Hotel News In Brief

Dec 13, 12 | 12:09 am

Some current conversation starters…

Accor on Tuesday launched a women’s network, Women at Accor Generation, to help the company reach gender equality objectives, which include 50% women hotel managers worldwide with an intermediary target of 35% by 2015.

The network is open to both women and men, and aims to have 3,000 members on five continents by 2015. Women at Accor Generation is chaired by Sophie Stabile, Accor’s global chief financial officer. Its activities are mainly based on mentoring, sharing of experiences and training, as well as on the creation and collaboration through networks, with the aim of promoting greater access by women to managerial positions. The network also intends to act as a source of Accor, Courcouronnes, France, business proposals. “There are more female graduates than male graduates, and yet women are under-represented in corporate managerial positions,” said Sophie Stabile, Accor’s global chief financial officer. “We know that mixed teams are more innovative and more efficient. Women at Accor Generation aims to give women confidence in their potential, to embolden them, and to accompany them as they take this approach.”

Property giant Lend Lease has won A$2.5 billion (US$2.6 billion) in contracts to develop an entertainment and convention complex, as well as 900-room hotel at Sydney's Darling Harbour.

About A$1 billion (US$1.05 billion) will be spent on a Public Private Partnership (PPP) to create the convention and entertainment complex. Separately, more than A$1.5 (US$1.55 billion) billion will be spent to develop the hotel, 1,400 apartments and student accommodation on an adjacent parcel of land. The Lend Lease-led Destination Sydney consortium – including AEG Ogden, Spotless, Hostplus and Capella Capital – will design, construct, finance, maintain and operate a new convention, exhibition and entertainment facilities to be called Convention Centre Sydney.

October was a solid month overall for Las Vegas visitation.

Month-over-month, visitation was up 2.9 percent to 3.5 million over October 2011's total of 3.4 million. Year-to-date, Las Vegas visitation rose 1.9 percent, bringing the total number of 2012 visitors thus far to 33.6 million, according to the monthly Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority count released Friday. With just two months left to count in 2012, Las Vegas may yet reach its goal of 40 million visitors . The previous year-end high was 39.2 million visitors in 2007, and 2011's year-end total was 38.9 million.

Key Appointments in the Industry

Congratulations to these new appointments…

Turtle Bay Resort, the landmark property on Oahu’s North Shore, has appointed Jeffrey R. Perkins director of operations. Danna Holck, vice president and general manager, made the announcement. Jeffrey Perkins was previously the director of housekeeping for the St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort in Puerto Rico, which was awarded Five Diamonds during his tenure there. Prior to this, he held the title of director of rooms for the Trump Ocean Club International Hotel & Tower, Panama City, Panama. Mr. Perkins has held leadership roles for major hospitality brands throughout his career, including The Ritz Carlton. He has served at landmark resorts in California, Florida, Michigan, Virginia and Puerto Rico.

Two-Michelin-starred chef Simon Rogan is to take over the management of two restaurants at the Midland Hotel in Manchester. The chef-proprietor of L’Enclume in Cartmel, Cumbria, and Roganic in London, will take over the running of the former Michelin-starred French restaurant as well as the hotel’s second, larger bar and dining room, which is currently called the Colony. Rogan’s appointment coincides with a £400,000 investment taking place at the Midland Hotel. This will include a complete refurbishment of the 50-seat French, which will close in January and reopen late in February. The modern revamp will incorporate the Grade-II listed room’s historic features. At the French, Rogan will serve his renowned L’Enclume-style cuisine focused on British only ingredients. The second, larger restaurant, which is yet-to-be-named, will seat around 150 diners and offer a more casual menu not exclusively based on British ingredients.

The Latest in Hotel Openings

Add India to the select roster of countries that are home to a GHM property. The exclusive management group last week unveiled plans for The Aayu Mumbai, a 42-suite luxury hotel and setting for India’s first restaurants by the world’s most decorated chef Joël Robuchon, and culinary star Hide Yamamoto. The property is scheduled to open in December 2013. The Aayu Mumbai will claim the top five floors of Kohinoor Square’s Central Tower, the tallest commercial building in the city. The all-suite hotel overlooks historic Shivaji Park and offers views of the Arabian Sea to the west, and the island mainland to the east. Spread over a 5-acre parcel of land and towering 203 metres above the Dadar area of Mumbai, Sandeep Shikre & Associates (SSA Architects) in Mumbai and US-based GKK Works collaborated to design the 50-storey Kohinoor Square complex of office, commercial, retail and residential space that is poised to dramatically redefine the skyline of India’s most populous city. Interior designer Jaya Ibrahim, who previously partnered with GHM on The Legian Bali, The Chedi Muscat and The Nam Hai, will lend his award-winning aesthetic to The Aayu’s spaces, including its 42 suites ranging in size from 65 to 155 square metres.

Hilton Worldwide is set to further strengthen its presence in Egypt following the signing of a management agreement with Delta for Tourism & Hotels Company to introduce a new Hilton hotel to the city of Alexandria. Hilton Worldwide is set to further strengthen its presence in Egypt following the signing of a management agreement with Delta for Tourism & Hotels Company to introduce a new Hilton hotel to the city of Alexandria. The new 158-room Hilton Alexandria Corniche, a conversion property, is expected to open as a Hilton branded hotel in 2013 and will be Hilton Worldwide’s 19th property in Egypt and it’s second in Alexandria. Hilton Alexandria Corniche will enjoy a prime location in one of Alexandria’s most upscale districts on the city’s Corniche. Surrounded by stylish residences and boasting views of the beachfront and Mediterranean Sea, the property will feature two large function rooms, four meeting rooms, a business centre, three restaurants, two of which will be speciality, and two bars. Leisure facilities will include a health club & spa, private beach and an outdoor pool.

Marriott International on Friday announced that it is set to debut its Courtyard by Marriott and Fairfield Inn by Marriott brands in Brazil. The brands will be introduced to South America’s largest country as part of a three-hotel deal with Aldemir Dadalt, owner and president of real estate development company Prisma Engenharia SA, Joinville, Brazil. Under the deal Marriott will open a 165-room Fairfield Inn by Marriott in Porto Alegre and in Curitiba a 160-room Fairfield Inn by Marriott and 158-room Courtyard by Marriott. The two Fairfield by Marriott hotels are set to open in the first half of 2014 before the World Cup. The Courtyard by Marriott hotel in Curitiba is scheduled to open in early 2015.