Mountain Shadows Resort Scottsdale, Paradise Valley's upscale boutique resort situated between Camelback and Mummy Mountains, is pleased to announce the appointment of Yulissa Acosta as chef de cuisine of the resort's signature restaurant, Hearth '61.
The five-star Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, located in the heart of Beverly Hills, announces the promotion of Antonio Bugarin to general manager. Prior to his recent appointment, Bugarin served as the property's hotel manager for nearly five years.
Fairmont Dallas welcomes David Sher as general manager of the iconic Dallas Arts District hotel which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2019. Sher is returning to Fairmont Dallas after previously serving as Director of Operations at the property from 2015 to 2020. He joins the hotel's leadership team after most recently serving as the general manager of Fairmont Pittsburgh.
Olympia Hotel Management has announced that it has been selected to develop and operate a new hotel called The Crossroads Inn and its restaurant, The Salt Line, located on the campus of Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York.
Commonwealth Hotels is excited to announce the acquisition of the Residence Inn Houston-West University and the Courtyard by Marriott Houston-West University. Both hotels are centrally located in the Greenway Plaza- West University area, minutes away from Lakewood Church, HRG Park, the Houston Galleria, Rice University, and numerous upscale restaurants and nightlife.
The U.S. Travel Association is escalating the consequences of lengthy visitor visa interview wait times by launching Spanish and Portuguese language versions of the website USVisaDelays.com. It will be shared widely in key source markets abroad where potential travelers are experiencing extreme wait times—years-long in some cases—simply to apply to visit the United States.
Scheduled to open Spring 2023, bookings are now open for 21c Museum Hotels' newest.
Fenway Hotel in Dunedin, Florida, announced today the appointment of Clayton Parrett as its new Executive Chef. Parrett will direct daily culinary operations at the hotel's signature HEW Parlor & Chophouse and Hi-Fi Rooftop Bar. He will also oversee food and beverage operations for meetings, corporate events, local catering functions and special occasions in the hotel's 10,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space.
Shiji Group has announced that the 200th installation of Shiji's Infrasys Cloud point-of-sale recently went live at Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport in Orlando, Florida. Shiji and Hyatt originally began working together in 2019 after Hyatt selected Shiji’s Infrasys Cloud product to power systems at food and beverage outlets at select Hyatt properties.
Key Takeaways
OUTLOOK
CBRE raised RevPAR growth in 2023 from 5.6% to 5.8%. RevPAR growth will be fueled primarily by a 4.2% increase in ADR and a 1.6% increase in occupancy. Employment remains strong. Unemployment remained steady at 3.7% in November and is expected to increase further in 2023. CBRE expects higher and more persistent inflation. Inflation is expected to remain above the long-run average of 2.8% through 2024.
CURRENT TRENDS
RevPAR fell slightly as a percentage of 2019 in October. Most chain scales and location types experienced a slight pullback from post-pandemic highs as a percentage of 2019. Search trends softened in November. Google searches for future business and leisure travel pulled back in November. TSA throughput pulled back slightly. Transaction pricing remains stable. Transaction price per key for limited-service and full-service remained relatively stable despite increasing interest rates.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
The personal savings rate is near historic lows. As consumer credit card balances continue to climb, the personal savings rate is 2.3%. Profit increases are mitigating the rise in interest rates. Credit spreads have widened since before the pandemic from 240 bps to 386 bps, on average, while GOP margins are mostly exceeding 2019. International travel continues to drive growth. The mid-October reopening of Japan and continued easing of travel restrictions in China should fuel growth in 2023.
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Hotel Internet Services (HIS), a full-service provider of internet services and solutions for the hospitality industry, has announced the adoption of its GuestCast streaming solution by Best Western Inn at the Vines. A modern and stylish property that attracts a substantial number of upscale and business travelers, Best Western Inn at the Vines by partnering with HIS can now ensure a high quality in-room streaming experience that aligns with the heightened expectations of their guests.
ASSA ABLOY Global Solutions, a leading provider of advanced security technology for the hospitality industry, together with ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions, have announced the adoption of a range of innovative security access technologies by Hotel Marcel New Haven in Connecticut, USA. Part of the Tapestry Collection by Hilton and one of the few US-based properties set to earn LEED Platinum certification, Hotel Marcel New Haven’s installation includes VingCard door locks with Mobile Access by ASSA ABLOY Global Solutions, and an array of products by ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions, each serving to enhance the property’s commitment to enhanced sustainability and guest safety.
Cote Family Destinations is pleased to announce the appointment of Matthew Conn as the new director of food and beverage at Grand View Lodge Spa and Golf Resort. Located two hours north of Minneapolis, the resort offers nine restaurants across the 750-acre property, including signature steakhouse CHAR, and several popular annual culinary and wine events, including the upcoming de'Vine, which brings together wine industry leaders for a weekend of tastings, culinary classes, wine seminars and specialty dinners, scheduled for February 10-12, 2023.
Grand Hyatt Vail, Vail's premier ski-in/ski-out resort, is pleased to announce the appointment of Miki Hirakawa as spa director. A seasoned spa executive, Hirakawa brings proven expertise, caring leadership and enthusiasm to Grand Hyatt Vail. Joining Grand Hyatt Vail with over 18 years of spa experience within the global Hyatt Hotels team, Hirakawa is no stranger to the hospitality industry. Hirakawa started her Hyatt career at the Hyatt Regency Waikiki as a licensed aesthetician and later moved to the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa for corporate management training. In 2013, Hirakawa transitioned to Hyatt Key West where she spent her time as the spa and concierge manager and was later promoted to assistant spa director for Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach.
In his new role, Mr. Willoughby will oversee all facets of food and beverage operations at Hyatt Place New York Chelsea's dining venues, including The Breakfast Bar, The Placery lobby bar, The Market, and the upcoming, year-round outdoor terrace. Mr. Willoughby brings years of industry experience to lead the hotel's thoughtful blend of dining experiences, perfect for guests needing a quick meal before meetings to friends and family looking to relax and catch up with a round of custom cocktails.Mr. Willoughby studied corporate communications at Radford University and started his career in advertising and marketing. Soon after, Mr. Willoughby decided to pursue his passion of cooking, which he attributes to his grandmother. He gained knowledge at RUI Plaza NYC and Glory Days Grill (GDG), serving in a vast array of roles in the hospitality industry, including restaurant manager, bartender and bar manager.
Mr. Newman brings years of experience to his role with Hyatt Place New York, including over 11 years working with Hyatt Hotels brand. Within this new role, Mr. Newman will oversee all sales and marketing of the property in an effort to continue building revenue. A graduate of Johnson & Wales University with a Bachelor of degree in Hospitality Management, Mr. Newman recently served as the Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Blue Sky Hospitality Solutions. Prior to that, he served at a multitude of hotels management companies, including Millennium Hotels, InterstateHotels and Melia Hotels. He has held the DOSM position since 2003 at several hotels including Hyatt Regency Jersey City, Grand Hyatt New York, The Millennium UNPlaza, and INSIDE New York amongst others.
New Orleans’ hotel sector, which has historically been almost exclusively reliant on leisure and group business, including large numbers of international visitors, was hit especially hard in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As the Area Director of Leisure Sales for Salamander Resort & Spa in Middleburg, VA and Salamander Washington DC, Margaret Thwaites oversees travel industry efforts for Salamander's flagship property and its newest addition. She began working with the company over four years ago as Director of Global Leisure Sales, before working directly with Half Moon in Jamaica and Salamander Resort & Spa. Previously, she was National Director of Travel Industry Sales for Kessler Collection, Director of Sales and Marketing for The Cove Eleuthera in The Bahamas, and Senior Sales Manager at The Setai in South Beach, Florida. She launched her career in various travel industry sales roles with The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, which included Pentagon City, VA; and Coconut Grove, Key Biscayne and South Beach in Florida.
Olivia Gawronski joined Hotel Bennett, ranked by USA TODAY as the top luxury hotel in America, as Travel Industry Sales Manager from Montage Palmetto Bluff in Bluffton, SC, where she was the Leisure Sales Coordinator working directly with the nation's top travel agencies on a daily basis. Previously, she was the luxury property's Member Concierge, and launched her hospitality career as a Guest Services Agent, assisting with the opening of The Drayton hotel in Savannah Georgia.
Carly Cox is the new Area Director of Leisure Sales for Salamander's Caribbean properties, Aurora Anguilla and Half Moon, Jamaica. Most recently, Cox has held the Director of Leisure Sales role for The Reykjavik EDITION, opening the first luxury hotel in Iceland. Previously, she held several influential leisure sales positions with branded and independent hotels around the US, Caribbean, Mexico and Europe, most notably working as the Area Director of Sales for The Reserve Brand overseeing leisure sales efforts for Dorado Beach and Zadun during the COVID-19 pandemic.