Brands such as 21c Museum Hotels are going beyond hospitality to become cultural hubs in the communities where they operate, Renata Parker writes. Examples include showcasing work by current artists, and sourcing food for their restaurants from local farmers.
A third all-suites brand aimed at business travelers will join the InterContinental Hotels Group portfolio. Atwell Suites will bring IHG's total brands to 17.
The US leads with 12 selections in the new listing of the world's 41 best hotel rooms by Forbes Travel Guide. Seventeen countries are represented in the rankings, which are drawn from as many as 900 standards of luxury.
Eight hospitality leaders gathered in a recent roundtable to discuss strategies for meeting new challenges ranging from home-sharing to wellness and co-working spaces. Key takeaways included rethinking of public space, emphasis on experience and personalization.
Starting Aug. 9, Taco Bell will offer a limited-time hotel in Palm Springs named The Bell: a Taco Bell Hotel and Resort, which it describes as a "Tacoasis in the desert" with a brand-themed experience. A 15-second spot teases the hotel, which Global Chief Brand Officer Marisa Thalberg says "stands to be the biggest expression of the Taco Bell lifestyle to date."
A Louisiana Senate committee has approved House-passed legislation to allow a local vote in October on whether to raise taxes on short-term rentals in New Orleans by up to 6.75 percentage points. The measure, which now goes to the full Senate, is part of a fund-raising plan to pay for infrastructure upgrades.
