers are the incentives that spur guests to spend money at your hotel, and the catalyst that motivates them to come back time and again. 

“The mobile app can be used by hotel guests to explore your hotel and interact with staff,” he said. “It also enables  marketers to push highly targeted sales and incentive messages. Using a rules- and event-based protocol, RoamingAround’s Mobile Engagement solution enables hoteliers and guests to precisely control the level and frequency of interaction. Guests control how much or how little they communicate. Then, each time the traveler engages, marketers learn more about habits and preferences, enabling them to better target their messaging.”

RoamingAround uses a combination of mobile modules to promote guests to engage with the hotel before, during and after their stay in order to build loyalty and customer retention. The method is personalized, timely and relevant, based on consistent back-end intelligence driven by a preferences/habit manager, a rules engine and a communications engine to deliver what the guest wants when they want it.  These tools can even be used for non-guests to promote a hotel’s venues and amenities, including push offers/incentives for people nearby to visit the hotel’s restaurant, spa, bar etc. 

RoamingAround’s Mobile Engagement Solution enables hoteliers to:

1. Know Your Customer 

Forget about demographics; the name of the engagement game today is communicating with guests one on one. RoamingAround’s Mobile Engagement solution contains a Preference/Habit Manager that retains information on guest preferences and provides details about their habits. Elements of this tool include: Customer Opt-ins,  Declared Customer Preferences (what they tell us), Assumed Customer Preferences (default settings for each guest), Learned Customer Preferences (what we learn about them based on their behavior patterns, use of the app and so on), and Feeder Information that comes from the CRM/Loyalty System, PMS, POS and Social Media Feeds. A Communications Engine then facilitates the actual communication between the hotel and its guests via SMS Text Messages, Push Notifications, Email and Inbound communications from guests. 

2. Use the Information You Already Have 

Knowing if the guest is a member of the hotel’s loyalty program . . . what temperature he or she likes the room . . .  if a spa reservation has been made in the past . . . or if he or she likes to frequent on-site restaurants is all information that is on hand in the hotel’s PMS, CRS, CRM, POS or on Social Media channels. Leveraging this information to upsell and drive revenues will help hotel marketers maintain an understanding of their guests going forward, and it will make mobile engagement easier, as guests will be more likely to opt-in to receive hotel information that is tailored to their desires. The Mobile Engagement solution’s guest-facing app supports links to static pages, semi-dynamic pages or external websites to follow guests along the customer journey, from what they buy on site to what they say on social media.

3. Capitalize on Your Guest’s Location 

RoamingAround’s Mobile Engagement solution Geo-location and indoor /outdoor geo-fencing to enable hoteliers to put fences around specific locations within the hotel (spa, bar, indoor pool), or outside the hotel (airport, train station, competitor facilities) and then trigger offers and/or incentives based on the preferences of the guest and when it is timely and appreciated. Using this proximity marketing, hoteliers can push micro-targeted messaging to better engage with travelers and improve engagement. This tool helps to drive impulse purchases and enables guests to take advantage of luxury amenities in real-time and provides accuracy through location to make all triggers personalized to each individual. Now brands can decide the areas and rules of when and who gets hit with these messages. Based on preferences, messages can be triggered in multiple languages for a multi-cultural experience.

“Hotels looking to build a better relationship with their guests to fortify their mobile strategies can do so easily and more effectively if they practice Mobile Engagement,” Garvin said. “RoamingAround’s Mobile Engagement solution will gather profile/preference information from all consumer touch points, leverage mobility to spur customers to action and make adjustments in real time, then track and measure all actions for tangible results in ROI and predictive analysis.”

For more information on Mobile Engagement via RoamingAround, contact Sarah Smith at (978) 777-8787, Ext. 303, or email ssmith@roamingaround.com.

Full service start-up accelerator combines experience, strategy and execution to drive awareness, deliver leads and create partnerships to help businesses grow profitably 

Toronto, CA, - August 13, 2014  Puzzle Partner, an innovative consultancy firm, today announced the success of their recent initiatives focused on developing dramatic growth and marketing strategies for hospitality and travel technology start-ups. 

“We are very pleased by the interest in Puzzle Partner and the services that we offer,” says Alan E. Young, CEO of Puzzle Partner. “The travel and hospitality technology start-up domain is full of great ideas and innovations. Navigating through the world of hotel and travel companies for an emerging business can be extremely complex. They need to build awareness and start creating revenues immediately. Every step in these early stages can mean the difference between success and failure. Puzzle Partner has the expertise to pinpoint the most capital-efficient priorities in order to quickly reach their business objectives.”

The firm is comprised of experienced marketing, sales and product executives with deep industry knowledge to deliver the best possible outcome for clients.

“Puzzle Partner has been a great thought partner at building CheckMate’s awareness and relationships,” states Drew Patterson, CEO and co-founder of CheckMate.  “Alan and his team know the industry cold!”

Puzzle Partner is extremely proud to be assisting the following companies:

• TrustYou
• Groupize Solutions
• CheckMate
• Eventgrid
• DataArt
• RoomActually
• Zentano

“Puzzle Partner provided an extensive understanding of our aggressive business goals and the expert resources combined with industry connections to make them happen,” explains Charles de Gaspien, CEO and President of Groupize Solutions.  “It’s incredibly hard to find a single company who can provide that-especially with the right expertise, partnerships, and a can-do attitude.”

To help their clients reach their full market potential, Puzzle Partner offers a wide range of services that reinforce their core consulting work, including industry networking, marketing visibility, and lead generation. They also offer venture capital and angel capital introductions.

“Puzzle Partner has guided our overall go-to-market strategy, setting specific marketing goals and laid out our road map to execute them,” says Niraj Shah, Founder and CEO of Eventgrid. “We are excited about the results we are seeing already and look forward to the next steps.”

“We empower organizations to be great,” adds Alan. “By leveraging our combined force of skills and key industry relationships, our clients can decrease time to market or overall sales cycle time, which in return increases profits and credibility. Our hands-on approach combines strategy, disruptive ideas and flawless execution in a way that doesn’t just maximize a company’s potential; it redefines it. Whether it is additional funding, marketing or strategic partnerships, product strategy and sales training, we are here to help.”

August 13, 2014 - FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Value Place, the largest economy, extended-stay hotel brand in the U.S., has broken ground to develop a hotel at 5700 Reese Road in Davie, Florida. This will be the first Value Place hotel in the greater Fort Lauderdale region and the 21st hotel in Florida.

“The south Florida metro area is growing, as evidenced by income and job growth in key employment areas critical to Value Place, such as construction,” said Kyle Rogg, COO of Value Place. “The economy extended-stay hotel space is strong, with both attractive rate and occupancy levels. We believe our unique balance of affordable price and high quality will appeal to workforce travelers as well as other price-conscious visitors to the area.” 

The projected opening date for the hotel is spring 2015 and will be located at the intersection of Interstate 495 and the Florida Turnpike. Once completed, the new four-story, 124-room hotel will feature such guest amenities as laundry facilities, modified kitchens, high-speed internet, and the cleanliness, safety, and affordability that the Value Place brand provides to every guest. 

With nearly 190 hotels open in 32 states, Value Place has emerged as a leader in the economy extended-stay segment. Value Place is focused on strategic expansion across the U.S., including plans to acquire land for new hotel builds in other metropolitan markets such as Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Miami, and Atlanta, to name just a few. 

The company continues to garner national recognition, and was recently named one of 2014’s Best Franchises in America by Forbes, 2014’s Top 500 Franchises by Entrepreneur Magazine, as well as one of Franchise Business Review’s Top 50 Franchises for four consecutive years. For more information on franchise opportunities, contact Value Place at 866-645-FRAN, franchise@valueplace.com, or visit ValuePlace.com/Franchise.

Owned by Celebration Pointe Hotel Partners and to be Managed by Driftwood Hospitality

13 August 2014 - ATLANTA – InterContinental Hotels Group’s (IHG) Hotel Indigo® brand has signed a deal for a 120-room new build property in Gainesville, Fla., bringing guests together with the city’s new Celebration Pointe neighborhood. Celebration Pointe is a unique mixed-use project with a pedestrian-friendly atmosphere, inspired architectural features and abundant green space, providing an energizing and engaging urban environment.

“Our guests want to experience something unique and different when they travel, so we like that Celebration Pointe won’t be the typical commercial development,” said Mary Winslow, director, Americas Brand Management, Hotel Indigo. “Every Hotel Indigo property is carefully designed to reflect the culture, character, and history of its surrounding neighborhood, and this area gives us a one-of-a-kind canvas with which to start.”

The Hotel Indigo Gainesville hotel, expected to open in 2016, will be strategically located within the mixed-use project between SW 49th Terrace and SW 50th Terrace facing a park-like setting. The hotel will have approximately 120 guestrooms, a fitness center and a business center and will feature plush bedding, hard-surface flooring with area rugs, and spa-inspired bathrooms. Guests and locals will enjoy a great neighborhood bar with seasonal and locally sourced food in a stylish environment, and relationships with local vendors like coffee roasters and breweries will bring a taste of the neighborhood into the hotel for guests.

The hotel will feature the brand’s new Neighborhood Guide, an innovative touchscreen display that connects guests to each other, the local neighborhood, and to Hotel Indigo locations around the world. Hotel team members, many of whom are locals themselves, will share their favorite hidden gems with guests looking to explore and discover the neighborhood.

Located at the intersection of Interstate 75 and Archer Road, Celebration Pointe is a 125-acre, 1 million-square-foot mixed-use development. In addition to more than 300,000 square feet of planned Class-A office space, Celebration Pointe will feature approximately 375,000 square feet of specialty retail and a significant restaurant and entertainment component as well as nearly 1,000 multifamily residential units when fully built out.

“The Hotel Indigo brand’s attention to detail, unique design philosophy and outstanding operating platform make it the perfect fit for our project,” said Celebration Pointe Partner Ralph Conti. “The fact that a brand such as Hotel Indigo selected Celebration Pointe for its first and only Gainesville location is indicative of the type and style of tenant mix that will make this project truly something special for both Gainesville and the surrounding region.”

Celebration Pointe, which will be anchored by an 80,000-square-foot Bass Pro Shops, will also feature integrated recreational and sustainable resources throughout the project, including 100 acres of conservation land east of Lake Kanapaha with a networking of outdoor hike and bike trails that will connect Celebration Pointe to the surrounding Lake Kanapaha Conservation Area and Split Rock Conservation Area.

Pre-development site work for the $170 million Celebration Pointe project is already underway to prepare the site for certain infrastructure improvements. The first phase of the development is scheduled to open by fall of 2016.

The Hotel Indigo Gainesville hotel is owned by Celebration Pointe Hotel Partners LLC, will be managed by Driftwood Hospitality and will be franchised by an affiliate of IHG.

The hotel will participate in IHG’s guest loyalty program, IHG® Rewards Club. The industry’s first and largest rewards program with over 80 million members is free and guests can enroll at IHGRewardsClub.com, by downloading the IHG® app, by calling 1-888-211-9874 or by inquiring at the front desk of any of IHG’s more than 4,700 hotels worldwide. The scale and diversity of the IHG family of brands means that its hotels can meet guests’ needs whatever the occasion.

August 13, 2014 - Portsmouth, NH - Knowing that guest impressions drive satisfaction and loyalty, Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) turned to Newmarket International, Inc. (“Newmarket”), an Amadeus company, for Service Optimization solutions to provide customer service that truly personalizes the guest experience and differentiates the brand from competitors. Hyatt set high expectations: develop a true global set of standards, operationalize best practices, and use data to anticipate guest needs to provide superior service. 

“Systems such as HotSOS are taking on increased importance as we seek to better understand our guests’ preferences,” said Jennifer Green, Director, Global Guest Services & In-Room Technology for Hyatt. “It enables us to surprise and delight with each stay at a Hyatt hotel, leading to increased satisfaction and loyalty.”

To accomplish their goals, Hyatt chose the following Service Optimization solutions from Newmarket:

HotSOS helps optimize day-to-day operations by improving communication and automating workflows. It includes guest request management, guest history tracking, service orders, and preventive maintenance. HotSOS is the one seamless solution to tie together housekeeping, engineering, and front office so the entire team is focused on delivering the best possible guest experience.

REX streamlines housekeeping room assignments and room rushes to get guests into their rooms faster. Room Attendants receive information in real-time on their mobile devices, such as which room to clean next as well as guest information and preferences. REX also gives supervisors an accurate view of the house and their Room Attendants to enable efficient communication, reduce wait times, improve guest experience and create positive first impressions.

QIC enables supervisors to easily perform spot inspections using a touch-tone phone or PDA. They can rate rooms or areas and the scores are immediately available to share with Room Attendants. Failing inspection responses instantly trigger service orders in HotSOS, notifying the right people to take action before guests are affected.

“We’re proud to work with an outstanding organization such as Hyatt,” said Luis Segredo, President MTech Division of Newmarket. “Like Hyatt, we believe that a great guest experience is the key to creating customer satisfaction and loyalty. These solutions from Newmarket will help them achieve that goal.”

Singapore, 13 August, 2014 - From too many women, not enough women, resident ghosts and a poolside bird convention, hotel guest reviews can go beyond praising great service and the hotel buffet to reinforce how personal a hotel stay is for all of us. 

Wego, the leading travel search site in the Asia Pacific and Middle East, and big data travel review partner TrustYou, gathered some of the more unusual feedback from hotel guests around the world.

“Hotel guests are usually quite candid about what impressed them and what didn’t,” commented Joachim Holte, Chief Marketing Officer at Wego. “Every traveller is different; with unique expectations and views of their experiences, and we can’t help but enjoy some of the more colourful comments which we thought were worth sharing.”

“Guest reviews provide insights to fellow travellers as well as hotel management, but more importantly they highlight the individuality and personality of travellers while also demonstrating that the tiniest details are not overlooked,” added Benjamin Jost, CEO of TrustYou.

One guest, impressed with the hotel overall advised fellow travellers who don’t like bars and restaurants frequented by ‘a lot of women’, to not visit. Conversely, another praised the food and music at a hotel event, apparently having more males than females in attendance was unsatisfactory and advised; ‘in future the hotel can look into this’.

Another appreciated the separate bathroom, bedroom and lounge area but not having a toaster in the room ‘was horrible!’ 

Speaking of bathrooms, one guest found theirs ‘a bit weird’. 

“The door had a gap in it so communication with the room was possible when wanted and not,” said the guest. He went on to complain about the semi-transparent glass wall where the shower was located which meant whoever was in the room ‘got an eye full’ whenever someone had a shower. “This may be lovely if you have a pretty partner, however I was staying with two hairy lads!”

Sometimes feedback was short and sweet with one hotel visitor simply stating in her review that she had returned home ‘a fatter person’, clearly a stamp of approval for the hotel’s cuisine.

Others included:

“Comfortable, clean and mostly quiet. My toilet seat fell off.”

“The gym has no free standing squat racks. Too much cardio!! I am a strength athlete and do back and front squats.”

“The hotel charges extra for children so you are almost guaranteed not to see or hear any!!”

“The evening meeting of crows at poolside was funny! And a lot of pigeons around. If you have a bird phobia, poolside might not be for you.”

Supernatural guests also got a mention with one person saying her friend was touched multiple times on her back and leg in the bathroom. “It was a friendly ghost though as my friend told it to go away and we meant no harm.” No more incidents followed.

Possibly our favourite was the guest who was advised by his staff in Malaysia that the hotel he intended staying at was renowned for its ghostly activity. He was skeptical but then completely disappointed when he experienced no close encounters, in spite of watching three late night horror movies in his room to help ‘psych myself into a highly suggestible state of mind, without so much as a teacup being mysteriously thrown across the room’. 

“I was hoping for at least an ectoplasmic explosion from the ceiling or a pair of creepy toddler twins chasing me down the hall,” he said. “To be perfectly honest, the scariest thing I saw during my stay was the bowl of curry laksa I ordered from room service.”

Top Ten Guest Comments

1. No ghost sighting

2. One ghost touching

3. Weird, glass enclosed bathroom in room shared by hairy mates

4. Too much cardio, not enough squats in the gym

5. No toaster = horrible!

6. Pool attracted a bird convention

7. My toilet seat fell off

8. Too many women in the bar

9. Not enough women in the bar

10. Extra charge for children: fabulous!