Hotel News In Brief

Feb 11, 13 | 12:00 am

Some current conversation starters…

Hotels in Rio de Janeiro were the most expensive in the world last year at the equivalent of €185.80 a night, according to HRS.

This made them 7.6% more expensive than in 2011, and came against the background of preparations for the FIFA World Cup in 2014 and improved infrastructure, the hotel portal said. Rio pushed New York into second place, with an average room rate of €174.53 (-3.3%), ahead of Sydney with €171.22 (+9.8%), Seoul with €149.79 (+20%) and Zurich with €149.58 (-4.8%). London hotels were the third most expensive in Europe at €135.48, behind Zurich and Moscow at €145.75 (-3.3%), and tenth most expensive in the world. Hotels in London were 4.3% dearer than in 2011, ‘perhaps not as great an increase as first expected’, HRS said.

Hotel transactions and development have slowed in EMEA, but opportunities for acquisitions and brand expansion remain.

While certain gateway cities and markets buck the trend, overall 2013 is expected to be a challenging year for development as well as performance in most EMEA markets due to Europe’s economic troubles and the Arab Spring political turmoil. “The availability and price of debt finance will remain an issue across 2013 in EMEA, as stringent lending requirements endure and loan-to-value ratios remain low. This will happen across all segments,” said Ivar Yuste, a partner at the Madrid-based PHG Hotels & Resorts consulting firm. “Investors in EMEA remain cautious, faced with a more challenging macro-economic environment. Acquisition opportunities require now much more work per transaction since liquidity is scarce.”

Hôtel Plaza Athénée celebrates its 100th anniversary.

When Hôtel Plaza Athénée opened its doors on Avenue Montaigne in Paris on April 20, 1913, it epitomized the iconic Champs-Elysées and the surrounding area, creating a microcosm for the fashion set, international diplomats and discerning travellers around the world. Since then, the Dorchester Collection address has become one of the most iconic symbols of traditional French hospitality and Parisian glamour and will now celebrate its 100th Anniversary in 2013. Exclusive partnerships, thematic offerings, fashionable cocktails, cuisine and more will be available throughout the year, in order for guests to have the exceptional opportunity to celebrate with the legendary hotel in style.

Key Appointments in the Industry

Congratulations to these new appointments…

Turnberry Isle Miami, an Autograph Collection Hotel, announces Paige D. Koerbel as managing director of the Forbes four-star, 408-room resort & club. A distinguished leader and hotel veteran with over 30 years of hospitality experience, Koerbel is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the 300-acre retreat. Koerbel spent 33 years with Marriott serving in various roles including most recently general manager of Doral Golf Resort & Spa, formerly a Marriott property, where he led the property’s resort-wide renewal leading up to its 50th Anniversary in 2012. Koerbel’s previous positions also include regional vice president of Renaissance Hotels North America, Midwest general manager for Renaissance Hotels and also general manager for Marriott in Chicago, Detroit and Dayton, Ohio. The South Florida-resident has received numerous accolades throughout his celebrated career including General Manager of the Year twice with Marriott Worldwide as well as Leadership Excellence Awards.

Destination Hotels & Resorts announced today that Julie Duchin has been named director of national sales for the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast markets. Julie began working with the company in April of 2009 as the director of national accounts for Terranea Resort, a 582-room luxury resort that opened in June 2009 and is managed by Destination Hotels & Resorts. Julie now joins Destination’s six established national sales offices and will be located in Washington D.C. Her focus will be within the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions as well as select accounts in the Northeast. “Julie’s experience, expertise and professional relationships across a diverse cross section of corporate and national association business segments make her an ideal addition to our national sales offices across the country,” said Curtis Bova, vice president of sales for Destination Hotels & Resorts. While at Terranea Resort, Julie launched the resort with a focus on positioning and selling the resort experience in corporate segments including pharmaceutical, cosmetic, financial, insurance, investment, legal, incentive and some national associations on the East Coast and Canada.

The Latest in Hotel Openings

ME by Meliá will officially launch its flagship hotel, ME London, on March 1, 2013 – a design-led, lifestyle hotel located at the center of the capital’s diverse art and culture district. Foster + Partners’ first UK hotel project and the first for which they have designed all of the interiors and exteriors, ME London is situated on the former site of the Gaiety Theatre and adjacent to Marconi House, the original London home of BBC radio. The property has 157 guest rooms, including 16 suites and ultra-luxurious Suite ME, a two-story penthouse located in the turret of the building. All have sumptuous bedding, bathrooms with spa-like rain showers and premium amenities, as well as access to the hotel’s integrated digital media hub. The interiors fuse contemporary detailing and classic traditions, with a dramatic monochrome palette, as guests move from dark to light spaces.

Starwood Capital Releases Timeline for Openings of New Baccarat, 1 Hotels Brands. Shortly after divesting itself of four French properties, Starwood Capital Group announced the launch of two new hotel brands and five hotel openings with the new Baccarat Hotels & Resorts, a luxury brand, and the lifestyle eco-brand 1 Hotels & Resorts. The hotel openings are scheduled under the group’s hotel brand management company, SH Group. The initial five hotel openings will occur over the next 24 months and include: Baccarat Hotel & Residences New York, N.Y.; Baccarat Hotel Rabat, Morocco; 1 Hotel & Residences South Beach, Fla.; 1 Hotel Central Park, N.Y.; and 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge Park, N.Y.

The Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club in Southwest Florida completed its latest phase of renovations and enhancements. This $5-million phase includes the opening of a new Gulf-view ballroom with panoramic views of the Gulf of Mexico, Naples’ only beachfront ballroom. This phase also included the renovation of the remaining guestrooms in the resort’s Florida Wing, and the complete renovation of the resort’s Gulf-side meeting rooms and pre-function space. With the completion of these guestrooms, all of the resort’s 317 guestrooms and suites have been renovated and remodelled over the last three years. The 125-acre resort, which has 34,000 square feet of meeting space plus several outdoor venues, is Southwest Florida’s only resort directly on the beach with an on-site championship golf course, a spa and a tennis centre.

MARRIOTT International is set to debut its first Fairfield property in India, having signed a franchise agreement with GHJM Hotels for the Fairfield by Marriott in Surat, Gujarat. GHJM is the Indian subsidiary of US-based JHM Hotels. The hotel will be located within the campus of Auro University, which is partially sponsored by JHM Hotels, and will feature 150 guestrooms and suites, a restaurant, business centre, gym and a 279m2 banquet hall. It will be managed by JHM Interstate Hotels, a joint venture between JHM Hotels and Interstate Hotels & Resorts. “Marriott International is looking to open two to three Fairfield properties in India by the end of this year. This should be the next growth segment for Marriott in India. The brand falls in the three-star category and offers great quality and value,” said Kanika Hasrat, general manager, Courtyard by Marriott Gurgaon.