Hotel News in Brief

Nov 13, 12 | 12:09 am

Some current conversation starters...

Marriott International and The J. Willard & Alice S. Marriott Foundation, the Marriott family's private foundation, announced Thursday that each will contribute US$250,000 for a total donation of US$500,000 to disaster relief from Super storm Sandy.

Half will be donated to the American Red Cross to help meet immediate community needs that will broadly benefit Marriott associates, their families, friends and neighbours. An additional US$250,000 is earmarked for longer-term recovery efforts. Currently two Marriott-branded hotels and one Ritz-Carlton hotel remain closed in New York. These hotels are working diligently to reopen as quickly as possible.

The first hospitality project for Venus Williams and her firm, V Starr, is two presidential suites at InterContinental Miami.

The 3,000-sq-ft (307-sq-m) suites each include a master bedroom, living room, dining room, multimedia room and kitchenette. The Royal Palm suite has a Floridian palette of oranges, yellows and whites; the name alludes to one of the first hotels in the area. The Metropolis suite, which is named for Miami's first newspaper, has tones of gray and tan. Décor in the Metropolis suite includes the front page of the first paper printed.

Key Appointments in the Industry

Congratulations to these new appointments...

Revel Chief Executive Officer Kevin DeSanctis announced today that Darlene Monzo will join the resort's management team as senior vice president, Marketing, pending CCC and DGE approval. With more than 25 years in the casino industry in most major markets including New Jersey, Nevada and Pennsylvania, Ms. Monzo brings a wealth of marketing knowledge and experience related to all aspects of marketing with a focus on casino marketing. In her new role, Ms. Monzo will oversee Revel's casino marketing, database marketing, Revel Card program and relationship marketing executive programs. Most recently, Ms. Monzo worked as vice president, marketing for Parx Casino in Bensalem, PA. In that position, she was responsible for all aspects of marketing strategy and positioning with a focus on casino marketing, database marketing, player development and slot marketing. Ms. Monzo also worked at Trump Entertainment Resorts and Tropicana Casino & Resort prior to joining Marketing Results, Inc., a gaming database marketing firm.

The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited (HSH), a Hong Kong-listed company and owner and operator of the Peninsula Hotels, announced the transfer of Mr. Nicolas Beliard to be General Manager of The Peninsula Paris (effective 1 January 2013). Aged 46, Mr. Nicolas Beliard is a French national and is currently General Manager of The Peninsula Bangkok. He will be transferred to The Peninsula Paris as General Manager on 1 January 2013. Mr. Beliard joined HSH in 2009 as Resident Manager of The Peninsula Hong Kong. In May 2010, he was promoted to be General Manager of The Peninsula Bangkok. Born in France and educated in the USA, Mr. Beliard possesses a Bachelor of Arts degree from Princeton University, a Master of Business Administration degree from Crummer Graduate School of Management and a Master of Management in Hospitality degree from the Cornell School of Management. He began his career in St. Tropez, France and progressively took on senior positions with international luxury hotels, including the Four Seasons hotels in New York, Paris, the West Indies and Geneva, The Waldorf Astoria and The Pierre hotels in New York, as well as Mandarin Oriental hotel in Miami. In his new capacity, Mr. Beliard will be overseeing the launch of the 200-key Peninsula Paris, HSH's tenth Peninsula hotel and the first Peninsula hotel in Europe, which is due to open in late 2013.

The Latest in Hotel Openings

Gallery Hotel in Barcelona overhauled. The Gallery Hotel designed five Deluxe rooms, dedicated for clients looking for sophistication, and five e-rooms, designed for those who want technology. Also, the property opened a new bar called The Gallery Space.

London's Café Royal, which had been an event venue, a brasserie, and home to the National Sporting Club since its 1865 opening, has morphed into a luxury hotel with a soft opening set for December 4. The new Café Royal, the second member of The Set - Alfred and Georgi Akirov's new contemporary hotel collection, consolidates three properties: the original Café Royal, County Mark House, and the Oddenino Hotel. David Chipperfield Architects oversaw the four-year project. The 159 guestrooms and suites feature oak floors, copperlight doors, and historical details. Among the six suites is the Empire Suite, which includes a private massage room, and the Dome Suite, which is located under the building's copper dome and includes two terraces with views of Piccadilly Circus and Big Ben.

Fairmont Scottsdale Princess completes $60M upgrade.The improvements coincide with the resort's 25th anniversary in December 2012. The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess is owned by a joint venture between Strategic Hotels & Resorts Inc. and Walton Street Capital. The resort's renovation strategy is the innovation of Strategic Hotels, which also serves as the resort's asset manager.