I almost hate to write an article about Monte Amiata in Tuscany because it is little known to foreign tourists. Should I reveal some of its secrets here? I guess it’s your lucky day as you’re about to learn about a few of the many incredible things to do in Monte Amiata. Many know Tuscany through Florence and Siena, the Val d’Orcia, and iconic towns like Montepulciano, Pienza, and San … [Read more...]

Loews Hotels & Co is celebrating families—of all shapes and sizes—across the country with its Loews Loves Families offering. The program now includes elevated and kid-friendly F&B offerings, destination-driven educational programming and exciting partnerships with Hello Bello and Little Spoon. We spoke with Sarah Murov, SVP, brand and communications, Loews Hotels & Co about the legacy … [Read more...]

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has revealed that its board of directors received a letter from Choice Hotels International Inc. on Nov. 14. Wyndham’s board, together with its financial and legal advisors, closely reviewed Choice’s letter and determined that it represents a step backwards and that the terms Choice outlined are not in the best interests of Wyndham or its shareholders. … [Read more...]

Cendyn and SiteMinder have entered a strategic partnership to mutually grow each other’s revenue management capabilities for the benefit of more than 70,000 hotels. Through the partnership, Cendyn customers can now gain full access to SiteMinder’s revenue platform to complement the capabilities they receive through Cendyn’s central reservation system (CRS). SiteMinder’s revenue platform will … [Read more...]

According to the Q3 2023 Middle East Construction Pipeline Trend Report from Lodging Econometrics (LE), at the end of the third quarter, the hotel construction pipeline in the region stands at 585 projects/139,582 rooms. Project counts in the region are up 9%, while room counts show a 3% increase year-over-year (YOY). Projects presently under construction stand at 320 projects/83,760 rooms. … [Read more...]

Club Quarters Hotels, a hotel brand and management company, has appointed Joseph Turano as COO. Two others have joined the executive team: Shawn Usami as VP, revenue management, and Kendall Viola as VP, marketing. “We could not be more excited to welcome such an exceptional leadership team to our company as we continue to grow the brand on a global scale,” said John Paul Nichols, president/CEO, … [Read more...]

The Kessler Collection has welcomed Peter Wu to the new role of president, hospitality operations. He steps into a new role to lead the company’s hotel management and operations division, overseeing the corporate commercial, marketing, human capital and information technology functions. He has more than two decades of experience at Fortune 200 & 500 and privately held gaming, … [Read more...]

Christina Trauthwein, VP, content & partnerships, shares some highlights of the November issue of Hotel Business, which has a cover story on Outrigger Hospitality Group, a Q+A with Dina Belon, president/ Staypineapple Hotels, and a report from a recent Hot Topics industry panel on selecting the right brand partner. View this issue The post Hot Off The Press – November 2023 appeared first on … [Read more...]

Bed bugs are small, nocturnal creatures that feed on our blood while we sleep. They often arrive in hotel rooms by “hitchhiking,” or finding their way into luggage, clothes and even furniture, and spreading throughout the premises. Unfortunately, hotels present a perfect environment for these pests to thrive, as they can easily spread from room to room. To combat bed bugs, many hotels use chemical … [Read more...]

Barcelona is the perfect place to spend Christmas, offering a delightful blend of elements that create an unforgettable holiday experience. With its slightly cooler weather, stunning sparkling lights, fascinating Christmas traditions, and an overall atmosphere that is nothing short of incredible, winter in Barcelona truly stands out as a fantastic destination for the holiday season. What also … [Read more...]

MHG Hotels has acquired the Courtyard West Palm Beach Airport in West Palm Beach, FL. The property offers 103 guestrooms, an outdoor pool & spa, a full-service bistro offering daily breakfast & dinner and access to the Tri-Rail, Brightline and West Palm Beach International Airport. Sanjay Patel, president/CEO, MHG Hotels, said, “This acquisition aligns with our commitment to … [Read more...]

Sojern, a digital marketing platform built for travel, has launched the “State of Destination Marketing” report for destination marketing organizations (DMOs). This first-of-its-kind report, produced through a partnership between Sojern and Digital Tourism Think Tank (DTTT), and supported by Brand USA, Destination Canada and the European Travel Commission, sheds light on the latest industry trends … [Read more...]

KWC Management LLC, the hospitality investment management company of Kemmons Wilson Companies, has acquired Montage Kapalua Bay in Lahaina, HI, following an engagement that began in the early spring. “Since first visiting Hawaii in the early 1980s, we have held a profound respect for the islands, their culture and people, and we have grown only more intrigued through the process of making Montage … [Read more...]

In the Q3 2023 Hotel Construction Pipeline Trend Report by Lodging Econometrics (LE), analysts state that Europe’s total construction pipeline currently stands at 1,673 projects/249,264 rooms, up 1% by projects year-over-year (YOY). The luxury, upper-upscale, upscale and economy chain scales in Europe all show YOY increases in project counts compared to Q3 2022 totals. Luxury projects increased 2% … [Read more...]

First Hospitality, a national hotel operating and development company, has assumed management of Hotel Indy, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel, in Indianapolis. The property marks the company’s first hotel with ownership group KennMar. Opened in 2021, the 90-key hotel features 90 keys; two restaurants, The Hulman and The Cannon Ball Lounge, a rooftop bar; and 1,200 sq. ft. of meeting space. “The addition … [Read more...]

Since I used to live in Rome, I have seen the main sights many times. The Colosseum, Vatican Museum, and Forum are amazing places I have seen repeatedly. But this time, my partner and I wanted to do something different. “Do you want to explore underground Rome with me?” I asked. “Awww, yeah,” was his response. We took the train to Rome from Puglia, found a simple lodging near Piazza Navona, … [Read more...]

Renaissance Hotels has debuted its fifth property in New York City, Renaissance New York Harlem Hotel. The hotel is the tallest building north of Central Park and the brand’s first hotel in Harlem. The property has 211 guestrooms and suites and more than 9,000 sq. ft. of event space. The hotel features the original landmark marquee from the historic Victoria Theater on 125th Street and is steps … [Read more...]

The business outlook for hotels remains strong for the remainder of 2023 thanks to an uptick in business travel and a healthy preference among business and leisure travelers to stay in hotels, according to a survey commissioned by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and conducted by Morning Consult. The survey found that 68% of Americans whose jobs involve travel said they were … [Read more...]

In celebration of its 20th anniversary, Valencia Hotel Group has rebranded to Valencia Hotel Collection (VHC). “We are incredibly proud to be celebrating twenty years of Valencia Hotel Group and felt that now was the perfect time to rebrand to Valencia Hotel Collection,” said Doyle Graham, Jr., founder/president/CEO, Valencia Hotel Collection. “With seven independent hotels currently operating and … [Read more...]

Kolter Hospitality and BH Group have acquired the Crystal Beach Suites Miami Oceanfront Hotel in Miami Beach. The 84-room hotel was acquired by the joint venture from Crystal Beach Inc. and Crystal Beach Development Corp. “Our company is in a long-term growth mode, and we are constantly looking for thoughtful acquisitions to grow our portfolio,” said Scott Webb, president, Kolter Hospitality. “The … [Read more...]

U.S.-based WOW Resorts has entered into an agreement with JW Marriott to develop the $1.3-billion JW Marriott Al Marjan Island Resort & JW Marriott Residences Al Marjan Island on Al Marjan Island, Ras Al Khaimah (RAK), UAE. The founders of WOW Resorts, Anwar Ali Aman and Bhupender ‘Bruce’ Patel, made the agreement with representatives of JW Marriott and Arch. Abdulla Al Abdouli, … [Read more...]

You’ve been dreaming of your Tanzanian safari for so long, and the day when it begins has finally arrived. How about exploring this incredible country from a unique perspective on a Serengeti balloon safari? Discover why so many safari visitors fall in love with the Serengeti. Keep an eye out for big cats, even bigger elephants, and almost every kind of safari wildlife you can imagine. You … [Read more...]

Choice Hotels International Inc. continues its growth in the extended-stay segment with three new Everhome Suites under construction, and six more in various stages of development across the Southern California region. For the first nine months of 2023, Choice’s extended-stay hotel openings grew by 38% compared to the same period in 2022. Choice’s extended-stay domestic pipeline increased 12% year … [Read more...]

DISH Business has introduced Evolve M1, a Google-certified Android set-back-box (SBB) purpose-built for commercial deployments. Leveraging a user-centric feature set and far more powerful hardware, the Evolve M1 upgrades the in-room entertainment experience, according to the company. The new SBB integrates with the existing suite of DISH Business entertainment solutions. “The first Evolve SBB has … [Read more...]

Lendlease, a global integrated real estate group, and IHG Army Hotels have broken ground on a Candlewood Suites hotel at Fort Liberty in North Carolina. Expected to open in early 2026, the 207-room hotel is the 17th Candlewood Suites property Lendlease and IHG have partnered on since 2009 as part of the Privatization of Army Lodging (PAL) initiative, a U.S. Army-led, public-private venture to … [Read more...]

CBRE is forecasting RevPAR growth to recover in 2024 as inbound international travel further improves and sector-specific headwinds moderate. The company forecasts 3.0% RevPAR growth next year, driven by a 40 basis-point (bps) occupancy improvement and a 2.3% ADR increase. RevPAR in 2024 is expected to be 14% greater than 2019 levels. CBRE’s baseline forecast anticipates 0.8% average GDP growth … [Read more...]

Hospitality management firm TPG Hotels & Resorts unveiled the transformational renovation of the Renaissance Boca Raton hotel, located in Boca Raton, FL, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and Gatzby-themed, grand-opening party. “The new Renaissance artfully blends functionality with cutting-edge design to deliver an unmatched guest experience,” said Ryan Minto, RVP, TPG Hotels & … [Read more...]

Have you ever heard people talking a lot about Nungwi and wondered what all the fuss is about? You most certainly have! Nungwi is in Zanzibar – a place every traveler dreams of visiting. But what makes Nungwi different from other destinations? Well, let me tell you: There are many reasons. By the time you’ve finished reading this article, you’ll understand why Nungwi in Zanzibar has … [Read more...]

MCR Hotels and Island Capital Group have closed on a $260 million refinancing of the 1,780-key Sheraton New York Times Square. JLL’s Hotels & Hospitality group arranged the financing. The four-year, floating-rate loan retires $250 million in outstanding seller-financing that was sourced when MCR Hotels and Island Capital acquired the hotel in April 2022. The new financing was provided by funds … [Read more...]

Innisfree Hotels, an operator of beachfront hotels and resorts in the Southeastern U.S., has completed the acquisition of the Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton in St. Augustine-Vilano Beach, FL. The 94-room property, originally built in 2001 as a high-end condo, is Innisfree’s first hotel in the St. Augustine area. “The Hampton Inn & Suites St. Augustine-Vilano Beach fits perfectly into our … [Read more...]