Hotel News In Brief

Jan 15, 13 | 12:00 am

Some current conversation starters…

World's safest airlines revealed.

Finnair is the world's safest airline, according to Europe's Jet Airliner Crash Data Evaluation Centre. It ranked Air New Zealand second, followed by Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific. British Airways was the highest ranking UK carrier, making it into 10th position. Virgin Atlantic came 15th, easyJet 17th, Thomas Cook Airlines 18th, Thomsonfly 26th and Ryanair 32nd. JACDEC collects and analyses safety occurrences from airlines around the world. The Safety Index ratings are calculated by comparing serious incidents suffered by airlines over the past 30 years to the revenue passenger kilometres they have flown over the same period. Airlines are also measured against other international safety benchmarks. No US airline made the top 20, Southwest Airlines coming in highest at No 21.

The Safety Index Top Ten:

1. Finnair
2. Air New Zealand
3. Cathay Pacific
4. Emirates
5. Etihad
6. Eva Air
7. Tap Portugal
8. Hainan Airlines
9. Virgin Australia
10. British Airways

Other rankings included Lufthansa (11), ANA (12), Qantas (13), Jetstar Airways (20), Qatar Airways (22), Air Asia (29), Singapore Airlines (30), Malaysia Airlines (35), China Southern Airlines (48), South African Airways (52), Thai Airways International (53), Air India (58) and China Airlines (60). Virgin Atlantic's proposed new partner Delta, which is planning to buy a stake in the UK airline, came 28th. In total, there were 496 fatalities on commercial flights last year, two fewer than in 2011. The number of hull losses (aircraft write-offs) was 44, one less than the previous year.

The hotel Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof plans to open a new spa next month with a program that specifically focuses on male guests.

Bangkok-based GOCO Hospitality will operate the 10,760-sq-ft (1,000-sq-m) spa. The Spa’s interior design, by Peter Silling & Associates, features warm shades of cream and brown with dark woods. The men’s area has a darker wood, while the barbershop draws inspiration from the 1920s. The men’s zone offers services like hair care, hot-towel shaves, facials and manicures. The spa suite provides a steam room, a pool with a whirlpool effect and other treatments and massages in a private setting. A mosaic hamam steam bath is available, as is a hamam ritual that includes traditional massage and body peeling in the scrub room. The spa also has a Finnish sauna, an herbal sauna, an ice fountain and hydro-massage showers.

To cater to the growing number of Chinese travellers, Langham Hospitality Group, Hong Kong, is introducing Ying, a group services program catering to guests from Mainland China via four approaches: Ying Specialties, Ying Welcome, Ying In-room and Ying Cuisine.

“In Chinese culture, ‘Ying’ is an auspicious word meaning ‘abundance,’” said Simon Manning, vice president – sales and marketing for Langham Hospitality Group. “Therefore, it’s only appropriate that the new program is specially designed to provide Chinese guests with an abundance of home comforts during their stay.”

Key Appointments in the Industry

Congratulations to these new appointments…

McKibbon Hotel Management, Inc. promoted Randy Hassen to president and Bruce Baerwalde to EVP of the company. Hassen will oversee the activities of all departments and will report directly to CEO Vann Herring. Hassen joined McKibbon in 1991 as a houseman at the Courtyard by Marriott in Athens, GA, while a student at the University of Georgia. He accepted his first general manager assignment as the opening GM of the Courtyard by Marriott Tampa North in 1995. In 1998, he opened the Courtyard by Marriott Tampa Downtown. He was promoted to director of operations in 2000, VP/operations in 2007 and SVP/operations in 2009.

Lowe Enterprises Hospitality Group and its subsidiary, Destination Hotels & Resorts, the fourth largest hospitality management company in the United States, announces the appointment of Russell Urban as Executive Vice President of Business Development and Acquisitions. Urban will lead Destination’s asset acquisition and business growth efforts, including sourcing and securing new management contracts. Urban brings more than 30 years of knowledge as a senior real estate professional to the Destination team with institutional, entrepreneurial and global experience in hospitality real estate acquisition, development, strategy, operations and financial management. He has demonstrated hotel acquisition expertise and a proven capacity to lead all aspects of complex hotel real estate acquisition and development projects. Most recently, Urban served as principal and senior vice president of acquisition and development for HEI Hotels and Resorts in Norwalk, Connecticut. He has also held leadership positions at leading hospitality companies including Marriott International, Hotel Partners, CapStar Hotels, Island Resort Collection and Urban Hotel Corporation. Mr. Urban is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and serves on alumni boards.

The Latest in Hotel Openings

The St. Regis San Francisco unveiled a new design for its lobby. Theresa Fatino was engaged to refresh the original design crafted by Yabu Pushelberg. The new design of the 4,660-square-foot lobby draws inspiration from the hotel’s neighboring cultural institutions, such as the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and The Palace of Fine Arts, as well as landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge. Interior design elements include new custom-designed chairs, sofas, rugs, art installations and lighting fixtures selected for their stylized clean lines and geometry. Hues of grey, silver, smoke blue, champagne, bronze, and black lacquer are meant to conjure the fog that often veils San Francisco.

Kalahari Resorts, which specializes in indoor water parks, has begun development for a $350 million, 150-acre complex here in Monroe County at Pocono Manor, tentatively scheduled to open by 2015. The project would include a resort with 450 luxury guestrooms and suites; a 100,0000-sq.-ft. indoor water park; a two-acre outdoor water park; a 65,000-sq.-ft. convention center; a 30,000-sq.-ft. indoor theme park/arcade; and 6,000 sq. ft. of retail space, including two full-service restaurants.

Marriott International, Inc today announced the opening of the 323-room Shanghai Marriott Hotel Pudong East under a long-term management agreement with Shanghai Hengchang Industry Co., Ltd. The Shanghai Marriott Hotel Pudong East offers 323 rooms and suites that feature scenic views of park, lake or canal of the surrounding area. The hotel provides business travellers with a full array of amenities and facilities to inspire them to perform better and stay connected with business partners, customers and family.

When Moët Hennessy took the bold move of developing its first major winery in China, it was looking not only for the vast country’s finest terroir, but also to create an iconic winery in the world’s fastest growing market for fine wines. The Chandon Nangxia Winery is a one-year build project scheduled for completion in June 2013, with construction budgeted for US$5.5 million or US$880 per sqm. Once complete, it will be a 6,300 sqm complex featuring a fully operational winery, fermentation cellars, technical tasting rooms and a luxury visitor centre.