InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG®), one of the world's largest hotel companies today announced the signing of two further hotels in London with the Hotel Indigo® London - Barbican and Holiday Inn® - Watford Junction. As a result, over the last nine months IHG signed all six of its current European brands into its Greater London pipeline, further reinforcing IHG's presence in the UK's capital.
The British Hospitality Association today launches its new sector programme for serviced apartments and welcomes its first serviced sector member, Think Apartments.
Global luxury hotel chain Hyatt International has endorsed RateTiger as preferred channel management vendor in Europe, Africa, Middle East and South West Asia. RateTiger's flexible, multi-platform solution to manage online sales and exposure have been used in Hyatt properites throughout the world. This endorsement will help all members of the chain to benefit from rate shopping, channel management, reservation delivery and guest review management to manage online distribution and reach out to luxury travellers throughout eRevMax's Channel Eco-system.
Ian Schrager, 67, opened his third Edition hotel (in association with Marriott) in London's Berners Street in September. Here, the godfather of the "superclub" (he co-owned New York's legendary Studio 54, before going on to create design-led hotels such as Morgans, the Delano and the Mondrian) shares a little of the hard-won wisdom that's earned him the sobriquet "the Warren Buffett of boutique hotels"...
Hospitality management students from Bournemouth University's School of Tourism have won the very first international 'Passion4Hospitality Management Business Game 2014'. In the final – held last week at University College Birmingham – the Bournemouth University team beat off the fierce challenge of hospitality management student teams from runner-up Lucerne-based IMI University Centre Switzerland; and joint third-placed University College Birmingham and Ipswich-based University Campus Suffolk.
iRiS Software Systems, the award-winning interactive guest services applications provider, announced that its new Delegate app will be used at the International Hotel Technology Forum 2014.Taking place from 1st to 3rd April in Barcelona, IHTF is the leading face- to- face event for the hotel technology industry.
Maybourne Hotel Group, owner and operator of renowned luxury hotels Claridge's, the Connaught and the Berkeley, announced the appointment of Knut Wylde as Hotel Manager of Claridge's in Mayfair where is role will officially commence on 17th March, 2014. Knut Wylde joins Claridge's from Coworth Park a 5-star country house hotel, part of the Dorchester Collection where he held the position as Director of Operations since 2011. Prior to joining Cowarth Park, Knut spent 8 years at some of London's most prestigious properties including The Savoy, St Pancreas Renaissance Hotel, 45 Park Lane and The Lanesborough. In addition, Knut has successfully managed a wide range of projects including the One & Only Reethi Rah in the Maldives where he was the Resident Manager and spent five years with Rosewood Hotels and Resorts in a senior capacity at a number of properties around the globe. Wylde started his career at Hotel Vier Jahresziten in Hamburg nearly twenty years ago, where he climbed the ranks through a range of divisions and operations. Wylde brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the position.
Meliá Hotels International announces that Markella Votsi has been appointed Director of Sales and Marketing for ME London, the ME by Meliá brand’s flagship, five-star property. In September 2013, Votsi began her role as the property's manager and this month, she will begin leading the sales and marketing teams at the cutting-edge, design-forward hotel.
eRevMax has completed integration with Rakuten Travel to offer XML connectivity to its growing base of hotel customers. Accommodation providers, selling inventories on Rakuten Travel, will now be able to make real-time ARI (Availability, Rates & Inventory) updates and receive bookings generated on the channel through eRevMax solutions directly into their property management system.
The new sites – on St Swithin's Lane near Bank, EC4, and on Quaker Street, Shoreditch, E1 – take the total number of secured 'hub by Premier Inn' development sites to nine (of which seven are in central London and two in central Edinburgh).
We have high hopes for London as strong demand drives up ADR. We forecast almost 4% growth for RevPAR in 2014 as rates and occupancy hit new highs. Further records are expected to be broken in 2015.
London will be the city of M&A growth in the hotel sector in 2014 according to a new report being launched by international law firm Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) today. The report presents the views of over 400 hotel industry professionals.
Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts has announced the appointment of Michelle Wells as General Manager of Park Plaza County Hall. Michelle joins the team from smaller sister property, Park Plaza Sherlock Holmes, having successfully led the 119-bedroom boutique hotel as General Manager since 2007.
With every UK region enjoying an unusually positive start to the year, Yorkshire and Humberside hoteliers recorded year-on-year increases in total revenue per available room (TRevPAR) and gross operating profit per available room (GOPPAR) of 6.9% and a stunning 25.0% respectively in January, according to the latest HotStats.
Leading hotel channel management and connectivity solution provider eRevMax today announced its partnership with World Independent Hotel Promotion (WIHP) to offer meta-search management capabilities. Through this partnership, hotel customers of eRevMax's RateTiger and Connect solutions can push real time rates and availabilities to Google Hotel Finder, TripAdvisor, Trivago, Kayak and WeGo to drive more booking traffic directly to their own booking engine.
Prior to joining Hampton by Hilton London Waterloo, Faycal spent three years as general manager at Hampton by Hilton Derby City Centre. As part of the pre-opening team, he had overall responsibility for the recruitment and setup of team structure, training, logistics and implementation, as well as overseeing all aspects of property management.
Ms Brutman takes over from Michael Purtill who has been appointed General Manager of Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet.
Rocco Forte Hotels, a collection of luxury, individual properties, has partnered with eRevMax to benefit from real-time pricing data, managed report services and competitor rate analysis to maintain its market leadership position.
Dorsett Hospitality International has announced the appointment of Declan Murphy as Director of Sales and Marketing for Dorsett Shepherds Bush, the group’s first hotel venture in Europe, set to open in May 2014. Before joining Dorsett Hospitality International, Declan directed the Sales and Marketing programme at the Dhillon Group, a privately owned collection of three luxury boutique hotels – Stoke Place, The Olde Bell and The Crown, located on the outskirts of London. Prior to that, he was Sales and Marketing Director at Dukes Hotel in Mayfair, one of London’s most prestigious hotels. A UK and London specialist, Declan has also worked with hotels including the Cotswold House Hotel in Gloucestershire, The Courthouse Hotel Kempinski and The Bentley Kempinski, both in London.
Switzerland, Norway, Sweden and Germany took home most of the prizes during the HSMAI EuropeaN Awards at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower in London on Tuesday 4 February, celebrating the winners, in which also the Top 20 Extraordinary Minds within sales, marketing and technology in Europe's travel and hospitality industry were named.