When I write about hotels, nearly all my pieces cover only 10 hotel chains and 10 hotel loyalty programs, and that is only if still counting Marriott and Starwood as different chains. Within these ten hotel chains are more than 35,000 hotels worldwide. That is plenty of coverage for most of the places I travel…
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Hyatt House Dusseldorf 2017, Hyatt Place Frankfurt Airport 2018

Hyatt House Dusseldorf is slated for opening January 2017 with 102 apartment style rooms with kitchens, located in the ‘old town’ Altstadt district, close to the Rhine River. There are currently five other full-service Hyatt brand hotels in Germany with Grand Hyatt Berlin, Hyatt Regency Cologne, Hyatt Regency Dusseldorf, Hyatt Regency Mainz and Park Hyatt…
Should you be worried about Club Carlson points after Chinese buyout?

Should you be worried about Club Carlson points after Chinese buyout of Carlson Hotels? In another major hotel chain acquisition, a deal for the buyout of Minnesota-based Carlson’s hotel division by China’s HNA Tourism Group was announced yesterday. Hotels change ownership all the time and generally there is little noticeable impact on the hotel guest.…
Starwood Hotels bidding war after Chinese Anbang offers “superior proposal”
The news broke today that Starwood Hotels has accepted a “Superior Proposal” to be acquired by the Chinese consortium headed by Anbang Insurance Group Co., Ltd for $78 per share. The Marriott proposal is a $71 per share deal. Starwood and Marriott were supposed to finalize their deal on March 28. Now Starwood is seeking…
InterContinental Venice Palazzo Nani to open early 2018

InterContinental Hotels has signed three new hotels in Europe with InterContinental Ljubljana in Slovenia, InterContinental Sofia in Bulgaria and InterContinental Venice Palazzo Nani to open in early 2018. InterContinental Venice Palazzo Nani will be a 51-room hotel conversion of a 16th century palace on the Cannaregio Canal. Hand-painted alfresco ceilings and hand-carved wooden beams will…
Two Starwood Tribute Portfolio hotels in Paris rebrand from Radisson Blu April 2016

Starwood Hotels has signed two Paris hotels to its Tribute Portfolio brand. Reservations are now being accepted for Le Dokhan and Le Metropolitan for arrivals from April 1, 2016 when these hotels rebrand from their current Radisson Blu hotel flags. The interesting aspect of this rebrand is the hotels are still available for booking in…
Hyatt launches new hotel marketing brand Unbound Collection

Hyatt announced the Unbound Collection today as its new hotel brand for pseudo-independent hotels. Unbound Collection enters the boutique chain brand market space already occupied by Marriott’s Autograph Collection (about 100 hotels), Starwood Hotels Luxury Collection and Tribute Portfolio (6 hotels), Hilton’s Curio Collection (22 hotels), InterContinental Alliance Resorts (2 hotels) and Carlson Rezidor Quorvus…
Blame Priceline and Expedia. Hotel industry experts say more hotel chain consolidation coming
What financial experts in the hotel industry say is driving the move for hotel chain consolidation is Expedia and Priceline. These two online travel agencies (OTAs) control most of the hotel distribution bookings globally, they gobble up their OTA competition and their share of hotel bookings distribution is growing globally. The Priceline Group “Priceline: With…
Hotel Vintro South Beach joins Hilton Curio Collection

Hotel Vintro South Beach is the latest member of Hilton’s quasi-independent Curio Collection brand. The 50-room Art Deco hotel will open as Curio Collection in March 2016. TripAdvisor reviews rank Hotel Vintro #13 of 207 Miami Beach Hotels with 4.5/5 circles and a Certificate of Excellence. Interesting comments in TripAdvisor reviews mention exterior and interior…
Tru Hotels, new Hilton midscale brand for when Hampton Inn is too upscale

Hilton announced it will launch Tru Hotels, its 13th hotel brand, targeted for midscale market segment travelers. You might think Hampton Inn already fills the midscale market niche in the Hilton family of hotel brands, however, STR Chain Scale places Hampton Inn in the upper midscale market. Tru Hotels are geared for a new hotel…