Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort plans to start 2021 in style with the opening of the new luxury hotel, Hotel Effie Sandestin. Facing setbacks due to COVID-19 that delayed the 2020 opening, Hotel Effie is now confirmed to open February 1, 2021.
Hawks Cay Resort, an iconic destination resort in the Florida Keys, announces the appointment of Anna Lawrence as the resort's new director of sales. Having worked in various properties throughout the Florida Keys for nearly a decade, Lawrence brings a deep understanding of the local market and experience implementing innovative sales campaigns. In her new role at Hawks Cay Resort, Lawrence will lead a new sales initiative to promote and support groups and events post pandemic. The first phase of the program launches this week with a new online portal where meeting planners can connect with a resort representative from the comfort of their own home for a virtual tour.
The highly anticipated 243-room waterfront Luminary Hotel & Co. officially opened its doors today, making its long-awaited debut in downtown Fort Myers, Florida. Opening in conjunction with the new 12-story Luminary Hotel are three of its featured food and beverage outlets - Ella Mae's Diner, Dean Street Coffee, and the Lobby Bar. The hotel's signature Silver King Ocean Brasserie, and Beacon Social Drinkery rooftop lounge, will both open later this fall. Other key features include The Workshop, an innovative culinary laboratory; an indoor and outdoor fitness facility; and a spacious pool area on the fourth floor, with an event deck overlooking the Caloosahatchee River. Luminary Hotel & Co. is the fifth Mainsail Lodging & Development property in the prestigious Autograph Collection® of Marriott International, and the first Autograph hotel in the Fort Myers-Naples area.
JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort & Spa is pleased to announce the appointment of Vibeke Sansone as Director of Sales & Marketing. In her role at the newly opened luxury hotel, Sansone will develop strategies to establish JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort & Spa as a leader in the marketplace through the development of future and repeat business as well as a trailblazer in local business, namely the food and beverage outlets and leisure business. A longtime sales professional, Sansone brings more than 30 years of hospitality industry expertise to JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek. After earning her bachelor's degree in hospitality administration at the Danish Hotel and Restaurant Institute in Copenhagen, she began her career at JW Marriott Century City, Los Angeles as Director of National Accounts. She has served in Sales Leadership roles in several Marriott Branded properties including Ritz-Carlton and Renaissance in Los Angeles, New York City, Florida, Mexico and the Caribbean. Most recently, Sansone served as Director of Sales & Marketing at the historic Vinoy® Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club.
Brick streets. Large, spacious courtyards. Ornate globe street lamps. Legendary cigar factories. Free roaming roosters. Historical architecture. Rich multicultural roots. Ybor City, the landmarked district just northeast of downtown Tampa - one of the City's most celebrated neighborhoods - will soon have a hotel with a vibrant character to match: Hotel Haya. The property, which officially opens on Sept. 24, is the latest to be unveiled by Kevin Robinson and Mario Tricoci of Aparium Hotel Group, whose award-winning properties include Kansas City's Crossroads Hotel, Detroit Foundation Hotel and Minneapolis' Hewing Hotel, to name a few.
Infinity Hospitality today announces the early 2021 opening of Esmé Miami Beach, a unique boutique hotel located along Miami Beach's historic pedestrian plaza, Española Way. Originally built as a 1920's artist village, the Spanish-Mediterranean revival property is comprised of eight buildings featuring 145 hotel rooms and five original food & beverage concepts. Nestled alongside a collection of the street's time-honored restaurants and cafés, Esmé will bring a new style of chic escapism to the Magic City, by raising the standard and not following it.
Mondrian South Beach, the waterfront oasis on Miami Beach's Biscayne Bay, announces a $20 multi-million dollar property-wide transformation. First opened in 2008, the bayside retreat is again setting out to redefine trends with a new modern tropical look, feel, and experience. Located on West Avenue with direct marina access, the 220-room property is now accepting reservations starting November 16, 2020. The renovation is being led by hotel partners Russell Galbut of Crescent Heights and Chairman of Norwegian Cruise Line and Michael S. Liebowitz CEO and Founder of Harbor Group Consulting.
In preparation for its reopening on October 1, 2020, the Shelborne South Beach is taking steps to ensure the safety of its guests and staff with the launch of their new "cleaned with confidence" seal of assurance. The hotel has been closely monitoring the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization's statements regarding the COVID-19 and is working hard to ensure that all guidelines on hygiene and cleanliness are met, using cutting-edge EMist equipment to clean guestrooms and public areas, while also deploying hand sanitizers.
A new soft opening date has been set for the 243-room waterfront Luminary Hotel & Co. in downtown Fort Myers
From one vacation destination to another, Nantucket's White Elephant resort will welcome a sister property in Palm Beach on November 4, 2020. The 32-room White Elephant Palm Beach is housed in the former Bradley Park Hotel - originally constructed in 1924 as one of the first resorts on Palm Beach's Main Street. During its century-long history, it was initially owned by Colonel Edward R. Bradley, who ran a private and celebrated Beach Club casino on land that is today Bradley Park. For more than 20 years, the hotel served as a magnet for business tycoons and high rollers who frequented the salon. Over the decades that followed, the hotel remained a mainstay for seasonal visitors. In 1980, in part to its architectural significance, the hotel was listed with the Landmark Preservation Commission.
Hilton's (NYSE: HLT) innovative hotel brand, Tru by Hilton, today announced the opening of its latest property, Tru by Hilton Orlando Convention Center. The 259-room hotel, located at 6461 Westwood Boulevard, is owned by Epelboim Development Group and managed by Highgate. The new hotel is conveniently located near the Orange County Convention Center and centrally located between Walt Disney World, SeaWorld and Universal.
Douglas Rodriguez joins Aparium Hotel Group as the Executive Chef for Hotel Haya, a boutique hotel in the famed neighborhood of Ybor City in Tampa, Fla., slated to open in September. Rodriguez will oversee Flor Fina, a coastal Mediterranean restaurant and a Cuban-inspired cafe, Café Quiquiriqui, in addition to the hotel's in-room dining and events programs. Known as "The Godfather of Nuevo Cuisine," Rodriguez brings over 30 years of experience in the food and beverage industry with a heavy focus on Latino cuisine. His culinary creativity has transformed the image of Latino food in award winning establishments across New York City, London, Philadelphia, Coral Gables, among many others. His talents have earned him the prestigious James Beard Foundation's Rising Star Chef of the Year Award in 1996 as well as additional nominations for Best Chef in South Florida in 2008 and 2009. Rodriguez's culinary craft and personality has also found its way into the homes of millions of Americans through his participation on the first season of Top Chef Masters on Bravo and many appearances on national programs including The Late Show with David Letterman, Good Morning America, The Today Show, and CBS Weekend This Morning. A native of Miami and son of Cuban immigrants, Rodriguez studied at the prestigious culinary program at Johnson and Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island.
Gregory Viaud has recently been appointed as the new Resort Manager at Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort. Viaud joins the Orlando property from Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center, where he served as Hotel Manager. A 16-year veteran of Four Seasons, Viaud has travelled the globe with the company, working at properties in London, Bora Bora, Maui, Bali and Los Angeles, in addition to Philadelphia.
Radisson Hotel Group today announced the signing of Radisson Hotel Miami Beach. The hotel will offer 216 guest rooms and suites. With its exceptional oceanfront location, guests will have endless opportunities to relax in the outdoor pool or walk around the beautiful butterfly garden. Those looking for more entertainment can visit the sundeck, which will host special events and poolside barbeques. Prior to opening its doors in Q4 of this year, the property is undergoing a multimillion dollar renovation to further enhance the guest experience with state-of-the-art amenities and services.
Extended Stay America, Inc. (NASDAQ:STAY), the largest mid-priced extended-stay hotel brand, announced today the opening of the Extended Stay America - Titusville - Space Center - in Titusville, Florida.
Mountain Shore Properties (MSP), a Charleston, South Carolina-based developer, is planning to open a new Hyatt House hotel in Tallahassee's Railroad Square Art District. The upscale, extended stay Hyatt House Tallahassee Capitol - University is currently under construction and scheduled to open in February 2021.
Executive Chef Kiel Lombardo will direct daily culinary operations at the hotel's signature Silver King Ocean Brasserie and Ella Mae's Diner, as well as the Beacon Social Drinkery rooftop lounge. With more than 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Lombardo was most recently with RL Hospitality Consulting out of Tampa, Florida, where he consulted on restaurant design and concept branding. Lombardo has also held positions as chef owner/creator at Platt Street Borough and Roy's Restaurant where he trained with James Beard award-winning chef Roy Yamaguchi. Lombardo graduated from the Culinary & Hospitality School (formerly New Hampshire College) in Manchester, New Hampshire.
As the newly appointed Director of Food & Beverage, Steve Adams will oversee all aspects of the hotel's food and beverage planning and services, including menu development and the preparation and presentation of food and drinks. Adams will also plan, coordinate, and oversee special events in the hotel's 8,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space. A hospitality veteran of more than 30 years, Adams joins Luminary from Callaway Resort & Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia, bringing his extensive experience in operations, and executive budget, sales, and inventory development.
Luminary's new Director of Rooms Operation Robert Nokley will be responsible for direct supervision of the hotel's housekeeping, front office, valet parking, loss prevention, and engineering departments. During his 13-year career in hospitality, Nokley has crisscrossed the country as Front Office, Operations, and Housekeeping Manager at several notable properties, including JW Marriott Las Vegas Resort, Spa and Golf; and Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort and Spa, and Orlando World Center Marriott in Florida. He received his Hotel Administration degree from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and was most recently Opening Front Office Manager at the Gaylord Rockies Resort and Convention Center in Aurora, Colorado.
Lindsey Appelget has been appointed Director of Finance and will oversee the areas of finance, project accounting, and hotel operational accounting. With more than a decade of experience, Appelget joins the Luminary team from the Bohemian Hotel Savannah Riverfront, where she worked as Director of Finance. She began her career as Controller at Ventana Canyon Golf & Racquet Club and Resort in Tucson, Arizona, later taking the Opening Controller position at Plunge Beach Hotel in Lauderdale by the Sea, Florida. Before moving to Savannah, the Western Michigan University graduate was Complex Director of Finance at Doubletree by Hilton Convention Complex in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where she expertly managed three separate business units.