The Kor Hotel Group will be building a new Viceroy Hotel in New York City, slated to open in 2010.

“Our expansion into New York City is extremely exciting. Visibility in this major international city has been a goal of ours for some time now. We are looking forward to this venture and believe that our Viceroy brand will thrive in the cosmopolitan, urban sophistication that New York exemplifies,” said Kor Hotel Group Founder and CEO, Brad Korzen.

Said to contain 168 well-appointed guestrooms in the top 12 floors of an office building recently constructed. This massive building takes up an entire city block.

World-renowned architects Brennan Beer Gorman (BBG) and interior designers Yabu Pushelberg will be helping out in the design of the new Viceroy, a brand known for their intuitive service and designs.

Read more here.

She doesn’t seem to stay out of the news too well, and after her latest destruction of a Moscow Hyatt Hotel’s wallpaper, she’s been put on the blacklist.

Paris scrawled her name in black marker on the designer wallpaper of the Presidential Suite for a photoshoot, and when Hotel staff found out she was find €4,500 and blacklisted from all Hyatt Hotels.

A spokesman said: “Miss Hilton ruined the wallpaper in the luxury suite. In such a case the client automatically goes on the black list.”

This is just one of many scandals that Paris has been up to in the Russian capital. Read the Telegraph story here.

“We’re building the hotel,” said David Thurman, a principal of Los Angeles-based Foch Investments/Development, which is developing the project. “We have signed agreements with St. Regis.”

A St. Regis Hotel & Residences will be built, with 150 guestrooms and 70 - 80 condo units above that.

A zoning request to permit a higher building height and to extend the land by 100,000 sq. ft. was declined, however, by the Dallas City Planning commision.

Regardless of this denial the development team hopes to begin soon and have the project completed by 2010.

That way, the new project will be ready for the 2011 NFL Superbowl game, to be held at the new Dallas Stars football stadium in Arlington, TX.

Even with the economic downturn and a decrease in consumer spending, it looks like many projects continue to spring up across the country. The new St. Regis being just one of many.

Read the entire article at The Dallas Morning News.

Joie de Vivre’s Carlton Hotel in San Francisco has become the first hotel in that city to be powered entirely by solar energy.

Certified as an official Green Business by the city of San Francisco, the Carlton is the first of many projects that the Joie de Vivre group have in mind for fufilling their mission of having an impact on communities.

“The operational changes we’ve made along with the new solar array will lessen the environmental impact of the hotel,” said Pamela Flank, General Manager of the Hotel Carlton. “We are proud to have met the strict San Francisco Green Business certification standards so that we can offer an environmentally-sustainable experience to our guests, our employees and the community.”

In addition to the sustainable energy hotel, Joie de Vivre donates a minimum of $200 USD per guestroom per year to the You Can Make a Difference Charity program.

Read the full news story here.

HotelNewsResource.com recently published an article by Dr Rick Johnson entitled “Creating Success during a Downturn in the Economy” which discusses the roll of leadership and marketing during downturns and recessions.

Dr Johnson points out that, “most companies market share growth happens going into a recession or coming out of a recession, not at the top or the bottom of an economic cycle” and that, “those who react to cycle changes first will gain share over those who don’t.”While his article focuses on the role that CEOs must play in order to be successful during these times, stating that the favorable economic conditions in the last five years made it such that “it did not take a genius to be successful,” his argument also inherently suggests that current market conditions are cause to encourage marketing efforts rather than pull back.

As Dr Johnson points out, companies rise to the top and gain market share going into and coming out of recessions, and multiple case studies carried out during past recessions agree with him. While weeding out parts of management that were along for the ride is part of the strategy Dr Johnson suggests, cutting back blindly on spending certainly isn’t the solution.

It will be interesting to see how the economy plays out, and which chains take the challenge Dr Johnson suggests and continue to invest strongly in their advertising. Will we see new players rise to dominance over the next few years?

The Grand Opening reception for the newest Cambria Suites in Green, OH will take place April 17th.

“Cambria Suites is truly a great fit for this area and I can’t think of a more experienced and reputable developer than American Hospitality Group to work with in opening this property,” said William Edmundson, president, Cambria Suites. “With stylish and thoughtful amenities that can appeal to all guests, regardless of their reason for travel, the Akron-Canton area is definitely the perfect place for this hotel.”

The 108-suite Cambria Hotel opened its doors to guests just last week and offers a slue of features and in-house services including: Reflect, a casual dining center with a full barista coffee bar will serve breakfast and dinners in the hotel lobby; Refresh, a state-of-the-art fitness center with indoor pool and spa provides a space for guests to work out and unwind; and Refill, a convenience store grab-and-go, will provide meals and articles for the traveller on the move.

To read more about Cambria Suites and Choice hotels, you can read the Forbes article here or go to the Cambria Suites official website.

The Franklin Hotel in Upper East Side Manhattan announces the completion of a year’s worth of renovations.

“Our guests are discerning, sophisticated travelers who expect an authentic New York experience, which we believe The Franklin delivers through its high standard of bespoke service and smart, stylish character,” said Jeff Harvey, Vice President and Director of Operations for Willow Hotels, the managing company for The Franklin.

For a hotel described as  ”Unpretentiously stylish and intimate in scale,” the new renovations and expansion of amenities promises to deliver for those seeking a genuine New York experience.

Throughout the hotel a new decor has been established, a contemporary design punctuated with elegant and sophisticated accents. Rooms feature a soothing color palette of ivory, pale blue and chocolate brown, and European-style contemporary beds. Large flatscreen LCD televisions, a functional and plush work space and iPod-compatible clock radios allow visitors to make the most of their luxurious stay.

A new deluxe European-style breakfast buffet is extended towards guests each morning, as well as a wine and artisanal wine sampling every evening, all courtesy of the Franklin. If this doesn’t seem lavish enough, there is also a 24 hour espresso and coffee bar, free wireless internet and a complimentary overnight shoe shining.

For more details about the renovation of one of the Upper East Side’s gems, you can read the Franklin Hotel press release (pdf).

Prior to 1990, a guest house conjured up a vision of exactly that, a small house located at the back of a property that provided an accommodation for guests visiting the estate.  More recently, the Bed and Breakfast (B&B) market has embraced the term.  Modern B&B’s are the large homes and estates of early 20th century properties and usually feature a detached house or houses as part of the property.
Today, a traditional B&B is a property where both the owners and their guests live under the same roof.  A guest house was a property where the owner or manager lived in separate quarters from the guests.  The “House” concept which was originally derived from the guest house concept has expanded to include the now very popular Membership Hotels.  They are a cross between a Hotel and a City Membership Club.  They are places to conduct business or simply take a break from the busy city.  These places now include restaurants, spas, and private meeting spaces all available for day use or for over-night guests visiting the area.  Don’t expect to hear about these accommodations as exclusivity is usually part of the concept. 
Because of this exclusivity, memberships are usually very cost effective.  In cities such as New York and London, it is not about the cost of membership as much as being a place where you can be yourself and be seen.  The key is meeting the membership criteria.  The west coast is creating its own version of these “House Hotels”, with emphasis on being seen.  This is not to say that they do not offer utility as well.  The “House” concept caters to all sorts of individuals, including successful business persons, celebrities, people in the news and local VIP’s. 
However, there is great utility with membership and regular house members use the faculties frequently, hence making membership a value and a necessity. 

Jack Weyls

Hilton Hotels Corporation Appoints Christopher Nassetta as President and CEO
- Blackstone Reaffirms Ambitious Growth Strategy -
BEVERLY HILLS, CA and NEW YORK, NY– October 29, 2007 – Hilton Hotels Corporation (“Hilton”) and The Blackstone Group (NYSE:BX) (“Blackstone”) today announced the appointment of Christopher J. Nassetta as President and Chief Executive Officer of Hilton. Mr. Nassetta currently leads Host Hotels and Resorts, the largest owner of luxury and upscale hotels in the world. Mr. Nassetta joins Hilton as the company moves into an exciting new phase of

growth, both in the U.S. and abroad. The Blackstone Group’s real estate and corporate private equity funds completed the acquisition of Hilton on October 24, 2007. Blackstone views Hilton as an important strategic investment and intends to invest in its properties and brands to enhance the Company’s growth. As stated at the time of the initial announcement in July, Blackstone has no intention of selling any brands or major assets as a result of the transaction.

Jonathan Gray, Senior Managing Director, Blackstone said, “Our goal with Hilton is to build the premier global hospitality company. We are confident that Chris will be a superb addition to the already strong Hilton team. Given his background overseeing the world’s largest hotel ownership company, Chris understands the needs of hotel owners and is uniquely qualified to lead Hilton. I’ve known Chris personally for 15 years and have worked successfully side-by-side with him in the past. He’s a man of the absolute highest integrity, who cares deeply about people. He has the energy, enthusiasm and experience to lead Hilton, and it’s with great pleasure that we welcome him to the team.”

Blackstone’s strategy includes maintaining strong unit growth in the U.S., where more than 20% of all hotel rooms currently under construction carry a Hilton brand. Blackstone will also invest to accelerate the company’s international growth, building on recent agreements to expand the Hilton family of brands outside of the U.S. through a series of strategic partnerships. It was only last year that Hilton merged with Hilton International, a transaction which created a new set of global opportunities for the company. Additionally, Blackstone intends to incorporate a significant portion of its existing portfolio of luxury hotels and resorts onto the Hilton platform, adding to the luxury offerings available to Hilton customers. Blackstone’s holdings include such upscale properties as The Boulders Resort and Spa (Arizona), The El Conquistador Resort (Puerto Rico), and The Boca Raton Resort and Club (Florida).

Chris Nassetta commented, “I am excited to join this great company and am looking forward to working with Hilton’s franchisees, owners and team members to grow this already impressive franchise. Hilton has a powerful collection of brands and we now have the opportunity to build on the strong foundation that already exists to drive the company’s growth, particularly overseas, to create the pre-eminent lodging company in the world. I also look forward to working with Blackstone, who I know from experience will be a terrific strategic partner for Hilton going forward.”

As President and CEO of Hilton, Mr. Nassetta will oversee Hilton’s extensive line of quality brands, including: Hilton, Conrad, Doubletree, Embassy Suites, Hampton, Hilton Garden Inn, Hilton Grand Vacations, Homewood Suites by Hilton, and The Waldorf=Astoria Collection. Mr. Nassetta intends to work closely with the existing management team, including Thomas Keltner, Chief Executive Officer - Americas and Global Brands, and Ian Carter, Chief Executive Officer - Hilton International. As previously announced, Stephen F. Bollenbach retired from the company last week upon the completion of the transaction. Additionally, Matthew J. Hart will step down as president and chief operating officer but will serve as a member of Hilton’s Board of Directors.

About Christopher Nassetta

Christopher J. Nassetta will join Hilton Hotels Corp. from Host Hotels & Resorts, where he has been President and Chief Executive Officer since 2000. Prior to joining Host, Mr. Nassetta co-founded Bailey Capital Corporation in 1991, where he was responsible for the operations of the real estate investment and advisory firm. He also spent seven years serving as Chief Development Officer and in various other positions with The Oliver Carr Company. Mr. Nassetta serves as a Director of CoStar Group, Inc., is Second Vice Chair and serves on the Board of Governors of National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts, is a member and chairman of The Real Estate Roundtable, and is a member of the McIntire School of Commerce Advisory Board for the University of Virginia.

Mr. Nassetta graduated from the University of Virginia McIntire School of Commerce with a degree in finance and studied international finance at the London School of Economics.

About Hilton

Hilton Hotels Corporation is the leading global hospitality company, with 2,896 properties totaling approximately 500,000 rooms in 76 countries and territories.

The company owns, manages or franchises a hotel portfolio of some of the best known and highly regarded brands, including Hilton®, Conrad® Hotels & Resorts, Doubletree®, Embassy Suites Hotels®, Hampton Inn®, Hampton Inn & Suites®, Hilton Garden Inn®, Hilton Grand VacationsTM, Homewood Suites by Hilton® and The Waldorf=Astoria Collection®.

About Blackstone

The Blackstone Group (NYSE:BX) is a leading global alternative asset manager and provider of financial advisory services. Its alternative asset management businesses include the management of corporate private equity funds, real estate opportunity funds, funds of hedge funds, mezzanine funds, senior debt funds, proprietary hedge funds and closed-end mutual funds. The Blackstone Group also provides various financial advisory services, including mergers and acquisitions advisory, restructuring and reorganization advisory and fund placement services.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of federal securities law, including statements concerning business strategies and their intended results, and similar statements concerning anticipated future events and expectations that are not historical facts. The forward-looking statements in this press release are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including the effects of economic conditions; supply and demand changes for hotel rooms; competitive conditions in the lodging industry, relationships with clients and property owners; the impact of government regulations; changes in foreign currency exchange rates; and the availability of capital to finance growth, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the statements herein.