Front Desk

• Best Western unveils extended-stay prototype
  Best Western International has revealed details of its upcoming extended-stay product. The concept involves a three-to-four-story building that would fall into Best Western's Plus or Premier tiers and comprise 85 rooms measuring as much as 500 square feet. Developers have the choice of designing 20% or more of such a structure's rooms as extended-stay. HotelNewsNow.com (10/12), HotelWorldNetwork.com (10/12)     

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Business Update

• Ryman Hospitality will target group-oriented hotels for growth
  Ryman Hospitality Properties plans to expand its portfolio as a newly formed real-estate investment trust through acquisitions of hotels that focus on the group segment, says Mark Fioravanti, the company's executive vice president and chief financial officer. The company's experience in the group and meetings segment will be a benefit in managing group-oriented hotels, Fioravanti says. "Our management team, being a management team that built the Gaylord Hotels brand and spent the last 11 years in the meetings business [segment], have a deep understanding of what the meetings segment's needs are," he said. HotelNewsNow.com (10/12)     

• Other News

• Swissotel to open luxury hotel in Changsha, China
  SpaOpportunities.com (U.K.) (10/11)     

• Carlson Rezidor cancels rebranding of a Hyatt Regency in Mich.
  Travel Weekly (10/12)     

Market Trends

• Guest expectations are likely to drive more in-room safes
  The market for room safes at hotels in the U.S. is expected to expand as international travel traffic continues to surge along with guests who carry electronic devices. "In the U.S. there's still a very high percentage of guestrooms that don't have safes," said John Foley, a sales vice president at Safemark Systems. HotelWorldNetwork.com (10/11)     

• Add-on fees in the travel industry continue to spread
  Hotels, cruise lines and car-rental companies are increasingly exploring the potential revenue gains from unbundled service fees, this feature says. In the hotel industry, paid in-room Internet services are gaining wider acceptance. "I don't foresee it changing. I think that if, in the marketplace, if the hotel thinks the customer will pay for it, they will continue to do it," said Joe McInerney, president and CEO of AH&LA. USA TODAY (10/15)     

• Asia-Pacific hotel market is thriving in slow economy
  Despite a sluggish economy, Chris Nassetta, president and CEO of Hilton Worldwide, says the Asia-Pacific market still offers growth potential. He joined other executives at the 23rd annual Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific to discuss the future of the market. Jim Abrahamson, CEO of Interstate Hotels & Resorts, said the region was largely dominated by five-star accommodations, but would shift toward more four-star establishments. HotelNewsNow.com (10/11)     

• Hotels teach mixology arts ahead of holiday season
  Mixology courses at the Riviera Maya in Mexico, the Hotel Bel-Air in California and the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel Chicago teach guests how to put together delicious cocktails as the holidays approach. At the Riviera Maya, guests can learn how to make drinks with fresh fruits and vegetables. The Radisson Blu Aqua offers classes on how to prepare classic cocktails. HotelChatter (10/11)     

Hot Topics

Top five news stories selected by AH&LA SmartBrief readers in the past week.

• Pop-up hotel concept is increasing in popularity (HotelNewsNow.com)

• La Quinta puts 46 properties on the market (HotelNewsNow.com)

• Innovation is key to luxury sector's recovery, executives say (HotelNewsNow.com)

• Host Hotels posts wider loss in third quarter (MarketWatch)

• TravelClick reports future growth in hotel rates, occupancy (HotelsMag.com)

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

Best Practices

• Hotel experts weigh in on link between rates and online ranking
  Hotel operators and other experts give mixed views on whether high rankings on TripAdvisor are an indicator of underpricing, according to a sampling of responses gathered by consultant Daniel Edward Craig. "I don't think that price is an issue, but rather perceived value for money. In other words, people will happily pay a high rate if they believe that the service/accommodation/etc. warrants it," said Barbara Pezzi of Fairmont Raffles Hotels International. 4Hoteliers (10/11)     

Development

• Westin New York Grand Central opens after $75M renovation
  The former New York Helmsley Hotel in Manhattan, N.Y., has reopened as the Westin New York Grand Central after undergoing renovations worth $75 million. The upgrade involved a redesign of the property's 774 rooms, fitness studio and meeting space. TravelPulse (10/12)     

• 3 companies submit casino applications for Springfield, Mass.
  MGM International, Ameristar Casinos and Penn National Gaming have submitted applications for a casino license in Springfield, Mass., meeting the Thursday deadline set by city officials. On the same day, Penn National disclosed details of its proposed $807 million gaming facility in the city. The company's plan calls for construction of a 300,000-square-foot casino and hotel, which would house up to 3,500 slot machines and about 100 table games. The Boston Globe/The Associated Press (tiered subscription model) (10/11)     

• Other News

• Opening of Ritz-Carlton, Aruba, is slated for late next year
  Travel Weekly (10/11)     

AH&LA News

• Professional certification for every facet of hospitality

  Widely recognized as the leader in hospitality certification, the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute supports and encourages the certification of hospitality professionals at every level of their career. To explore the range of professional certifications available, call 888-575-8726 or visit www.ahlei.org/certification.     

• Get new supervisors up to speed
  Supervisory skills can help employees move quickly up the ladder to career success. The newly published fifth edition of Supervision in the Hospitality Industry (Ninemeier/Kavanaugh) available from the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute, includes access to additional online learning for key supervisory skills. For more information, visit www.ahlei.org.     

SmartQuote

I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night." --Galileo Galilei, Italian astronomer, philosopher and physicist