IHG to open first Regent hotel since brand acquisition

IHG (Inter Continental Hotels Group) announces the signing of a management agreement with Shanghai 21st Century Hotel Co., Ltd. for its iconic property located in Lujiazui, Shanghai, China.

From 16 May 2020, the hotel will be officially branded as Regent Shanghai Pudong and ready to welcome guests with a truly unique and luxury experience, which the legendary brand is famous for. All existing reservations will be automatically forwarded and honoured by Regent Shanghai Pudong.

Expanding its luxury footprint, IHG announced the acquisition of a majority stake in Regent Hotels & Resorts in March 2018 and brought the much-loved brand into the top end of its portfolio. Since then IHG has worked quickly to combine its expertise in luxury with Regent’s deep heritage and revered legacy, relaunching the brand by evolving it to appeal to the modern luxury traveller.

Renovation is already underway to rebrand the iconic InterContinental Hong Kong into a Regent hotel in 2021, bringing the hotel back to its roots as it first opened its doors as a Regent in 1980.

In addition, the brand is also expecting new openings in Phu Quoc, Vietnam later this year, Bali, Indonesia in 2021, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia as well as Chengdu, China in 2023.

The Fern Hotels & Resorts supports the needy amid coronavirus crisis; announces no paycuts for employees

Be it providing food to the needy during these times of national crisis or ensuring there will be no pay cuts across its 72 hotels, The Fern Hotels & Resorts, India's leading environmentally sensitive hotel chain is trying to spread the message of being sensitive.

The CEO of the company, Suhail Kannampilly said,” We as a company are doing our bit to contribute during this time of crisis. Quite a few hotels are offering food to the needy in Mumbai and other parts of the country.”

He assured his employees that the company will not be reducing any salaries. “The Labour ministry's advice on not reducing any salaries is clear and we as a company want to show our commitment in resolving this crisis.

At this point we are compelled to take some actions. So rather than salary cuts or unpaid leave we will work towards a salary deferment, where by each hotel pays based on their available cash flow, a base amount for substance and then when the situation reverts to normal the balance is paid out in tranches “, he said.

The CEO also exhorted his team members not to lose touch with the guest and used this opportunity to re-analyse the business.  Run through P&L / trial balance with a fine-tooth comb and evaluate as to how we can make this a healthier and more profitable business once the situation normalizes

Initiative By Roseate Hotels & Resorts & CII and Dwarka Dist. Police to Fight against Corona

Another Day to Brighten and Help someone. Together WE WILL MAKE IT HAPPEN. Dwarka Dist. Police in Partnership with Roseate Hotels & Resorts & CII gets ready to feed 1000 people on a daily basis under Relief & Rehabilitation initiative.Great initiative to fight against Corona

Millennium Hotels and Resorts MEA names Samy Boukhaled as vice president of operations in the UAE

Millennium Hotels & Resorts MEA has named Samy Boukhaled as vice president of operations for the UAE. Boukhaled has been instrumental in implementing the expansion strategy of the company in KSA while assuming the position of vice president of operations that cultivated great success. Thus, his new appointment comes to leverage his experience in UAE.

Renowned for his revenue-oriented approach, Boukhaled has more than 30 years of experience in the industry, having held several leadership roles with hotel companies such as Accor and Sofitel, across France, Bahrain, Morocco and the KSA.

He holds an MBA in International Hotel Management from Vatel International Business School Hotel & Tourism Management in France and a Baccalaureate Degree from Morocco, among other awards and certifications.

Avani Hotels and Resorts Announces Key Management Appointments in Asia and the Maldives

Avani Hotels & Resorts is announcing a number of key appointments for its new hotels in Thailand, Indonesia and the Maldives.

Avani Ao Nang Cliff Krabi Resort and Avani+ Koh Lanta Resort, Thailand

In Thailand’s south - Avani Ao Nang Cliff Krabi Resort’s newly renovated 178-keys completed in January 2020 and Avani+ Koh Lanta Krabi Resort which will offer 87-keys and secluded access to the stunning white sand Klong Dao Beach which is scheduled to open by end of 2020 will be managed by Farah C. Jaber as Cluster General Manager.Farah started his career with Minor Hotels in 2013 as an Executive Assistant Manager at Anantara Rasananda Koh Phangan Villas in Thailand.

Avani+ Khao Lak Resort, Thailand

Scheduled to open in late 2020, the brand new Avani+ Khao Lak Resort will offer 328-keys and direct access to the pristine beaches of Khao Lak, just north of Phuket. Stephan Moonen has been appointed as General Manager and Karun Cornell as Director of Sales & Marketing for the property.

Karun also brings more than 10 years’ hospitality experience and is a graduate of Thailand’s Mahidol University International College in Travel and Hospitality Management; upon completion of his study, he started his career with Bandara Hotels & Resorts while undertaking his Master degree prior to joining Fair House Group in Koh Samui as a Group Director of Sales & Marketing.

Avani+ Fares Maldives Resort, The Republic of Maldives

Scheduled to debut in 2021, the 200-key Avani+ Fares Maldives Resort is located in the Maldives’ Baa Atoll which is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve that is home to unique species of marine, fauna, and flora. Marlon Abeyakoon has been appointed as General Manager for the property.

Avani Seminyak Bali Resort, Indonesia

Scheduled to be rebranded in mid-2020, Avani Seminyak Bali Resort will introduce 21 residence-style accommodations and 16 private pool villas to the popular holiday island with the announcement of I Made Subrata as the new General Manager.

Made began his career in hospitality on his home-island Bali as the pre-opening team of InterContinental in 1993

Russia Closes State-Run Hotels, Resorts Over Rising Coronavirus Cases

Russia ordered its vast network of state-run hotels, resorts and recreational facilities to shut down from March 28 until June 1, as its number of confirmed coronavirus cases rose past 1,000.

The official tally of confirmed cases jumped by a record daily amount for the third day in a row on Friday, bringing Russia’s total to 1,036 a day after it moved to suspend all international flights. Four people have died.

Russia’s mass domestic tourism and recreation sector is still dominated by the state, a legacy from Soviet times. Millions of Russians still holiday each year at vast state-run hotels, resorts, health spas and children’s camps.

An opinion poll by the Moscow-based Levada Centre showed the majority of Russians, some 59 percent, do not believe the official figures. Twenty-four percent said they “absolutely” did not believe them and 35 percent said they only partially believed them, the poll showed.

Rosewood Hotel Group Continues Sustained Path Of Expansion

Rosewood Hotel Group and its inspiring brands – Rosewood Hotels & Resorts®, New World Hotels & Resorts™, and KHOS™ – continues on a steady path of growth with new signings and openings in the world’s most evocative destinations and a curated pipeline of projects that invite discovery and originality

Rosewood Hotel Group signed 10 new hotel transactions in 2019, including breakthrough deals in high-profile destinations globally. The Group’s pipeline is at its strongest in history, with 32 projects under development, including 21 for Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, five for KHOS and six for New World Hotels & Resorts.

Further expansion of the Rosewood Hotels & Resorts collection is underway with future openings planned for Greater China in Chengdu (2023), Shenzhen (2023), Taipei (2024), Ningbo (2024); and for Southeast Asia in Hoi An, Vietnam (2023) and Hermana Mayor, Philippines (2024). The coming months will see the launch of the Group’s first incubator hotels in China for the innovative KHOS brand and the New World Hotels & Resorts is also expanding into India, with a planned opening in Jaipur (2023) and soon announcing a second opening in the Rajasthan region. This momentum has generated exceptional interest in the Group from development partners across the continent. Further growth will be announced for Shanghai, North Asia and the Pacific in the coming months.

The growth impetus in Europe has extended into the Middle East, where a regional flagship Rosewood Doha hotel and branded residences property was signed in 2019

In early 2021, Rosewood São Paulo will open, marking the brand’s debut in South America with a hotel that will set a new standard for luxury accommodation on the continent.

MGM Resorts International Announces Appointment Of Bill Hornbuckle As Acting Chief Executive Officer

MGM Resorts International has announced that Chief Operating Officer and President Bill Hornbuckle, has been named acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and President, replacing outgoing Chairman and CEO Jim Murren.

Replacing Murren as the Chair of the Board of Directors will be Paul Salem, who currently is a member of the MGM Resorts Board of Directors and Chair of the real estate committee of MGM Resorts, which is in the process of executing the asset light strategy.

"The nation is facing an unprecedented crisis, causing the travel and hospitality industry to grind to a near halt. It is clear that once the threat to the public health has subsided and we are ready to reopen our resorts and casinos, it will take an incredible effort to ramp back up," said Paul Salem, Chairman of the MGM Resorts Board of Directors. "We believe continued steady, skilled leadership is needed in this time of great upheaval and uncertainty. Bill is one of the most experienced operators in the business and we have confidence in his ability to bring this company back online. Jim Murren is an outstanding leader who transformed MGM Resorts during his 22 years. Since Jim announced his stepping down from MGM Resorts, we felt that now more than ever, continuity of leadership was of vital importance."

Radisson Hotel Group Announces The Appointment Of Two General Managers To Radisson Blu Hotels

Radisson Hotel Group today announces the appointment of Edean Kam to general manager of Radisson Blu Mall of America and Alex Francis to general manager of Radisson Blu Minneapolis Downtown. Kam and Francis each bring extensive management experience to their new roles with proven success overseeing four and five diamond hotels

Edean Kam has been promoted to general manager of Radisson Blu Mall of America after overseeing the property as hotel manager for the last seven years. She was part of the opening team for Radisson Blu Mall of America in 2013 and brings over 30 years of hospitality experience to her new leadership role. Prior to joining Radisson Hotel Group,She oversaw daily operations for Loews Hotels in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as hotel manager. As resort manager for Four Seasons Resorts & Hotels in Lana’i, Hawaii, She was responsible for coordinating and overseeing a $50 million hotel renovation. Her hospitality career began at the University of Hawaii where she earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration as well as a degree in travel industry and management.

Alex Francis brings over two decades of experience in hotel operations to his new role with Radisson Blu Minneapolis Downtown. During this time, Francis has opened multiple hotels and restaurants, oversaw multimillion-dollar renovations, and helped his hotels earn coveted awards such as “Sales Team of the Year” and “Hotel of the Year” from Interstate Hotels and Resorts. 

He earned a Bachelor of Arts in humanities with a concentration in English and a hotel restaurant administration degree from Washington State University in Pullman, Washington.

Wynn Resorts to Temporarily Close Wynn Las Vegas

Wynn Resorts (Nasdaq: WYNN) has decided to temporarily close Wynn Las Vegas and Encore as part of its continuing effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19 (Coronavirus).

The Company has committed to pay all full-time Wynn and Encore employees during the closure.

The closure will be effective Tuesday, March 17 at 6 pm and is expected to be in effect for two weeks, after which time the Company will evaluate the situation. A limited number of employees and management will remain at the resort to secure and maintain the facility

For additional information and updates, please visit www.wynninfo.com.

Royal Park Hotel Iconic Osaka Midosuji Opens in Japan

On March 16th, 2020, Royal Park Hotels and Resorts Company, Ltd.  opened The Royal Park Hotel Iconic Osaka Midosuji, its second hotel in Osaka. Over the next 5 years, RPHS plans to open six more hotels in Kyoto, Kobe, Nagoya, and Tokyo.

The new hotel forms part of the ICONIC brand, the flagship line of RPHS’ “THE” series for premium limited service hotels. It is located in the brand-new OBIC Midosuji building in the city’s business district alongside the busy Midosuji street, one of Osaka’s main streets.

It is a city full of life and in 2019 Rough Guides named it one of the eight best places to visit. It is also known as the gourmet city of Japan, often sparking new trends.

It is one of Japan’s most vibrant cities with a unique mix of business and tourism and in 2025 will host the World Expo for the second time. It is the fastest-growing inbound tourism destination in Japan with more than 11 million foreign visitors in 2017, a five-fold increase from 2012

Steigenberger Hotels & Resorts in Berlin presents new Area General Manager

The former General Manager of the Hotel Steigenberger in Koln since 2016, Peter B. Mikkelsen, now holds the position of General Manager of the Berlin region.

In his new role, He will be responsible for the Steigenberger Hotel Am Kanzleramt, the Steigenberger Hotel Berlin in Los Angeles Platz and the Steigenberger Airport Hotel in Berlin. He will also manage the Steigenberger Hotel Am Kanzleramt as General Manager. The new manager has training as a hotel specialist and holds a degree in hotel management. He also held the position of General Manager at the Radisson Blu in Warsaw and has gathered further experience at business hotels operated by Sheraton, Hilton and Rezidor

Remington Hotels appoints Joe Masi as Senior Vice President of Operations

Joe Masi joins Remington Hotels with over 35 years experience in the hospitality industry. Here his responsibility include overseeing hotel performance with a focus on projects, including operational plans for new hotel openings and conversions, interim hotel management and the execution of group initiatives.

Most recently, the alumnus of Johnson & Wales University served as Vice President of Operations for the Schulte Hospitality Group, where he was responsible for more than 81 hotels, 7,500 rooms and 4,000 associates. Prior to joining Schulte Hospitality Group, He was vice president of operations at TPG Hotels & Resorts after working for Interstate Hotels & Resorts, where he held a number of executive positions for 26 years, including Vice President of Operations and Vice President of Special Projects. He has also held various executive positions with InterContinental Hotels Group and JW Marriott.