Hotel News In Brief

Jan 04, 13 | 12:00 am

Some current conversation starters…

UK's hotel chain Premier Inn has revealed that the Christmas festivities led to an array of gifts being left behind by their guests, including 18 Christmas jumpers, a pair of tickets to VIVA Forever, a set of diamond earrings and even a One Direction fan’s 'Future Mrs Styles' t-shirt.

The list of lost property from this December also includes a set of Little Mix dolls, Bradley Wiggins’ autobiography, a Furby (still talking!) and 17 copies of this year’s bestselling book, 50 Shades of Grey. Alongside the array of presents, Premier Inn team members also found 25 rolls of leftover wrapping paper, 137 blank Christmas cards and two homemade Christmas cakes. Claire Haigh, head of communications for Premier Inn, said: "We are surprised at the variety of gifts that our team members have discovered in the hotels this festive season. Christmas day may be over, but we will continue to spread the festive joy by going the extra mile to ensure that these presents are returned to their rightful owners."

Following a small electrical generator fire on December 24, 2012, Palm Island Resort is pleased to announce that it will reopen on January 15, 2012.

The electrical generator fire which occurred on Christmas Eve resulted in a loss of electrical power on the island. Thankfully, no one was injured and the fire was confined to the back-of-the-house generator area, away from guest accommodations. In-house guests were relocated to resorts on nearby islands, including St. Lucia and Barbados. Guests who were scheduled to arrive prior to January 15 2013 have been contacted and offered the opportunity to re-book for future dates. Palm Island’s management and staff have been working quickly to obtain new electrical generators and restore power to the island. Based on their efforts, Palm Island is now scheduled to reopen on January 15, and as such, guests scheduled to arrive from that date onwards will be welcomed to Palm Island, and normal operations will resume.

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and NYC & Company CEO George Fertitta have announced that New York City brought in a record 52 million visitors in 2012, a new all-time high and a 2.1 percent increase over 2011, despite the economic effects of Hurricane Sandy.

The official CVB of the Big Apple announced a tourism-related economic impact of about $55.3 billion and a direct spending reaching $36.9 billion. The agency says that a record 29 million hotel rooms nights were sold, generating a record $504 million in hotel tax revenue.

Hospitality and tourism employees also benefited. NYC & Company says that the average annual earnings in this sector are higher than $52,000 - about $7,000 more a year than average earnings in the entire local economy.

Key Appointments in the Industry

Congratulations to these new appointments…

Daniel Chidley, one of the country's brightest young marketing talents, has taken on the role of account director with golf and travel marcomms specialist The Azalea Group. Chidley, 27, who has been identified as a "future marketing leader" by the Marketing Hall of Legends (UK), joins from Dartmouth Golf & Country Club (DGCC), where he spent five years as sales and marketing manager. He is a chartered marketer and a full member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, indeed he was the fifth youngest member nationally when he joined in March 2011. During his tenure at DGCC he achieved significant sales increases within three years and, within the core element of the business - golf and leisure short breaks - increased both accommodation income and the number of room nights substantially within four years. He also conceived and founded the innovative, highly profitable and award-winning South Devon Golf Tour.

Home Inns & Hotels Management Inc. a leading economy hotel chain in China, today announced the appointment of Mr. Yi Liu as an independent director and co-chairman of the board of directors of the Company, replacing Mr. Yunxin Mei, effective on January 1, 2013. Mr. Mei will remain as a senior consultant to the Company following his retirement. Mr. Liu is the vice chairman and CEO of Beijing Tourism Group, whose main business includes hotel management, travel agency services, retail sales, catering services, auto services, sightseeing destinations and real estate development. Mr. Liu also serves as the chairman of Beijing Summer Palace Hotel Co., Ltd., which is the owner of a high-end boutique hotel, Aman at Summer Palace. In addition, Mr. Liu also serves on the boards of several other companies, including China CYTS Tours Holding Co., Ltd., Century Securities Co., Ltd., and Poly Victory Investments Limited. Previously, Mr. Liu served as chairman of Beijing Capital Tourism Co., Ltd, a listed company on China's A-share market, chairman of Beijing Shouqi Group Co. Ltd, and chairman of BTG International Travel & Tours. Mr. Liu led the successful listing of Beijing Capital Tourism Co., Ltd on China's A-share market in 2000 and the restructuring of New Yansha Group and Xidan Shopping Center, entities formerly owned by Beijing Capital Retailing Group Co. Ltd., another listed company on China's A-share market in 2010. Mr. Liu graduated from the International School of Science and Tourism in Italy and received his EMBA degree from Tsinghua University in China.

The Latest in Hotel Openings

The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel has added a new class of guestroom and a new farm-to-table steakhouse. The new fireside guest accommodations have an outdoor fireplace on a private patio to create a cozy atmosphere for guests who want to sit and look out over the ocean or the coastline of the California hotel.

The Abbey Resort & Spa, located on the shores of Lake Geneva, Wis., will undergo a nearly $2 million renovation in 2013 with plans approved by the Village of Fontana on Dec. 27. As the iconic resort turns 50, The Abbey is working with lead designers from BSB Design, Inc., Lowell Management Services, Inc. and Whitespace Interiors, LLC to create a refreshed experience both inside and out. Lowell will begin construction in early January 2013.

Hilton Worldwide opened its first hotel here in Fujian province: DoubleTree by Hilton Putian. The twelfth DoubleTree by Hilton property in China, the hotel offers 337 guestrooms; including 23 suites, three restaurants, a lobby lounge, a fitness center with a heated indoor swimming pool and a spa.

ReardonSmith showcased the Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane, where the company was the lead architect with responsibility for architectural planning and design, interior design detailing and on-site design compliance in the multi-million dollar rebuilding of the property. The objective of the renovation was to increase the asset value of the building. It was the first time that the building had been entirely stripped back to its structure, a move said to be necessary to facilitate a major upgrading of all the services and also enabling the re-planning of virtually every part of the hotel. The project also included a two-story glazed extension, newly modelled garden suites with conservatories, a new lift core and new kitchens.

Not only can Intercontinental Hotels now tick a box for being the brand's first resort-style property in Australia, but it's the first for them in Queensland as well. Formerly a Hyatt Regency, the rebranded InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort is tucked away in the yacht marinas of Hope Island on the Gold Coast. Along with close proximity of the famous beaches of Surfers Paradise or the tranquil hinterland, the 5-star resort features lagoon, garden and golf course views for its guests.