FROM THE EDITORS
By Eric Stoessel
It’s once again time for Lodging Hospitality’s annual Design Awards competition. The Design Awards will run in the April 15 print issue and online, and we need your help identifying the year’s best hotel and resort design.
The deadline for nominations is Friday, March 23. Design firms, brand companies, property owners and operators or their public relations representatives may submit nominations. If you are representing a brand, large portfolio or multiple properties, please pick out the one or two best projects and don’t send multiple nominations. If you can’t pick a best, we probably won’t be able to either. Read more.
CHECKING IN
By Ed Watkins
While La Quinta executives talked passionately about growth, property performance and the brand’s dynamic corporate culture at its annual conference this week in New Orleans, the big news was of a lighter variety. On the second day of the conference, La Quinta attempted and succeeded at breaking the world’s record for human mattress dominos. In the New Orleans convention center, 850 La Quinta employees, owners, executives and guests each held onto a mattress and in turn fell backward onto the person behind them until the last mattress fell on President & CEO Wayne Goldberg, smashing the previous record (550) set last year in Belgium.
Read more.
By Eric Stoessel
InterContinental Hotels Group’s new brand Even will be a health and fitness focused limited-service brand positioned above Holiday Inn to compete against upscale brands like Courtyard by Marriott, Hilton Garden Inn and Four Points by Sheraton, says IHG’s Christian Hempell.
Read more.
By Paris Wolfe
Architect John Portman’s Hyatt Regency Atlanta, the first atrium hotel, has gotten a re-do. Last renovated in 1995, the 45-year-old hotel was due for a renovation to stay competitive.
“The facelift energizes this Atlanta hotel icon, helps it become more competitive within the marketplace and restores the hotel’s original reputation as an Atlanta destination,” says Liz Neiswander, AIA, IIDA, ASID and principal at Atlanta-based tvsdesign.
Read more.
TODAY'S TOP READS
The Latest Hotel News From Newspapers, Magazines and Websites:
LV's PH Towers Westgate Timeshare Resort Renamed Hilton
Gay Boutique Hotel 'The Out' Opens in NYC
Several Major Casinos Saddled with Heavy Debt
35-Story Hotel Tower May Join Boston Skyline
Click here for more Top Reads
HOTEL HAPPENINGS
• Hersha Hospitality Trust purchased AAA Five Diamond-rated The Rittenhouse Hotel in Philadelphia for $42 million. The 111-room hotel complex includes retail and offices. Hersha Hospitality Trust owns 67 hotels in major urban gateway markets.
• Vail Resorts has reduced energy usage by 10%, a goal set in 2008. The company has a new goal, another 10% energy reduction by 2020.
• February 19-26 was mixed week for Canadian hotels, according to HVS. RevPARs fell in – 9.0% in Toronto and -8.5% in Vancouver. They rose +6.6% in Montreal.
• The U.S. Travel Association praised the U.S. State Department for reducing visa interview wait times in Brazil to less than three weeks.
Follow hotel news as it happens with Lodging Hospitality on Twitter.
ON THE ITINERARY
March 3-6
Council on Hotel and Restaurant Training (CHART)
Semi-Annual Hospitality Training Conference
Renaissance Austin (TX)
www.chart.org
March 4-5
Ocean City Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Association Spring Trade Expo
Ocean City (MD) Convention Center
www.oceancitytradeexpo.com
March 5-6
Hotel Association of Canada Conference
Sheraton Centre Toronto
www.hotelassociation.ca
March 6-9
Digital Signage Expo
Las Vegas Convention Center
www.digitalsignageexpo.net
March 12-13
Ragatz Associates Fractional & Resort Real Estate Conference
Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Gainey Ranch
www.ragatzassociates.com
March 18-20
Hunter Hotel Investment Conference
Marriott Marquis, Atlanta
www.hunterconference.com
March 21-23
International Association of Conference Centers Americas Conference
LaTorretta Lake Resort & Spa
Montgomery, TX
www.iacconline.com
Click here to see the schedule for 2012.
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