Sunday, July 8, 2007
Sunday, May 6, 2007
Radisson Hotel Narita announces updated name
May 4, 2007, the Radisson Hotel Narita Airport has announced a change in name to the Radisson Hotel Narita. The update to the name reflects the hotel’s positioning as one of the major hotels with off-site meeting facilities within close proximity to Tokyo, rather than being perceived as an airport hotel.
Daniel Welk, general manager of the Radisson Hotel Narita, comments, “The hotel is well established as the market leader with resort and meeting facilities within one and a half hours to Tokyo. Refreshing the name will assist in strengthening our positioning as the hotel of choice for those who are looking for a leisure or conference venue that is within close proximity to the metropolis.”
The hotel’s 493 elegantly designed guestrooms are accompanied by sprawling resort style leisure facilities. These qualities make the hotel well suited for today’s modern business travellers and a haven for guests on short stopovers in Japan.
Radisson Hotel Narita is situated on 29 acres of lush landscaping just 20 minutes from the Tokyo International Narita Airport and an hour and a half from downtown Tokyo. All 493 guest rooms have broadband internet connections, DVD players, cable television with eight English stations and large western style beds.
Narita city is 214 square kilometres in area with a population of approximately 120,000. The development of Narita airport and accompanying access to central Tokyo has led to a widespread residential, commercial and industrial development in the city, thereby making Narita a prime location for business and leisure travellers alike.
Source : http://www.etravelblackboard.com/index.asp?id=64365&nav=1
A New Style of Hotel Where Work Meets Play
Peter Wynn Thompson The lobby at the Hyatt Place in Lombard, Ill. was reconfigured
to include places to have meals or to work on a laptop computer.
SIMON SINEK is a communications consultant who lives in Manhattan — at least when he’s not traipsing around the country on business. In just one month, he will have traveled to five different cities, from Atlanta to Seattle, and spent a considerable amount of time in hotels.
Rooms at SpringHill Suites by Marriott are designed to offer contemporary spaces that can be customized by guests.
When clients pay for Mr. Sinek’s accommodations, they tend to book him at the higher-end hotels, which are nice, though he barely takes advantage of all the luxury amenities they offer. He is more cost-conscious when traveling on his own dime, yet unwilling to stay in a mere roadside motel.
Mr. Sinek, who is 33, fits the prototype of a guest being courted by an increasingly competitive, moderately priced sector of the hotel industry: the business traveler 25 to 45 years old. Major hotel companies like Marriott International and the Hyatt Corporation say they have done extensive research into the lodging preferences of this demographic group. Of equal importance to these guests are contemporary design, up-to-date technology, easy access to clients and social activities, as well as a moderate price.
Other brands making headway in this segment are Hilton Garden Inn by the Hilton Hotels Corporation, Aloft by the Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide Corporation and Hotel Indigo by the InterContinental Hotels Group.
Mr. Sinek said he did not need all the luxury of a top-end hotel. “I look for the hotels that have figured out the comfortable balance — a modern room that is well designed, and really clean sheets,” he said during a telephone interview while on a recent business trip to Washington. He added that he was “amazed” when a hotel redecorates “and it still feels dark and dowdy.”
“And I’m really disappointed if they don’t have wireless, not just in the lobby but in the room,” he said. “I used to set up the whole work station at the desk, but now I just want to plop on the bed with my laptop.
“Also, I usually tack on a day or two for me,” he added, saying that he wants “to go out and enjoy the city.”
One thing that Mr. Sinek is not, however, is brand-loyal. And hotel companies, of course, want to promote such loyalty among business travelers. Marriott unveiled designs last year for a repositioning of its SpringHill Suites, a moderately priced chain. The first redesigned SpringHill hotel is set to open in 2008. The company says it expects 30 hotels to be converted to the new design within 18 months. By the end of 2009, some 75 percent of the planned 240 hotels, both new and redesigned, are to be complete.
John Wolf, a spokesman for Marriott International, said that his company’s new brand appeals to guests who want to combine business and pleasure.
“The old way was, ‘I go, I do my work, I leave,’ ” he said. “Now people have a meeting in Cleveland and they say, ‘Hey, let’s go to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.’ So they want to stay an extra night, be comfortable but not break the bank. They also need to get their work done. So the technology component is very important.”
Rates at the SpringHill Suites range from around $90 to $179 a night, depending on the market, for a spacious room of about 355 square feet.
Marriott hired Callison, an architectural firm based in Seattle, to create bright, contemporary spaces that could easily be customized by guests.
“The SpringHill room feels bigger because we got rid of the large, clunky furniture and dark, heavy colors,” said Robin Holt, a principal architect for Callison. “We used light, neutral colors and textured materials. The space is designed for maximum flexibility. You can work on the couch with your laptop, or use the desk, which acts as a room divider, so if you’re traveling with someone else, you can close the panels while one person sleeps, or open them up to see the TV from the desk.”
Callison also split the bathroom space, separating the glass-enclosed shower stall from the toilet area.
And there is a place with a small refrigerator and microwave, so guests can buy snacks and beverages and keep them on hand. Callison included plenty of electrical outlets, a flat-screen television and even an iPod docking station. All newly redesigned rooms will have wireless connections.
“For the public spaces, we created zones with drapery that can be moved depending on what the needs are,” Ms. Holt said. In the morning, she added, the drapery “is pulled back and there’s enough seating for everyone having breakfast,” which is free.
At night, the lights can be adjusted and the drapery pulled “to create a lounge-type feel,” she said. “To blur the work and play zones, there are a variety of different seating types. So it’s not a sea of tables and chairs; you can eat, have drinks and socialize, or just have coffee, sit and work on your laptop.”
A similar repositioning was undertaken by Hyatt shortly after it bought the AmeriSuites chain in 2005; it is transforming the chain into Hyatt Place. Twenty Hyatt Place hotels are already in operation — the first opened last August in Lombard, Ill., a Chicago suburb. An additional 120 hotels are to open within a year, according to the company.
“Hyatt Place is one of the most researched brands in Hyatt history,” said Amy Patti, a spokeswoman for the company. “They wanted to design a product for Gen X because this demographic is eclipsing the total amount that baby boomers spend on travel.”
The Hyatt Place king room, typically 500 square feet and ranging in price from $125 to $190 a night, offers contemporary design and spa-inspired bathroom amenities. But the biggest change was reconfiguring the traditional lobby, now called the “gallery,” into three activity areas. There is the “cozy corner” to sit and have coffee or to work on a laptop computer; the “grab and go” area with salads and sandwiches for take-away; and the “guest kitchen” for made-to-order foods around the clock via a touch-screen menu. While there is still a traditional guest check-in area, it has been enhanced with self-service kiosks.
“The Gen X traveler grew up in an era of independence and mobility, so there’s a lot more travel consumption and different expectations,” said Jim Abrahamson, a senior vice president of Hyatt. “Customers told us, ‘When we travel, we’re prisoners to the room.’ So we have created public spaces not to replicate the home or office, but the so-called third place that is a blend of both.”
While both brands are seeking the younger traveler, both companies’ research also indicated that these preferences were shared by many types of guests, whether traveling for business or pleasure, or some combination of both — and by singles, families and groups.
“Business and leisure travel are blending,” Mr. Abrahamson said. “What we discovered was not so much a demographic but a mind-set.”
Source : http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/06/realestate/commercial/06sqft.html
Area gets new hotel, updated services, amenities on existing ones
Carla Williams/MDNThe pool area at the Best Western Kelly Inn, located at 1510-22nd Ave. SW, has recently been remodeled.
By CARLA WILLIAMS, Staff Writer cwilliams@minotdailynews.com
Sunday, May 06, 2007— Time:8:10:58 PM
Minot’s homes away from home continue to meet visitors’ demands.
According to the Minot Convention and Visitors Bureau, the city’s 16 hotels and motels currently provide 1,615 rooms to guests. Approximately another 54 rooms will be available at the Sleep Inns & Suites, attached to Dakota Square Mall, once expansion is completed.
The following are additional updates on several more hotels and motels in Minot.
Holiday Inn Express/Holiday Inn Riverside
The Holiday Inn Express, located at 300-37th Ave. SW, opened April 30. The hotel houses 66 rooms including 16 suites. All rooms have standard amenities.
The hotel also features a continental breakfast, complimentary high-speed Internet, 32-inch LCD televisions in all rooms, an indoor pool and hot tub, a meeting room, a full business center and much more.
According to Pete Zimmerman, managing partner, one of the reasons to do another Holiday Inn/Intercontinental Hotels Group location in Minot was the increase in Canadian visitors, to have a presence in another part of the community and get closer to U.S. Highway 83 and the bypass for visibility.
Intercontinental Hotels Group umbrellas hotels including Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express.
Zimmerman also said Intercontinental Hotels identified Minot as a market that could handle another product.
“It’s a nice thing they (Intercontinental Hotel) came to the existing branch (Holiday Inn Riverside) and asked us to build another hotel or they would otherwise sell to another franchise or group,” Zimmerman said. “If Intercontinental identified Minot as a growing market, we might as well be the one to have it.”
Zimmerman said a mixture of staff, both existing employees from the Holiday Inn Riverside and new employees, work at the Holiday Inn Express.
According to Zimmerman, who is also the general manager at the Holiday Inn Riverside, with that hotel being an older building, there’s always something to do to improve it. The hotel is located at 2200 E. Burdick Expy.
Currently, the hotel’s public restrooms are being remodeled and the 170 guest rooms are receiving new lighting. The rooms themselves were completely remodeled last summer.
Once the lighting updates are completed, Zimmerman said everything in the rooms will be brand new.
The Vegas Motel
Housing 170 rooms, The Vegas Motel, located at 2315 N. Broadway, is seeking to upgrade its economy and smoking wings.
According to Rita Paige, sales and marketing manager, the motel is currently in the planning stages to renovate the rooms and hopes to start renovation in the next couple weeks.
“These wings have older furnishings and will receive new furnishings including new carpeting and queen-size beds, “Paige said.
Once the rooms are completed, Paige said all rooms at The Vegas will be completely renovated.
In the long term, Paige said the motel will looking at updating public areas.
The Grand International Inn
Located at 1505 N. Broadway, the Grand International Inn is currently putting itself in the middle of the Minot convention market by adding a new ballroom in the former Comedy Connection.
Jim Mello, general manager, said the days of big lounges at hotels are gone. As a result, the Grand International felt it could make better use of facilities with discontinuing the Comedy Connection and adding a 5,200-square- foot ballroom, which will seat approximately 300 people.
Mello said the ballroom should be completed by June 1 and will include a new audio/visual sound system to allow video conferencing and video taping. The ballroom will also allow exhibitors to display work across the hall from another banquet hall they might be using.
The Grand International also revealed its 23 king suites last fall. The suites contain two separate rooms – a living room and a bedroom.
Mello said the king suites feature memory foam king-sized mattresses, 32-inch flat LCD televisions, and hardwire and wireless Internet services.
Mello said down the road, the Grand International will be looking at remodeling its lobby.
“We have wonderful hotel properties in Minot that don’t take a back seat in North Dakota,” Mello said. “We do all of these renovations to stay competitive.”
Best Western Kelly Inn
Built in 1992 and Kelly Inns Limited purchasing it in 1998, The Best Western Kelly Inn, located at 1510-26th Ave. SW, features 100 guest rooms.
According to Lori Olson, general manager, currently 26 percent of the hotel rooms have been renovated in the last couple of years along with the pool area.
Olson said another 24 percent of the rooms will be remodeled this year to include new furnishings, wall vinyl and upgraded bedding packages. The remaining 50 percent of the rooms are set to be remodeled in 2008.
Olson said the hotel will be working on the landscaping behind the hotel and performing some remodeling to the breakfast area. The outside of the building will receive a facelift as well next year.
Comfort Inn
Opening in Minot in 1989 at 1515-22nd Ave. SW, the Comfort Inn provides 140 rooms to guests.
According to Jo Ann Voeller, general manager, the hotel completed renovations for 25 rooms in February. The hotel also plans to renovate 25 more rooms this month and finish renovating 53 more rooms by the end of the year.
Source : http://www.minotdailynews.com/business/articles.asp?articleID=10878
Area gets new hotel, updated services, amenities on existing ones
Carla Williams/MDNThe pool area at the Best Western Kelly Inn, located at 1510-22nd Ave. SW, has recently been remodeled.
By CARLA WILLIAMS, Staff Writer cwilliams@minotdailynews.com
Sunday, May 06, 2007— Time:8:10:58 PM
Minot’s homes away from home continue to meet visitors’ demands.
According to the Minot Convention and Visitors Bureau, the city’s 16 hotels and motels currently provide 1,615 rooms to guests. Approximately another 54 rooms will be available at the Sleep Inns & Suites, attached to Dakota Square Mall, once expansion is completed.
The following are additional updates on several more hotels and motels in Minot.
Holiday Inn Express/Holiday Inn Riverside
The Holiday Inn Express, located at 300-37th Ave. SW, opened April 30. The hotel houses 66 rooms including 16 suites. All rooms have standard amenities.
The hotel also features a continental breakfast, complimentary high-speed Internet, 32-inch LCD televisions in all rooms, an indoor pool and hot tub, a meeting room, a full business center and much more.
According to Pete Zimmerman, managing partner, one of the reasons to do another Holiday Inn/Intercontinental Hotels Group location in Minot was the increase in Canadian visitors, to have a presence in another part of the community and get closer to U.S. Highway 83 and the bypass for visibility.
Intercontinental Hotels Group umbrellas hotels including Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express.
Zimmerman also said Intercontinental Hotels identified Minot as a market that could handle another product.
“It’s a nice thing they (Intercontinental Hotel) came to the existing branch (Holiday Inn Riverside) and asked us to build another hotel or they would otherwise sell to another franchise or group,” Zimmerman said. “If Intercontinental identified Minot as a growing market, we might as well be the one to have it.”
Zimmerman said a mixture of staff, both existing employees from the Holiday Inn Riverside and new employees, work at the Holiday Inn Express.
According to Zimmerman, who is also the general manager at the Holiday Inn Riverside, with that hotel being an older building, there’s always something to do to improve it. The hotel is located at 2200 E. Burdick Expy.
Currently, the hotel’s public restrooms are being remodeled and the 170 guest rooms are receiving new lighting. The rooms themselves were completely remodeled last summer.
Once the lighting updates are completed, Zimmerman said everything in the rooms will be brand new.
The Vegas Motel
Housing 170 rooms, The Vegas Motel, located at 2315 N. Broadway, is seeking to upgrade its economy and smoking wings.
According to Rita Paige, sales and marketing manager, the motel is currently in the planning stages to renovate the rooms and hopes to start renovation in the next couple weeks.
“These wings have older furnishings and will receive new furnishings including new carpeting and queen-size beds, “Paige said.
Once the rooms are completed, Paige said all rooms at The Vegas will be completely renovated.
In the long term, Paige said the motel will looking at updating public areas.
The Grand International Inn
Located at 1505 N. Broadway, the Grand International Inn is currently putting itself in the middle of the Minot convention market by adding a new ballroom in the former Comedy Connection.
Jim Mello, general manager, said the days of big lounges at hotels are gone. As a result, the Grand International felt it could make better use of facilities with discontinuing the Comedy Connection and adding a 5,200-square- foot ballroom, which will seat approximately 300 people.
Mello said the ballroom should be completed by June 1 and will include a new audio/visual sound system to allow video conferencing and video taping. The ballroom will also allow exhibitors to display work across the hall from another banquet hall they might be using.
The Grand International also revealed its 23 king suites last fall. The suites contain two separate rooms – a living room and a bedroom.
Mello said the king suites feature memory foam king-sized mattresses, 32-inch flat LCD televisions, and hardwire and wireless Internet services.
Mello said down the road, the Grand International will be looking at remodeling its lobby.
“We have wonderful hotel properties in Minot that don’t take a back seat in North Dakota,” Mello said. “We do all of these renovations to stay competitive.”
Best Western Kelly Inn
Built in 1992 and Kelly Inns Limited purchasing it in 1998, The Best Western Kelly Inn, located at 1510-26th Ave. SW, features 100 guest rooms.
According to Lori Olson, general manager, currently 26 percent of the hotel rooms have been renovated in the last couple of years along with the pool area.
Olson said another 24 percent of the rooms will be remodeled this year to include new furnishings, wall vinyl and upgraded bedding packages. The remaining 50 percent of the rooms are set to be remodeled in 2008.
Olson said the hotel will be working on the landscaping behind the hotel and performing some remodeling to the breakfast area. The outside of the building will receive a facelift as well next year.
Comfort Inn
Opening in Minot in 1989 at 1515-22nd Ave. SW, the Comfort Inn provides 140 rooms to guests.
According to Jo Ann Voeller, general manager, the hotel completed renovations for 25 rooms in February. The hotel also plans to renovate 25 more rooms this month and finish renovating 53 more rooms by the end of the year.
Source : http://www.minotdailynews.com/business/articles.asp?articleID=10878
Monday, April 16, 2007
Convention facilities at IRs to help S'pore's MICE sector
By Noor Mohd Aziz, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 16 April 2007 2123 hrs
SINGAPORE: The two upcoming integrated resorts will play a key role in the growth of the MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) sector in Singapore.
According to industry watchers, Singapore will see a greater growth in its MICE sector, compared with other countries in the region.
They say the emphasis on MICE facilities in the two integrated resort projects at Marina Bay and Sentosa will help Singapore compete for a greater share of the MICE market in the region.
Singapore is focusing on the MICE sector in its efforts to grow the tourism industry.
And industry watchers say it is playing its cards right.
"The MICE industry is an important part of the Singapore model and that is going to bring new business, new consumers to Singapore. If you look at Las Vegas, in one year, approximately $8 billion is the economic impact, just because of the MICE industry," said Dr Andy Nazarechuk, Dean of William F Harrah College of Hotel Administration, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Singapore campus.
Going by the experience of Las Vegas and Macau, experts believe the upcoming integrated resorts will not only bring in gaming revenue but also help boost hotel and retail turnovers in Singapore.
"The growth potential in the region is unlimited. If you look at Las Vegas, over the past 30 to 40 years, they've said it is going to cap out and hit its peak but it never has. So I think the growth potential for Singapore, Macau and the region is unlimited. In Macau, for example, by the end of this decade, 2010, they are looking at revenues of above $12 billion in the gaming industry. I think Singapore is going to set some new record in gaming revenue, and not only gaming but retail, hotel revenue when it (Marina Bay Sands integrated resort) opens in 2009," said Dr Nazarechuk.
There has been talk of competition between Singapore and Macau for the gaming dollar, but industry players say the two markets are different.
"I don't think these two places have life-and-death competition. What I have said is what's successful in Singapore may not fare well in Macau. I think each of the two territories, they will have their own niche market that they can exploit," said Dr Ambrose So, Director of Sociedade de Jogos de Macau.
"The Macau formula is a little bit different from Singapore. The Macau gaming industry is termed as the spearhead industry. It is the mainstay of the economic development in Macau. While in Singapore, you have the casino gaming as one of the elements in the tourism industry. That's why the government limited the amount of area attributable to casino operations....the emphasis of Singapore is really in the integrated resort where you offer other facilities, other amenities in tourism, with the addition of the gaming flavour," he added.
Dr So and Dr Nazarechuk are among industry players in Singapore for a three-day Asian Casino Executives Seminar, which opened on Monday.
Another is Mark Vlassopulos, the president of America's Eighth Wonder, which was one of the losing bidders for the Sentosa integrated resort project.
"I think there is no point to do a sidestreet gaming industry with European-style casinos that are small scale. Doesn't really benefit anybody in terms of revenue, government tax and at the same time doesn't really give any kind of true experience to a tourist, either a local or regional. So I think the critical mass is a really important factor. Do it big if you really want to do it at all," said Mr Vlassopulos. - CNA/ir
Source : http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/270695/1/.html
Andaz, Another New Hyatt Brand
We highlighted a report last week that hotel chains had launched 24 new brands in the past 24 months, but Hyatt doesn't want to slow down the pace. They just announced the launch of new brand Andaz, with the first opening slated for this September in London. Another Andaz brand will open across from New York's Public Library on Fifth Avenue but no opening date has been set.
It seems Andaz is another case of out with the old (that's the Great Eastern Hotel atrium pictured here) and in with the new--some word that they say means "personal style."
Have you just yearned for a hotel that is not quite a Hyatt and not quite a Park Hyatt? To the marketing consultants who live and breathe this kind of thing, apparently those two brands are like ebony and ivory. They saw vast white space on their charts that needed to be filled in:
Hyatt is calling the Andaz brand an unpretentious upscale alternative focusing on "casual elegance" and "local identity," which it is positioning in between its Park Hyatt and Hyatt Hotel brands. CEO Mark Hoplamazian said in a statement that Hyatt's "worldwide customer base is looking for fresh, uncomplicated luxury that is timeless and gimmick free."
We've got to hand it to a corporate communications department that can put a new brand called "Andaz" and the words "gimmick free" in the same press release while still keeping a straight face.
Source : http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2007/4/16/1096/37677/hotels/Andaz_Another_New_Hyatt_Brand
Morgan Stanley buys 13 ANA Hotels for $2.4 billion in Japan
According to media reports, under the deal, ANA will sell its stakes in ANA Property Management Co. Ltd., ANA Hotel Management Co. Ltd. and subsidiary companies of 13 hotels as of June 1 for ¥281.3 billion or $2.4 billion. New additions to the portfolio of Morgan Stanley, which has been raising an $8 billion global property fund this year, will include ANA Hotel Tokyo in Minato ward, a prime Tokyo business district, and Okinawa Harborview Hotel on Japan’s southern island of Okinawa known for sandy beaches.
Morgan Stanley, one of the first investors to begin buying Japanese properties, already has interests in 14 hotels in Japan.
“This transaction highlights Morgan Stanley’s continued long-term commitment to investing in Japan and optimistic outlook for the nation’s economy and hotel industry,” Morgan Stanley said in a news release.
ANA will remain an operator of the hotels through its unit IHG ANA Hotels Group. Morgan Stanley said its hotel management affiliate, Panorama Hospitality, will work with IHG ANA Hotels to boost value at the properties.
“The office and residential markets, especially in Tokyo, are quite overheated and investors are shifting their focus to higher-yielding assets,” reportedly said Masahiro Yoshioka, a partner at management consultancy KPMG FAS Co. “There aren't many such large-scale property deals, and this was probably a great investment opportunity.”
Source : http://www.eyefortravel.com/index.asp?news=55533
Interstate Hotels & Resorts Signs Management Contracts for Two Holiday Inn Hotels in Moscow
Company Adds Sixth and Seventh Hotel to Moscow Management Portfolio
ARLINGTON, Va., April 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Interstate Hotels &
Resorts (NYSE: IHR), one of the nation's largest independent hotel
management companies, today announced that the company has been selected to
manage two Holiday Inn hotels in downtown Moscow, Russia: the 301-room
Holiday Inn Moscow Lesnaya Hotel and the 312-room Holiday Inn Moscow
Suschevsky Hotel. Both properties are owned by Mospromstoi, a major,
Moscow-based construction and hotel ownership company.
"These two contracts represent our sixth and seventh hotel in Moscow,
where we have established a major management presence, and bring our total
number of management contracts in Europe to nine," said Thomas F. Hewitt,
Interstate's chief executive officer. "We now have six hotels under
contracts with Mospromstoi, and we look forward to continuing our
relationship."
"We recently opened a branch office in Moscow with an executive team
that provides the kind of hands-on, personalized service no other
management company can match," said Henry L. (Hank) Ciaffone, president of
international operations and development at Interstate. "We continue to
seek opportunities to expand our operations in Russia and throughout
Europe. We remain focused on first-class, full-service and select-service
hotels affiliated with top- quality, internationally known brands like
Marriott, Starwood, Holiday Inn and Hilton, as well as independent hotels
and resorts."
Holiday Inn Moscow Lesnaya Hotel
Built in 2005, the Holiday Inn Moscow Lesnaya Hotel is located in the
downtown area right off the central Tverskaya-Yamskaya street, within a 45-
minute drive of the Moscow International Airport Sheremetyevo. The major
tourist attractions of the city - the Kremlin, Red Square, St. Basil's
Cathedral and the Bolshoi Theatre - are a 10-minute drive from the hotel.
The hotel features 301 rooms, including suites and executive floor
rooms; all-day dining at the Red & White bar and restaurant serving
international cuisine; 24-hour room service; 8,000 square feet of meeting
space that can accommodate groups of up to 460; business center; and mini
gym.
Holiday Inn Moscow Suschevsky Hotel
The Holiday Inn Moscow Suschevsky Hotel was opened in 2006 and is
located in one of the central business areas of Moscow. The hotel is a
short drive from the city's major tourist attractions and 30 minutes from
the Moscow International Airport Sheremetyevo.
The hotel offers 312 guest rooms, including suites and executive floor
rooms; the Fleur Cafe bar and restaurant serving international cuisine; 24-
hour room service; six meeting rooms totaling 6,300 square feet of space
with a maximum capacity of 350, reception-style; business center; and mini
gym.
About Interstate
As of March 31, 2007, Interstate Hotels & Resorts operated 207
hospitality properties with more than 47,000 rooms in 36 states, the
District of Columbia, Belgium, Canada, and Russia. In addition, Interstate
Hotels & Resorts has contracts to manage 15 hospitality properties with
nearly 4,300 rooms currently under development. For more information about
Interstate Hotels & Resorts, visit the company's Web site:
http://www.ihrco.com.
This press release contains "forward-looking statements," within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, about
Interstate Hotels & Resorts, including those statements regarding future
operating results and the timing and composition of revenues, among others,
and statements containing words such as "expects," "believes" or "will,"
which indicate that those statements are forward-looking. Except for
historical information, the matters discussed in this press release are
forward-looking statements that are subject to certain risks and
uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially,
including the volatility of the national economy, economic conditions
generally and the hotel and real estate markets specifically, the war in
Iraq, international and geopolitical difficulties or health concerns,
governmental actions, legislative and regulatory changes, availability of
debt and equity capital, interest rates, competition, weather conditions or
natural disasters, supply and demand for lodging facilities in our current
and proposed market areas, and the company's ability to manage integration
and growth. Additional risks are discussed in Interstate Hotels & Resorts'
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Interstate
Hotels & Resorts' annual report on Form 10-K as amended for the year ended
December 31, 2006.
Contact:
Carrie McIntyre
SVP, Treasurer
(703) 387-3320
Source : http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/04-16-2007/0004566009&EDATE=
French hotel slashes rates for election weekends
TOULOUSE, France (Reuters) - Fearing France's coming series of weekend elections might keep customers away, one hotelier is offering rooms at half price -- but only to holidaymakers who can prove they have cast their ballots.
The French will be called on to vote no fewer than four times in national elections between April and June, also a busy time for the country's tourist industry.
"I had to find a solution for these four upcoming weekends when we are normally almost 90 percent full, given that at each election our occupancy rate falls to less than 30 percent," said Renaud Jeanne, who runs a hotel in the southwestern town of Lacaune.
To benefit from the discount rate, guests will have to show they have filed the paperwork to vote by proxy, he said.
"I also didn't want to attract a clientele composed only of 'fishermen', as we call abstainers," Jeanne, whose "Relais de Fusies" has 30 rooms, told Reuters.
Voters in France generally cast their ballot at a polling station near their home, unless they vote by proxy.
The presidential election will be held in two rounds on April 22 and May 6, while a parliamentary vote will take place on June 10 and 17.
Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels sells ANA hotel portfolio in Japan
Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels as joint advisor to All Nippon Airways revealed the JPY281.3 billion (approximately USD2.36 billion) sale of ANA’s 13 owned and leased hotels in Japan ("Portfolio") to Morgan Stanley Real Estate Fund.
Mr Scott Hetherington, Managing Director of the Firm in Asia, who jointly led the transaction with Mr Tomohiko Sawayanagi, the Firm’s Executive Vice President in Japan, said: “This is the largest hotel transaction in Asia Pacific and one of the biggest real estate sales the region has experienced. The sale underlines the strength of the region’s capital markets and in particular, investors’ desire for real estate in the world’s second largest economy.”
Mr Hetherington commented that global investors were approached for the Portfolio which has a total of approximately 5,000 rooms located throughout Japan and includes market leading properties such as the ANA-InterContinental Tokyo and its sister property on Manza Beach in Okinawa. “Through a highly competitive process, bids were received from investors not only in Japan but also from Asia and North America. The level of interest was reflective of the scarcity of opportunity to buy a portfolio of this size and the desire of international investors to consider hotel investments,” Mr Hetherington added.
According to Mr Sawayanagi the sale is the culmination of four years’ work by the Firm which started when ANA began to review whether hotels were a core business for the airline. “We were appointed to conduct a tender process to seek an international management company to form a joint venture with ANA to manage the 33 hotels it owned, leased and operated in Japan and internationally. Critical to the success of this joint venture was finding a partner who would not only provide career opportunities for the staff but also deliver international best practice, operational expertise and marketing to all the hotels. InterContinental Hotels Group were the successful party and on December 1, 2006, IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan was founded.”
Mr Sawayanagi said. Subsequently on the April 1, 2007 the ANA Hotel Tokyo was re-branded as the ANA-InterContinental Tokyo and over the coming months the remainder of the owned and leased hotels in the Portfolio will be re-branded under the ANA-InterContinental, ANA-Crowne Plaza and ANA-Holiday Inn flags.
The Portfolio was offered for sale with the benefit of long term operating agreements with IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan. Mr Hetherington explained, “Historically the hotel investment market in Asia has been driven by owner operators but we have seen a profound change in this view over the past few years with investors being happy to acquire hotels which are encumbered by operating agreements that fairly share the risks and rewards between owners and operators.”
Mr Hetherington noted the sale by the Firm of the Swissotel Merchant Court and the Intercontinental Hotel in Singapore last year as further evidence of this trend.
Mr Sawayanagi added, “The Portfolio presented a tremendous opportunity for the purchaser to work with the new operating joint venture to reposition and refurbish the hotels and to benefit from an ever strengthening domestic consumer market in Japan.”
Rania Deimezi - Monday, April 16, 2007
Source : http://www.traveldailynews.com/new.asp?newid=36694&subcategory_id=59
Monkey Island, Hotel on River Thames Near London Goes on Sale
By Peter Woodifield
April 16 (Bloomberg) -- Monkey Island, a five-acre island with a 26-bedroom hotel in the middle of the U.K.'s River Thames, was put up for sale for 7.5 million pounds ($15 million) by its Dubai-based owners.
The island, reachable only by walkway, boat or helicopter, is 30 miles west of London near the village of Bray, London-based real estate brokers Knight Frank LLC said in a statement today. It has been owned since 1999 by the Al Habtoor Group from Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates.
``It is attracting a lot of interest,'' Henry Jackson, a surveyor in Knight Frank's hotels unit, said in a telephone interview from London.
Investors spent a record $27.4 billion buying European hotels last year, according to real estate brokers Jones Lang LaSalle Inc. Property buyers are seeking alternatives to shops and offices and hotel operators are looking to focus on managing their assets.
The Monkey Island hotel was built as a fishing lodge about 280 years ago and has a Grade 1 heritage listing, which carries the greatest level of restrictions for owners wishing to renovate sites deemed to be historically significant. The hotel has been used as an inn since 1840 and includes a 90-seat restaurant.
The island was once known as Monks Eyot, and was used by monks for fishing from as early as 1197, according to the hotel's Web site.
Al-Habtoor has owned and operated hotels across the Middle East for 25 years. It recently opened its first theme park in Lebanon.
To contact the reporter on this story: Peter Woodifield in Edinburgh at pwoodifield@bloomberg.net .
Source : http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601102&sid=aGxlDQfX69lg&refer=uk
Erin Finney Joins Austin’s Radisson Hotel and Suites Town Lake
AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The 413-Room Radisson Hotel & Suites Town Lake-Austin welcomes Erin Finney to the position of Sales Manager where she will focus on the State Association and State Government markets.
“We are excited to have Erin join our experiences Sales Team,” says Radisson GM Tom Schurr. “There is a growing demand in Austin for outstanding hotel and meeting locations, friendly customer service and enjoyable social gatherings. Erin understands Texas Hospitality and brings the energy and hotel management expertise that is key to delivering the professional and friendly hotel experience our clients have come to expect.”
Finney’s experience includes four years with the Marriott Plaza San Antonio in San Antonio, where she was most recently the Front Office Manager. She began there as Business Travel and Corporate Group Sales Manager for San Antonio’s 250-room destination/resort property with 16,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.
While managing the San Antonio four-diamond urban resort, Finney oversaw all front office operations including front desk, bell stand, concierge, parking, valet, PBX and gift shop. She also managed site inspections and client events and was named the Marriott Plaza's Manager of the Year in 2005.
Prior to her San Antonio experience, Finney held sales positions in Austin at the Omni Hotel Downtown and the Embassy Suites North. She effectively joined the Radisson Hotel and Suites on Town Lake March 26, and is excited to return to Austin and join the hotel's sales team.
The hotel just completed a million-dollar lobby remodel and expansion, which includes a fireplace, cozy seating, lobby bar service, free wireless Internet access, a full-service Starbucks®, and a completely remodeled TGI Friday’s with views of Town Lake and Austin’s famous bats!
The Radisson Hotel & Suites Austin is located on Town Lake, next to the hike and bike trail and is walking distance to businesses, the Convention Center, Austin’s Warehouse and 2nd and 6th Street Entertainment Districts and other points of interest.
The Radisson Hotel and Suites Town Lake-Austin offers upscale accommodations in a unique downtown/lakeside setting. The 413 room hotel features 99 two-room suites and 314 guest rooms, many with views of Town Lake. Whether you need to hold a small executive meeting or a function for 600 people, the Radisson Hotel and Suites Austin has flexible meeting space for all your event needs. For reservations visit http://www.radisson.com/austintx/ or call toll free (800) 333-3333.
Source : http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20070416005710&newsLang=en
First Courtyard by Marriott Hotel Opens in El Salvador
Washington, DC -Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE:MAR) today announced the opening of its first Courtyard by Marriott hotel in El Salvador with the opening of the 133-room Courtyard by Marriott San Salvador Hotel. The hotel opened under a management agreement with Caribe Hospitality El Salvador. It is the first Courtyard-branded hotel to open in El Salvador and the third to open in Central America.
“We are delighted by the continued growth of our Courtyard by Marriott brand both in Central America and around the world. We are especially proud to introduce this widely acclaimed hotel brand in El Salvador,” said Alex Stadlin, Marriott’s area vice president for operations in Central America.
The general manager is Julia Bennett. The Courtyard by Marriott San Salvador Hotel is currently offering a rate of $109.00 USD per night plus all applicable taxes.
The hotel is conveniently located adjacent to La Gran Via lifestyle center, a new upscale entertainment complex in San Salvador, which offers guests a wide variety of local dining and shopping options.
For dining, the Courtyard by Marriott San Salvador Hotel offers La Puerta del Sol restaurant, serving breakfast daily, as well as a comfortable lobby bar for guests to enjoy cocktails and evening fare. The hotel also offers a 24-hour market. For social events and conferences, the hotel features four meeting rooms for a total of 238-square meters of space. Recreational amenities include an outdoor swimming pool and fitness center.
Marriott introduced its Courtyard brand in 1983. Since then, it has grown to be Marriott’s largest brand, and the world’s 13th largest lodging chain with 700 hotels in 24 countries and territories. It is aimed at business and leisure travelers who want consistent, high-quality accommodations and services at moderate, affordable prices. Over the years, Courtyard by Marriott hotels have been the leading choice in their category.
Source : http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=32714
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts and Jin Jiang International Form Joint Venture Hotel Management Company
Iconic Property to be renovated and reopened as The Fairmont Peace Hotel Shanghai in 2010Jin Jiang's goal during The Peace Hotel renovation program, the largest in its history, is to restore the hotel to its position as the preeminent luxury hotel in Shanghai, and the company is utilizing not only its own expertise and heritage, but partnering with Fairmont, a luxury hotel group recognized for their stewardship of historic properties across the globe, including London's Savoy, A Fairmont Managed Hotel and New York City's Plaza Hotel.
Situated on the Bund, the 12-story Peace Hotel enjoys a premier downtown location, facing the Pudong area over the Hangpu River. First opened in 1929 as the Cathay Hotel, the property was located on the former site of the Sassoon Mansion and built in the Gothic style of the Chicago School, with a copper-sheathed roof rising 77 meters above ground level. The hotel has hosted distinguished guests from all over the world, including politicians, artists and celebrities such as General Marshall, Charlie Chaplin, Bernard Shaw and Noel Coward who wrote Private Lives while in residence.
The Peace Hotel is Fairmont's second announced project in the region, following a recent deal announcing a future hotel development project on Macao's Cotai Strip. "This agreement will provide Fairmont with the opportunity to extend our distinctive portfolio to one of the world's key gateway cities and utilize our expertise in historic assets and restore a preeminent Shanghai landmark," said William R. Fatt, Fairmont's Chief Executive Officer. "The addition of the Fairmont Peace Hotel Shanghai will provide the ideal platform for further expansion in Asia and we look forward working with Jin Jiang, a strong leader in this region to further develop our luxury hotel brand."
Jin Jiang, owner of the Peace Hotel, is the largest hotel owner and operator in China and the 22nd largest in the world, with more than 300 properties in their portfolio. The company was listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange last year and will be investing in numerous branded properties to support it's strategy of enhancing and accelerating growth in central cities of China and developing greater awareness for its brands. The joint venture with Fairmont is a major step towards improving its market competitiveness though strategic cooperation with an international, luxury hotel brand.
About Fairmont Hotels & Resorts
Featuring a collection of fabled castles, secluded lodges, storied meeting places and esteemed clubhouses, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts opens the doors to some of the world's most celebrated addresses and challenging golf courses. With locations throughout ten countries, our 50 distinctive hotels - including The Fairmont San Francisco, The Fairmont Banff Springs and London's Savoy - promise travelers rich experiences and lasting memories in unparalleled settings. Committed to growing its portfolio of world-class hotels, Fairmont will soon reflag five hotels in Kenya, a resort in St Andrews, Scotland and anticipates the 2007 re-opening of New York's famed Plaza Hotel. Future Fairmont Hotels & Resorts also include locations in Cairo, Abu Dhabi and Dubai's Palm Island. Fairmont Raffles Hotels International owns and operates 120 hotels worldwide under the Fairmont, Raffles, Swissotel and Delta brands. For more information or reservations, please visit www.fairmont.com.
Contacts:Fairmont Hotels & Resorts
Lori Holland (212) 715-7098
Email: lori.holland@fairmont.com
Website: www.fairmont.com
Source : http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=239042
