The 174-suite Embassy Suites by Hilton Orlando- Airport completed a renovation of its guest suites and public spaces, including the lobby, restaurant, bar, meeting rooms, business center and fitness center. The all-encompassing redesign of the hotel's seven-story atrium and lobby now offers guests a more welcoming sense of arrival with convenient spaces to conduct business, meet friends and family or relax.
Hilton and Epelboim Development Group today broke ground on a new Tru by Hilton property located in Orlando, Florida. Dignitaries, executives and other key individuals who were instrumental in pushing the project forward attended the July 12, 2018 event. The roster of VIPs and speakers included: from the Orange County Government Commissioner Betsy VanderLey and Jessie Allen; Executive Director from the Orange County Convention Center; Alexandra Jaritz, global head, Tru by Hilton; and Noel Epelboim, president and CEO of Epelboim Development Group.
The 28-acre, 1004-room DoubleTree Orlando Resort at SeaWorld is now managed by Crescent Hotels & Resorts. Crescent Hotels & Resorts is an award winning, nationally recognized operator of major hotels, resorts and conference centers throughout the United States, Canada & Caribbean. The DoubleTree Orlando Resort at SeaWorld boasts 100,000 square feet of event space, 3 pools, miniature golf and putting green, multiple themed onsite restaurants, wine bars, pool bars, grab-and-go cafes with Starbucks coffee, onsite spa, resort shop, and a kids' camp with daily activities and a game room.
The four-story La Quinta hotel will feature 101 modern guest rooms; a comfortable and multifunctional great room for guests to gather, relax, or work; a fully equipped fitness center; a pool; and approximately 750 square feet of meeting space. Upon opening, it will join eight hotels already operating in the market under the La Quinta flag, and it will be the first in the city to reflect the brand's contemporary Del Sol prototype. The Del Sol design combines clean geometric lines, bold colors, and varying textures with iconic brand elements, like La Quinta's recognizable red-clay roof, and guest-centric offerings to enhance the stay experience while also helping maximize revenue-per-square foot for hotel developers. Like all of the brand's approximately 900 upper-midscale and midscale La Quinta and LQ Hotel™ locations in North and Latin America, the new La Quinta in Orlando will offer guests the brand's signature Bright Morning Bed®, free Bright Side Breakfast®, spacious in-room work areas and free high-speed internet.
Slated to open in 2020, the new TRYP by Wyndham in Orlando becomes the fourth hotel in Florida for the growing cosmopolitan brand. Celebrating the spirit of the urban traveler, each TRYP hotel is infused with local spirit allowing guests to uncover each destination's individual culture and setting the stage for authentic, local experiences. The 98-room hotel will offer the brand's hallmark social lobby, library space and small meeting room; a bar and restaurant featuring TRYP's signature tapas, or small plates, service; a gym; and an outdoor pool. With its unique cities and range of experiences, Florida remains a top market for the brand which recently opened TRYP by Wyndham Sebastian St. Augustine, TRYP by Wyndham Maritime Fort Lauderdale and TRYP by Wyndham Miami Bay Harbor in "The Sunshine State". The brand's global pipeline includes approximately 4,000 rooms and 29 hotels, including Florida locations such as Coral Gables, Miami and Kissimmee. The company also recently announced plans for a dual-branded TRYP by Wyndham and Wyndham Grand concept in Miami's popular Brickell district.
David McKeever previously was Assistant Food and Beverage Director for Universal's Cabana Bay Beach Resort and was instrumental in the success of this 2,200-room hotel since it opened in 2014. Prior to joining Loews Hotels at Universal Orlando, McKeever held several leadership positions with Hyatt, Marriott, Universal and Hilton. He is also a recipient of the Loews Legacy award, one of the company's highest honors.
Most recently, he was Executive Chef at Meraki Market, described as a "temple of food disguised as a little corner store," in San Francisco. His culinary career also includes Sous Chef posts at Spice Market under world-famous Chef Jean George Vongerichten and at Loews Atlanta Hotel alongside Master Chef Olivier Gaupin. Chef "Mousse" was Chef De Cuisine at the former Loews Don CeSar Hotel's award-winning Maritana Grille. Born in Teflit, Morocco, Chef Mousse's expertise in French, Moroccan, American and Asian cuisines will influence the international flavors served throughout Universal's Aventura Hotel.
A lifetime of dedication to the hospitality industry will be recognized on Saturday, November 3, 2018, when UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management honors its founding dean, Dr. Abraham Pizam at The Pineapple Ball®. Dr. Pizam, who has led the college to become a leader in the world of hospitality education, will be the sole inductee this year into The Central Florida Hospitality Hall of Fame® at The Pineapple Ball®. The annual event is a benefit for academic initiatives and student scholarships and is held at Rosen Shingle Creek.
Hilton Grand Vacations (NYSE:HGV) announces Charles Corbin, executive vice president and chief legal officer, has been appointed chief development officer in addition to his current position.
BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, has appointed Cory Campbell director of revenue for The Grove Resort & Spa Orlando, a Benchmark Resorts & Hotels property located near Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Bill Lee, general manager, made the announcement.
Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando's newly-redesigned Future Rock Star Suites let guests perform under the lights on their very own stage. Designed to capture the excitement of being on tour, these two-room suites feature applause-worthy floor to ceiling details, including a stage with liquid flooring and lights, a twinkling starlight canopy over the beds and brand new Hard Rock memorabilia from today's superstars.Each suite features an item once donned by a music celebrity and this marks the first time memorabilia has been installed inside a guest room at Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando. Every Future Rock Star Suite consists of a king room that connects through a "stage door" to a room with two twin beds and roadie case-inspired furniture."We designed these suites for tweens, teens and any kid who ever dreamed of performing on stage for thousands of adoring fans," says Carlton Hudson, managing director at Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando. "The suites bring that dream to life for the entire family with everything a true rock star needs to put on an unforgettable show. Plus, we brought in pieces of Hard Rock's priceless memorabilia collection to amplify the experience of staying in these one-of-a-kind suites."Hard Rock is recognized globally for world-class entertainment, stylish and contemporary design and unparalleled service. Guests of all Hard Rock Hotels enjoy an experience that infuses music as the key differentiator. Hard Rock's The Sound of Your Stay is a complimentary all-encompassing in-room music amenity program that provides access to experiences for guests to jam out on a selection of Fender guitars or tune into the resurgence of vinyl records while listening to them on a Crosley turntable.At Universal Orlando Resort, guests of Hard Rock Hotel are just a short walk, complimentary water taxi or shuttle bus ride away from all three Universal Orlando Resort theme parks. Guests receive an exclusive package of theme park benefits, including free Universal Express Unlimited ride access (theme park admission required) to Universal Studios Florida and Universal's Islands of Adventure as well as Early Park Admission to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Universal's Volcano Bay one hour before the theme parks open.For more information or to book a stay at Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando, visit www.universalorlando.com/hardrock.
Disney has released some tantalising details on its upcoming Star Wars hotel, including a short video (further down) teasing its galactic role play features.
BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, has named Jean Spaulding director of sales & marketing for the Forbes Four Star-rated Villas of Grand Cypress, a Gemstone Collection property located in Orlando, Florida. Mark Cox, BENCHMARK's general manager at the resort, made the announcement. Jean Spaulding brings stellar experience to her new role at Villas of Grand Cypress. She most recently served as director of sales & marketing for the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate.
Loews Hotels & Co, in partnership with Universal Orlando Resort, has named veteran hotelier Stephen Cummings to be managing director of Universal’s Aventura Hotel. The 600-room property is set to open in August 2018 and will become the destination’s sixth hotel, bringing the total number of hotel rooms at Universal Orlando to 6,200.
Tavistock Development Company, a diversified real estate firm owned by Tavistock Group, today announced details surrounding an iconic performance resort and spa at its master-planned Lake Nona community in Orlando, Fla. Arquitectonica, a leading Miami-based architecture firm, is designing the Lake Nona Resort, which is planned to break ground in 2018 with an opening date set for 2020.
Loews Hotels & Co will develop two new hotels with Universal Orlando as part of their long-term and successful joint venture partnership. The new hotels will be the latest branded collaboration for Loews Hotels & Co, which has achieved great success in managing themed concepts."This project is our largest investment to date in our joint venture that began almost 20 years ago," says Chairman & CEO of Loews Hotels & Co Jonathan Tisch. "We are excited to continue to partner and take part in the remarkable growth and transformation that is ongoing at Universal Orlando Resort."Set to begin opening in the summer of 2019, the hotels will feature a combined 2,800 guest rooms, including 1,450 two-bedroom suites designed to accommodate families of all sizes. Both options will be value-driven, with nightly rates starting below Universal's Cabana Bay Beach Resort and Universal's Aventura Hotel, which is scheduled to open in the summer of 2018.Guests will enjoy a seamless and convenient Universal Orlando experience with Early Park Admission to Universal Studios Florida, Universal's Islands of Adventure or Universal's Volcano Bay, complimentary transportation across the destination and resort-wide charging privileges.The 750-room and 2,050-room hotels will be located just minutes away from Universal Orlando's three theme parks and Universal CityWalk's dining and entertainment options. Amenities will include a combined three pools, two food courts offering breakfast, lunch, dinner and nearby coffee bars, plus poolside bars, fitness rooms, car rental facilities and more.Brought to life by the same Universal Creative team behind the incredibly-themed Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, Hard Rock Hotel, Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Loews Sapphire Falls Resort and Universal's Cabana Bay Beach Resort, these all-new options will be destinations unto themselves. Guests will enjoy the sun, surf and sand with a laid-back coastal feel. Towering exterior murals with vibrant and natural colors will set a free-spirited and beachy tone, inviting guests to hang loose throughout their stay.The hotels will be built on a 64-acre site at the intersection of Universal Blvd. and International Drive, and become the destination's seventh and eighth hotels. This continues the unprecedented growth ongoing at Universal Orlando Resort. The new hotels will bring the total number of guest rooms at the destination to 9,000 when combined with the forthcoming 600-room Universal's Aventura Hotel.Reservations will be accepted in early 2018.
Curtis joins the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate team from Atlantis Paradise Island Bahamas where he served as the vice president of group sales. Previously, he spent several years as director of sales and marketing for The Diplomat Beach Resort in Hollywood, Florida. There, he was responsible for managing all sales and marketing efforts during re-branding of the resort from Westin to Hilton. Prior to that role, Curtis held various positions with Starwood Hotels and Resorts for more than 20 years.
Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®) is making some key updates to its Friday evening event at its upcoming Annual Convention, an event the association has produced since 1952. The event, which offers essential educational and networking opportunities for hospitality finance and technology professionals, will feature a reformatted formal dinner program. Now called "HFTP's Annual Tribute to Success," the celebration will focus on recognizing the association and its outstanding members beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, October 27, 2017.
TownePlace Suites by Marriott Orlando at SeaWorld, managed by LBA Hospitality and owned by Mandala Holdings, is now open in the heart of the city"s magical attractions. Located across the street from SeaWorld® Orlando and right around the corner from Discovery Cove, Aquatica Orlando, Orange County Convention Center, Universal Studios and Walt Disney World, the hotel will serve travelers the utmost in hospitality in the city known as the number one meeting destination in the U.S. and the location for a record of 68 million visitors last year.
Hilton (NYSE: HLT) and Epelboim Development Group announced today a new development deal to build an all-new Tru by Hilton in Orlando, Florida, bringing the innovative, midscale hotel brand to a new market. The eight-story, 259-room hotel will be the largest Tru by Hilton property to date and will be located just south of the Orange County Convention Center.