Choice creates African-American hotel owners group
As part of the company’s commitment to diversity, Choice Hotels International has created the Choice Hotels Owners African American Alliance. The group’s mission is to provide a forum for Black and African-American hotel owners of Choice brand hotels to engage directly with the company’s leadership and emerging markets team on development and key initiatives. Objectives of the group include:
- Ensuring that Black and African-American owners are fully engaged in all the benefits associated with owning Choice-brand hotels
- Incorporating Black and African-American owners, hotel employees and vendors fully into the Choice Hotels system
- Collaborating and recognizing the importance of Blacks and African-Americans in the overall success of the company
- Advising Choice leadership on areas such as communication, innovation, ideation, creativity and decision making
Las Vegas Sands’ Palazzo closes due to lack of demand
Las Vegas Sands is temporarily closing the Palazzo hotel tower effective immediately due to a drop in occupancy on The Strip. The shift in operations is to “better reflect occupancy patterns,” according to a company spokesperson. Most Palazzo restaurants and bars will remain open, as well as the parking garage and Grand Canal Shoppes. The casino will remain open with limited table games. Reservations will be limited to the company’s Venetian tower through December 23. Pay and benefits will remain in place for employees at this time, the company said. In July, Palazzo stopped taking weekday room reservations due to lack of demand.
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AHLA’s new board of directors
The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) unveiled its 2021 officers, board of directors and executive committee. Mark Hoplamazian, president and CEO of Hyatt Hotels Corp., was named chair of the board; Justin Knight, CEO of Apple Hospitality REIT, was named vice chair; Leslie D. Hale, president and CEO of RLJ Lodging Trust, joins as secretary/treasurer; and Greg Juceam, president and chief operating officer of G6 Hospitality, continues as chair of the AHLA Foundation Board of Trustees. Hoplamazian succeeds Jon Bortz, chairman and CEO of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust.
China pulls TripAdvisor off app stores
China says it removed Tripadvisor from the country’s mobile app stores, one of 105 apps the country’s Cyberspace Administration said it had removed because it considers them “illegal.” Most of the platforms belonged to local Chinese firms. Tripadvisor had entered into an agreement with Chinese travel giant Trip.comto operate a joint venture that put it into competition with China-based apps focusing on outbound travel. The government effort aims to remove content related to a variety of illegal activity.
The rise of the QR code
According to a new report from Horwath HTL, the COVID-19 pandemic is making a knowledge of QR codes invaluable. Previously there was a plethora of printed material used as handouts to the guests in the lobby, at check-in and in guest rooms. Given the reluctance of guests to handle physical items and the technology available to us today, the report states that most of this can now be shared through the use of QR codes and the guests’ personal phones and/or tablets.
Harrah’s New Orleans’ US$325 million upgrade
Harrah’s New Orleans is set to undergo a US$325 million renovation that will turn the building into a casino-hotel renamed Caesars New Orleans, an expansion that adds a second major hospitality-industry project to the foot of Canal Street. Parent company Caesars Entertainment said it had presented the city board that manages the property a plan that would add a new, 340-room hotel tower by 2024 along with other expanded amenities.
Reuben Brothers get 30% discount on Surrey Hotel
Reuben Brothers paid about US$150 million for New York City’s Surrey Hotel, a discount of roughly 30% off its asking price. The company, run by British billionaires Simon and David Reuben, purchased the hotel for about US$65 million less than the asking price of US$215 million that Bloomberg cited last week when it first reported news of the deal. The hotel filed for bankruptcy earlier this year when the ground lease holder, Ashkenazy Acquisitions, filed for Chapter 11 after the hotel’s operator missed payments.
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Lawsuit against Vail Resorts
A lawsuit filed against Broomfield, Colorado-based Vail Resorts on behalf of three employees is seeking class action status and alleges the company has repeatedly violated federal labor laws as well as state labor laws in Colorado, California, Utah, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Washington, New York, Vermont and Michigan. The lawsuit was filed December 3 in U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado. It seeks class action status for eligible current and former employees who worked for Vail Resorts over the past three years.
Accor’s new hotels in Australia, New Zealand
Accor will open multiple new hotels in Australia and New Zealand in 2021, including: The 121-room Porter House Hotel Sydney in late 2021; The 103-room Sebel Melbourne Ringwood, in February 2021; the 250-room Sofitel Adelaide, in mid-2021; the 221-room Mövenpick Hotel Hobart, in January 2021; the new-build apartment-style Sebel Wellington Lower Hutt, which has 60 serviced studios and one-bedroom apartments, in mid-2021; and the 96-room Mercure Auckland Queen Street, in early 2021.
Sunstone selling L.A. hotel for US$91.5M
Irvine, California-based Sunstone Hotel Investors sold the 502-room Renaissance Los Angeles Airport for US$91.5 million. According to the company, the sale furthers its strategy of concentrating its portfolio into long-term relevant real estate and improves liquidity.
Best Western names Ishwar Naran chairman
Best Western Hotels & Resorts named Ishwar Naran board chairman for 2021. Naran, who previously served as vice chairman, brings more than three decades of hospitality experience and 17 years of Best Western ownership to his role as chairman. Currently, Naran owns three Best Western-branded properties in Florida and South Carolina.
Aman New York sets a new opening date
Aman New York will open in spring 2021. Designed by architect Jean-Michel Gathy of Denniston, the long-awaited 83-room hotel will also house 22 private branded residences. Both guests and residents will have access to three principal dining venues, a jazz club, an Aman Spa and an Aman Club for members.
The new Reco from Tripadvisor
Tripadvisor unveiled a new platform called Reco, aimed at helping travelers plan vacation experiences. Reco assembled a network of over 300 “Trip Designers,” whose expertise spans more than 100 countries, according to the company. The designers provide personalized guidance around extra amenities, room upgrades and exclusive access to travel experiences.
Radisson Blu Salt Lake City
Minneapolis, Minnesota-based Radisson Hotel Group signed the Radisson Blu Sandy — Salt Lake City. The hotel, which will be managed by Radisson Hotel Group, will be part of a multi-phased, mixed-use development project with Raddon Development, called The Summit at the Cairns, designed by Beecher Walker Architects. The first phase of the project, a 13-story building, will feature conference facilities, guest rooms, a rooftop restaurant and bar, pool deck, spa, fitness center, top level condominiums and parking structure.