Latest News
Lugli Tapped to Head Wyndham Marketing
Flo Lugli is returning to Wyndham Hotel Group as executive vice president of marketing....
It’s Time to Register for Midwest Lodging Investors Summit
NEWS: Head of Chicago’s Olympics Bid is Keynoter
This month’s Midwest Lodging Investors Summit gives owners, operators and investors a great opportunity to exchange ideas and explore deal opportunities in a relaxed but down-to-business atmosphere. The second annual event will be held July 19-21 at the Chicago Marriott on Michigan Ave. ...
Crowne Plaza Is Hotel Growth Leader
FEATURE: IHG Brand Tops LH List of Growth Chains
In the past few years, Crowne Plaza has quietly emerged as the brand to watch in the upscale segment. The IHG flag has a robust development pipeline, it’s in the midst of a massive chainwide upgrading program, and it tops the list of Lodging Hospitality’s 10 Growth Chains for 2009....
HITEC ’09: Smaller But Still Dynamic
NEWS: New Technologies Unveiled at Industry’s Top Tech Event
It was a decidedly smaller crowd (the organizers said it was down 28 percent to 3,700 attendees) at this year’s HITEC show and conference, which was held last week at the Anaheim (CA) Convention Center. ...
TI Signs With K Hotels
NEWS: Independent Treasure Island Joins Small Collection
Treasure Island, recently rebranded TI, yesterday became the first casino, the first Las Vegas property and the largest property in K Hotels’ worldwide collection of independent hotels. Phil Ruffin, who bought TI for $775 million from MGM Mirage earlier this year, has ...
Hyatt Eyes Franchising of Regency Brand
Q&A: Company Vet Vizer Tapped to Head Development Effort
After a long career with Hyatt in food and beverage and as a general manager, George Vizer last year was named to be vice president of the chain’s new franchise and owner relations group. He task is to oversee the company’s venture into franchise development for ...
Magic Fingers Inventor Dies
A hospitality industry pioneer of another sort died on Wednesday. John Joseph Houghtaling, 92, was the inventor of Magic Fingers, the coin-operated vibrating massager found in many motel rooms in the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s. ...
Wyndham CFO Leaving Company
The management shakeup at Wyndham Worldwide continues. Yesterday, the firm announced that Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Virginia Wilson is "leaving the company to pursue other interests." ...
Marriott Is the Place For Hotel IT Workers
Marriott is the best hotel company to work in the information technology profession, according to Computerworld magazine. ...
Lodging Executive Sentiment Continues To Slide
NEWS: LESI Reflects Declines in Most Phases of the Hotel Business
Lodging executives are still sour on prospects for the industry. The current Lodging Executives Sentiment Index is 40.9 versus 45.7 last period and 45.8 during the same month last year. ...
Industry Pros Seek to Smooth Buying Process
Simple Guest Solutions is a newly formed group of hotel industry professionals seeking to make the buying process of technology and services easier for the hotel community. This Sunday, the group will host The Hospitality Innovations Summit, a half-day social and networking get-together at the Santiago Star Ranch in Corona, CA. ...
Hilton Pulls CBS Ads Over Letterman Flap
According to news reports, Embassy Suites has pulled its ads from CBS’s website as a response to the controversy over talk show host David Letterman’s off-color jokes about Alaska Governor Sarah Palin’s daughter. ...
Desires Goes International
NEWS: Tecton’s Boutique Management Company Continues to Expand
Desires Hotels, the growing boutique arm of Tecton Hospitality, has broadened its horizons with the addition of executive vice president and managing partner Gary Sims, who’ll head the newly formed Desires Hotels International.
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Phone Prank Leads to Trashed Hotel
Pity the poor desk clerk at a Holiday Inn Express in Conway, AR. A prank call to the property last Saturday night led to $50,000 in damage to the property....
It’s Hotel Technology Time
NEWS: HITEC Conference and Show Convenes in Anaheim
There’s a lot of uncertainty as to what to expect at this month’s Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition & Conference. This year’s edition of HITEC, which will be held June 22-25 at the Anaheim (CA) Convention Center, ...
Sonesta Hotels Launches Franchising Program
NEWS: Upper Upscale Chain Extends Licensing to U.S.
Sonesta International Hotels, one of the oldest hotel chains, is the newest to offer franchising in the U.S. ...
Wyndham Umbrella Now Covers Hawthorn
NEWS: Hawthorn and Wingate Also Unveil New Interior Prototypes
Wyndham Hotel Group’s name brand will now have an extended-stay hotel under its umbrella after another reshuffling last week at the Wyndham brand conference in Puerto Rico.
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Lexington Collection Gives Members ROI Guarantee
NEWS: Promise Includes Waiver of Fees
It’s an offer a hotel owner can hardly say no to. The Lexington Collection, the upper-mid to upscale brand from Vantage Hospitality Group, yesterday rolled out a compelling promise to its members: ...
Four Points Debuts Resort Property
NEWS: Florida Hotel Is First With Getaway Room Design
It’s mostly known as a suburban business hotel brand, but Four Points by Sheraton is breaking into the resort marketplace. Yesterday, the chain opened its first resort hotel, ...
Motel 6’s First Property Reborn
NEWS: Santa Barbara Location Renovated With Elements of Phoenix Design
Motel 6’s first property has been reborn with elements of the company’s new Phoenix design. The Motel 6 Santa Barbara Beach (CA), which opened in 1962 with what became the brand’s trademark $6 pricetag, last week celebrated the debut of its new look.
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Marriott Clears Path for Justice, Greenbrier
NEWS: Deal Will Allow Local Businessman to Own, Operate Resort
Marriott and a bankruptcy filing no longer stand in the way of Jim Justice's bid to purchase the Greenbrier. The two suitors reached an agreement allowing Marriott...
Choice’s Roadmap to RevPAR Growth
NEWS: Chain Finds Ways to Build Business for Franchisees
Choice Hotels has a simple plan to help its franchisees weather the current downturn: Send them more business. At last week’s Choice Hotels convention near Washington, DC, President & CEO Steve Joyce and other chain executives discussed a lot of topics, but none was as important as revenue generation...
Marriott LEEDs the Way in Green Design
NEWS: Chain Has 30 Green Hotels Under Development
The Inn and Conference Center by Marriott at the University of Maryland was the first, but it won’t be the company’s last property to be LEED-certified. Marriott says it has more than 30 hotels in design, development or under construction that will meet the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards ...
