NEWTON, Mass.--Hospitality Properties Trust HPT today completed several agreements which were previously announced including the acquisition of 12 Candlewood hotels for $90 million and a new management agreement with InterContinental Hotels Group (LSE/NYSE: IHG) for operation of all Candlewood hotels owned by HPT. Upon closing these agreements today, HPT now owns 76 Candlewood hotels which are no...

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. -- On December 22, 2003, WHLP Acquisition LLC ("Purchaser"), a wholly owned subsidiary of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. ("Starwood"), increased the price at which it is offering to purchase all of the issued and outstanding limited partnership units of Westin Hotels Limited Partnership ("WHLP"), to $700 per unit, less the amount of any distributions per unit made by...

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. -- Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. HOT announced today the acquisition of all of the outstanding senior debt (approximately $1.3 billion), at a discount, of Le Meridien Hotels and Resorts Ltd. Starwood will fund $200 million through a high yield junior participation in the debt. As part of this funding, Lehman and Starwood have entere...

MCLEAN, Va., Highland Hospitality Corporation HIH announced today that it has acquired the 252-room Plaza San Antonio Marriott for a purchase price of $32.5 million, plus customary closing adjustments. Highland's net investment will equate to approximately $129,300 per room. Highland purchased the asset from Host Marriott Corporation. Crestline Hotels & Resorts, a leading hotel management company...

ROCKVILLE, MD -- Visual One Systems Corporation, a supplier of management software to the hospitality industry since 1977, has donated its Visual One Property Management, Sales &Catering, Accounting, Point of Sale and GolfPro systems to UCF Rosen School of Hospitality

TORONTO -- For a company built on the premise that guest satisfaction depends on employee satisfaction, the results of this year's FORTUNE magazine ranking of The 100 Best Companies to Work For indicate that Four Seasons guests must be quite happy. For the 7th consecutive year, the leading luxury hotel company in the world has earned a place on the list, this time ranking 66th. Four Seasons Hotel...

SACRAMENTO - Oakland hotelier Sima Patel will assume the duties and responsibilities of chair of the California Lodging Industry Association (CLIA) Board of Directors in January 2004. Currently serving as CLIA Board vice chair, Sima and her husband Pravin are the owners/operators of the Holiday Inn Express and Suites Oakland Airport.

WHITE PLAINS, NY, Beginning in 2004, the International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show® (IH/M&RS) will introduce a new four-day format, with a full-day conference and networking event augmenting three days of exhibits.

WHITE PLAINS, NY, John Russell, a partner of Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown and Russell and CEO of Hospitality Artists, LLC, has been named Chairman of the Board of Directors of the International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show® (IH/M&RS) for 2004. In addition, Chester S. Deptula, General Manager of the Surrey Hotel in New York City, has joined the nine-member Board.

PARSIPPANY, N.J. - Cendant Corporation's Hotel Group today announced that it has selected Monster®, the leading global online careers site, as the exclusive online recruiting service for Cendant hotel franchisees.