Category: Hospitality

Hilton is closing its Times Square hotel from October 1, according to a document it filed with state regulators this week. Two hundred employees will lose their jobs, the filing says, due to “unforeseeable business circumstances prompted by COVID-19.” The 44-story hotel at 234 West 42nd Street, in New York, was opened in 2000. According to the American Hotel and Lodging Association, an industry group, hotel occupancy in urban markets was 38% in August, well below the 50% it takes for most properties to break even, according to a report by USA Today. August hotel occupancy in New York was ... Read more

Marriott International has curated a selection of handpicked staycation offers across their hotels in India. Guests can book now and indulge in a peaceful getaway until December 31, 2020.  Ensuring maximum flexibility and savings, guest packages will be tailor made, to each unique holiday need and preference. These staycations come with the added benefits of a complimentary pick up and drop, room upgrade on check-in and free stay for kids. That’s not all, select hotels will also let guests indulge in special evenings curated by our chefs or avail of in-room movie experiences, topped with snacks and beverages. Marriott Bonvoy ... Read more

Avani Hotels & Resorts has officially opened its latest resort and the first in Thailand’s southern beach town of Krabi – the Avani Ao Nang Cliff Krabi Resort. Centrally located, the resort boasts stunning views of limestone formations rising up from the Andaman Sea. Just steps away from local cafes and bars, as well as the ever-popular Ao Nang Night Market, visitors can immerse themselves in the bustling social scene while still being able to enjoy Ao Nang’s natural beauty, the resort said in a press statement. The contemporary 178 guest rooms and villas reflect Krabi’s natural landscape and are ... Read more

The Luxury Collection, part of Marriott International, Inc., today welcomed Al Wathba Desert Resort & Spa to its unique ensemble of iconic hotels, marking the debut of the portfolio in Abu Dhabi. Just a 30-minute drive from the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Al Wathba Desert Resort & Spa is located deep within the expansive landscape of the UAE capital. With a design reminiscent of a historic desert village, it is an intimate retreat suffused with natural beauty, unique tranquillity, and rare experiences, the hotel chain stated in its press release. “We are delighted to welcome Al Wathba, Desert Resort & ... Read more

TGI Hotels and Resorts has announced that seven of its properties have won the TripAdvisor 2020 Travellers’ Choice Awards. La Montana by TGI – Ooty, TGI Star Holidays Resort – Yercaud, TGI Kairos – Yelagiri, TGI Grand Fortuna – Hosur, South End by TGI – Bangalore, Fountain Tree by TGI – Bangalore and TGI Apple INN – Jaipur are the properties that have won the awards. “We are immensely delighted about the recognition. This incredible news could not have come at a better time for our team,” said Amit Kumar – Chief Marketing Officer of TGI Hotels & Resorts. “It is uplifting and much appreciated to ... Read more

ITC Hotels has reopened its Grand Goa property after taking into account all possible safety and hygiene measures. With its ‘We Assure’ initiative, ITC Hotels is trying to offer guests comfort and peace of mind, keeping in mind the pandemic situation. At ITC Hotels, all additional safety measures have been deployed to mitigate the risk of infection, the hotel chain said in a press release. The ‘new normal’ protocol makes thermal screening, safe distancing and usage of masks mandatory across all levels of operation at the hotel. Usage of disposable gloves during service and additional protective gear, where required is ... Read more

Sinclairs Hotels has announced that three of its properties namely, Sinclairs Retreat Ooty, Sinclairs Retreat Kalimpong and Sinclairs Siliguri have won the Tripadvisor 2020 Travellers’ Choice Awards. These three properties have been ranked in the top 10% of hotels worldwide and placed in an exclusive group ‘Best of the Best’ based on ratings and reviews from travellers across the world. Swajib Chatterjee, Chief Operating Officer, Sinclairs Hotels Ltd. said, “We are delighted that three of our iconic properties have won the prestigious Tripadvisor’s Travellers’ Choice ‘Awards. The credit goes to our team for the consistently high standards of service to ... Read more

Marriott International has announced the opening of its 800th property in Asia Pacific, the JW Marriott Nara in Japan. The launch marks the entry of the JW Marriott brand into Japan. The company also expects the EDITION and Aloft brands to debut in Japan before the end of the year. “We remain confident in the resilience of travel, our owners and franchisees, guests and associates as well as the future prospects of lodging in Asia Pacific, our second largest market,” said Craig S. Smith, Group President, Asia Pacific for Marriott International. “We are encouraged by recent trends, especially in China, ... Read more

Radisson has announced the opening of its new property near the Atlanta Airport. The hotel named Radisson Hotel Atlanta Airport is located just minutes from the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) and a short drive from downtown Atlanta. Guests can enjoy access to a complimentary 24-hour airport shuttle, unique dining experiences at the hotel’s onsite restaurant, ample meeting space and modern amenities. With the health, safety and security of guests and team members as its utmost priority, the hotel has begun implementing the Radisson Hotels Safety Protocol program. “We couldn’t be prouder to open this incredible hotel near one of the ... Read more

The Chicago-headquartered Hyatt Hotels Corporation has said it will continue to grow the Thompson Hotels brand throughout the southern United States with deals for two new properties—Thompson Savannah and Thompson Buckhead—expected to open in Georgia in 2021. Marking the brand’s entry into the state, these projects will join four other Thompson hotels already under development including Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and Austin, Texas. These six new properties are expected to join Thompson’s nine hotels across the United States and Mexico, many of which have resumed operations and are welcoming back guests. Thompson Hotels is a subsidiary brand of Hyatt. “We ... Read more

Marriott International, which has reopened all its hotels in China, is seeing a steady recovery in the United States, its biggest market. Chief Executive Officer Arne Sorenson said, “It’s not just leisure travel growing, but it is business travel. Chinese are flying again.” Sorenson said the occupancy rate in China was 40% currently, up from 7% to 8% in February, when COVID-19 started spreading. In the United States, Marriott’s hotels that have remained open, crossed the 20% occupancy threshold and continue to see an improvement, Sorenson said. The company had an occupancy rate of about 12% in North America in ... Read more

Prominent entertainment firms have partnered with Crystal Lagoons, to come up with 16 projects across the United States, known as Crystal Lagoons Island Resorts. The first project will be in Arizona. Crystal Lagoons is a multinational company with its US headquarters in Miami and offices in Dallas and Los Angeles, that has developed an innovative concept and technology, patented in 190 countries, allowing for the construction and maintenance of unlimited size of water bodies in crystalline conditions at low cost. The development will unite Universal Music Group, the world’s leading record label; Epic, the multinational entertainment company; Point Cloud, the ... Read more

The widespread impact of the global pandemic caused by COVID-19, has created an unprecedented situation in the travel and tourism industry. As countries that comprise primary source markets for the Caribbean have closed their borders to protect their citizens, flights into Jamaica have come to a halt. In light of this, and in concert with global efforts to control the spread of COVID-19, The Holiday Inn Resort Montego Bay will close till May 31, 2020. Managing Director Kevin Hendrickson issued the following statement elaborating on the temporary closure. “Our dedicated team will be contacting all guests with existing reservations to ... Read more

Hilton’s new Singapore property is all set to become the hospitality major’s Asia-Pacific flagship. The new hotel is expected to be ready by early 2022, and will have over 1,000 rooms, five restaurants and bars and suites. Located in the middle of the Orchard Road shopping strip, the Hilton Singapore Orchard is in fact a $90 million make-over of the Mandarin Orchard Singapore. An extensive refurbishment will precede the rebranding, which will be underpinned by new meeting facilities to meet growing demand for regional and global conferences, including three ballrooms. Work is scheduled to begin by mid-year, as the current ... Read more

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts and ESJ Resort LLC has announced the signing of an agreement for the former to assume the management of El San Juan Hotel, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The property will join the globally renowned Fairmont portfolio of luxury hotels, as Fairmont El San Juan Hotel. “El San Juan Hotel is proud to welcome the global hospitality group Accor and its luxury Fairmont brand to Puerto Rico. Both El San Juan and Fairmont Hotels & Resorts share a distinguished international reputation and unparalleled history of service excellence. In joining together these iconic brands, we look forward ... Read more