Best Holiday Lettings

Category: News

  • Wyndham expands European portfolio with Grand City Hotels deal

    Grand City Hotels has entered right into a strategic partnership with Wyndham Hotel Group to brand 43 hotels under globally recognised Wyndham brand names.

    Grand City Hotels is Germany’s second largest hotel management company.

    Under this agreement, a 3rd of the extensive Grand City Hotel portfolio of 120 hotels might be affiliated with Wyndham Hotel Group under the Wyndham Grand (five properties), Wyndham (three properties), Wyndham Garden (ten properties), TRYP by Wyndham (17 properties) and Days Inn (eight properties) flags. 

    By March 1st 2013, the primary 33 of the 43 selected locations may be rebranded.

    The remaining hotels will follow over a better two years.

    With this deal, Wyndham Hotel Group is not just introducing the Wyndham brand in Germany but can also be launching the Wyndham Garden tier within the Europe, Middle East and Africa region and the TRYP by Wyndham brand in Belgium and the Netherlands.

    Christian Windfuhr, chief executive officer, Grand City Hotels, described this new alliance as “the greatest restructuring in our corporate history to date”.

    “We are greater than convinced by Wyndham Hotel Group’s competence, capability and brand image and likewise believe, gazing the level of the agreement, we will facilitate a sturdy and successful entry to the German hotel marketplace for our new partner,” said Windfuhr.

    All of the hotels can be found in Germany apart from two, so that it will become TRYP by Wyndham properties in Antwerp, Belgium, and in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

    Wyndham Hotel Group, which currently has 54 properties in Germany, could have 95 within the country once all hotels rebrand.

    Wyndham Hotel Group could have 43 Ramada, 26 TRYP by Wyndham, 18 Wyndham and 8 Days Inn hotels in its portfolio in Germany.

    It may even have a complete of 5 hotels in Belgium and 3 properties inside the Netherlands.

  • News: US Airways flight attendants overwhelmingly ratify new contract

    US Airways flight attendants, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants – CWA (AFA), ratified a brand new contract today that offers immediate pay increases and includes support for the merger people Airways and American Airlines. The brand new contract opens four-party negotiations with American’s flight attendant union and airline representatives, an initial step in reaching a combined collective bargaining agreement. Eighty percent of flight attendants voting approved the agreement, which covers the airline’s 6,800 flight attendants who’re based in US Airways’ four hub cities of Phoenix, Philadelphia, Charlotte, N.C., and Washington, D.C.

    “We are more than happy that our flight attendants have ratified this new contract. i need to acknowledge our AFA leadership team at US Airways, especially Roger Holmin and Deborah Volpe, for his or her labor and perseverance on behalf folks Airways’ flight attendants,” said Doug Parker, US Airways’ chairman and CEO. “We would also love to express our appreciation to the National Mediation Board, Board Member Linda Puchala and Mediator Jim Mackenzie for his or her assistance in reaching this agreement.”

    Following ratification today, the recent contract specifies negotiations to start within thirty days between airline officials at US Airways and American Airlines, AFA and the union representing American Airlines flight attendants, the Association of pro Flight Attendants (APFA). The talks would establish protocols for reaching a combined collective bargaining agreement once the merger folks Airways and American Airlines, announced on Feb. 14, is closed. The merger is anticipated to shut by the third quarter of this year following regulatory agency and bankruptcy court approvals.

  • Ritz Carlton forms alliance with Asprey

    Ritz-Carlton has formed a brand new alliance with Asprey to give guests at their properties all over with Asprey Purple Water amenities within the guestrooms.

    The Asprey bath and body range features their signature scent, Purple Water. The fragrance was originally created to be a distillation of the wealthy and artistic past of Asprey, and its exciting and plush present; a fresh citrus fragrance blended with spicy undertones to indicate strength and stature. The variety of Asprey Purple Water amenities would be available in
    Ritz-Carlton guest rooms and suites. The striking new number of purple jacquard print tubes was specially designed to feature a last touch of luxury to Ritz-Carlton bathrooms around the globe.

    This alliance between both iconic luxury brands brings a shared dedication to craftsmanship and delivery of the maximum luxury experiences. Both have a legendary commitment to excellence and are steeped in a rich heritage. “

    The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company prides itself on creating experiences so exceptional that the memories of a hotel visit will stick with our guests for a lifetime” expressed Herve Humler, President, C.O.O. and founding member of The Ritz-Carlton.

    “From concierge services to housekeeping, dedication to the art of the craft and far care goes into every moment of a guests’ journey during a trip to our hotels. Our partnership with Asprey is one which will truly enrich a guest’s experience at
    a Ritz-Carlton.” Humler added.

    In addition to experiencing the in-room line of Asprey Purple Water, guests also are ready to purchase Purple Water items from Ritz-Carlton gift boutiques in hotels around the Americas, online at www.ritzcarlton.com from March 12, and on the Ritz-Carlton, Boston Common from the 1st Asprey boutique in Boston which has opened within the hotel’s main lobby.

    The new retail location on the Ritz-Carlton, Boston Common, features an assortment of pieces equivalent to fine jewelry, leather goods including handbags, briefcases and luggage, silver, watches and cufflinks, china, crystal and games. The boutique is open 10am – 6pm Tuesday through Saturday and by personal appointment.

    “The unrivaled Asprey craftsmanship, fine jewelry and splendid leather items are timeless treasures that our hotel guests and neighboring residents will greatly appreciate” said Humler. Just as over many generations Asprey has developed into one of the crucial world’s most prestigious luxury retailers, The Ritz-Carlton has long been synonymous with unparalleled service and refined luxury.”

  • News: IHIF: Leisure investment growing in importance for UK banks

    The UK hotels and leisure sector has become the third-largest lending marketplace for NatWest and RBS under the Funding for Lending Scheme, with the bank offering cost-effective FLS loans of over £200m to the field to this point.

    NatWest and RBS is forecasting continued, strong demand for lending from this key client base in 2013 because the sector invests for growth.

    NatWest and RBS’s commercial banking division, which caters for business with an annual turnover of under £25m, launched FLS facilities in August 2012 and, as in the beginning of 2013, had allocated over £2.26bn across 15,000 SMEs inside the UK.

    On a sector-by-sector basis, hotels and leisure is now the third biggest recipient of FLS loans, finishing behind healthcare and agriculture.

    Andrew Taylor, head of leisure for commercial banking at NatWest and RBS, said: “I’m delighted at how successful we’ve been in helping clients within the hotels and leisure sector access cost-effective funds – we’re committed to working with businesses of all sizes.

    “Under the FLS, we believe we’ve made a genuine difference to this business base, making a choice of bespoke finance packages for lots firms inside the UK.

    The specialist Hotels and Leisure Team incorporates people in the bank’s vast network with coverage around the UK, meaning we can draw on a broad range of expertise including the industrial and business banking teams.”

    NatWest and RBS formed its dedicated Hotels and Leisure Team in September 2011 and regards the hotels, restaurants, pubs and leisure sectors as some of the key lending targets across commercial banking.

    The team includes greater than 80 managers and directors around the RBS network. The bank operates across all aspects of the leisure market, splitting the field into seven sub-sectors – with hotels receiving the best percentage of fund allocation.

    In 2012, total lending from the Leisure Team was up eight per cent against 2011, and is anticipated to extend again for the year ahead.

    Andrew Taylor, head of leisure for NatWest and RBS, concluded: “We take a lot of pride in both sector expertise, in addition our ability to hear each business to achieve an in depth understanding in their specific needs. The united kingdom has fantastic businesses operating within the leisure sector.

    The diversity of our skill set is something that we believe stands us aside from the contest.

    “Our team commits to no less than two full days a year devoted to all of the businesses on our books, and we maintain a robust want to understand and appreciate every client on both a radical business, and private level. We realise, however, that the work is much from over, and we will be able to remain committed to helping hotels, restaurants and the numerous other businesses operating inside the sector to fulfil their aspirations and ambitions.”

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  • News: New Hotel INvestment Tool from AECOM

    AECOM has launched a brand new interactive tool called HINT (Hotel INvestment Tool).

    HINT allows users to check whether a possible hotel development idea may be economically viable at a really early stage.

    The easy-to-use tool allows users to determine the possible value, cost and return on investment by entering quite a lot of variables, similar to location, hotel typology and revenue assumptions.

    The tool works by combining AECOM’s operational knowledge with cost data from Davis Langdon, an AECOM company.

    This will provide clients with an early check on their idea with no need to pay for massive studies too early within the process.

    “What makes this tool unique is the way in which that it brings together intelligence from two disciplines (cost consultancy and economic feasibility) that traditionally was commissioned separately,” commented Kevin Underwood, AECOM’s global head of leisure + culture.

    “We are excited to share HINT with our clients and hotel operator contacts who’ve expressed a keen interest in using a device corresponding to this that gives an early indication of a hotel project’s economic viability.”

    AECOM can be demonstrating the tool at stand 28 on the IHIF in Berlin, which runs from the March 4th-6th 2013.

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