Hilton Worldwide expands its Business Immersion Program

CEO Chris Nassetta from his immersion program

Hospitality Business News - MCLEAN, Va. -- Hilton Worldwide has expanded its Business Immersion Program for its senior leadership group, which includes senior vice presidents and above. The program is designed to involve executives in the day-to-day operations of the company’s properties, build engagement with team members and ultimately result in findings that can enhance the guest experience.


Each executive will spend three days at one of Hilton Worldwide’s properties working alongside team members across several property-level functions including Catering and Events, Front Office Services, Engineering and Property Operations, Housekeeping, In-Room Dining, Laundry and Security.

The Business Immersion Program initially began as pilot program with the company’s Executive Committee and proved to be such an invaluable experience that it is now expanding across the entire Senior Leadership Group. Over the next three months, approximately 60 senior leaders will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the day-to-day operations of the hotel of their choice.

Omni to spend $273 million on Nashville convention center hotel

Omni Hotels has submitted an initial $273 million budget for the convention center headquarters hotel it plans to build, city officials told the Metro Convention Center Authority this morning.


The hotel would have at least 800 rooms, and Omni has committed to set aside large portions for convention groups based on meeting dates.

For example, if a convention is scheduled at least 36 months away, Omni will commit a block of at least 640 rooms, or 80 percent of the hotel, said Charles Starks, executive director of the existing convention center. The room block would get smaller for shorter lead times.

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Hampton Inn Discriminated Against Black Employees

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on Thursday filed a lawsuit against an Indianapolis Hampton Inn hotel, alleging that the business discriminated against black housekeeping employees.


According to the complaint, the general manager of the Hampton Inn at 2311 N. Shadeland Ave., told employees that she wanted Mexican workers instead of blacks because they would clean better and complain less.
 
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Glasgow Marriott hit with norovirus

A SUSPECTED outbreak of the norovirus stomach bug at a landmark hotel has led to sick guests being ordered to stay in their rooms.


Managers at the four-star Glasgow Marriott hotel were forced to take strict prevention measures after 15 guests and four staff were struck by the virus yesterday.

A team from the Greater Glasgow and Clyde Public Health Protection Unit were called in when guests began showing symptoms including diarrhoea and vomiting.

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$5,000 reported stolen from ATM machine at Naples Hilton

NAPLES — Naples detectives are trying to track down a thief who they believe broke into a hotel’s ATM and made off with more than $5,000.


An account executive for Southern Commercial Services, the ATM distributor, told authorities that he may have not locked the machine properly when he last serviced it in early September.

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Former Fairbanks hotel manager wanted in connection with theft

FAIRBANKS — The former manager of the Fairbanks Comfort Inn has been accused of stealing more than $100,000 from the hotel by writing fraudulent checks to himself for more than a year.


Todd Eric Nathanson, 33, was charged with felony theft. A warrant was issued for his arrest Thursday after police discovered he had moved to Anchorage.

According to charging documents, Nathanson used hotel checks to pay his $1,600 monthly rent from July 2009 until August 2010, as well as dozens of other fraudulent checks for cash to himself or his secretary.

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Ramada Opens Managed Hotel in Bangkok

The Wyndham Hotel Group, the world's largest hotel company and owner of Ramada Hotels and Suites, is opening a new hotel in Bangkok - making it the company's first managed Ramada hotel in the Asia Pacific region.

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Sol Melia to open second London hotel

The Spanish chain has acquired a building in Holborn, near Trafalgar Square, and will open the hotel in 2012.


The ME London will offer 173 rooms in four different categories and a 730sqm convention centre.

The hotel will also offer restaurants and bars and will be Sol Meliá’s second hotel in London, joining the Meliá White House.

Accor hotels test including TripAdvisor reviews on hotel websites

Global hotel company Accor is adding TripAdvisor hotel reviews to some of individual hotel websites - a step that hotel companies have generally resisted out of fear that nasty comments could discourage potential customers.


Travel technology tracker Tnooz.com reports that while Accor's keeping the pilot program quiet for now, Accor execs are considering a wider launch and an official announcement at a later date.

Accor's brands span from the budget friendly Motel 6 chain to the luxury Sofitel chain. Others include Novotel, Grand Mercure and Ibis.

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McDonald's May Drop Health Plan

McDonald's Corp. has warned federal regulators that it could drop its health insurance plan for nearly 30,000 hourly restaurant workers unless regulators waive a new requirement of the U.S. health overhaul.

The move is one of the clearest indications that new rules may disrupt workers' health plans as the law ripples through the real world.


Trade groups representing restaurants and retailers say low-wage employers might halt their coverage if the government doesn't loosen a requirement for "mini-med" plans, which offer limited benefits to some 1.4 million Americans.

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DineEquity In Preliminary Pacts To Refranchise 86 Applebee's

DineEquity Inc. (DIN) said it has reached three preliminary deals to refranchise a combined 86 company-owned Applebee's restaurants, continuing its effort to move to a franchisee operating model.


Since IHOP bought Applebee's in 2007 to form DineEquity, the company has been selling company-owned Applebee's restaurants to help pay down debt. As of June 30, it had total debt of about $2.2 billion.

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