http://blog.lhonline.com/front-desk Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:04:30 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en That annual rite of spring—the launch of daylight savings time—comes this Sunday for most areas of the country. (Those not participating include Arizona, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands.) While all of you will probably remember to reset your clocks at home and in your cars, it’s important not ... http://blog.lhonline.com/front-desk/2010/03/11/dont-let-your-guests-oversleep/ The politicians in Washington may be ineffective and sometimes loony, but they’re no match for their counterparts roaming the 50 state capitals. Here are two particularly harebrained schemes dreamed up by sad and desperate state legislators that seem to have no rationale, except as ways to torment the hotel industry: • ... http://blog.lhonline.com/front-desk/2010/03/10/why-do-legislators-hate-the-hotel-industry/ I earlier this morning had the chance to talk to Kurt Ritter, Rezidor CEO, and specifically ask about the potential of Hotel Missoni coming to the U.S., and maybe with the help of Carlson. He said Rezidor would love to have a Hotel Missoni in the U.S., like New York ... http://blog.lhonline.com/front-desk/2010/03/05/more-on-missoni/ During a media briefing with Hubert Joly at Carlson's Global Business Conference in Orlando today, Joly was asked whether Carlson had plans to either develop or acquire a lifestyle or economy brand to fill in the only segment blanks left with its other five brands (Regent, Radisson, Park Plaza, Park ... http://blog.lhonline.com/front-desk/2010/03/04/new-brand-from-carlson/ It's once again time for Lodging Hospitality’s annual Design Awards contest. Actually it probably was about a month ago, but once again time has flown and I’m remiss in starting this process so late. The Design Awards will run in the April 15 print issue and we need your help ... http://blog.lhonline.com/front-desk/2010/02/26/lh-design-awards-contest/ The news this past weekend that former Secretary of State Alexander Haig died reminded me of one of the funniest—in retrospect, anyway—incidents I’ve experienced at a hotel chain convention. Sometime in the mid-1980s, Best Western had its annual convention in Washington, DC and invited Haig to be its keynote speaker. ... http://blog.lhonline.com/front-desk/2010/02/22/best-western-not-so-fondly-remembers-al-haig/ The numbers weren't great by any means, but the recent fourth-quarter financial results from the major publicly-held hotel companies weren't as bad as they could have been, and quite frankly, as bad as they had been the previous year. Most used the words 'earnings' and 'profits,' which were quite an ... http://blog.lhonline.com/front-desk/2010/02/15/fourth-quarter-profits-lead-to-more-optimism/ It’s not ready to announce a new brand—if it ever will—but a Marriott official today said the mega-hotel company has been studying the all-inclusive resort segment “for two years.” Speaking at the inaugural Caribbean Hotel & Resort Investment Summit in Miami, Ed Fuller said he thinks “there is a role ... http://blog.lhonline.com/front-desk/2010/02/11/marriott-hints-at-all-inclusives-brand/ IHG today announced its "Luckiest Loser" competition, which takes direct aim at competitor Hilton. IHG is offering jilted Hilton HHonors members a chance to win big Priority Club Rewards points. Hilton recently adjusted its loyalty point values, in essence devaluing members' points by about 20 percent. IHG is offering its ... http://blog.lhonline.com/front-desk/2010/02/03/ihg-loyalty-promotion-sticks-it-to-hilton/ As the lodging industry moves sluggishly toward recovery, the common wisdom was we would now be knee-deep in hotel transactions of all sorts—individual properties, portfolios of hotels and even a chain or management company or two. With plenty of hotel real estate in distress and a pile of equity money ... http://blog.lhonline.com/front-desk/2010/02/02/alis-attendees-ask-where-are-the-deals/