Hyatt will require face masks for guests at all US and Canada hotels from Monday.

Hyatt Hotels has confirmed that from Monday, July 27 all Hyatt hotels in the U.S. and Canada will require face coverings within indoor public areas, which include meetings and events spaces, restaurants and bars, and fitness centers.  

The hotel giant says it is introducing the new requirements following advice from medical experts and will help reduce the spread of COVID-19.  Some guests may be exempt from this mandate, including but not limited to people with medical conditions, consuming food or beverages in restaurants, and children under the age of two years.

Guests who are not wearing face coverings indoors will be asked to wear one, and at all Hyatt hotels, face masks will be made available to guests who do not have one. Additionally, Hyatt hotels request all guests practice proper social distancing in indoor and outdoor public areas, and social distancing guidelines are prominently placed throughout all hotels.

Hyatt introduces the internationally acclaimed Miraval spa and wellness brand to Lenox......

The Hyatt Hotels Corporation has announced the introduction of the internationally acclaimed Miraval spa and wellness brand to Lenox, Mass., with the opening of Miraval Berkshires. This opening marks the Miraval brand’s third property, joining its original location in Tucson, Ariz. – celebrating its 25th anniversary this year – and second location in Austin, Texas, which opened in February 2019. On the same property as Miraval Berkshires, Hyatt simultaneously introduces Wyndhurst Manor & Club, a Destination Hotel, with a focus on the Berkshires’ rich culture and history. Both resorts sit atop 380 protected acres and offer a diverse range of year-round programming that encourages guests to celebrate the changing New England seasons.

“We are thrilled with the Miraval brand’s expansion to the East Coast with Miraval Berkshires and to welcome Wyndhurst Manor & Club to the Destinations Hotels family,” said Susan Santiago, Head of Lifestyle & Miraval Operations. “Wyndhurst Manor offers a step back into the Gilded Age and delivers a true-to-place experience for multigenerational families, golfers and those simply wanting to escape. The programming at Miraval Berkshires encourages guests to create a “Life in Balance” by focusing on mind, body and spirit. We look forward to welcoming guests on their transformative journey through spa, equine, fitness and nutrition experiences.”

New Hyatt hotel for Cyprus

Hyatt Hotels Corporation has confirmed, together with its partners, the plan to open the first Hyatt hotel on the island of Cyprus, Grand Hyatt Limassol. The 300-room luxury resort is expected to open in 2025 and signifies Hyatt’s continued growth into Europe’s leading travel destinations.

-

The new-build beachfront resort will be situated at a Blue Flag beach east of Limassol, one of the island’s most cosmopolitan cities. With a prime beachfront location on the southern coast of the island and 300 bold, light-filled rooms offering sea views, Grand Hyatt Limassol will be a captivating destination within a destination featuring a stunning 43,000-square-foot (4,000-square-meter) beach club including premium spa and fitness facilities as well as an indoor pool and two outdoor pools. The resort will additionally offer five elevated food and beverage concepts as well as 15,000 square feet (1,400 square meters) of event space. Furthermore, Grand Hyatt Limassol will be a key element of Zaria Resort, a mixed-use luxury development, comprised of residential apartments and private villas totaling more than 861,100 square feet (80,000 square meters).

Hyatt to open Alila Marea Beach Resort Encinitas in 2021

Expected to open in early 2021, Alila Marea Beach Resort Encinitas will bring the luxury brand’s dedication to sustainable tourism, innovative eco-design and authentic destination experiences to Southern California

Hyatt Hotels Corporation has confirmed plans for the first new-build Alila resort in the Americas, located in Encinitas, California. Encinitas is a quintessential beach town in San Diego’s North County Coastal region growing in popularity with locals and visitors alike.  The Alila Marea Beach Resort Encinitas will add to Hyatt’s growing Alila brand portfolio, joining Ventana Big Sur, an Alila Resort, as the brand’s second hotel in California and the U.S., along with 14 other luxury properties worldwide.

The Alila brand features luxury hotels and resorts in unique locations, distinguished by innovative eco-design, a strong commitment to sustainable tourism as well as rare and intimate destination experiences.

With over 50 hotels in the pipeline, Accor intensifies the development of its lifestyle brands

TRIBE will arrive in Paris this fall, followed by Amsterdam, Warsaw and other launches planned for key gateway cities such as London, Berlin, Brussels, Lisbon, and Vienna in Europe to start...

Accor is stepping up its ambition in the lifestyle sector with TRIBE, a rapidly expanding midscale brand, which is exceeding initial expectations and planning to open more than 50 hotels globally... In Europe, in addition to Paris, Amsterdam or Warsaw where hotels have already been signed, projects in iconic locations such as Berlin, London Brussels, Lisbon and Vienna are currently being finalized. Over the next five years, the brand is planning to open a total of 150 hotels worldwide aimed at a new generation of travelers in search of refined yet affordable experiences.

 

“Accor is a global leader in the lifestyle segment, thanks to its 11 disruptive brands, including TRIBE and its 50 hotels in the pipeline. The brand is going from strength to strength and is continuing its international expansion with the development of numerous projects. In line with the Group’s growth targets, TRIBE has established itself as the new standard in the world of lifestyle hospitality” said Gaurav Bhushan, Chief Development Officer, Accor.

 

Hotel Indigo, opens first hotel in Cyprus

IHG Hotels & Resorts opens the first and only branded boutique hotel in Cyprus - Hotel Indigo Larnaca. Each of the hotel’s 40 bedrooms are all uniquely designed and inspired by Cyprus’s craft heritage with balconies overlooking the picturesque city of Larnaca. Just a five-minute drive from the airport, the hotel is centrally located in one of Larnaca’s most historic areas, near the church of St. Lazarus and close to Finikoudes and Mackenzie beaches.

Within walking distance to the beach, the hotel combined two traditional Cypriot beach homes into a new hotel, marrying design elements from both old and new. The bedrooms have a modern yet contemporary feel by merging raw concrete with locally - made, brightly - coloured traditional textiles and light wooden furnishings. The en-suite bathrooms have spa-like rain showers, with brushed concrete flooring and original Cypriot tiling. All the balconies are fitted with traditional Mediterranean yellow shutters, reminiscent of old Cyprus, and mimicking the sunset amongst the surrounding mountains.

First EVEN Hotels property in Greater China opens

IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), one of the world’s leading hotel companies, has opened the doors to its first EVEN Hotels property in Greater China. The unveiling of the hotel in the heart of Nanjing, China marks the first EVEN Hotel in Asia and outside of the Americas. Since the first EVEN Hotels opening in 2014, IHG’s lifestyle and wellness offering is designed to meet the large and growing demand for wellness-minded travellers and help them maintain their balance on the road.

The 172-room EVEN Hotel Nanjing Yangtze River, located near the National Green Bay Wetland Park and Youth Olympic Stadium, is equipped with wellness-savvy staff, best-in-class fitness experiences, an indoor tennis court, an indoor heated swimming pool, a bowling club, 7 meeting rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows, balanced food choices and relaxing spaces. The hotel also boasts an impressive water fountain with spectacular light shows during the evening. Owned by Yangtze State-owned Investment Group, and managed by IHG, the property is the brand’s first location in Asia. The hotel is the result of a strong owner relationship of IHG in Greater China. Owned by Yangtze State-owned Investment Group, and managed by IHG, the property is the brand’s first location in Asia. The hotel is the result of a strong owner relationship of IHG in Greater China.

Sofitel Invites Guests to Live The French Way This June by Celebrating La Fête de la Musique

As many parts of the world begin to reopen and travellers think about heading out on summer escapes, Sofitel is paying homage to its roots by inviting passionate music lovers worldwide to celebrate Fête de la Musique through exclusive activations and a dedicated social media campaign throughout the week of June 21, 2020.

Much like Sofitel, a renowned global ambassador of French style and art-de-vivre, the all-day global music festival Fête de la Musique encourages participants to let loose, awaken the senses and indulge in the unexpected, through a celebration of all genres of music honoring the libertarian spirit of French street fêtes. Sofitel invites music lovers to ‘Live The French Way’ by participating in Fête de la Musique activations across the globe, either on location at a Sofitel property or digitally through the brand’s Sofitel Sounds playlists.

Four Seasons Orlando ready to welcome you.

A summer getaway is now even more enticing with a new offer from Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort, Central Florida’s only Five Diamond Award rated resort, reopening its doors on July 1, 2020.  The new Experience More package includes a USD 200 nightly credit for stays in a guest room, or a USD 500 nightly credit for stays in a one or two-bedroom suite.

Four Seasons Resort Orlando boasts world-class resort amenities, including a 5-acre (2 hectares) Explorer Island water park, Tom Fazio golf course, three Har-Tru tennis courts, and the award-winning complimentary kids’ camp for children ages 4-12.  While the kids are fully entertained with different theme activities each day, parents are provided a much-needed break to relax and unwind at the Oasis adult-only pool. This summer, guests can also enjoy enhanced activities programming, including “Dive In” movies offered three days per week at the family pool, complimentary play on select days at the Par 3 golf course, daily supervised swim time for kids, and more.

Eldorado Resorts Announces Reopening Dates for Five Properties in Florida, Indiana, Colorado and Ohio

Eldorado Resorts, Inc. announced the planned resumption of operations at five properties in Florida, Indiana, Colorado and Ohio, pending receipt of final regulatory approvals.

Eldorado plans to reopen Isle Casino Racing Pompano in Florida on Saturday, June 13, Tropicana Evansville in Indiana on Monday, June 15, Isle Casino Hotel Blackhawk and Lady Luck Casino Blackhawk in Colorado on Wednesday, June 17, and Eldorado Gaming Scioto Downs in Ohio on Friday, June 19.

Hilton will start a new cleanliness programme around the world next week - say hello to CleanStay

Next week, the global hotel chain, Hilton will start a new cleanliness programme around the world, to deliver an industry-defining standard of cleanliness and disinfection in all its properties.

It is called Hilton CleanStay, and has been created in collaboration with Lysol and Dettol maker RB and Mayo Clinic and will include new procedures to designed to make people feel safer staying at a Hilton location this summer.

“For more than a century, our top priority has been the safety and security of our guests and Team Members. As the hospitality industry evolves to address travellers’ changing expectations – especially in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic – Hilton CleanStay is the latest evolution of our commitment to providing the peace of mind and confidence our guests need to travel freely, while protecting our Team Members,” said Chris Nassetta, President and CEO of Hilton.

“Though our hospitality may look different in the short term, around the world we are eager to welcome our guests once more and create the unforgettable experiences they have come to expect from Hilton.”

Hilton and RB have expanded this partnership to support the global portfolio of hotels and the trusted RB family of products will be used in multiple markets around the world.

Hilton guests can expect to begin seeing changes in some hotels around the world starting next week, with Hilton CleanStay implemented across Hilton’s 18 brands by mid-July.

Hilton CleanStay from Check-in to Check-out

Casa Cupula, a leading luxury LGBT boutique hotel in Puerto Vallarta reached out to its guests over future travel plans.....

Casa Cupula, a leading luxury LGBT boutique hotel in Puerto Vallarta reached out to its guests and to people in the LGBT community in general who visit Puerto Vallarta to find out the effect the coronavirus pandemic has had on their travel plans. 

The research took place in May and was self-selected, with 27% coming from Casa Cupula guests, of the 336 people who responded, the majority (81%) had planned to visit Puerto Vallarta before the end of 2020. Post pandemic, 41% of those surveyed plan to return later this year. Almost all the rest (36%) expect to return in 2021. The average duration of a delay was about 8 months from when originally planned.

What is keeping LGBT visitors from returning? Concern about the safety of air travel in general, with 65% saying they were greatly or somewhat concerned about this. Comparatively 51% were specifically concerned about travelling to Puerto Vallarta.

Dollywood and Dollywood’s Splash Country Set Opening for June 15

-After much careful preparation, Dollywood Parks and Resorts start reopening beginning with Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa on June 10. Dollywood Theme Park and Dollywood’s Splash Country Water Park open June 15 and 16 for season pass guests only. Both parks open to the general public on June 17.

Hyatt Announces Updated Cancellation Policy, Extending Travel Flexibility and Care

Guided by its purpose to care for people so they can be their best, Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced an extension to its cancellation policy that will provide further flexibility as guests start making travel decisions again.

“As we listen closely to our guests and members, we know that flexibility is more important than ever right now”

With some limited exceptions, reservations booked July 1, 2020 and beyond – for any future arrival date through July 31, 2021 – can be cancelled at no charge up to 24 hours before scheduled arrival. This includes Advance Purchase Rate reservations. The exceptions are noted below.

“As we listen closely to our guests and members, we know that flexibility is more important than ever right now,” said Mark Hoplamazian, president and Chief Executive Officer, Hyatt. “In addition to offering a reimagined hotel experience that is focused on safety and wellbeing, we want to help our guests and members book with confidence as they start planning travel again and cannot wait to welcome them back soon.”

Eldorado Resorts Reopen Three Missouri Casinos and Two Iowa Casinos

Eldorado Resorts,  have resumed operations at Isle of Capri Casino Hotel Boonville, Isle of Capri Casino Kansas City and Lumière Place Casino & Hotels in Missouri and at Isle Casino Hotel Bettendorf and Isle Casino Hotel Waterloo in Iowa this week. With Monday's reopenings in Missouri and Iowa, 11 of Eldorado’s 23 casino entertainment facilities have resumed operations following the suspension of operations in March.

Eldorado is implementing procedures that limit gaming capacity and ensure proper social distancing at its Missouri properties and is adhering to regulations imposed by Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds that limit gaming capacity to 50% of prior levels with proper social distancing regulations in place.

“With our recent successful property reopenings in Louisiana and Mississippi, we are extremely excited to reopen our doors at five properties in Missouri and Iowa this morning. As we resume operations at our facilities across the country, the health and safety of our Team Members and Guests remains our number one priority. We have been working very hard over the last two months to prepare for these reopenings and we look forward to providing the outstanding service and hospitality experiences our casinos in Missouri and Iowa are known for in a safe manner,” said Anthony Carano, President and Chief Operating Officer of Eldorado Resorts.

Eldorado has developed a comprehensive list of health and safety protocols which are being implemented in Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Iowa and other gaming markets where it has operations as they reopen. For more information, please visit www.eldoradoresorts.com/health-and-safety

ospitality Ventures Management Group (HVMG) Assumes Management of The Inn On Broadway Lexington in Ky.

Hospitality Ventures Management Group (HVMG), an Atlanta-based, private hotel investment, ownership and management company, today announced it has signed a management agreement to operate the Inn On Broadway in Lexington, Kentucky.

Charlestowne Hotels Inks Monumental Deal with The Thrash Group

Charlestowne Hotels, providing full-service hospitality management has announced a formal agreement with The Thrash Group, a national hospitality development company, to oversee their entire portfolio of hotels. Under this new agreement, Charlestowne will add ten properties to its portfolio – the management company’s largest single deal in its 40-year history. Five of the newly added properties are part of Origin Hotel, an independent brand of lifestyle hotels.

“To say this has been a tumultuous year for hospitality would be an understatement. As we approach Charlestowne’s 40th anniversary, we’re reminded that we have navigated uncertain times before. Our leadership team has never been stronger, and we have been meticulous with our strategic growth plans, this partnership with Thrash included,” said Kyle Hughey, COO of Charlestowne Hotels. “We consider our companies well-matched in both operational style and development goals.”

NH Hotel Group redefines the customer experience and enhances safety in its hotels with the launch of Feel Safe at NH

NH Hotel Group redefines the customer experience and enhances safety in its hotels with the launch of Feel Safe at NH

NH Hotel Group, one of the leading urban hotel companies in Europe and America, has launched a new set of measures to address the current health crisis.  Feel Safe at NH is designed to preserve the safety of travellers and employees, through various initiatives and adaptation of nearly 700 operating standards, completely redesigning the customer journey. Endorsed by experts, these measures will be implemented in each of the Group’s 364 properties. Feel Safe at NH follows a comprehensive review of all the Company’s operations and concentrates all the initiatives under 10 lines of action, in response to the needs of travellers in the new social reality brought about by COVID19. From cleaning and sanitisation processes, to new digital solutions, processes and protocols for restaurant management, social distancing policies, and control of air and water purification, the measures will allow the Company’s hotels to reopen with maximum safety assurances for customers and employees.   

The Company has reviewed all its procedures and made nearly 700 adaptations to its operating standards, which will be progressively implemented in its 364 hotels to preserve the health and safety of travellers and employees worldwide

Grouped under 10 main lines of action and endorsed by specialists in different fields, the measures encompass the digitalisation of hotel services, the adaptation of sanitation processes, the incorporation of social distancing policies into the operations and the use of personal protection elements, among others

The recently announced collaboration agreement with SGS, a world leader in inspection, analysis and certification, will allow the monitoring of the implemented measures and assessments to verify that the Group’s hotels are clean and safe environments

More credit for Accor

Accor has announced that it has signed an agreement with a consortium of 5 banks for a new €560m Revolving Credit Facility (RCF). It complements the undrawn €1.2bn RCF signed in July 2018. It further reinforces Accor’s liquidity position which today exceeds €4.0bn, i.e. more than 40 months under the current market conditions:

€2.5bn available cash at-hand as of end-March 2020
€1.2bn RCF signed in July 2018 - undrawn
€0.56bn as per the new RCF - undrawn

The new fully committed facility has a 12 months tenor, with two six-months extension options in the hands of Accor and has neither covenant nor restriction. It has been underwritten by the following 5 banks: BNP Paribas, Crédit Agricole CIB, Crédit Industriel et Commercial, Natixis and Société Générale. This reflects the renewed trust of Accor’s core banks its business profile and strong balance sheet.

IHG Hotels & Resorts offers a fresh take on clean

IHG Hotels & Resorts offers a fresh take on clean

IHG enhances guest experience with new cleaning protocols, service standards and partners, and launches a Clean Promise to give guests confidence as they re-establish travel norms

As the world adjusts to new travel norms and expectations, IHG Hotels & Resorts is enhancing the experience for its hotel guests around the world, by redefining cleanliness and supporting guests’ personal wellbeing throughout their stay. 

Using new, science-led protocols and service measures, partnering with industry leading experts Cleveland Clinic, Ecolab and Diversey, and launching a global IHG Clean Promise, the strengthened measures will give guests greater confidence and hotel teams the protection needed.

Keith Barr, Chief Executive Officer, IHG, commented: “The future of travel may look different, but a safe, secure stay is fundamental to deliver True Hospitality – and that will never change. By combining IHG’s world-class knowledge and processes, with cutting-edge expertise from Cleveland Clinic, Ecolab and Diversey, we can reassure guests and colleagues that we’re focused on protecting their health and wellbeing. This includes looking at where technology can make a difference, deploying enhanced, highly visible and more frequent cleaning measures, and different approaches to food and beverage, all underpinned by our new IHG Clean Promise.”

Enhancing IHG Way of Clean

IHG has a long-standing commitment to rigorous cleaning procedures. Launched in 2015, the IHG Way of Clean programme was developed with Ecolab and Diversey, both world leaders in hygiene and cleaning technologies and services. This programme is now being expanded with additional COVID-19 protocols and best practices - many of which are already in place - to reflect the advice of the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and local public health authorities in markets around the world.