A plan to berth an 1,100-room cruise ship in North Vancouver for use as a floating hotel during the Olympic Games appears to be in serious danger of sinking.
Edmonton-based Newwest Special Projects - which has marketed the Norwegian Star to Games visitors for the past nine months - said in a statement over the weekend that sales have been disappointing while expenses have increased beyond expectations. It said it is negotiating with its partners to try to lower costs and keep the project alive.
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Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Website's list of dirtiest hotels provokes anger
They are the grubby prison cells away from home, the matchbox-size rooms with the peeling wallpaper and foetid sheets – at least according to the on-line reviews. But how bad are they really?
The hotel industry is growing increasingly concerned at the power wielded by internet sites such as TripAdvisor, on which often excoriating – yet anonymous – notices are posted that can destroy an establishment's reputation. It comes after hoteliers reacted with fury, claiming their businesses were damaged, after being included in a list of the 10 "Dirtiest Hotels" in the UK, released to publicise the site.
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The hotel industry is growing increasingly concerned at the power wielded by internet sites such as TripAdvisor, on which often excoriating – yet anonymous – notices are posted that can destroy an establishment's reputation. It comes after hoteliers reacted with fury, claiming their businesses were damaged, after being included in a list of the 10 "Dirtiest Hotels" in the UK, released to publicise the site.
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Credit Suisse takes over Gansevoort South in Miami Beach
The owners of Gansevoort South lost the Miami Beach hotel to lenders on Thursday as the troubled condo-hotel conversion couldn't find a buyer for an $89 million loan.
An affiliate of Credit Suisse took possession of the 334-room hotel after no bidders stepped up at a New York auction to buy the debt.
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An affiliate of Credit Suisse took possession of the 334-room hotel after no bidders stepped up at a New York auction to buy the debt.
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Don't Use the R-Word: Hotels Find Trick to Business Bookings
To attract business conferences in these tough times, some luxury resort hotels have resorted to a sort of strategy of last resort: They're dropping the very word "resort" from their names.
The Ballantyne Resort in Charlotte, N.C., changed its name during the summer to the Ballantyne Hotel & Lodge after several corporate clients indicated it would have a better chance of landing their business if it weren't called a resort. Same for the Westin Stonebriar near Dallas, formerly the Westin Stonebriar Hotel & Resort. Ditto the Renaissance Orlando at Sea World, no longer the Renaissance Orlando Resort at Sea World.
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The Ballantyne Resort in Charlotte, N.C., changed its name during the summer to the Ballantyne Hotel & Lodge after several corporate clients indicated it would have a better chance of landing their business if it weren't called a resort. Same for the Westin Stonebriar near Dallas, formerly the Westin Stonebriar Hotel & Resort. Ditto the Renaissance Orlando at Sea World, no longer the Renaissance Orlando Resort at Sea World.
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7 things I hate about posh hotels
How did we get to this? How did it become acceptable for hotels to get away with all this without us complaining? Why do we fail to bat an eyelid? We’re the guests. We’re the paying customers. And, until Ryanair opens its first hotel, we should be afforded some respect. Here are the practices widespread in the hotel industry that need to change. If they don’t, we’ll revolt. Or, at the very least, we’ll fill out a customer-satisfaction form in a slightly negative way.
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Cybercrime Checks Into The Hotel Industry
Over the past year America's hotels have had some uninvited guests: a wave of increasingly sophisticated invasions by organized cybercriminals.
That's one finding of a report that cybersecurity researcher Nicholas Percoco plans to present Tuesday at the Black Hat security conference in Arlington, Va. His data shows a spike in hacking incidents that successfully targeted hotels and resorts, what Percoco describes as relatively unprotected sources of thousands or even millions of credit card account details.
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That's one finding of a report that cybersecurity researcher Nicholas Percoco plans to present Tuesday at the Black Hat security conference in Arlington, Va. His data shows a spike in hacking incidents that successfully targeted hotels and resorts, what Percoco describes as relatively unprotected sources of thousands or even millions of credit card account details.
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Friday, January 29, 2010
MGM Mirage Willing to Bow Out of Borgata
For years, New Jersey regulators have raised concerns about the suitability of casino company MGM Mirage's business partner in China. Now, MGM Mirage has an answer: cash out of Atlantic City.
The company plans to divest its 50% stake in the Borgata casino resort, a person with knowledge of the negotiations said this week. Although it has been scouting for buyers it hasn't come to a deal, according to two people with knowledge of the talks.
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The company plans to divest its 50% stake in the Borgata casino resort, a person with knowledge of the negotiations said this week. Although it has been scouting for buyers it hasn't come to a deal, according to two people with knowledge of the talks.
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Judge to Harrah’s: Turn over records on high roller’s intoxication claims
A Clark County District Court ruled today that Harrah's Entertainment must turn over records to attorneys representing a high roller who allegedly owes $14.7 million in gambling debts.
Terrance Watanabe alleges Harrah’s Entertainment not only kept him drunk but provided him drugs to induce his massive gambling losses.
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Terrance Watanabe alleges Harrah’s Entertainment not only kept him drunk but provided him drugs to induce his massive gambling losses.
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Thursday, January 28, 2010
Carl Icahn scoops up Fontainebleau Vegas project
Billionaire Carl Icahn will pay 8 cents on the dollar for the bankrupt Fontainebleau Las Vegas, a project with a $2 billion construction tab. The response from developer Jeff Soffer: The financial world turned on me.
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Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Phuket hotels lose US$300 million - report
PHUKET – Industry-wide discounting by Phuket hotels cost the industry on the island US$300 million in room revenue in 2009, according to the Phuket Hotel Market Update report compiled by leading Thailand consultancy C9 Hotelworks.
Room rate cuts averaged 20% across the board last year, leading to the loss compared to 2008 room revenue. Despite tourism arrivals rebounding back to 2007 levels, a key blow to fundamental hotel metrics hit profit margins.
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Room rate cuts averaged 20% across the board last year, leading to the loss compared to 2008 room revenue. Despite tourism arrivals rebounding back to 2007 levels, a key blow to fundamental hotel metrics hit profit margins.
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Sir Rocco Forte secures future of his hotels with new bank loan
Sir Rocco Forte confirmed this week that a new financial arrangement to ensure the future operation of his 13-strong luxury hotel company had been secured.
“We have agreed a new facility with the Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS), with whom we are very pleased to continue to have a strong and supportive relationship,” said Forte, chairman and chief executive of the Rocco Forte Collection.
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“We have agreed a new facility with the Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS), with whom we are very pleased to continue to have a strong and supportive relationship,” said Forte, chairman and chief executive of the Rocco Forte Collection.
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Wyndham To Launch Ramada, Days Inn In Singapore
Wyndham Hotel Group's Ramada and Days Inn brands will enter Singapore with the development of two hotels: the 391-room Ramada Singapore at Zhongshan Park and the 405-room Days Hotel Singapore at Zhongshan Park.
Both new-build properties will be developed by HH Properties Pte. Ltd., a joint venture between niche property development group, Hiap Hoe Limited, and SuperBowl Holdings Ltd., an owner and manager of leisure and commercial properties. Construction will begin early this year and the hotels are expected to open in 2014.
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Both new-build properties will be developed by HH Properties Pte. Ltd., a joint venture between niche property development group, Hiap Hoe Limited, and SuperBowl Holdings Ltd., an owner and manager of leisure and commercial properties. Construction will begin early this year and the hotels are expected to open in 2014.
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Papa Murphy's Pushes Through 2009 with Highest-Ever Sales, Store Count and Franchisee Satisfaction
VANCOUVER, Wash. – January 27, 2010 – Amidst one of the toughest years the restaurant industry has ever endured, Papa Murphy's International today announced that its total U.S. systemwide sales grew to $630 million in 2009, up over 7% from 2008. The take ‘n' bake pizza pioneer ended the year with 1,185 locations, opening 83 in 2009. Same-store-sales were up more than 2%, while most industry watchers estimated the pizza category to be down about 7%.
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McDonald's in beef over trademark with Chicago teen
Since 2007, Chicago teen Lauren McClusky has coordinated McFest, an annual charity concert featuring high school and college bands to benefit the Chicago chapter of Special Olympics.
She has raised about $30,000 so far.
But after she went to register the name with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in 2008, McDonald's Corp. filed a challenge. In its petition last August, it claimed her use of the McFest name would be linked to the chain, which has already registered a "Mc" family of trademarked words including Mc$ave, McButton, McRule, McFree and plain old Mc.
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She has raised about $30,000 so far.
But after she went to register the name with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in 2008, McDonald's Corp. filed a challenge. In its petition last August, it claimed her use of the McFest name would be linked to the chain, which has already registered a "Mc" family of trademarked words including Mc$ave, McButton, McRule, McFree and plain old Mc.
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O'Charley's Inc. Closes on $45 Million Credit Facility
O'Charley's Inc., a leading casual-dining restaurant company, announced today that it has entered into a $45 million secured revolving credit facility, which matures on August 1, 2013, and amends and restates the Company's existing secured revolving credit facility that was scheduled to mature on October 18, 2011.
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