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Hotel News In Brief

Jan 09, 07 | 8:46 am

Swiss-Belhotel International has appointed Christoph Voegeli as the General Manager of Hanoi Horison Hotel, Vietnam   Gavin M. Faull, President of Swiss-Belhotel International is pleased to announce that Mr. Christoph Voegeli joins Swiss-Belhotel International as General Manager of Hanoi Horison Hotel, Vietnam. Over the past 11 years, Mr. Voegeli has developed a wealth of experience in the hotel and hospitality industry and held senior positions across multicultural environments. He was formerly General Manager of Hotel Sanur Beach / Aerowisata Hotels and Resorts, Bali, Indonesia which is under Garuda Indonesia Group. Mr. Voegeli graduated from the Hotelfachschule Sudliche Weinstrasse in Germany.  He is of German nationality and speaks German, English, French and Thai. Swiss-Belhotel International manages over 20 hotels and projects in the Asia / Pacific region and has recently expanded its are of operations to The Middle East. 

Hotel Indigo Scottsdale, a fashion-forward, boutique-style hotel will kick off the new year by opening its doors Jan. 5. The 126-room, retail-inspired hotel, located near Scottsdale and Camelback roads, will represent the seventh location for the industry’s first branded boutique hotel experience from InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG). Everest Holdings LLC, a Scottsdale-based real estate company, invested approximately $17 million to bring Hotel Indigo to downtown Scottsdale. The branded boutique hotel is designed to appeal to lifestyle focused guests who desire affordable luxury, genuine quality and an alternative to traditional hotels. Hotel Indigo provides stylish accommodations and a personalized service experience in a unique and intimate atmosphere. It differs from most in its approach to bring nature inside urban spaces, creating a rejuvenating experience for hotel guests. Furnishings, art and a highly developed graphics-based interiors program stylishly produce a calming and inviting environment for guests. “Every aspect of Hotel Indigo is unlike anything the Valley has ever experienced before.” said Joseph Blackbourn, president and CEO of Everest Holdings. “It fills the void that exists in the market today between high-priced luxury hotels and lower-end affordable hotels.” The soul of Hotel Indigo’s branded boutique concept is “renewal” – thoughtful changes that are made throughout the year to keep the hotel fresh. The renewal concept provides even the most frequent guest a unique experience with every stay. Hotel Indigo Scottsdale features elements such as vivid murals, area rugs and plush duvets. Public spaces will also transform seasonally through changing artwork, music, flora, murals and directional signage. Each Hotel Indigo will be unique to its location. The Scottsdale hotel is set apart by its commitment to the local arts. Through its Arts and Culture program, Hotel Indigo Scottsdale has created lasting partnerships with Scottsdale Public Arts, local artists and Arizona State University’s Herberger College of the Arts.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.® announced the opening of The Westin® Colonnade Coral Gables in Coral Gables, Florida. The historic landmark hotel, located at the corner of Coral Way and Ponce de Leon, features 157 guestrooms and 23,000 square feet of meeting space, including the historic 6,000 square foot Rotunda dating back to the 1920’s. The hotel is owned by an affiliate of The Carlyle Group and is managed by Davidson Hotel Company under a long-term management agreement. As part of the conversion of the hotel, The Carlyle Group and Davidson Hotel Company together completed a $9.5 million renovation of the property.

InterContinental Hotels Group, the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms, announced today that a 217-room Crowne Plaza hotel in central Ohio has opened , after a $4 million conversion renovation. The Crowne Plaza Columbus-Dublin is owned by Dublin Metro Hotel LLC and managed by CWB Property Management Inc., under a license agreement with a company in the InterContinental Hotels Group.“The Crowne Plaza Columbus-Dublin is a welcome addition to our portfolio of hotels in Ohio, “ said Kevin Kowalski, vice president, Brand Management, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, North America. “We look forward to providing our industry leading meetings service and a great night’s sleep via our Sleep Advantage program to our guests in Dublin.” The hotel sits on 11 acres and is conveniently situated just off Interstate 270 between Frantz Rd. and Metro Place North. CWB Property Management Inc., the hotel’s Management Company, has invested $4 million in renovations to the three-story property: Enhancements to the hotel’s 13,000 sq.-ft. of meeting space including top to bottom updates to the Grand Dublin Ballroom All guest corridors will feature a new décor scheme with enhanced lighting The Dublin Metro Bar & Grill has added outside seating and will undergo a change to contemporary décor including plasma screen televisions Implementation of the Crowne Plaza Sleep Advantage Encompassing the entire sleep experience, from training staff on how to create and maintain a restful environment to providing innovative products and services Program components include new bedding, guaranteed wake-up calls, designated quiet zones, night lights, drape clips, sleep CDs, sleep tips and amenities such as eye masks, ear plugs and lavender spray  Additional upgrades taking place in the spring include renovations to the hotel’s main entrance.

Peter Kacheris has been appointed general manager of the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort. He brings more than 30 years of hotel experience, with great expertise in the Orlando area having served the past six years at the helm of properties in this market. He will oversee this award-winning 2,265-room resort and its 2,000 employees. Kacheris begins at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin at an exciting time, as the resort recently completed a $60 million redesign project which unveiled stunning new lobbies and public spaces, including a $500,000 contemporary art program. The transformation adds a fresh look to the resort’s entertainment architecture, which was designed by Michael Graves as a part of former Disney CEO Michael Eisner’s vision, while maintaining its original integrity. Select upper level guest rooms, which offer breathtaking views, will also receive a makeover and be converted into boardroom hospitality suites. Kacheris began his career with Marriott Hotels, holding positions in operations, sales and marketing. He served as the cluster general manager for the JW Marriott Lenox in Atlanta and as hotel manager for the Orlando World Center Marriott. Most recently, Kacheris was general manager for the JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes. In addition to his tenure in the travel industry, Kacheris has played key roles in major hospitality organizations in Central Florida. He served on the board of directors for the Orlando Convention and Visitors Bureau in 2004 and was president of the Central Florida Hotel and Lodging Association in 2005.

Wyndham Hotels and Resorts  today announced that is has expanded its presence in Texas, the state where the brand was founded, with new openings in Austin, El Paso and McAllen .“The Wyndham brand is well represented in Texas with properties in the Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Galveston and Arlington areas,” said Wyndham Hotels and Resorts President Peter Strebel.  “These three new, high-quality properties reflect the brand’s upscale positioning and round out our portfolio in the state. We are extremely pleased to welcome these first-rate hotels into our system.” The new properties represent 629 rooms near three international airports including Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, El Paso International Airport and McAllen International Airport.  The new hotels will feature prototypical Wyndham brand design elements created by the internationally acclaimed architecture firm, Michael Graves & Associates.  New brand design features include the Wyndham signature Smart Chair, a functional lounge chair that offers a comfortable place to sit, work, eat and watch television and features pivoting table arms and built-in jacks for Internet access and power; the brand’s new “Be Well” bed ensemble; specially designed guestroom items including coffeemaker, ice bucket and alarm clock/radio/MP3 player; and energy-efficient lighting packages designed to meet
guest expectations for better in-room lighting.

Wyndham Vacation Ownership announced the opening of Wyndham Waikiki Beach Walk -- the company's 13th Hawaii-based resort and first in Waikiki. The 195 unit timeshare property is a major component of the highly anticipated Waikiki Beach Walk complex -- the largest re-development project in the city's history. Wyndham Waikiki Beach Walk, which will be affiliated with the company's FairShare Plus portfolio of vacation ownership resorts, exceeded more than 3,000 individual pre- construction sales prior to opening. "We've seen a growing demand for timeshare resorts in premier resort locations so we're very excited to unveil Wyndham Waikiki Beach Walk in this highly sought after vacation destination," said Franz Hanning, Wyndham Vacation Ownership president and chief executive officer. "With more than 3,000 pre-construction sales, Wyndham Waikiki Beach Walk is already well on its way to becoming one of our most successful resorts ever." Formerly the OHANA Reef Towers hotel, Wyndham Waikiki Beach Walk is the culmination of an extensive two-year, $54-million renovation. Boasting the warm colors and tropical ambiance of the Hawaiian Islands, the resort features 195 units including 95 one-bedroom, 83 two-bedroom and 17 two-, three- and four-bedroom luxurious penthouse style Presidential suites. Situated within two 15-story towers, each unit features a fully equipped kitchen, whirlpool bath, washer/dryer and a flat-panel television with DVD player. The resort also offers owners and guests a variety of amenities including an expansive sun deck featuring an outdoor swimming pool and whirlpool spa, a spacious exercise facility, family recreation room and a computer library.

Benchmark Hospitality Inteernational has announced the appointment of Robert Boyle as vice president and general manager for Turtle Bay Resort, Benchmark’s offshore flagship property located on Oahu's famed North Shore.  Sam Haigh, president and chief operating officer, made the announcement. "I am very pleased to announce Bob’s promotion to vice president and general manager for Turtle Bay Resort," said Mr. Haigh.  "At his direction, the Benchmark team at Turtle Bay has dramatically improved the resort’s product offering and achieved record occupancy and revenue levels.  The property has also won numerous service awards and gained strong recognition in the leisure, group and local markets.  We congratulate him on these remarkable accomplishments!” Under Mr. Boyle's leadership as managing director of Turtle Bay Resort - the position he held just prior to his promotion, the property garnered numerous accolades, including, Travel & Leisure Golf magazine's "#1 Most Underrated Golf Resort in Hawaii", Meetings & Conventions Gold Key Award, Smart Meetings Readers Choice Platinum Award, Incentive magazine's Platinum Partner Award, Corporate & Incentive Travel's Award of Excellence, Resorts & Great Hotels Connoisseur's Choice, and the Honolulu Advertiser's "Best of the Best for Weddings" and "Best New Restaurant of the Year" award.  Boyle's first position with the property was as resort manager.