Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - (Page 4) 4 News H&MM March 3, 2008 | HotelMotel.com www.HotelMotel.com/digital_edition Embassy Suites refreshes look, service By Stephanie Ricca MANAGING EDITOR Inland American Lodging Corp. acquired a 22-hotel portfolio on behalf of Inland American Real Estate Trust from RLJ Urban Lodging Fund, an affiliate of RLJ Development, for $900 million. The portfolio includes 4,061 rooms, and the properties are upperupscale and upscale fulland select-service brands. Interstate Hotels & Resorts formed a joint venture with FFC Capital Corp. to acquire 22 Excel Inn properties, comprising 2,397 guestrooms at hotels in the Midwest and Texas. All were converted to Wyndham brands: Days Inn, Baymont Inn & Suites, Super 8, Howard Johnson and Travelodge. This represents the largest collective conversion of these brands. InterContinental Hotels Group made new leadership plans for development in the Americas. Newly named Americas region c.o.o. Tom Murray will manage business development for the InterContinental Hotels & Resorts and Crowne Plaza brands in addition to other responsibilities. In his new role of senior v.p., franchise development, Jim Anhut will lead franchise development in North America. MEMPHIS–As it celebrates its 24th birthday, Embassy Suites Hotels is in the midst of what Jim Holthouser, senior v.p., brand management, called “massive amounts of renovation.” In addition to a new food-and-beverage concept (see sidebar), the all-suite brand from Hilton Hotels Corp. is halfway through a refreshment program that incorporates service and physical upgrades designed to bring the brand Holthouser much-needed HILTON updates. “The brand hadn’t innovated in a while,” Holthouser said. Over the next year to 18 months, the brand and its owners will reap the benefits of the “huge investment” they are making to update bedding, lighting, amenities, breakfast, fitness programs, outside signage and other service and physical aspects, Holthouser said. The first Flying Spoons will debut at a new Embassy Suites in Jackson, Miss., which is scheduled to open late this year. F&B concept set to take off By Harvey Chipkin CONTRIBUTING EDITOR NEW YORK–Embassy Suites launched a new food-and-beverage concept called Flying Spoons as an option for existing and new hotels. It is designed to be a hip, casual facility that, according to Rick McCue, v.p.-brand performance, would fill a gap between “fast casual” restaurants like Panera Bread and sitdown restaurants. The first Flying Spoons will debut at a new Embassy Suites in Jackson, Miss., which is scheduled to open late this year. Flying Spoons is an option for originalconcept Embassy Suites properties, as well as Design Option III, the “streamlined” version of the brand that now constitutes a majority of pipeline projects. McCue said that in some locations, Flying Spoons might be the only F&B outlet, while in Development plans “We’re positioning Embassy to open 15 to 25 new hotels every year,” Holthouser said. This will keep the property count where the brand wants it to be, he said, because many hotels most likely will not stay with the brand after their 25-year franchise agreement expires. See Embassy upgrades | page 40 others it would adjoin a full-service restaurant. Depending on the time of day, Flying Spoons will serve salads and sandwiches or entrees like grilled chicken or salmon; it also will serve coffee drinks and snacks. McCue said some Flying Spoons might incorporate local flavor as far as food and décor and still be called Flying Spoons; or, in a unique market like New Orleans, a space might incorporate the “hip casual” atmosphere but be different enough to have a name other than Flying Spoons. Flying Spoons will allow guests to grab a meal and head to their suites, or eat in bar-style seats, at tables and chairs or on a sofa while working on a laptop. The restaurants will be open from 5 a.m. until 1 a.m. Prices will be slightly higher than Panerastyle restaurants, McCue said, with sandwiches priced around $8 to $9 and entrees around $15. Coffee drinks would be “slightly lower” than Starbucks. Flying Spoons, McCue said, is targeted at younger travelers who “enjoy the intuitive flexibility of a space where they can text message, charge their iPod, eat, whatever they want. Flying Spoons enables all these things to happen. Any way you want to use the space is OK.” McCue also said Flying Spoons offers “an efficient model for developers” that is capitalefficient and operationally cost-effective, costing an estimated 30 percent less to develop than a traditional Embassy Suites atrium restaurant because of smaller square footage and crossutilization of equipment used for breakfast and manager’s receptions. HILTON HOTELS CORP. hmm@questex.com President, c.e.o. and director of Red Lion Hotels Corp. Arthur Coffey retired after 27 years with the company. Anupam Narayan, executive v.p. and c.f.o., succeeded Coffey as president and c.e.o. Vagabond Franchise System named Bruce Weitzman president and c.e.o. For updated breaking news, visit www.HotelMotel.com. Conference promises practical green advice the U.S. Green Building Council Nevada chapter. The theme is LOS ANGELES–Jim Butler, partner Green Hotel Development, Renwith Jeffer Mangels Butovation & Operation. ler & Marmaro LLP and Butler said the conleader of its Global Hosference will address the pitality Group, expects “Gen 2” issues of going the firm’s annual Hotel green. Developers Conference “We’ve moved from to help take green develGen 1 to Gen 2,” he said. opment topics to the next “Now it’s about rolllevel. ing up your shirtsleeves The conference is co- Butler and getting into it— hosted by University of JEFFER MANGELS what are the costs, how Nevada, Las Vegas and BUTLER & MARMARO do you do it? Almost evBy Stacey Mieyal Higgins SENIOR EDITOR ery major design firm has [Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design]-certified people who are doing projects, and they know it isn’t easy. They’ve got their war stories.” Butler said the conference will address practical knowledge with a “how-to and who with” approach. “You need the right architects that have done green, and you need the contractors and others who have been through it.” See Developers | page 40 Conference details: The UNLV & JMBM Hotel Developers Conference: Green Hotel Development, Renovation & Operation March 11-13 Green Valley Ranch Resort & Spa, Henderson, Nev. www.jmbm.com/thdc (310) 785-6707 http://HotelMotel.com http://www.HotelMotel.com/digital_edition http://www.jmbm.com/thdc http://www.jmbm.com/thdc http://www.HotelMotel.com
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 Contents Embassy Suites Refreshes Look, Service F&B Concept Set to Take Off Conference Promises Perspective Letter to the Editor Legally Speaking Guest Column HSMAI Consultant's Corner On Finance Travel Trends Energy Star Update Trends & Stats Transactions Property Management Systems Carpet: Mixed Media Planting Greener Greens Transportation Vacation-Ownership Update Ad/Editorial Index Marketplace Classifieds Checking Out Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 (Page 1) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 (Page 2) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Contents (Page 3) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Conference Promises (Page 4) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Conference Promises (Page 5) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Letter to the Editor (Page 6) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Letter to the Editor (Page 7) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Guest Column (Page 8) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Guest Column (Page 9) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - HSMAI (Page 10) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - HSMAI (Page 11) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Consultant's Corner (Page 12) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Consultant's Corner (Page 13) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - On Finance (Page 14) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - On Finance (Page 15) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Travel Trends (Page 16) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Travel Trends (Page 17) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Energy Star Update (Page 18) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Energy Star Update (Page 19) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Trends & Stats (Page 20) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Trends & Stats (Page 21) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Trends & Stats (Page 22) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Trends & Stats (Page 23) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Trends & Stats (Page 24) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Transactions (Page 25) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Transactions (Page 26) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Transactions (Page 27) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Property Management Systems (Page 28) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Property Management Systems (Page 29) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Property Management Systems (Page 30) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Property Management Systems (Page 31) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Carpet: Mixed Media (Page 32) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Carpet: Mixed Media (Page 33) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Planting Greener Greens (Page 34) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Planting Greener Greens (Page 35) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Transportation (Page 36) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Transportation (Page 37) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Vacation-Ownership Update (Page 38) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Vacation-Ownership Update (Page 39) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Vacation-Ownership Update (Page 40) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Vacation-Ownership Update (Page 41) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Vacation-Ownership Update (Page 42) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Vacation-Ownership Update (Page 43) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Vacation-Ownership Update (Page 44) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Vacation-Ownership Update (Page 45) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Ad/Editorial Index (Page 46) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Ad/Editorial Index (Page 47) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Marketplace (Page 48) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Classifieds (Page 49) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Classifieds (Page 50) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Classifieds (Page 51) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Classifieds (Page 52) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Classifieds (Page 53) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Checking Out (Page 54) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Checking Out (Page 55) Hotel & Motel Management - March 3, 2008 - Checking Out (Page 56)
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