Virginia Beach Oceanfront Hotels|"Grand Prix Fails To Fulfill Suburban Hotels Expectations"

Source              :  bizjournals.com
Category        :  Virginia Beach Oceanfront Hotels
By                  :  Sarah Meehan
Posted By     :  Hotels in Virginia Beach South Courtyard

Virginia Beach Oceanfront Hotels

The Grand Prix of Baltimore has been touted as an event that would draw international visitors and provide a business boost across Greater Baltimore. In three years, it hasn’t lived up to those expectations for hotels in the region. Downtown hotels near the racetrack are selling out of rooms, as they have for the past couple years. But heading into the race’s third run in Baltimore this Labor Day weekend, hotels in the suburbs aren’t getting the sell-out crowds they were initially promised.

Even hotels along the Light Rail — one of the easiest ways to commute downtown and avoid road closures — aren’t seeing a pickup in race-related bookings. North of Baltimore at hotels like the Holiday Inn Timonium, Sheraton Baltimore North and Residence Inn Baltimore Hunt Valley, sales representatives say it’s business as usual this weekend. Some said they had hoped for large crowds the Grand Prix’s first year — and even its second year under new organizers — but the guests never came, and it’s the same story this year.

South of the city near Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, hotels are busy, but not as a result of the race. Karen Neill, sales director at the Hampton Inn BWI, has two drum corps groups staying at her hotel for the 2013 Drum Corps Associates World Championships at the U.S. Naval Academy. She said groups from that competition will account for about 15,000 room nights this weekend at hotels across the region. The championships have been held at the Naval Academy on Labor Day weekend since 2011 — the same weekend as the Grand Prix.

Source : bizjournals.com/baltimore/news/2013/08/29/grand-prix-fails-to-fulfill-suburban.html

Virginia Beach Oceanfront Hotels|"Blackstone In Talks To Buy 25% Stake In Former Dunne Hotels In Ballsbridge"

Source              :  http://www.irishtimes.com/
Category        :  Virginia Beach Oceanfront Hotels
By                  :  Mark Paul
Posted By     :  Hotels in Virginia Beach South Courtyard

Virginia Beach Oceanfront Hotels

Blackstone is looking to position itself for a future tilt at the prime Ballsbridge hotel assets bought for €380 million by Seán Dunne, after it emerged yesterday that the private equity giant is in talks to buy the 25 per cent stake held by Kaupthing, an Icelandic bank. The former Berkeley Court and Jurys properties are now known as the Clyde Court and Ballsbridge hotels. They are operated by Pat McCann’s Dalata group on behalf of a three-bank consortium – consisting of Ulster Bank, Kaupthing and Rabobank – that seized the hotels from Dunne in 2009. Bloomberg reported yesterday that the administrator to Kaupthing’s UK operations is in talks to offload its stake to Blackstone, which last year paid €67 million for the nearby Burlington hotel, since trading as a Doubletree by Hilton. Ulster Bank was the lead financer of Dunne’s 2005 purchase, which was the high-water mark of the property boom in terms of the price paid per acre. The bank owns 50 per cent of the properties. Blackstone declined to comment yesterday. Ulster Bank was unavailable for comment. Industry sources said it was not expected Ulster or Rabobank would look to sell their respective stakes at this time. The Kaupthing stake came on to the market only because of the progression of that institution’s administration, a source said. Industry observers speculated that the other two banks are thought likely to sit on their combined 75 per cent share for a couple of years, until the nascent revival currently under way in the Dublin hotels market has taken hold and asset values have increased.

If Blackstone completes a purchase of Kaupthing’s stake, it will be unable to take control of the Dublin properties until the other banks make their move. However, it would be well placed to negotiate a deal with the other banks for their 75 per cent, possibly preventing an open-market bidding process. The hotels, which are adjacent to each other on one the city’s prime development sites, are likely to attract huge interest if they came on to the market. Blackstone, which owns the suite of Hilton hotel brands, is known to be keen to assemble a portfolio of Irish hotels assets. It is spending €16 million on an upgrade of the Burlington, which it bought for less than a quarter of the price paid by Bernard McNamara at the height of the boom. If Blackstone eventually gained control of the two hotels it is possible it could see the entry into the Irish market of its premier five-star brand, Waldorf Astoria. Hilton already operates a 500-bedroom Doubletree within a half mile of the Ballsbridge site, so Blackstone would be unlikely to develop the hotels for that brand. Hilton also already has a five-star Conrad Hilton in central Dublin, as well two four-star Hilton hotels, leaving Waldorf Astoria as the most likely contender should it ever get to develop the site.

Source:irishtimes.com/business/sectors/technology/blackstone-in-talks-to-buy-25-stake-in-former-dunne-hotels-in-ballsbridge-1.1510053

Virginia Oceanfront Hotels|"Accor Hopes New Chief Will End Hotels Heartbreak"

Source              :  ft.com
Category        :  Virginia Oceanfront Hotels
By                  :  Adam Thomson
Posted By     :  Hotels in Virginia Beach South Courtyard

Vrginia Oceanfront Hotels

High quality global journalism requires investment. Please share this article with others using the link below, do not cut & paste the article. See our Ts&Cs and Copyright Policy for more detail. During the past few years, Accor has earned a reputation for feisty boardroom showdowns and sensational management reshuffles. On Tuesday, Europe’s largest hotel group by number of rooms named another new chief executive. At a board meeting the company confirmed that Sébastien Bazin, until now the European head of California-based Colony Capital, would become the new chairman and chief executive with immediate effect. High quality global journalism requires investment. Please share this article with others using the link below, do not cut & paste the article. See our Ts&Cs and Copyright Policy for more detail. Even though Mr Bazin has ended all duties with Colony, his appointment is doubtless a victory for the private equity group, which holds about 11 per cent of Accor’s shares and has been trying to shake up the French hotelier ever since it bought a stake in 2005. Tom Barrack, Colony’s billionaire boss, on Tuesday said: “Sébastien’s move represents the perfect opportunity to optimise the company’s ability to drive a substantial enhancement of shareholder value”. Many investors will hope that the appointment will put an end to infighting at the company. At their heart, the struggles have centred on the frustration of Colony and Eurazeo, a French investment firm and shareholder, with what they see as the French hotel group’s relatively plodding adaptation to a fast-changing industry.

The two investors, which together hold 21.6 per cent of Accor’s shares, have for years urged the group to adopt an “asset-light” model, in which hoteliers sell off properties to concentrate on management and franchises. The model, which gives companies more capacity to reward shareholders and expand, was behind the decision by Accor rival InterContinental Hotels Group to return $1bn to shareholders last year.

IHG, considered the industry leader in the asset-light strategy, has seen its share price increase 131.6 per cent in the last five years. Accor, whose brands range from the high-end Sofitel to the economy-level Ibis, has witnessed its own share price fall 36.6 per cent over the same period. Despite this, Colony’s direct approach and shareholder activism have not always gone down well in a country where foreign influence is not always welcome and whose corporate sector is still dominated by old-boy networks.

Under Denis Hennequin, its previous permanent chief executive, Accor followed what it called an “asset-right” approach, considered by many analysts to be simply a slower and less-convincing version of what its rivals were doing. As a result, the group still generated about two-thirds of its operating profits from owned and leased hotels as of the end of 2012, compared with 14 per cent in the case of IHG. The glaring difference has left the group with a relatively poor return on capital employed – a measure of a company’s efficiency in its capital investments. High quality global journalism requires investment. Please share this article with others using the link below, do not cut & paste the article. See our Ts&Cs and Copyright Policy for more detail.  Even though Mr Bazin has ended all duties with Colony, his appointment is doubtless a victory for the private equity group, which holds about 11 per cent of Accor’s shares and has been trying to shake up the French hotelier ever since it bought a stake in 2005.

Tom Barrack, Colony’s billionaire boss, on Tuesday said: “Sébastien’s move represents the perfect opportunity to optimise the company’s ability to drive a substantial enhancement of shareholder value”.

Many investors will hope that the appointment will put an end to infighting at the company. At their heart, the struggles have centred on the frustration of Colony and Eurazeo, a French investment firm and shareholder, with what they see as the French hotel group’s relatively plodding adaptation to a fast-changing industry. The two investors, which together hold 21.6 per cent of Accor’s shares, have for years urged the group to adopt an “asset-light” model, in which hoteliers sell off properties to concentrate on management and franchises.

The model, which gives companies more capacity to reward shareholders and expand, was behind the decision by Accor rival InterContinental Hotels Group to return $1bn to shareholders last year. IHG, considered the industry leader in the asset-light strategy, has seen its share price increase 131.6 per cent in the last five years. Accor, whose brands range from the high-end Sofitel to the economy-level Ibis, has witnessed its own share price fall 36.6 per cent over the same period. Despite this, Colony’s direct approach and shareholder activism have not always gone down well in a country where foreign influence is not always welcome and whose corporate sector is still dominated by old-boy networks. Under Denis Hennequin, its previous permanent chief executive, Accor followed what it called an “asset-right” approach, considered by many analysts to be simply a slower and less-convincing version of what its rivals were doing.

As a result, the group still generated about two-thirds of its operating profits from owned and leased hotels as of the end of 2012, compared with 14 per cent in the case of IHG. The glaring difference has left the group with a relatively poor return on capital employed – a measure of a company’s efficiency in its capital investments. High quality global journalism requires investment. Please share this article with others using the link below, do not cut & paste the article. See our Ts&Cs and Copyright Policy for more detail. On that measure, “it is clear that Accor has been left behind in recent years”, concluded Citi in a research note earlier this year. Analysts said Mr Bazin’s appointment would almost certainly mean Accor accelerating asset disposals. That, in turn, would potentially leave the group with flexibility both to return more capital to shareholders, but also to expand more quickly into faster-growing emerging markets. Unlike some of its main rivals, Accor has been particularly exposed to the sharp downturn in Europe, and the region still accounts for more than 70 per cent of the company’s global sales.

Analysts believe asset disposals will also allow the group to build up its Sofitel and Pullman high-end brands, which Accor has failed to establish in the market with the same success as its economy Ibis brand.

On Tuesday, Russell Kett of hotel consultants HVS, said of Mr Bazin’s appointment: “it should be good news for shareholders and it should be welcomed by shareholders.” Yet it is clear that Mr Bazin has a lot of work to do – and a lot to prove. In 2009, he successfully pushed for splitting Accor’s voucher business and hotel units, promoting the ire of other investors, including the state-owned strategic fund FSI. On other fronts, things have gone less well. He got Colony to try to replicate the asset-light strategy with French retailer Carrefour, luring French billionaire Bernard Arnault into the venture in 2007. The move, on the eve of the downturn, tainted Mr Bazin’s record as an investor and proved a drag on Colony’s returns in Europe during the past few years. The French retailer’s shares have slumped to €22.9 from about €55 in 2007. That mixed record, combined with the considerable work that Accor faces, may explain why investors on Tuesday appeared undecided about the latest reshuffle at the French hotelier.

Source : ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/103e1aca-0f33-11e3-ae66-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2dL0atl4Y

Event Hotels in South Virginia|"Hotels Oppose New Public Service Broadcasting Charge"

Source              :  irishtimes.com
Category        :  Event Hotels in South Virginia
By                  :  Dan Griffin
Posted By     :  Hotels in Virginia Beach South Courtyard

Event Hotels In South Virginia

Hotels have come out strongly against the proposed new public service broadcasting charge, calling it an indirect form of tourism taxation for guests. The comments came after Minister for Communications Pat Rabbitte said the new charge would address the current “serious anomaly” whereby large hotels with many rooms only pay for a single TV licence while the owner of a group of holiday cottages requires a licence for each property. Irish Hotels Federation chief executive Tim Fenn said an increase in the TV licence fee paid by hoteliers would be a further cost on an over-burdened sector. “The imposition of an additional charge for customers to view a television in their hotel room would raise operating costs at a time when hotels are struggling to break even,” he said.

“In order to survive, hotels have had to reduce prices and implement severe cost cutting measures. Any additional costs would put further pressure on businesses,” he added. Earlier this year a value for money review identified “certain inequities” whereby some businesses met the legal requirement of buying a licence but contributed much less to the funding of public service broadcasting than individuals or families. The review recommended businesses be categorised into “micro, small, medium-sized and above enterprises and charged different levels in order to avoid a disproportionate burden being placed on very small businesses and sole traders etc”. The proposed new system is device-independent, i.e. it no longer relates to a particular device (like a television) or how many of those devices a person or household possesses. Instead the charge will simply apply to all households and businesses in the State, with a number of exemptions. The Department of Communications yesterday said the means by which hotels and other businesses might be charged has yet to be worked out. “The intention at this point is that the charge to be applied under the proposed new system should be more equitable in that it will relate to the size of the business, although the precise manner in which this will be determined has yet to be finalised,” a spokesman said.

Source:irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/hotels-oppose-new-public-service-broadcasting-charge-1.1507610

Event Hotels in South Virginia|"Union Activists Call For Boycott Of 2 Seattle Hyatt Hotels"

Source              :  seattletimes.com
Category        :  Event Hotels in South Virginia
By                  :  Jim Brunner
Posted By     :  Hotels in Virginia Beach South Courtyard

Event Hotels In South Virgina

Labor activists launched a boycott of two downtown Seattle hotels Tuesday, accusing the hotels’ owner of trying to stymie union-organizing efforts of housekeepers and other employees. UNITE HERE Local 8, the union representing thousands of local hospitality workers, called for the boycott of the Hyatt at Olive 8 and the Grand Hyatt Seattle, both owned by R.C. Hedreen Co. In a protest in front of the Olive 8 hotel, activists said Hedreen has refused to abide by a pact negotiated between the national hotel-worker union and the Hyatt Corp. that provides a “fair process” for employees to decide whether they want to unionize.

David Thyer, president of R.C. Hedreen, disputed that claim, saying the company has abided by the Hyatt agreement and by federal labor laws that protect union organizing rights. “If our employees choose to organize then we are not going to stand in the way,” Thyer said. But he said Hedreen will not be “bullied by the union” into divulging information on employees that would make it easier for organizers to approach them. The boycott is another round in a busy spring and summer of activism on behalf of low-wage service workers. That campaign has included strikes by fast-food restaurant employees, an initiative seeking a $15-an-hour minimum wage for airport workers in SeaTac and efforts to block a Whole Foods in West Seattle over union complaints.

At the protest Tuesday, dozens of activists from several local unions stood across the street from the 364-room Hyatt at Olive 8, chanting “Check out! Don’t check in!” to the few passers-by at the hotel entrance. “We’re calling on customers not to eat, not to sleep and not to walk into those hotels” until Hedreen agrees to the provisions making it easier for workers to organize, said Erik Van Rossum, president of UNITE HERE Local 8. Yuan Ping Tang, a housekeeper at Olive 8, is among those trying to organize a union for the hotel’s 200 workers. He said he pays $300 a month for insurance that covers 80 percent of medical costs for his family of three. “The biggest thing that I hope for is affordable family health care,” he said.

Tang, 52, who has worked at the hotel since arriving from Guangzhou, China, about five years ago, said he started at $10.75 an hour, and received a $2.60-an-hour raise last year after he and other workers started making noise about unionizing. Tang added that hotel managers are hostile to unions and have told workers they can call police if union organizers show up at their homes. Thyer said Hedreen employees “are being treated fairly” and haven’t unionized because they are paid as well or better than workers at Seattle’s few unionized hotels.

Source : seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2021696653_hyattprotestxml.html

Hotels In South Virginia Beach|"Distinction Hotels Chef Ken O’Connell Wins Chef "

Source              :  scoop.co.nz
Category        :  Hotels In South Virginia Beach
By                  :  Distinction Hotels New Zealand
Posted By     :  Hotels in Virginia Beach South Courtyard

Hotels In South Virginia Beach 

Southern Region Group Executive Chef, Ken O’Connell of Distinction Hotels has been awarded the prestigious New Zealand Chef of the Year title at the 2013 Culinary Fare held in Auckland. Chef O’Connell topped a field of 10 elite chefs from around New Zealand, earning the only gold award in the static presentation section of an entrée and main course.Distinction Hotels Chief Executive, Duncan Fletcher said “the entire Distinction Hotels team shares great pride in Ken’s win. We are extremely privileged to have Ken working as our Southern Region Group Executive Chef.” Based in Te Anau for the past year, Chef O’Connell is responsible for overseeing the kitchen teams based at the four southern region Distinction Hotels. His flair for sourcing the freshest ingredients and turning them into imaginative flavour combinations has boosted Distinction Hotels’ restaurants popularity and reputation. Mr Fletcher said “this award speaks volumes for our top class cuisine which both guests and visitors are able to appreciate when dining at our restaurants. We are constantly looking to improve what we are doing as a hotel group and Ken’s recognition certainly reinforces this search for excellence in all that we do.”

The culinary event requires competitors to undergo months of planning and training, something which obviously paid off for Chef O’Connell, as this is his second time winning the title. “It means more to me this time, as it cements my skills, knowledge and ability as a chef. I hope this inspires the young chefs in my kitchens, that anything is possible with hard work, training and pushing yourself to be the best.”100% New Zealand owned and operated the Distinction Hotel Group currently offer six premium hotels in the North and South Island, featuring elegant accommodation, comprehensive conference venue facilities and excellent on-site restaurants. Distinction Hotels pride themselves on providing an international standard of accommodation for the discerning traveller. In 2011 the group launched their 'sister' Discovery brand. Discovery Hotels offer a range of great value accommodation options to suit all travellers, combined with true outstanding 'kiwi' hospitality.

Source:scoop.co.nz/stories/BU1308/S01039/distinction-hotels-chef-ken-oconnell-wins-chef-of-the-year.htm

Hotels In South Virginia Beach|"Orange County Welcomes Tustin's Two Newest Hotels"

Source              :  marketwire.com
Category        :  Hotels In South Virginia Beach
By                  :  Marketwired
Posted By     :  Hotels in Virginia Beach South Courtyard

Hotels In South Virginia Beach

There are many advantages to being siblings, especially when those siblings are brand-new hotels in Southern California. First and foremost among these is the ability to share. For the Fairfield Inn & Suites Tustin Orange County and the Residence Inn Tustin Orange County, the give-and-take ranges from their address (the two properties, while separate, share a stunning new building just four miles from John Wayne Airport, Orange County) to enviable amenities designed with today's traveler in mind. Best of all, these sister properties are hosting a shared Grand Opening party on September 4, 2013. Tustin, California's two newest hotels opened their doors on August 1, 2013 to reveal clean lines, versatile layouts and plenty of indoor spaces that bask in the California sunshine. Now guests and locals can see for themselves how each Tustin hotel approached the concept of modern hospitality, from the Fairfield Inn's curved and mobile desks in the guestrooms, to the Residence Inn's full-sized appliances and expanded in-room workspaces.

At the Grand Opening party from 6 to 9 p.m. in the lobby, celebrants can tap into the hotels' tech-friendly attitudes (both properties offer complimentary high-speed Internet) by entering a drawing for an iPad and competing in an Instagram contest for the best photos of the evening. After snapping shots, sampling the food stations, sipping a glass of wine and swinging to the live band, guests can embark on site tours to see each hotel firsthand. And there is plenty to see at both Tustin, California hotels. The Fairfield Inn & Suites Tustin Orange County, for example, makes a dramatic impression with its signature tower, curved porte-cochere and organically-inspired interior design. The lobby continues this statement by inviting travelers to relax by the stone hearth, plug in at the Internet stations and mingle on the curvaceous and comfortable sofas and ottomans. The other Tustin, California hotel, Residence Inn Tustin Orange County, encourages extended visits with spacious studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom suites. The fully-equipped kitchens promise convenience, while the stylish décor, luxurious bathrooms and host of amenities make guests feel right at home.

With ample room, fresh design and practical amenities like free breakfasts, these two new Tustin properties have raised the bar for hospitality in Orange County -- and they are ready to celebrate accordingly.Welcoming guests to sunny Southern California, the Fairfield Inn & Suites Tustin Orange County is as aesthetically pleasing as it is service-oriented. As a result, guests of this new property can drink in a soothing palette of blues, greens and oranges expressed via organically-inspired motifs, all while enjoying 24-hour service, complimentary continental breakfasts and free Internet access. The 145 guestrooms invite restful evenings with plush mattresses and fluffy pillows; yet they also provide the necessary tools for working guests to meet deadlines, via well-lit workspaces and ergonomic chairs. The hotel's two meeting rooms offer 2,300 square feet of space and are ideal for large gatherings, while the fitness center and heated outdoor pool and whirlpool ensure that guests can work and play during their stay.Travelers arriving in the John Wayne Airport, Orange County don't have far to go when they're staying at Residence Inn Tustin Orange County. Just four miles away -- and only minutes from Disneyland, The District, Angel Stadium of Anaheim and South Coast Plaza -- this is one hotel that has convenience at the forefront of every guest experience. Guests will enjoy spacious suites featuring separate living and sleeping areas and well-appointed kitchens supplied by complimentary grocery deliveries. Since the property is designed for stays of five nights or longer, the hotel offers complimentary social hours with hosted fare and drinks during the week to encourage networking and socialization. Plus the hotel's meeting room and ample workspaces in each suite mean that business travelers can meet their deadlines while still having fun.

Source:marketwire.com/press-release/orange-county-welcomes-tustins-two-newest-hotels-1824533.htm

Courtyard Virginia Beach Hotels|"Hotels Get Super-Creative With Specialty Programming"

Source              :  abcnews.go.com

Category        :  Courtyard Virginia Beach Hotels

By                  :  LENA KATZ

Posted By     :  Hotels in Virginia Beach South Courtyard

Courtyard Virginia Beach Hotels

We've seen luxury, we've seen convenience, and we've seen high-tech in hotels. But the latest trend seems to suggest that even the busiest and wealthiest travelers still place a high premium on playfulness. From Manhattan to Napa, at African safari lodges and in oceanfront all-inclusive resorts, today's travelers can have fun times when they travel, thanks to wonderfully creative extra-curricular programming by hoteliers. For starters, feast your eyes on America's sexiest water ballet troupe, performing monthly at the Ritz-Carlton South Beach through December.

Source : abcnews.go.com/Travel/hotels-super-creative-specialty-programming/story?id=20047859

Courtyard Virginia Beach Hotels|"Quebec Hotel Sues Former Guest Over Online Review"

Source              :  o.canada.com
Category        :  Courtyard Virginia Beach Hotels
By                  :  Mark Cardwell
Posted By     :  Hotels in Virginia Beach South Courtyard

Courtyard Virginia Beach Hotels

In what is believed to be a legal first in Canada — and a potential landmark case that could help to define the limits of free speech in cyberspace — a hotel is suing a former guest for $95,000 in damages over a review he wrote on the travel site TripAdvisor. It also wants the negative review, which is still online, taken down. But the lawyer for the Montreal man who wrote the review says the “frivolous” defamation lawsuit will be quashed in court like the bedbugs her client claims he found in his room. That’s not how the hotel sees it. “Cleanliness is the name of the game in the hotel business,” said Quebec City lawyer William Noonan, who filed the motion in Quebec Superior Court here last month on behalf of l’Hôtel Québec. “Hotel owners can’t be upset with someone who doesn’t like their service. But when people start yelling ‘Bedbugs!’ they’d better have proof.” According to the motion, Montreal building contractor Laurent Azoulay checked into l’Hôtel Québec in the Quebec City suburb of Sainte-Foy on April 26 for a two-night stay with his son, who was playing in an atom hockey tournament.

The 204-room, four-star property is one of seven in the local Hôtels Jaro chain, which is owned by area businessman Jacques Robitaille. “During the (first) night,” reads the motion, “the defendant claims to have discovered in his room a scourge for hotels around the world — bedbugs.” The hotel, it adds, was unable to give Azoulay another room because it was fully booked that night. It says Azoulay also refused to go to another of the chain’s hotels nearby (wanting to remain in the same hotel as his son’s hockey team) and returned to his room for the night. The next morning, a Saturday, Azoulay allegedly insisted on meeting Robitaille to discuss the situation.

When that didn’t happen, he checked out of the hotel and threatened to write a bad review about the property on TripAdvisor. Later that day, Azoulay posted a review on TripAdvisor about what he termed his “nightmare” stay at l’Hôtel Québec. “At first this hotel looks okay,” it reads, “until you wake at 3AM (sic) because you’ve been scratching all over and realize your bed is infested with BED BUGS!” Azoulay goes on to recount his version of events before issuing this warning: “Beware of BED BUGS! If you are looking for a scratch-free night sleep, stay elsewhere, you will be doing you and your loved ones a favour! Trust me … and that’s why the Internet is a great tool!” The review has received 176 votes from readers as being “helpful.” It is also one of 16 “Terrible” reviews of l’Hôtel Québec on TripAdvisor, which ranks the hotel 62nd among 99 area hotels.

Azoulay’s review, however, is the only one that mentions bedbugs. According to Noonan, the hotel decided to sue when Azoulay refused repeated requests for him to return to Quebec City and meet with Robitaille to resolve the issue. “He made this big fuss and then he thinks he can just walk away,” Noonan told The Gazette. “But his actions have hurt the hotel a lot. We’ve had numerous people call and tell us they weren’t staying because of it, and cancel reservations.” Noonan notably questioned Azoulay’s claim about bedbugs. “There are 204 rooms in that hotel and it had never had a single complaint about bedbugs before that night,” he said. “If there were some there — and in his room only — how did they get there and where did they go?” Noonan said he hasn’t heard of similar cases in Quebec or Canada. That case is still before the courts.

Though she refused to discuss details, Azoulay’s lawyer, Muriel Librati, said her client intends to fight the case, which is expected to be heard here in early December.

“The way he’s been treated is deplorable,” the Westmount lawyer said. “They are insisting my client put bedbugs in his room and that he is just trying to get money from them.” Azoulay, she added, has pictures of bedbug bites on him and his son, as well as a video showing several bedbugs they caught and put in a glass before killing them. “This case is frivolous,” Librati said. “TripAdvisor is an open forum for people to post reviews. Suing over a negative one is a perfect example of libel chill.” “The court system is too complex, long and expensive as a recourse for an individual consumer who has suffered an injustice,” said Viel, director of communications for the Union des Consommateurs, a Montreal-based federation of 11 Quebec consumer protection groups. Sites like TripAdvisor, he added, help to level the playing field.

“They give consumers more power by providing them with a fast, easy and free way to express their frustration and to get a company’s attention (and) hopefully get satisfaction,” Viel said. The problem with online discussion groups and forums like TripAdvisor, he added, is the lack of control over the veracity of reviews. “Like political parties do with blogs and opinion pieces, many businesses are now hiring people to write glowing reviews about them — or bad ones about their competitors,” Viel said. He urged travellers to be cautious in regards to online reviews, and rely instead on travel professionals and travel guides for more accurate information. Danielle Lefrançois, the communications manager in the Montreal office of Advertising Standards Canada, echoed that warning. “The use of supposedly neutral blogs and forums on the Internet to promote goods and services is a big problem,” Lefrançois said.

She added that her group, a self-regulatory body run by the advertising industry that investigates complaints about the veracity of claims and testimonials on corporate websites, has never received any complaints about online review sites like TripAdvisor. But she advises consumers to be wary when consulting them. “Even honest reviews reflect individual opinion,” she said. “And people sometimes have unrealistic expectations and are easily disappointed.”

Source : o.canada.com/2013/08/23/quebec-hotel-sues-former-guest-over-online-review/

Hotels In South Virginia Beach|"VV Council Denies Hotels' Appeal On Taxes, Rejects Settlement Offer"

Source              :  vvdailypress.com
Category        :  Hotels In South Virginia Beach
By                  :   Jim E. Winburn
Posted By     :  Hotels in Virginia Beach South Courtyard

Hotels In South Virginia Beach

The city on Tuesday denied an appeal by three hotel operators and ordered them to pay more than $30,000 in past due transient occupancy taxes. Council members voted 5-0 to deny the appeal for Days Inn Victorville for a $7,826.83 assessment, Travel Inn Motel for $9,364.45, and Budget Inn Kentwood for $12,822.96. Before the council’s decision, Frank A. Weiser, an attorney representing the city of Victorville Hotel/Motel Association, told the City Council that hotel operators had decided to offer a settlement just before the council’s public meeting. City Attorney Andre de Bortnowsky told Weiser that the offer, which “cuts the proposed tax amounts in half,” came too late for the council to consider it in closed session.

He also expressed concern with the other four hotel operators included in Weiser’s July 24 appeal in response to the City Council’s June 11 decision. Since the June 11 hearing, Green Spot Motel, Mojave Village Motel, and Budget Inn Victorville have paid the tax due the city. Economy Inn chose to pay its tax prior to the hearing. “My concern with it would be that you have already made decisions that affect other hotels in city of Victorville,” de Bortnowsky said. “They have asked previously for different amounts, and if you accept post settlement you would be treating this group of hotels differently than you have already treated past hotels.” Weiser also argued for the hotels’ refusal to open their books to a city audit based on their Constitutional right to privacy. He said that this does not necessarily give the city the right to simply and arbitrarily estimate the tax due, along with interest, if a hotel operator fails to open its records for whatever reason.

“I think that is the central issue that came out of the motel owners saying, that whether you like it or not ... we still have a Fourth Amendment right,” Weiser said. Councilman Jim Kennedy, himself an accountant with an office in San Bernardino, did not place much merit in Weiser’s claim. “Never once have I tried to make the argument that because my client did not have records or didn’t wanted to show them to the auditor that’s a reason for not assessing a tax,” Kennedy said at Tuesday’s meeting. Mayor Jim Cox told fellow council members that the hotels’ appeal rests on whether evidence has been presented to show that errors have been made with either the city’s audit or appeal process regarding the hotels’ tax assessments.

“It does appear with all the information available that it is simply money owed to the city,” Cox said. “We have all of this data that indicates the money is owed. I don’t see how we can settle for a less amount.” The city conducted a transient occupancy tax audit on 21 hotels for a three-year span from 2010 to 2012, which revealed that seven of the city’s hotels had “substantial errors in the reporting of the taxes for the audit period totaling $520,132.92,” according to a city staff report from June.

Source : vvdailypress.com/articles/offer-41911-rejects-appeal.html

Hotels In South Virginia Beach|"California Hotels Are A Hot Investment Again"

Souce              :   latimes.com
Category        :  Hotels In South Virginia Beach
By                  :   Roger Vincent
Posted By     :  Hotels in Virginia Beach South Courtyard

Hotels In South Virginia Beach

Nearly 180 California hotels changed hands in the first half of 2013, a 12% increase from the number sold in same period last year, according to a mid-year report by Irvine consulting firm Atlas Hospitality Group. The dollar value of these sales grew even faster. The report said the combined value of the sales jumped 24% to a total of nearly $2.2 billion in the first half of this year as investors gambled that the hospitality business will continue to improve. Among the big inns sold were the La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, the Sheraton Los Angeles Downtown Hotel and the Claremont Hotel Club & Spa in Berkeley. San Diego County was a major hot spot, with total sales up 200% to $744 million. Leading the way was the $365.8-million sale of La Costa Resort to Omni Hotels & Resorts. The Dallas hotelier rebranded the 479-room inn as an Omni resort.

Another high-profile and historic property was sold in Riverside County's Coachella Valley. The 796-room La Quinta Resort & Club in La Quinta, which dates from 1926, was acquired by an investment fund of the government of Singapore.

La Quinta, where movie director Frank Capra wrote the screenplay for "Lost Horizon" poolside in 1937, was one of four hotels in a property portfolio purchased by the Singapore investment fund. Also part of the deal was the rambling Claremont hotel, which opened in 1914 in the Berkeley Hills and formerly had multistory spiral slides intended for use as fire escapes. La Quinta was valued at $109 million, and the Claremont was valued at $511 million in the $1.46-billion transaction that also included the Grand Wailea in Hawaii and the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix, Atlas said. The $65-million sale of the Sheraton in downtown Los Angeles to local developer Wayne Ratkovich was the largest in Los Angeles County. Hotel sales in the county were down from a year earlier, but only because owners were reluctant to part with them, said Alan Reay, president of Atlas Hospitality. "In terms of desirability from buyers, first choice is still West L.A.," Reay said. That market, one of the strongest in the country, also includes Santa Monica, Beverly Hills and West Hollywood.

Second on buyers' shopping lists is the Union Square neighborhood of San Francisco, he said, followed by coastal resorts such as those found in Monterey, Orange County, La Jolla and downtown San Diego. With hotel occupancy and room rates on the upswing, many investors believe hotels will offer better financial returns than apartments and other types of commercial real estate, Reay said. Lenders, who wouldn't support hotel investments just three years ago, are again willing to finance purchases, and interest rates remain low by historic standards. Asian hotel buyers find California particularly attractive, he said. "The Chinese are interested in San Francisco and Los Angeles," he said. "There is a lot of money pouring out of China." The rise in hotel prices will eventually slow as new hotels are built by developers hoping to cash in on the hot market, he said. "A lot more rooms are going to open up," Reay said, "and dampen price appreciation."

Source : latimes.com/business/la-fi-hotel-investment-20130822,0,1091207.story

Courtyard Virginia Beach Hotels|"Busch Gardens Teams Up With Virginia Beach Hotels"

Souce             :   canada.com
Category       :  Courtyard Virginia Beach Hotels
By                  :   Busch Gardens Williamsburg
Posted By     :  Hotels in Virginia Beach South Courtyard

Courtyard Virginia Beach Hotels

Virginia Beach and Busch Gardens Williamsburg team up to bring your family closer together for one action-packed vacation with August Adventures.When you book a minimum of two or more consecutive nights in Virginia Beach from August 1 – 31, 2013, kids will stay free and then play free at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. There is a limit of two free child Busch Gardens  tickets per family; children must be ages 3-9. 

Ten Virginia Beach hotels are participating in August Adventures including Sheraton Virginia Beach Oceanfront, Holiday Inn Oceanside, Holiday Inn & Suites North Beach, Holiday Inn Express & Suites, The Oceanfront Inn, Courtyard Virginia Beach Oceanfront South, Comfort Inn & Suites Oceanfront, Hampton Inn Virginia Beach Oceanfront North, Fairfield Inn & Suites Virginia Beach Oceanfront and the DoubleTree by Hilton Virginia Beach.   

Source:canada.com/travel/Busch+Gardens+teams+with+Virginia+Beach+hotels/8712509/story.html

Courtyard Virginia Beach Hotels|"A First Look At The New Salamander Resort & Spa"

Souce             :   forbes.com
Category       :  Courtyard Virginia Beach Hotels
By                  :   Hayley Bosch
Posted By     :  Hotels in Virginia Beach South Courtyard

Courtyard Virginia Beach Hotels

Tucked away on 340 acres in Middleburg, Va. sits the latest addition to Sheila C. Johnson’s Salamander Hotels & Resorts portfolio (which includes Hammock Beach Resort, Innisbrook and Reunion Resort). It’s been a long time coming—Johnson first stepped foot on the grounds 10 years ago—but Salamander Resort & Spa is set to open its doors on Aug. 29. Surrounded by the beauty of Virginia’s Horse Country, you’d be hard pressed to find a better locale for a luxury resort with an equestrian flair. Throughout the 168-room hotel, there’s a definite equine flavor; but it’s the perfect balance between elegance and theme. And if anyone knows how to craft a classy horse retreat, it’s Sheila C. Johnson, who serves on the board of governors of Parsons The New School for Design in New York and even funded the college’s Sheila C. Johnson Design Center. It began with her desire to create a destination spa in the Washington, D.C. region—something that the area has been lacking. Salamander Resort & Spa is a quick (and beautiful) hour drive from the nation’s capital, offering the opportunity to make it a day trip or experience the lavish accommodations by staying overnight. The Forbes Travel Guide Tastemaker envisioned her newest property as an iconic respite with a focus on two important parts of her life: her daughter Paige’s love of horses and wellness—with a hefty dose of luxury, of course.

As for the design of the resort, Johnson pulled inspiration from her own home just a few miles down the road. A walk around the resort will unveil striking similarities (for example, the spa courtyard looks a lot like Johnson’s own pool terrace). When you drive down the tree-lined driveway, it feels as if you’re arriving at an old Virginia manor—thanks to the oversized porte-cochère, slate walkways, brick façade, and the steeple on top. In fact, aside from the part that the building is no more than six years old, nothing about the resort shouts “brand new,” which is something Johnson strives for here. Step inside and rather than walking into a traditional lobby, you’ll enter a welcoming living room that appears to be generations old (another aspect that’s completely on purpose). It’s hard to comprehend how much thought is put into a property such as Salamander Resort & Spa, but a closer look at various parts reveals a lot. For instance, in the living room, the wide-planked oak flooring was deliberately spaced to seem as if it had expanded and contracted over time, and there are quoins underneath the boards to allow for a bit of bounce that you’d find in worn wood floors. Two massive stone fireplaces stand guard on either side of the living room; so beautifully finished that you may be tricked into believing they were imported from an old French mansion—yes, those are new, too.

But not everything on property is brand new: A 150-year-old stallion barn has been converted into a private dining room that’s large enough for 24 guests, and all of the books in the resort’s library were purchased from the Middleburg Library, meaning that locals have been checking out these tomes for years. The small historic town was part of President John F. Kennedy’s Camelot, and Jackie O. would ride horses on the land where Salamander Resort & Spa now stands. While historic aspects are part of what makes the resort so interesting, it’s the way the culture and surrounding environment has been woven throughout that really makes it unique. The four levels of guest rooms are broken down by seasonal theme with fall being on the top floor, offering the best views of the area’s vibrant foliage come October. Aside from the different color schemes, each floor is decorated with photographs taken by none other than Johnson herself of various horse scenes and landscapes corresponding to the season. Taking advantage of the beautiful environment, each of the 168 rooms boasts a furnished balcony (complete with a horse cutout in the ironwork), and 50 percent have working fireplaces.The 17 suites are named after some of Johnson’s daughter’s favorite horses, while room categories are equestrian themed—think Dressage and Blue Ribbon. But for a real taste of luxury and a deeper look into Johnson’s life, book the 1,680-square-foot Owner’s Suite that’s outfitted with various antiques and collectables from her personal art and furniture collection.

The equine characteristics and exclusive touches continue into the inspiration for this luxury destination resort: wellness, in the form of a 23,000-square-foot spa that’s open to both hotel guests and the public. When you head into the locker room, you’ll walk through an octagonal space, reminiscent of a barn’s frame. The embrace of the surrounding areas is certainly present in the spa, as well; many of the treatment rooms have private terraces—yes, you can have your massage outside if the weather cooperates—and some even boast fireplaces. Spa guests can live the lavish life outdoors by the infinity-edge pool, which as we mentioned before is strikingly similar to Johnson’s personal pool terrace. The tranquil area is lined with cabanas beneath a wooden trellis; it’s sure to attract many leisure seekers. While the horse motif is apparent throughout the resort, the most equestrian space is Harrimans, Salamander Resort & Spa’s signature restaurant. Named after the family who used to own the property, Ambassadors Averell and Pamela Harriman, the Virginia Piedmont-inspired eatery is modeled after the Harriman’s former barn—notice the octagonal shape of the dining room, the stable-like ironwork atop the banquettes and the tack room-esque private dining room that’s adorned with a handful of Johnson’s daughter’s equestrian trophies and other memorabilia. In addition to flaunting the most equine décor, Harrimans may just have the best view on-site: a 220-degree vista of the property, with the stable on one side and the 100,000-square-foot Grand Lawn on the other.

Cuisine will play a large part in the overall experience of a stay at Salamander Resort & Spa; not only is Harrimans regionally influenced, but chef Todd Gray (of Equinox in Washington, D.C.) plans to use plenty of ingredients from the culinary garden just outside of the restaurant. Next door to Harrimans sits the state-of-the-art cooking studio that will host classes—which by the way can be streamed to guest room televisions if you can’t get out of bed—and incorporate a visiting chef program. We have a good feeling this lineup will be pretty stellar, though nothing is set in stone yet. Juxtaposing the newness of the cooking studio is the classic Gold Cup Wine Bar (a nod to the famous equestrian event), where visitors will be able to take advantage of the resort’s Virginia vintners program. Weekly sessions with partner wineries (think Barrel Oak Winery and RdV Vineyards) allow budding oenophiles to learn a thing or two about the up-and-coming Virginia Wine Country by chatting with the winemakers and sipping vino. The brick floor—5,500 pounds to be exact—is strategically chipped to look as if it has been there for years, and the bar has metal plates engraved with the partner wineries’ logos. Topping off the Virginia theme is the mural of Loudon County (where the resort is located) highlighting the various vineyards throughout the region that was painted by local artist Tom Neel.

It’s all about leisure at Salamander Resort & Spa. Guests can partake in all kinds of activities, both indoors and out. If a culinary class isn’t appealing, perhaps a game of billiards is—between the cooking studio and Gold Cup Wine Bar sits the billiards room, which looks as if it could be part of an old mansion (just like everything else on property). With so many surrounding acres, including 200 that have not been cleared, there’s an endless amount of fun to be had in the great outdoors. Venture down to the 22-stall horse barn—don’t worry if you didn’t bring your own stallion along, though you certainly can—and set out on a guided horseback ride through the miles and miles of trails. Active travelers can work up a sweat on the tennis courts, then cool off in the resort pool, while bocce ball offers a calmer form of entertainment. Many things are still in the works, but that only gives us more to look forward to: A treetop canopy tour (we’re talking aerial walkways and viewing platforms) will be completed in the fall, adding yet another way to enjoy the beautiful environment. And the spa plans to take advantage of the trees in a similar, yet much more relaxing, way; Salamander Resort & Spa plans to debut its tree-house treatment rooms in spring 2014. So while much of what we’ve been waiting for will finally be presented on Aug. 29, the luxury resort continues to add more, giving its guests a best-in-show experience.

Source : forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2013/08/09/a-first-look-at-the-new-salamander-resort-spa/

Courtyard Virginia Beach Hotels|"The Inn & Spa At Loretto Announces The Opening Of Santa Fe's Only Penthouse"

Souce           :   sfgate.com
Category       :  Courtyard Virginia Beach Hotels
By               :   PRWeb
Posted By   :  Hotels in Virginia Beach South Courtyard

Courtyard Virginia Beach Hotels

The Loretto's lavish rooftop Penthouse redefines luxury accommodations with the only Penthouse in Santa Fe. Penthouse has its own dedicated art studio with spectacular panoramic views of Santa Fe.The Inn and Spa at Loretto is excited to announce the opening of Santa Fe’s first Penthouse suite located on the rooftop of the iconic Santa Fe Inn. Effortlessly blending southwest design elements with understated natural materials, the Penthouse is a lavish southwest retreat with a modern contemporary feel. Beauty abounds in the spacious two-story suite, with lush living and dining areas, a fully appointed gourmet kitchen and dining area, a dedicated, fully stocked art studio, and 5 terraces with unparalleled views.

With floor-to ceiling windows as well as 1,032 square-feet of outdoor space on 5 intimate terraces, the Penthouse boasts expansive panoramic views of Santa Fe including the famed Loretto Chapel, the renowned Old Santa Fe Trail, the Historic Plaza, and an array of breathtaking mountain vistas and spectacular sunset views. Perfect for entertaining, the spacious suite can accommodate up to 60 guests, making it ideal for events such as parties, gatherings, rehearsal dinners and small weddings. Additionally, the Penthouse Suite is located on its own floor with a private elevator making it perfect for celebrities and guests seeking additional privacy.

For the artist, the suite boasts a dedicated art studio fully stocked with supplies. Framed by floor-to-ceiling windows, the space features lots of natural light and for inspiration, 360-degree views overlooking the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The Inn and Spa at Loretto partnered with Canyon Road galleries including the Wiford Gallery to place beautiful, one-of-a-kind art pieces throughout the Penthouse.

“The Loretto’s spectacular Penthouse Suite is the first of its kind in Santa Fe,” said Dana Ortega, Marketing Director at The Inn and Spa at Loretto. “We are thrilled to provide our guests with a world-class level of modern luxury atop Santa Fe in an intimate, private space.” The Penthouse suite was updated in 2013 by Zimmer Associates, a design firm that utilizes natural design principles to create living environments that align earth, mind and spirit to enhance the natural and cultural setting of the space.

Source : sfgate.com/business/press-releases/article/The-Inn-and-Spa-at-Loretto-Announces-the-Opening-4735085.php

Courtyard Virginia Beach Hotels|"Hotel Flies The Flag For Chester"

Souce           :   chesterchronicle.co.uk
Category     :  Courtyard Virginia Beach Hotels
By               :   Chester Chronicle
Posted By   :  Hotels in Virginia Beach South Courtyard

Courtyard Virginia Beach Hotels

The Chester Grosvenor and Spa has been flying the flag for Chester and Cheshire during an overseas sales trip. The Chester Grosvenor and Spa has been flying the flag for Chester and Cheshire during an overseas sales trip. Jonathan Slater, hotel managing director, travelled 11,763 miles and met 200 American travel agents during a week-long visit to the US. The sales trip was an opportunity to meet travel agents who book luxury holidays for thousands of American travellers every year.

Mr Slater introduced The Chester Grosvenor and Spa in a series of entertaining lunch and dinner presentations at luxury hotels across the US. In just six days he visited San Francisco, Beverly Hills, Newport Beach and La Jolla in California, before travelling on to Dallas and Fort Worth in Texas. He also showcased what Chester and Cheshire had to offer, from its historic Roman Walls to its rolling countryside, as well as promoting the UK as a whole. Mr Slater said: “This was a wonderful opportunity to meet face-to-face the people who are responsible for booking thousands of extra-special overseas visits every year. There’s nothing like the personal touch on sales trips like this.

“Our hope is that the travel agents that we met will remember The Chester Grosvenor and Spa when recommending destinations and hotels to their clients.“The US market is an important one to us, and Chester as a whole, so it’s important that we continue to promote ourselves there.” The sales trip was in conjunction with Matthew Johnson from Historic House Hotels and Terry Holmes from Red Carnation Hotels.

Source : chesterchronicle.co.uk/news/business/hotel-flies-flag-chester-5191599

Virginia Beach Oceanfront Hotels|"Toronto Plaza Hotel Workers Continue 11-Week Strike For Better Wages & Benefits"

Souce           :   thestar.com
Category     :  Virginia Beach Oceanfront Hotels
By               :   Jessica McDiarmid
Posted By   :  Hotels in Virginia Beach South Courtyard

Virginia Beach Oceanfront Hotels

Striking workers at the Toronto Plaza Hotel are upping pressure on management after nearly 11 weeks on the picket lines have failed to break a labour impasse. About 40 workers at the 200-room hotel near the intersection of Highway 401 and Jane St. walked off the job on May 30 to protest cuts to wages, benefits and pensions, as well as what their union local described as “a culture of disrespect.” On Thursday, the Ontario Federation of Labour plans to hold a rally in front of the hotel on Wilson Ave. to bolster the half-dozen or so workers who have been taking shifts waving placards on the sidewalk. Mohamed Baksh, a representative for the workers’ United Steelworkers local, said employees accepted a wage freeze and cuts to their benefits and pensions in 2011 to help out the struggling business, with the understanding that those would be reinstated in spring of 2013.

“Essentially we gave them a break for two years,” Baksh said. But when negotiations for a new contract began, hotel owner Rehan Chaudary wanted to trim wages and reneged on returning benefits, said Baksh. Wage cuts would range from about $5 per hour to about $1 per hour. The hotel has paid partial costs for workers to retain life, accident and death insurance through the USW, said Baksh. Ionie Anderson worked in housekeeping for 14 years and would see her $13.44 per hour wage fall to $12.44. “All of the cutbacks, dropping the benefits, the pay,” Anderson said of her reasons for picketing. Anderson said her children are grown, which has taken some pressure off her household. But many employees are single parents trying to provide for their families, she said. Callif Smith, a single mother of three, has worked at the hotel since 2000. “I have three kids to send to school. I can’t work part-time for minimum wage,” Smith said. “We didn’t need to go on strike — just give us some benefits. I have small kids, they need benefits.”

Chaudary said the company wants to get their employees back to work and give them “a very good package.” But the recession and the ballooning number of hotels in the area hit the Toronto Plaza Hotel hard. Its rates and occupancy levels have fallen against competition from the likes of the Hilton, Marriott and Holiday Inn chains. Chaudary, who has a number of other companies, said he’s spent millions on the hotel since buying it four years ago, but it has yet to turn a financial corner. “It still doesn’t pay its way, we’re in the negative. Every month I’m putting money in to save this company. We’re struggling,” said Chaudary. “(The workers) got to realize something here. This place is dead. If we don’t have a hotel, they don’t have a job, I don’t have a job … I know it’s a kick in the butt, but you know what? It’s a kick in the butt for me, too.”

Source:thestar.com/news/gta/2013/08/13/toronto_plaza_hotel_workers_continue_11week_strike_for_better_wages_and_benefits.html

Virginia Beach Oceanfront Hotels|"Surprise Fees On Your Hotel Bill"

Souce           :   reuters.com
Category     :  Virginia Beach Oceanfront Hotels
By               :   Mitch Lipka
Posted By   :  Hotels in Virginia Beach South Courtyard

Virginia Beach Oceanfront Hotels

But even Hanson got confused during a business trip a few years ago when a hotel bill included $18 in charges for gratuities. One fee was for a bellman he didn't use and the other was for housekeeping service, even though he had already left a tip. It took some discussion with the manager to get the fees dropped.While travelers were complaining about airline fees - additional charges for putting luggage on planes, reserving seats and other services - the hotel business quietly experimented with fee after fee.The result is that your bill at checkout can be confounding. Hotels are tacking on lots of extra charges in addition to sales tax and the tariffs from cities and states that apply only to the hospitality industry.Common fees include resort usage, airport pickup, parking and gym visits along with charges for room service.

Some of the more surprising charges include a fee for moving items around in the minibar (not actually consuming any), a bellman (whether you use one or not), the room safe (even if you don't stash valuables in it), checking out early, checking in early and upgraded amenities (such as shampoo). And here's a new fee: parking in an open, unattended lot. These charges are most common at higher-end hotels, resorts and properties in urban centers. The new parking fee at suburban hotels is still relatively rare. Most hotels in the middle of the price spectrum - the most popular segment in the U.S. - continue to avoid most fees in favor of offering free Internet, free breakfast and free parking. Fees collected by the hotel industry this year will hit a record $2.1 billion, according to a projection released by NYU's Hanson on Tuesday, who tracks hotel fee trends annually. That is double what consumers paid a decade ago.

Among luxury properties, 99 percent charge for a late cancellation, compared with 29 percent among so-called midscale properties, according to a 2012 study by the American Hotel and Lodging Association. 

The biggest problem with fees, Hanson says, is not disclosing those that are mandatory. Last fall the Federal Trade Commission sent warning letters to 22 hotel booking companies for leaving details out of the price projection when consumers shopped for hotels. It is now common to find a section on fees on hotel booking sites as well as a disclosure when a "resort fee" applies."Increasingly, hotels give away free breakfast, free Internet, and now some hotels are trying to claw that back with 'convenience fees,'" says Robert Habeeb, president and chief operating officer of First Hospitality Group in Chicago, which operates 53 hotels, mostly in the Midwest. Fees vary at its properties but can include Internet connection fees ($11.95 a day at one property), a pet fee ($50 per stay at another property), breakfast and parking. Hotels watch occupancy trends and change prices - and fees - constantly, Habeeb says. "It has become like you're trading a commodity on the floor of an exchange." Ultimately, he says, "consumers decide what they're willing to pay for and what they're not."

Overall, nearly a quarter of hotels charge for in-room Internet access, according to a 2012 survey commissioned by the American Hotel & Lodging Association. Wi-Fi charges are most common in so-called "upper upscale" and luxury hotels - with the fee assessed at more than three-quarters of all properties in those categories. Business travelers to big cities, in particular, are targeted for the Wi-Fi charge - which can be as high as $15 a day. "If you're headed to downtown-anywhere, there's a good chance you'll see a Wi-Fi fee on your bill," says Jeremy Murphy, chief executive officer of TheSuitest.com, a travel website that analyzes hotel rooms and prices. NYU's Hanson says it can be tough for consumers to understand what might end up on their bills. "Fees and surcharges are not even uniform across brands," he says. "They can change overnight ... That makes it very difficult for travelers to be aware and anticipate." If you can, find out in advance what the extra charges are, and pay close attention to your bill when you're checking out. Tom Waithe, director of operations for Kimpton Hotels in the Pacific Northwest, encourages hotel guests to challenge charges they disagree with. "The desk has, in many cases, the full ability to reverse a charge or reduce it, but be fair - the charges are often posted in advance," Waithe says.

Source : reuters.com/article/2013/08/14/us-hotels-bills-charges-idUSBRE97D10120130814

Event Hotels in South Virginia|"The Fiesta Americana Condesa Cancun All Inclusive Hotel Offers Family Friendly Vacation Packages"

Souce           :   sbwire.com
Category     :  Event Hotels in South Virginia
By               :   sbwire
Posted By   :  Hotels in Virginia Beach South Courtyard

Event Hotels In South Virginia

Fiesta Americana, a leading Mexican hotel and resort brand known for its luxurious services and amenities, is now offering all inclusive vacation packages for its hotel in the prime tourism destination in Mexico, Cancun. The Fiesta Americana Condesa Cancun Hotel has received the prestigious AAA four-diamond rating, and it’s all inclusive package ensures its visitors have a comfortable, entertaining and memorable vacation by providing accommodations, drinks, dining, entertainment, cultural, recreational & sporting activities all at an affordable fixed price.

Fiesta Americana hotels and resorts are also known for their family friendly atmosphere and for being a veteran in welcoming visitors from around the world and ensuring their experience exceeds the highest expectations. The Fiesta Americana Condesa Cancun Hotel is considered as the premier choice for many Cancun tourists as it offers a comprehensive holiday for their families. The Cancun all inclusive package is especially designed to cover all popular Cancun tourist destinations including specific cultural and sporting activities. The package is intended to offer complete relaxation to its visitors by not worrying about the cost of anything after the one time fixed initial payment and also making sure that they do not miss out on anything that Cancun has to offer. 

The Fiesta Americana Condesa Cancun Hotel is also popularly known for the numerous meetings and events it holds around the year. Its latest technology based facilities and state of the art meeting rooms and halls have the capability of holding any type of business meetings or conferences. The hotel also hosts many family events for which it is highly praised by its numerous customers. The Cancun all inclusive vacation packages are definitely one of the best ways to explore Cancun in a very relaxing and comfortable manner. Focused on maintaining a friendly atmosphere for all ages, Fiesta Americana hotels and resorts have now become a preferred choice for family vacations in Mexico.

Fiesta Americana is one of the leading upscale Mexican hotel brands located at prime tourist destinations in Mexico. The hotel brand is owned by Grupo Posadas, Inc., a highly reputed Mexican firm operating over 61 hotels including Fiesta Americana Grand, Live Aqua and the Explorean. Through the online platform specific details of the hotels and resorts can be viewed and booked online. Fiesta Americana is known for offering all inclusive special offers for a comprehensive entertaining vacation.

Source:sbwire.com/press-releases/the-fiesta-americana-condesa-cancun-all-inclusive-hotel-offers-family-friendly-vacation-packages-301163.htm

Event Hotels in South Virginia|"Labor Day Boost"

Souce           :   sddt.com/
Category     :  Event Hotels in South Virginia
By               :   San Diego Source
Posted By   :  Hotels in Virginia Beach South Courtyard

Event Hotels In South Virginia

Plans to open the new eastern span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as scheduled on Labor Day are getting a boost.Federal officials have signed off on a temporary fix for cracked seismic safety bolts on the span that could allow for the Labor Day opening. In an Aug. 9 letter, a Federal Highway Administration official says he sees no reason to delay opening the bridge to traffic while the permanent fix is completed. The letter was signed by Vincent Mammano, a division administrator with the FHA and sent to Steve Heminger, head of the Toll Bridge Program Oversight Committee. Heminger has said the temporary fix involves installing steel plates into the area of the broken bolts to help prevent movement during an earthquake.

A developer is taking legal action against the historic landmark designation for one acre at a former World War II-era internment camp in the San Fernando Valley. The Los Angeles Times reported Snowball West Investments won't stop installation of some sort of commemoration at the site, but the company wants permission to tear down a golf course and build a 220-unit residential community. In June, the City Council voted unanimously to overturn a Cultural Heritage Commission decision and honor the former site of the Tuna Canyon Detention Station, which is now a one-acre oak grove. More than 2,500 Japanese, Japanese Americans, Germans, Italians and Japanese-Peruvians were detained there following Japan's bombing of Pearl Harbor.Blackstone Group LP, the largest manager of private equity real estate funds, agreed to sell its London West Hollywood hotel in California to Northwood Investors LLC for $195 million, said a person with knowledge of the deal.

Northwood is under contract to purchase the property, located near Sunset Boulevard and home to restaurants by celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, said the person, who asked not to be identified because the agreement is private. New York-based Northwood was founded by President and Chief Executive Officer John Kukral, who led Blackstone's real estate business until he left the firm in 2005. Blackstone (NYSE: BX) acquired the London West Hollywood, on San Vicente Boulevard, in 2005 as part of its purchase of Wyndham International Inc., and spent $50 million to renovate it. The property became part of Blackstone's LXR Luxury Resorts & Hotels unit.Florida plans to file a U.S. Supreme Court lawsuit against Georgia, saying the state is consuming too much water that would otherwise flow to Florida. Florida Governor Scott, a Republican, said Tuesday that the lawsuit will be filed in September, after more than “20 years of failed negotiations” over water distribution between the states. Georgia's water use threatens fisheries in the Florida panhandle city of Apalachicola, along with economic development in the region, Scott said.

“That's our water,” Scott said. “They’ve impacted our families. They’ve impacted the livelihood of people down here.” At a hearing Tuesday in Apalachicola, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, a Florida Democrat, and U.S Sen. Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican, both blamed Georgia for taking more than its fair share of water.

Georgia's consumption, along with a drought last year, has devastated the oyster industry in Northwest Florida, the Senators said.

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