A local court in the Anatolian province of Sivas has ordered the confiscation of the Madımak Hotel, where 37 people, mostly Alevis, were killed in 1993 in a fire started by an Islamic mob, news agencies reported Tuesday.
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Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Hong Kong to host eye-watering 900 US dollar meal
HONG KONG — Famously relaxed with conspicuous consumption, Hong Kong is set to host a dinner costing nearly 7,000 Hong Kong dollars (902 US dollars) per head, according to one of the city's hotels.
US-born chef Thomas Keller is being flown in by the Mandarin Oriental to cook for 450 diners -- in what the hotel says will be Hong Kong's most expensive meal this year.
A top-priced, 11-course dinner during Keller's November 29 to December 2 stay will set gourmands back 6,888 HK dollars each, excluding service. Slightly more frugal diners can enjoy lunch for just over 2,000 HK dollars.
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US-born chef Thomas Keller is being flown in by the Mandarin Oriental to cook for 450 diners -- in what the hotel says will be Hong Kong's most expensive meal this year.
A top-priced, 11-course dinner during Keller's November 29 to December 2 stay will set gourmands back 6,888 HK dollars each, excluding service. Slightly more frugal diners can enjoy lunch for just over 2,000 HK dollars.
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15 Tunes Hotels to be Opened in London, UK
A group of experienced investors have formed a new company, Raag Hotels Limited ("the Company"), with committed initial equity capital of £38m, to develop a chain of budget hotels in London operating under the Tune brand. The Company has exclusive rights to operate Tune Hotels' franchised properties in London and plans to acquire or develop 15 Tune Hotels providing 1500 rooms and investing over £100 million in the business over the next 5-7 years.
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Former Singapore hotel manager sentenced to jail, caning
SINGAPORE: A former general manager of Hotel Grand Central was sentenced to jail and caning on Tuesday for various offences including molest and forgery.
Forty-five-year-old Tan Hwa Kok was also fined for accepting a bribe and intentionally helping the management of a Marina Square Chinese restaurant employ two foreigners without valid work permits.
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Forty-five-year-old Tan Hwa Kok was also fined for accepting a bribe and intentionally helping the management of a Marina Square Chinese restaurant employ two foreigners without valid work permits.
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Can Italian Coffee Major Push Starbucks Into A Corner?
There has been a widespread wall street optimism especially in the Food and Beverage sector after Starbucks (SBUX: 30.40 -0.47 -1.52%) impressive quarter results announced last week, but with the coffee major has publicly announced its willingness to part ways with Kraft Foods Inc (KFT: 30.23 -0.32 -1.05%) and the upscale Italian coffee company, IllyCaffe SpA, making inroads onto Starbucks Corp.’s turf by serving coffee to well-heeled travelers in upscale hotels is now being seen as two potential moves that could shake up the single-cup coffee market in U.S. grocery stores.
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Judge says Pittsburgh hotel can become a Wyndham
U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Jeffery A. Deller today cleared the way for the former Pittsburgh Hilton to become a Wyndham Grand hotel.
Lender BlackRock Financial Management Inc. had opposed the switch to Wyndham, arguing that the chain is inferior to Hilton.
The former Hilton has been struggling to make ends meet without a hotel flag, according to lawyers for Shubh Hotels Pittsburgh LLC, owner of what is now called the Grand Pittsburgh Downtown.
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Monday, November 22, 2010
Hooters restaurant opens in Cardiff
Hooters, the American founded restaurant famous for its hotpant-clad hosts, has opened in Cardiff.
After a failed feminist campaign against the licence for the new food outlet, the high-energy restaurant today opens its doors as the first of its kind in Wales – complete with 56 Hooters Girls.
We went along to the VIP opening event which saw the Hooters Girls – uniformed in orange shorts and tight Hooters trademark vests – test out their newly learned dance and chant routines.
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After a failed feminist campaign against the licence for the new food outlet, the high-energy restaurant today opens its doors as the first of its kind in Wales – complete with 56 Hooters Girls.
We went along to the VIP opening event which saw the Hooters Girls – uniformed in orange shorts and tight Hooters trademark vests – test out their newly learned dance and chant routines.
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Hotwire Reveals Hotel Rate Report for November 2010
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 22, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Hotwire.com®, a leading discount travel site, today announced the results of the November 2010 Hotwire® Hotel Rate Report. The report features the top five cities in North America where hotel rates have dropped the most and the top five cities where rates have experienced the biggest price increase. While one report guides customers to the destinations that will maximize their travel dollars, the other helps inform travelers when using Hotwire to save money will be even more essential.
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Londons' Hoxton Hotel Owner Explores Sale
The owner of the Hoxton Hotel, located on the outskirts of London’s main financial district, are exploring a possible sale of the venue that may raise as much as 67.5 million pounds ($108 million).
Knight Frank LLP was appointed as adviser during the process and expressions of interest have been received, owner Bridges Ventures Ltd. said today in a statement.
The hotel has 208 bedrooms, seven meeting rooms and the Hoxton Grill restaurant. It was established in 2006 by co-owner Sinclair Beecham, who also helped found the sandwich chain Pret A Manger.
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Knight Frank LLP was appointed as adviser during the process and expressions of interest have been received, owner Bridges Ventures Ltd. said today in a statement.
The hotel has 208 bedrooms, seven meeting rooms and the Hoxton Grill restaurant. It was established in 2006 by co-owner Sinclair Beecham, who also helped found the sandwich chain Pret A Manger.
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Pebblebrook Hotel Trust Acquires the Sheraton Delfina Santa Monica Hotel
BETHESDA, Md., Nov 22, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Pebblebrook Hotel Trust /quotes/comstock/13*!peb/quotes/nls/peb (PEB 18.33, 0.00, 0.00%) (the "Company") today announced that it has acquired the boutique-style Sheraton Delfina Santa Monica Hotel for $102.8 million. The 310-room, upper-upscale, full-service hotel features over 10,000 square feet of meeting space, two food and beverage outlets and is located in Santa Monica, California, just minutes from the beach and all of Santa Monica's leisure attractions. The property will continue to be managed by the Viceroy Hotel Group. The transaction was funded by the Company entirely with available cash.
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Expedia and Wyndham Hotel Group Sign Long-Term Agreement
BELLEVUE, Wash., Nov. 22, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Expedia, Inc. /quotes/comstock/15*!expe/quotes/nls/expe (EXPE 25.82, -0.05, -0.18%) , the world's largest online travel company, today announced it has signed a long-term global agreement with Wyndham Hotel Group /quotes/comstock/13*!wyn/quotes/nls/wyn (WYN 28.89, +0.00, +0.01%) , the world's largest hotel company with nearly 7,200 properties in 65 countries worldwide. Under this renewed agreement, Wyndham Hotel Group will continue to be available on more than 90 Expedia(R) and Hotels.com(R) sites in over 60 countries, as well as on more than 10,000 active affiliate sites through the Expedia Affiliate Network.
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Sunday, November 21, 2010
Harrah's Shelves $531 Million IPO
Harrah’s Entertainment Inc., the world’s biggest casino operator, terminated its $531 million initial public offering, the first private equity-backed company to pull its U.S. IPO in six months.
Harrah’s, taken private by Apollo Global Management LLC and TPG Capital in a leveraged buyout in 2008, canceled its sale because of “market conditions,” according to the Las Vegas- based company’s statement today. The postponement was the first from a private equity-backed company since Americold Realty Trust, owned by billionaire Ron Burkle’s Yucaipa Cos., shelved its offering in May, data compiled by Bloomberg and Greenwich, Connecticut-based Renaissance Capital LLC showed.
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Harrah’s, taken private by Apollo Global Management LLC and TPG Capital in a leveraged buyout in 2008, canceled its sale because of “market conditions,” according to the Las Vegas- based company’s statement today. The postponement was the first from a private equity-backed company since Americold Realty Trust, owned by billionaire Ron Burkle’s Yucaipa Cos., shelved its offering in May, data compiled by Bloomberg and Greenwich, Connecticut-based Renaissance Capital LLC showed.
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Pay-to-play infects Chicago beer market
The Wit Hotel in the Loop is a trendy hangout for the after-work and weekend crowd. Clubbers dressed to the nines party year-round on its 7,000-square-foot rooftop and, 27 stories below, in the State & Lake bar off the lobby.
The boutique hotel also is on the front line of Chicago's brutal—and at times illicit—battle over beer.
When the Wit opened in 2009, bar managers stocked State & Lake's 16 taps with an impressive selection of microbrews, including Stone, Anderson Valley, Two Brothers and Metropolitan, a new hometown brand.
Then, in June, most of the craft beers from smaller distributors disappeared,, replaced by 11 specialty brands carried by Chicago Beverage Systems LLC, a powerhouse distributor of Miller, Coors and other labels.
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The boutique hotel also is on the front line of Chicago's brutal—and at times illicit—battle over beer.
When the Wit opened in 2009, bar managers stocked State & Lake's 16 taps with an impressive selection of microbrews, including Stone, Anderson Valley, Two Brothers and Metropolitan, a new hometown brand.
Then, in June, most of the craft beers from smaller distributors disappeared,, replaced by 11 specialty brands carried by Chicago Beverage Systems LLC, a powerhouse distributor of Miller, Coors and other labels.
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