October 15, 2010
FORUM
Don’t Let Your Hotel Be Undermanaged
One of the speakers at last month’s Lodging Conference threw out this statistic: 70 percent of hotels in the U.S. are undermanaged. He didn’t cite the source for such a difficult-to-prove concept, but the factoid soon went viral. ...
CHECK IN
Timesharing Rebounds in Hawaii
The Hawaii hospitality business, especially the vacation ownership segment, is on fire. As the rest of the U.S. industry creeps back from the downturn, Hawaiian hotels and timeshare properties are charging ahead....
Brav Serves as Strong Leader for IHG
When Angela Brav realized she wasn’t going to make a career of her first passion—playing tennis—a not so gentle push from a grandmother led her to the hotel industry....
UrbanAmerica Honored by Hilton
Q&A: Richmond McCoy Discusses Doubletree, Investment Strategies
The Doubletree Resort Orlando – International Drive was UrbanAmerica’s first hospitality asset, but it probably won’t be the last. The acquisition and $35-million makeover recently earned UrbanAmerica the 2009 developer of the year award from Hilton Worldwide, and founder and CEO Richmond McCoy says the current commercial real estate market offers a “historic buying opportunity in the hospitality space.”...
Don’t Let Your Lender Steal Your Hotel
OPINION: Hang on to Reap Rewards of Recovery
It’s been a very tough time for hotel owners. Starting in the fall of 2007 with the collapse of the housing finance industry, followed by a number of failed financial institutions, massive layoffs and record high unemployment, travel came to a grinding halt. Hotel occupancies declined and room rates spiraled downward. No market or hotel product type was spared, and everyone suffered. If you were one...
Per-Diem Increases Are Boon to Hotel Values
OPINION: Rates Could Rise, Followed by Transaction Prices
The U.S. Federal government General Services Administration’s recent increase in the minimum lodging per diem rate from $70 to $77 should positively influence future average daily room rates in many areas. That announcement is good news for U.S. hotel values, as well. ...
Bullish on Cambria Suites
Rod Piatt is bullish on Cambria Suites, Choice Hotels nascent lifestyle brand. Piatt's firm, Horizon Properties Group, of which he is CEO, earlier this...
FEATURES
Family Approach Helps Marcus to 75 Years
Blu, the 23rd-floor bar atop The Pfister, offers stunning panoramic views of downtown Milwaukee. The 107-year-old hotel that launched Marcus Corp.’s foray into the lodging industry is the crown jewel of the company’s portfolio and one of the grandest hotels in the country, a local legend and national landmark. ...
Redeveloped Seaside Resort Exceeds Expectations
One season down, decades to go. The five-month-old reborn Ocean House in Watch Hill, RI just completed its first summer in business, and the five-star-quality boutique seaside resort has lived up to the hype. Business has been brisk, say the owners, and guest reviews on TripAdvisor and other social media sites show that it’s also been a hit with consumers. ...
DESIGN PERSPECTIVE
How To Squeeze More Profits From Your Spa
With new high-end hotel and resort development at a standstill, very few new spas are being built. For spa consultants like Judy Singer and Patty Monteson of Florida-based HFD Spa, the emphasis shifts from advising on the development of new spas to operational and marketing consulting for existing facilities....
TECHNICALLY SPEAKING
IHG Experiments with Keyless Entry
InterContinental Hotels Group is now testing new technology that allows guests to bypass the check-in process at the front desk and instead use their...
Making Memories in Destin
Unfailing attention to every detail is what ABEC Resorts' condominium resort owners and guests deserve and have come to expect. The IQware Global Property...
Premier Rings Up PhoneSuite
Scott Perry has a tough job. As regional director of operations for Farmington, MO-based Premier Management, Inc., he oversees all 10 properties in the...
BACK OF HOUSE
Products Oct. 15, 2010
MATTRESSES Sealy Global Hospitality's Hotel Chalet Collection offers moderately priced mattresses available in pillowtop, plush and firm models that can...
Vendor News Oct. 15, 2010
New Hampshire-based Kalwall Corp. won the Green Product award in the third annual Lean and Green competition, sponsored by Business NH Magazine. Newly...
