November 15, 2010
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Boutique Business Comes of Age
Chip Conley joked the opening of the Waikiki Edition in early October was the lovechild of Bill Marriott and Ian Schrager, but the strange marriage between the two lodging icons who couldn’t be any more opposite signals how far the boutique and lifestyle segment has come. ...
Sage CEO Discusses Joint Venture, Industry
When Encore Hospitality bought the Hilton College Station (TX) last month, it brought together the commercial real estate firm with one of the top hotel management companies, Sage Hospitality. Sage had been managing the property for the previous owner, while Encore was in the process of looking for an operating partner to help fuel future growth....
Protect Yourself From Incompetent Management
As more and more hotels head toward foreclosure and bankruptcy, owners and lenders are looking to remove incompetent operators in order to improve their property’s financial operating results. Hotels are complicated businesses requiring highly skilled management necessary to generate profitable operating results....
FEATURES
Homewood Suites Tops 300 Hotels, Readies New Brand
These are heady times for Hilton’s Homewood Suites brand. In the past few months, the upscale extended-stay chain opened its 300th property and snagged a seventh J.D. Power award as top brand in its segment. And, more importantly, the system is riding a streak of 25 straight months of market share gains. Hilton is also gearing up for next month’s opening of the first Home2 Suites by Hilton, the company’s midscale counterpart to Homewood....
Valona More Than a Concierge
It’s not easy talking to James Valona in the lobby of the Iron Horse. The manager of desires can’t go more than a couple minutes without getting interrupted by a hello or some good-natured ribbing from a fellow employee or guest. The 28-year-old has held the odd sounding job title for the Milwaukee boutique hotel since it opened two years ago. ...
DESIGN PERSPECTIVE
An Introduction to LEED Certification for Hotels
LEED-certified hotels and buildings stand out in today’s marketplace. They not only provide benefits for the environment and reduce operating costs gained from energy efficiencies and utility cost savings, but also attract a growing population of eco-conscious customers. ...
