Hilton Effect Foundation Reveals 2020 Grants and Achieves $1 Million in Global COVID-19 Community Response Efforts

23 grants awarded to organizations worldwide to help build stronger and more inclusive communities

 The Hilton Effect Foundation announced today its 2020 Hilton Effect grantees, which include community-based organizations playing a direct role in COVID-19 pandemic recovery efforts. Through these grants and donations already made by the Foundation, which serves as Hilton’s primary philanthropic arm, the Foundation has now awarded more than $1 million dollars in COVID-19 community response efforts.

“A core part of the Hilton Effect Foundation’s work is to support our communities around the world through both good times and bad,” said Kate Mikesell, president, Hilton Effect Foundation. “From the very start of the pandemic, we have been listening to community leaders about the direct and indirect challenges they are facing as a result of COVID-19. Based on their feedback, we have focused our grants on driving inclusive recovery and strengthening community resiliency.” 

Hyatt Regency to open new 400 room four start hotel in New York

Artists rendering  Photo Business Wire

Exciting news for travellers to New York, as Hyatt Hotels Corporation, has confirmed plans for a new hotel located at Resorts World Casino New York City (RWNYC). 

The Hyatt Regency JFK at Resorts World New York is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2021, and will be an eight-story 400-room four-star hotel with residential-inspired guestrooms and premium suites with energizing design and insightful in-room technology. 

According to the plans, this hotel will also include new restaurants, state-of-the-art conference and meeting spaces, plus retail options, and additional gaming areas!  RWNYC is the only casino in New York City, offering over 6,000 slots and electronic table games to millions of guests annually.

USA Today Readers Name Wyndham Rewards Best Hotel Loyalty Program for a Third Consecutive Year

USA Today Readers Name Wyndham Rewards Best Hotel Loyalty Program for a Third Consecutive Year

Wyndham Rewards®, the world’s most generous rewards program spanning more than 30,000 hotels, vacation club resorts and vacation rentals globally, today announced it has once again been named the best hotel loyalty program in the USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards and that its Wyndham Rewards® Visa® Card has been named the best travel and hotel co-branded credit card.

This marks the third consecutive year that Wyndham Rewards has received the highest honor in the hotel loyalty program category and the second consecutive year that its co-branded credit card has taken the top spot. Nominations are sourced by a panel of travel industry experts, including editors from USA Today and 10best.com, and winners are chosen based on daily voting from USA Today readers over a four-week period.

“In a year unlike any other, we’re incredibly thankful for the continued support of our millions of members, who today make up nearly half of all guests at our U.S. hotels and more than a third of our guests globally,” said Eliot Hamlisch, executive vice president, loyalty and revenue optimization, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. “Our members are at the core of everything we do and are immensely valuable not just to Wyndham but to our thousands of franchisees. On average, members stay more, stay longer, and spend more than non-members. To earn this honor three years in a row speaks volumes about their dedication to Wyndham’s brands and to Wyndham Rewards.”

This year’s rankings come on the heels of Wyndham’s newly announced and updated credit card suite featuring the Wyndham Rewards EarnerSM Card, the Wyndham Rewards Earner Plus Card and the Wyndham Rewards Earner Business Card, the first Wyndham credit card created specifically for small businesses. All three cards amplify rewards earned on the road, as well as everyday purchases, with up to 8x earn on gas purchases and Wyndham hotel stays; up to 5x earn on marketing, advertising and utility purchases (Wyndham Rewards Earner Business Card only); and up to 4x earn on restaurant and grocery purchases. Interested members can learn more, including how to earn up to 45,000 bonus points, at www.wyndhamrewardscreditcard.com.

Hotel Engine Members Can Now Double Dip With Expanded Hotel Loyalty Program

                   

                          Hotel Engine, the leading, no-contract platform for corporate hotel booking, today announced it has enhanced its Hotel Engine Loyalty Program, enabling business travelers on its platform to accrue personal points across 15 hotel loyalty programs worldwide while concurrently earning Hotel Engine Rewards, which can be redeemed for discounted and free hotel stays in the future, at no added cost. This double rewards program is among the few in the industry.

“For business travelers in categories spanning professional services to construction, their hotel reward points are well-earned gold,” shared Elia Wallen, Hotel Engine founder and CEO. “With this new program, Hotel Engine ensures its members continue to accrue their hard-earned hotel loyalty points, while also benefiting from the cost-savings, customer support and travel insights Hotel Engine provides.”

In addition to Hotel Engine Rewards, travelers can accrue points toward 3rd party hotel loyalty programs, including Choice Hotels, Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, Hilton Honors and IHG Rewards.

Mission Pacific Hotel, a Joie de Vivre Hotel, and The Seabird Resort, a Destination Hotel, to Debut in Oceanside, California

Set to open Spring 2021, adjacent boutique properties are poised to become a world-class beach destination 

in San Diego County

Hyatt Hotels Corporation and Oceanside Beach Resort Owner LLC, an affiliate of S.D. Malkin Properties, proudly announce the naming of the new Mission Pacific Hotel and The Seabird Resort, both expected to open in Spring 2021 in Oceanside, Calif. The two adjacent hotels will be the newest and largest oceanfront resort development in San Diego County in more than half of a century, collectively spanning 700 feet of beachfront property. Along with immediate beach access, Mission Pacific Hotel and The Seabird Resort will offer guests a combined 387 guestrooms – most with water-facing views – as well as a variety of food and beverage experiences, oceanview pools and meeting spaces, full recreational programming for beach services and water sports, and more.

Guests of the new Mission Pacific Hotel will enjoy a laid-back, yet upscale experience. The hotel will feature 161 guestrooms and suites, more than 3,000 square feet of curated retail, and three bespoke food and beverage experiences, including the only rooftop pool bar in northern San Diego County, and a restaurant overlooking the pier from renowned Guadalupe Valley Chef, Roberto Alcocer. The hotel will also open the doors to the “Top Gun” house, the iconic 1887 house featured in the popular 1980s film following an extensive restoration project. As part of Hyatt’s Joie de Vivre boutique hotel brand, Mission Pacific Hotel will invite guests and locals alike to connect, live in the moment and celebrate the joy of life.

Hyatt Place and Hyatt House Hotels at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport Officially Open

Hyatt Hotels Corporation has announced Hyatt Place Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport and Hyatt House Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport officially open. The openings mark the first Hyatt Place and Hyatt House dual-branded project in France and bring the number of Hyatt-branded hotels across the country to twelve as the Hyatt brand expands globally in markets that matter most to guests and World of Hyatt members.

Managed by dual-brand hotel expert, Cycas Hospitality, the hotels are located in Paris Nord 2 International Business Park, one of the Ile-de-France’s busiest gateways, close to Europe’s second-largest airport, Paris-Charles de Gaulle.

Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club coming soon

Renowned resort celebrating the coastal lifestyle of Southern California to premiere as Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club

                                           Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Hilton’s iconic luxury hotel brand, has confirmed the upcoming debut of the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club, a distinctive 400-room AAA five-diamond hotel in Dana Point, Calif. Purchased by Ohana Real Estate Investors in November 2019, Monarch Beach Resort is a celebrated coastal retreat in relaxed, sun-splashed Orange County. 

“The Monarch Beach Resort’s impeccable product, unmatched service standard and enviable location make it a perfect addition to the Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts portfolio. We are incredibly excited about welcoming the resort and its team members to Hilton,” said Danny Hughes, Executive Vice President and President, Americas, Hilton. “We are already partnering with the team at Ohana Real Estate Investors as we transition the resort management, and we look forward to welcoming guests and members to Southern California’s premier luxury destination.”

Monarch Beach Resort, long renowned for its unforgettable experiences and unparalleled standard of hospitality, aligns perfectly with the Waldorf Astoria brand ethos, which invites guests to Live Unforgettable.

Viva Wyndham Resorts has announced the reopening of the all-inclusive, family-friendly Dominicus Beach property in La Romana, Dominican Republic.

Viva Wyndham Resorts has announced the reopening of the all-inclusive, family-friendly Dominicus Beach property in La Romana, Dominican Republic. In addition to implementing new health and safety protocols, the property now boasts a complete transformation - newly renovated guest rooms, lobby and nature-inspired areas, swimming pools, restaurants and bars - after temporarily closing due to the pandemic.

Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach opened in 1987 and is the first property of the brand’s all-inclusive Caribbean resorts. Its updated reemergence marks a new era for the property and for vacationers looking for an escape replete with resort amenities, onsite dining and entertainment.

Como to reopen Maalifushi in The Maldives

COMO Maalifushi – tucked away among the Maldives' most remote atolls – re-opens on November ­16­th­ 2020­. It is a moment full of hope, our lagoon thriving with marine life as we welcome back guests familiar and new. Discover one of the greatest underwater regions on the planet with our new dive experience, where you can enjoy 20 dives per room across a week-long stay. We have more than 20 dive sites to explore within a 30-minute boat ride of our resort. From November, whale shark season also begins – an opportunity to snorkel at night with the ocean's most majestic creature. Immerse yourself in the healing journeys of COMO Shambhala, or retreat to our uninhabited island, Lavadhoo – a new private experience for couples and families: including a seafood BBQ, a movie beneath the stars and a luxury tent on the palm-shaded sands.

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts Named One of the Best Places to Work in New Jersey

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has been named among the Best Places to Work in New Jersey by NJBIZ Magazine, marking the first time the Parsippany-based global hotel company has been recognized by the ranking. The annual list recognizes the top places of employment in New Jersey that benefit the state’s economy, its workforce and its businesses.

“We know that providing great experiences for our team members is the foundation for the great experiences we provide for our guests,” said Mary Falvey, chief administrative officer, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. “Based on our values, our Count on Me service culture and driven by our mission to make hotel travel possible for all, we create an engaging, safe and rewarding environment that attracts the best people to deliver value for our guests, franchisees, shareholders and communities.”

Grand Nikko Awaji to open on October 1st 2020

Okura Nikko Hotel Management Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Hotel Okura Co., Ltd., announced today that it plans to open the Grand Nikko Awaji on October 1st 2020. After being operated as The Westin Awaji Island and managed by Yumebutai Co., Ltd. and Marriott International Inc. for 20 years, the hotel will be rebranded as a Grand Nikko property and operated under new management.

Located on the northern tip of Awaji Island, the hotel opened in March 2000 as the core facility of the Awaji Yumebutai hotel and conference center complex. It is easily accessible from Honshu via the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge, which boasts the longest central span of any suspension bridge in the world. As Japan's first hotel to feature a resort-style conference center, it quickly became popular among guests from Japan and overseas. Over the years, it has provided a next-generation space where people, nature and culture could interact.

Hyatt Place Boston/Seaport District Celebrates Official Opening

Hyatt Place Boston/Seaport District Celebrates Official Opening

 Hyatt Place Boston/Seaport District opened its doors this week, becoming the fourth Hyatt Place hotel in the Boston area. The new hotel features the Hyatt Place brand’s intuitive design, casual atmosphere and practical amenities, including free Wi-Fi and 24-hour food offerings, in addition to a curated art collection. Located just steps away from Boston’s Harbor waterfront, the 297-room Hyatt Place hotel is a collaborative effort with McWHINNEY, a national real estate investment and development firm. The project’s design team included local architect, Arrowstreet and interior design group, Group One Partners. Hyatt will serve as the hotel’s operator.

Because Hyatt’s efforts are grounded in listening and fueled by care, Hyatt Place hotels combine style, innovation and 24/7 conveniences to create an easy to navigate experience for today’s multi-tasking traveller. Hyatt Place Boston/Seaport District is conveniently located in the heart of the Seaport District overlooking Boston’s Harborwalk and Fish Pier. The pet-friendly hotel is surrounded by breathtaking harbour views, outdoor public art, green spaces and popular restaurants. Just minutes from Boston Logan Airport by boat, car or public transit, and a short walk from the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, this hotel is conveniently located for a business or leisure stay in Boston.