| News for luxury hospitality professionals |  |
| Check-in
|  |  |
|
- Accor will overhaul organizational model for European operations
Accor Hotels will adopt a new brand-based organizational structure for its hotels in Europe starting Jan. 1, the company says. The new model affects Accor's eight European hotel chains -- Ibis, Ibis Budget, Ibis Styles, Novotel, Suite Novotel, Mercure, MGallery and Pullman -- which total nearly 2,000 properties. "This organization structure will enable us to develop first-rate specialists in each market segment and rely on teams that are entirely focused on their brands and have perfect knowledge of both their customers and their competitors," said Yann Caillère, president and chief operating officer. TravelPulse
(12/9)
| The Concierge Desk
| | |
|
- Fairmont adds honeymoon registry program
Couples who book their honeymoons at a Fairmont location can use the Fairmont Hotels & Resorts Honeymoon Registry Program to request gifts. Instead of receiving traditional wedding gifts on their big day, couples can receive spa treatments, tee time and more at the resort. Luxury Daily
(12/10)
- Celebrity Cruises will launch "Modern Luxury" marketing strategy
Celebrity Cruises is looking to target customers who will be ideal for its "Modern Luxury" marketing campaign. The strategy targets three types of cruisers along with geographic areas including New York City and Atlanta. The goal of the upcoming strategic plan is "getting the prices for our product that our travel partners and even our guests say that we deserve," said Dondra Ritzenthaler, senior vice president of sales. Travel Weekly
(12/7)
| Hospitality Trends and Technology
| | |
|
- Lagging group demand, rates may be temporary, TravelClick says
Data released by TravelClick show flat growth of -0.1% in group occupancy for North American hotels during the fourth quarter of 2012 through the third quarter of next year. The group segment's average daily rate during the same period showed poor growth as well, at 1.6%. However, the group advises operators to hold off from making drastic price changes. "The first step is to see if the declines in new sales that we're seeing are temporary or if they are an indicator of a drop off in demand," said Rao Avasarala, a vice president at TravelClick. HotelNewsNow.com
(12/7)
- Mindful massage, designer fitness top 2013 spa trends
A mindfulness massage, during which people use breathing and mindfulness along with a therapist's touch, is one of the top trends for 2013, according to SpaFinder Wellness. Other trends for the year include ayurveda, "brotoxing" (men receiving botox injections) and designer fitness programs. Skin Inc. magazine
(12/2012)
| Spotlight on Development
| | |
|
- New looks for 3 San Diego County luxury hotels
The Rancho Valencia in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., is one resort in the San Diego region that recently underwent a makeover. The owners invested $30 million into the 45-acre resort, which boasts a yoga pavilion and wine cave. The La Valencia Hotel and the Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa, both in La Jolla, are undergoing renovations. San Diego Union-Tribune
(12/8)
| International Update
| | |
|
- Singaporean wealth fund will acquire Paulson resort portfolio for $1.5B
A joint venture led by Paulson & Co. will sell a portfolio of four luxury resorts to the Government of Singapore Investment Corp. for $1.5 billion. No competing offers emerged at a planned bankruptcy auction for the properties last week, leaving the Singaporean sovereign wealth fund as the winning bidder. The properties to be sold are the Grand Wailea resort in Maui, Hawaii; the Claremont Hotel & Spa in Berkeley, Calif.; the La Quinta Resort & Club in La Quinta, Calif.; and the Arizona Biltmore Hotel in Phoenix. American City Business Journals/Honolulu
(12/6)
, Bloomberg
(12/5)
| Check-out
| | |
|
- Could the world's finest coffee come from an elephant?
Priced at $500 per pound, Black Ivory Coffee is the world's most expensive brew -- but it may not be the most appetizing because it is "processed" in elephants. "When an elephant eats coffee, its stomach acid breaks down the protein found in coffee, which is a key factor in bitterness," said Blake Dinkin, who developed the coffee. "You end up with a cup that's very smooth without the bitterness of regular coffee." Detroit Free Press/The Associated Press
(12/7)
| Luxury Hoteliers News
| | |
|
-
Training and development manager
A luxury resort in the Maldives is looking for a training and development manager with experience working on an island, cruise ship or remote high end environment. Read more.
-
Do hotels need to go green for their guests?
Consumer demand is moving more toward energy-friendly, healthier choices, and the hotel market is no different. Guests expect more from their hotel when it comes to being environmentally aware, and some hotels are leading the way. Read more.
| SmartQuote
| | |
|
 | Alas for those that never sing, But die with all their music in them."
--Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.,
American physician, writer and poet
|
| |
| |
|
Read more at
SmartBrief.com |
|
|
|
| |
| |
| | Recent
SmartBrief on Luxury Hoteliers Issues:
- Friday, December 07, 2012
- Thursday, December 06, 2012
- Wednesday, December 05, 2012
- Tuesday, December 04, 2012
- Monday, December 03, 2012
| | | Lead Editor:
Angela Giroux-Scheide
Contributing Editor:
Kristen Fischer
Mailing Address:
SmartBrief, Inc.®, 555 11th ST NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20004 | |
| |
|
| © 1999-2012 SmartBrief, Inc.®
Legal Information |
|
