Home2 Suites by Hilton Clovis Fresno Airport Opens in California

Home2 Suites by Hilton, part of Hilton's All Suites portfolio, opened on March 27th, its newest property, Home2 Suites by Hilton Clovis Fresno Airport. Designed for travelers who want to maintain their normal routine, the hotel features 111 suites and a range of value, tech-focused and eco-conscious amenities. Home2 Suites by Hilton Clovis Fresno is situated conveniently located 90 minutes away from 3 National Parks; Yosemite, Kings Canyon and Sequoia. In the Central Valley, visitors spend $4.5 billion on tourism and hospitality which supports 46,600 jobs generating $258 million in State and local tax revenues in 2018.

“Clovis’ proximity remains a destination to visit for both international and domestic traveler’s and we are excited to bring our modern extended stay accommodations to Clovis,” said Stephanie Rodriguez, General Manager, Home2 Suites by Hilton. “Guests enjoying the area will love our convenient location and customizable suites that fit the needs of every unique traveler.”

Located at 810 Santa Ava Avenue, just 4 miles north of the Fresno Yosemite International Airport, Home2 Suites by Hilton Clovis Fresno Airport offers guests convenient access to California State University, Lamonica Stadium and variety of eateries and wineries.

OYO CEO and the Executive Leadership Team to Take Voluntary Salary Cuts

COVID-19 has impacted the global hospitality industry significantly with occupancies of various hotel chains being affected drastically. In this unprecedented and difficult period, Ritesh Agarwal, the Founder & Group CEO, OYO Hotels & Homes, has decided to forego 100% of his salary for the rest of the year. The company’s entire executive leadership team has taken a voluntary pay cut starting at 25%, with many opting for an additional uncapped amount, and some going up to 50% to enable building the runway for the company. This would be effective April 2020 and the entire company is standing together to tide over these times.

It has been a matter of pride for OYO Hotels & Homes that it has retained each and every single leader in the CXO group in the history of the company, and in a difficult time like this, the executive leadership has come together as one strong entity as true partners of the company.

Commenting on the development, Ritesh Agarwal, Founder & Group CEO said, “The current situation the world over is deeply concerning to each and every one of us. OYO is doing everything to support the world with its limited resources in this pandemic from making isolation centers to finding a safe place for first responders. Given the current business situation, which is unprecedented for our industry globally

Daily Hotel Occupancy Falls to As Low As 12.9% in Lima, Peru

As the impact of COVID-19 broadens in South America, Lima’s daily hotel occupancy fell to as low as 12.9% on 19 March, according to preliminary data from STR.

That occupancy level came one day after the Peruvian government imposed a nightly curfew to combat the spread of COVID-19. STR’s most recent data for 22 March showed that just 13 of 100 rooms on average were occupied in the city.

“Despite the fact that corporate tourism is not strong during January and February, daily occupancy in Lima was as high as 70.1% on 19 February,” said Patricia Boo, STR’s area director for Central/South America. “The market’s daily occupancy was above 40% as late as the 12th of March, with the exception of 29 February and 8 March when occupancy was roughly 38%, but has been declining recently by more than 70% in year-over-year comparisons.”

STR provides premium data benchmarking, analytics and marketplace insights for global hospitality sectors. For more information, please visit str.com.

Distressed Hotels: What to Do with Distressed Hotels. Lender (and Borrower) Guide - By Jim Butler

When a hotel loan gets in trouble, a lender should immediately perform a Comprehensive Situation Analysis. Borrowers should do the same and be fast to approach lenders with candor and an actual plan demonstrating what is needed and how it will work. This Comprehensive Situation Analysis is the foundation for making some of the most important decisions that the lender and borrower will face on what to do with a distressed loan or asset. When the Comprehensive Situation Analysis is completed, what’s next? What do the amassed facts indicate? How do they tell the parties what to do? What are the alternatives for dealing with a troubled hotel loan? Basically, the alternatives for a lender with troubled hotel asset are:

1. Do nothing (or sell the loan)

2. Workout the loan

3. Appoint a receiver

4. Seek a deed-in-lieu

5. Commence foreclosure

6. Seek Relief in bankruptcy proceedings

The matrix below shows how many of the relevant factors will suggest the appropriate alternative to select.

For matrix please visit below mention link :

https://hotellaw.jmbm.com/files/2020/03/Alternative-Strategies-for-Trouble-Loans.pdf

Hotel Sales Teams: Two Sales Tasks You Can Do This Week To Get Ready For The Rebound - By Doug Kennedy

About Doug Kennedy

Doug Kennedy is President of the Kennedy Training Network, Inc. a leading provider of hotel sales, guest service, reservations, and front desk training programs and telephone mystery shopping services for the lodging and hospitality industry

Since 1996, Doug’s monthly training articles have been published worldwide, making him one of the most widely read hospitality industry authorities

For most hotels in North America, the sales team is entering week three of the Covid19 disruption. The first week or so was just crazy, as salespeople from all market segments endured a frantic wave of cancelations and postponements.  Just as that wave was starting to pass, most sales leaders had to make the difficult move of furloughing or laying off sales staff to pare down the payroll costs

Rather than signing off work early, here are two sales-related tasks you can do right now to get ready for the rebound, with more to come soon in my future blogs published here.

1) Reach out personally to your key client contacts.Instead, use your time to connect personally one-to-one.  For your very top tier, long-term clients, consider a phone call during their local business hours. State upfront that you are just calling to check on them personally. For most clients, a personal email is the best medium. While it’s okay to start with a template for an opening and ending, be sure to include something in the first few sentences that shows the receiver it’s genuine, not generic.

2) Master the use of your sales CRM.  When travel fully reopens, the competition is going to be greater than ever for the leads that resurface first.  

Instead, they use a mixed bag of inefficient tools such as flagged emails, calendar appointments, post-it notes and handwritten notes scribbled on print-outs of RFP’s.  This is a great time to become hyper-organized so you can be efficient later when the pent-up demand breaks through the barrier.

Register for the online tutorials that most sales CRMs offer, or to schedule a screen-share meeting with a coworker or friend to share tips and tactics.  Clean-up your CRM “task lists” and eliminate the past-due ones that have been haunting you for too long now. Get with your system administrator and redo the “auto-tasks” that occur when business goes definite, so they match what you truly need, and don’t clog-up your future lists with red flags.

Marriott International Notifies Guests of Property System Incident

Hotels operated and franchised under Marriott’s brands use an application to help provide services to guests at hotels. At the end of February 2020, the company identified that an unexpected amount of guest information may have been accessed using the login credentials of two employees at a franchise property. The company believes that this activity started in mid-January 2020. Upon discovery, the company confirmed that the login credentials were disabled, immediately began an investigation, implemented heightened monitoring, and arranged resources to inform and assist guests. Marriott also notified relevant authorities and is supporting their investigations.

Although Marriott’s investigation is ongoing, the company currently has no reason to believe that the information involved included Marriott Bonvoy account passwords or PINs, payment card information, passport information, national IDs, or driver’s license numbers.

At this point, the company believes that the following information may have been involved for up to approximately 5.2 million guests, although not all of this information was present for every guest involved:

• contact details (e.g., name, mailing address, email address, and phone number)

• loyalty account information (e.g., account number and points balance, but not passwords)

• additional personal details (e.g., company, gender, and birthday day and month)

• partnerships and affiliations (e.g., linked airline loyalty programs and numbers)

• preferences (e.g., stay/room preferences and language preference)

  Marriott is sending emails to guests involved. Marriott has also set up a dedicated website (www.mysupport.marriott.com) and call center resources with additional information for guests. The call center resources can be reached by calling the numbers listed on the dedicated website. The email sent to guests and the website also contain a list of steps guests involved can consider taking and information about enrolling in a personal information monitoring service that Marriott is providing.

Radisson Hotel Group continues to expand in China’s most dynamic destinations with new signing

Radisson Blu Hotel Nanjing South New Town is a striking new upper-upscale hotel being developed in Nanjing South New Town, a rapidly emerging commercial area that will become the city’s new CBD.

Scheduled to open its doors in 2024, Radisson Blu Hotel Nanjing South New Town will feature 300 contemporary rooms and suites. The property is being developed by Nanjing South New Town Exhibition Centre Development Co., Ltd.

“Nanjing has always been one of China’s most important cities; its name literally means ‘Southern Capital,’ which reflects its historical influence. Today, Nanjing remains one of China’s 21st century most vibrant destinations and the rise of Nanjing South New Town will further enhance its development

With its world-class accommodation, facilities and conference space, Radisson Blu Hotel Nanjing South New Town will be a central landmark in this exciting new district

Live Survey Reveals 50 Percent of Hotels Not Planning to Close Properties Due to COVID-19

Knowland, the leader in group hospitality analytics for hotels, convention and visitor bureaus, conference centers and other meeting venues, announced the results of a live survey of more than 700 hoteliers conducted during its informative webinar “COVID-19 Preparing Today for Success Tomorrow.” Knowland’s VP of product management, Kristi White provided insight and guidance during a webinar held on March 25, 2020 

Throughout the webinar, hoteliers were eager to respond to a series of questions about how they were handling the COVID-19 crisis. Questions such as “Is your hotel closed?” and “What percentage of cancellations have you received for the next 90-120 days” were asked in order to gain insight into the current situation.

• Survey reveals “stay the course” mentality – While 70 percent have had 75 percent plus cancellations over the next 90-120 days, 50 percent of participants indicated that they are not planning to close their hotels and were “staying the course” during this time. This may be due to the fact that many hoteliers are hoping the new CARES Act stimulus bill will help keep them from shutting their doors and their teams capable of prospecting business over the next 60-75 days, however approximately 23% of attendees reported that closing their hotel was “under consideration.”

• Pivot and train your sales teams – White advised attendees to evaluate sales team members to determine those that are best qualified to conduct outreach based on compassion and assistance, as opposed to “making the sale.”

• Identify and cater to local market opportunities – The survey also revealed that 50 percent of participants conducted local sales outreach earlier this year, compared to 38% in 2019. Corporate, government and local catering, as well as smaller and regional events and local drive market will bounce back first. Knowland provides key profile indicators such as what businesses have held local events, the history of their performance (such as what they did during the 2008 recession) to help sales teams better identify potential local customers.

Radisson Hotel Group Expands Its Presence in Brazil

“Our partnership with Atlantica Hotels allows us to bring the bright, inviting and balanced feel of the Radisson brand into vibrant cities like Anápolis, Brazil,” said Frances Gonzalez, vice president of Operations for Radisson Hotel Group in Latin America. “We believe every modern traveler should have a hospitality experience that allows them to find more harmony in both their work and leisure lives, and we are excited to continue creating these experiences in destinations around Latin America.”

Atlantica Hotels is a licensee for Radisson Hotel Group’s brands in Brazil, including Radisson Blu, Radisson, Radisson RED and Park Inn by Radisson.

Kimpton Charlotte Square (UK) has announced the appointment of Kieran Quinn as General Manager

Kimpton Charlotte Square, has announced the appointment of Kieran Quinn as General Manager. Kieran will oversee the 199 room property located in the heart of Edinburgh and brings over 20 years of experience

He began his career in hospitality in his teenage years in his native Donegal in Ireland. He then qualified with distinction from Shannon College of Hotel Management in Ireland

His most recent position was General Manager for Crowne Plaza Edinburgh Royal Terrace where he was instrumental in completing the hotel’s renovation, increasing average rate and achieving record revenues for the hotel

Commenting on his new position as Hotel General Manager, He said: “The Kimpton ethos is one I'm incredibly passionate about. We believe that heartfelt human connections can really make a difference to people's lives. This goes for the team as well as our guests. It's the authentic personal touches that we deliver day in day out here at the hotel that make a real difference to our guests' experience.

A Mexican Chef Makes History As The First Mexican Woman To Win A Michelin Star

The 36-year-old leads the team at the Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura restaurant in Florence, Italy. She’s also the sole female to be named in the 2020 Michelin Guide Italy.

 Michelin’s review of her restaurant: “The cuisine of theatrical chef Massimo Bottura has arrived in Florence, demonstrating openness to the rest of the world, with influences and reinterpretations of dishes from other countries, as well as Italy and Modena in particular. A visit to the Gucci Garden, an elegant museum on the upper floors dedicated to the famous fashion house, is highly recommended.” We love how the review includes that López is including perhaps Mexican influences in her Italian creations

For more info please visit below mention link:

https://wearemitu.com/culture/karime-lopez-chef-michelin-star/#brid_cp_Brid_12348598

Hilton Partners with Leading Companies to Find Temporary Jobs for Displaced Hotel Team Members

As the hospitality industry responds to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Hilton is partnering with leading companies to connect workers from temporarily suspended hotels with hundreds of thousands of short-term jobs created by the global pandemic.

Hilton Team Members, and others in the industry seeking employment, will be given direct access and in some cases expedited access to temporary jobs on the Hilton Workforce Resource Center at companies such as Albertsons, Amazon, CVS, Lidl, Sunrise Senior Living and Walgreens.

These partners recognize the power of a service culture and the value of hospitality skills training Hilton Team Members are known to receive. With a diverse range of experience reflected in the eligible candidate pool, these Team Members are an ideal fit to quickly step in and assist organizations in temporary assignments.

Hilton hopes to expand the program globally and plans to welcome these Team Members back when travel resumes.

Russia Closes State-Run Hotels, Resorts Over Rising Coronavirus Cases

Russia ordered its vast network of state-run hotels, resorts and recreational facilities to shut down from March 28 until June 1, as its number of confirmed coronavirus cases rose past 1,000.

The official tally of confirmed cases jumped by a record daily amount for the third day in a row on Friday, bringing Russia’s total to 1,036 a day after it moved to suspend all international flights. Four people have died.

Russia’s mass domestic tourism and recreation sector is still dominated by the state, a legacy from Soviet times. Millions of Russians still holiday each year at vast state-run hotels, resorts, health spas and children’s camps.

An opinion poll by the Moscow-based Levada Centre showed the majority of Russians, some 59 percent, do not believe the official figures. Twenty-four percent said they “absolutely” did not believe them and 35 percent said they only partially believed them, the poll showed.

Talented chefs are affected by restaurant closure due to COVID-19 crisis; You can now book an Online Class with them!

We love the idea!

We haven’t had the chance to take a session yet, but this seems like a good idea at a time when both, the learner and the teacher have time on their hands.

see more at - https://learnfromachef.org/

President Trump weighs cruise line bailout: Would they need to come home to the U.S.?

President Donald Trump said he likes the idea of major cruise ship companies shifting their corporate registrations to the U.S. as a possible requirement in order to qualify for aid under the federal stimulus bill.

He also voiced support for the notion of the government taking ownership stakes in airlines in exchange for loans to keep them afloat as vital businesses.

The comments came as industries assess how they fared after the Senate passed the $2 trillion stimulus bill,which now goes to the House. Trump has repeatedly voiced support for airlines and cruise ship companies, saying they are great businesses that deserve to be kept afloat despite being devastated by the business downturn in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Trump noted that the cruise lines order a lot of goods in the U.S and have thousands of employees, including many who work on U.S. soil. He hinted that perhaps there may still be a lifeline for the industry by the time the final version of the stimulus hits his desk for a signature

Chefs Offer Online Cooking Demos During Coronavirus Pandemic

As people stay home to #flattenthecurve and prevent the spread of coronavirus, several chefs and industry professionals have found a way to engage with social-distancing viewers via virtual classes.

Some, like Massimo Bottura and Antoni Porowski, have been posting videos with guided cooking demonstrations and helpful tips for viewers looking to make the most of pantry ingredients. Some of the demos will cost you, but for a good cause—Sean Brock is offering paid virtual classes so he can continue to support his staff as restaurants are forced to close.

The Queer Eye star and cookbook author has started a mini-series of lessons called “Quar Eye: Cooking Lessons in Quarantine” on his Instagram page. The idea is based on “preparing good food that’s good for us, and that makes us feel good,” using ingredients that you likely already have. In the first episode, Porowski talks about how he wanted to make huevos rancheros, but couldn't get all of the ingredients—so he pivoted and made an omelet served with black bean salsa. Other meals demo’d so far have been "zoodles" with meat sauce and spinach, salmon and squash, chicken strips, and more.

Kwame Onwuachi

The Food & Wine Best New Chef is starting a series of live demos on Instagram called "Eat Clean While Quarantined." He'll post a recipe—the first is a chorizo and white bean stew with charred shrimp—with the ingredients listed, and then, viewers can follow along on Instagram live.

Lena Sareini

As people stay home to #flattenthecurve and prevent the spread of coronavirus, several chefs and industry professionals have found a way to engage with social-distancing viewers via virtual classes.

Some, like Massimo Bottura and Antoni Porowski, have been posting videos with guided cooking demonstrations and helpful tips for viewers looking to make the most of pantry ingredients. Some of the demos will cost you, but for a good cause—Sean Brock is offering paid virtual classes so he can continue to support his staff as restaurants are forced to close.

If you're spending more time than usual in the kitchen, check out these short cooking demos and get cooking.

Antoni Porowski

The Queer Eye star and cookbook author has started a mini-series of lessons called “Quar Eye: Cooking Lessons in Quarantine” on his Instagram page. The idea is based on “preparing good food that’s good for us, and that makes us feel good,” using ingredients that you likely already have. In the first episode, Porowski talks about how he wanted to make huevos rancheros, but couldn't get all of the ingredients—so he pivoted and made an omelet served with black bean salsa. Other meals demo’d so far have been "zoodles" with meat sauce and spinach, salmon and squash, chicken strips, and more.

Giada De Laurentiis, Alex Guarnaschelli, and Valerie Bertinelli

Giada De Laurentiis, Alex Guarnaschelli, and Valerie Bertinelli hosted a "progressive dinner party" on Instagram, where they each filmed a demo cooking a different dish. De Laurentiis made aglio e olio pasta with bacon, Guarnaschelli made chicken thighs with peppered carrots and onions, and Bertinelli made a warm kale caesar.

Jewish Food Society

Last week, the Jewish Food Society announced “Tradish,” a series of pantry-forward cooking demos, step-by-step videos, new recipes, and more in the hopes of providing comfort during unsettling times. So far, the Society’s culinary director, Arielle Nir Mamiye, has signed on to demo her family’s recipe for Moroccan harira soup, and program director Amanda Dell highlighted paprika potatoes. Baker and pastry chef Zoe Kanan also walked viewers through her go-to challah recipe. You can find the stories saved on the Jewish Food Society’s profile. The Society encourages viewers to reach out to older relatives and ask them what they ate growing up.

“Our goal is that Jewish Food Society can be a place where our community can sparkle and be a beacon of hope and understanding. We look forward to staying connected and hearing all about your #Tradish,” the post says.

Kwame Onwuachi

The Food & Wine Best New Chef is starting a series of live demos on Instagram called "Eat Clean While Quarantined." He'll post a recipe—the first is a chorizo and white bean stew with charred shrimp—with the ingredients listed, and then, viewers can follow along on Instagram live.

Lena Sareini

Lena Sareini, pastry chef at Selden Standard in Detroit, has shared a tutorial for easy homemade sourdough on YouTube, as well as guide for making cultured butter.In both, she's joined by her brother, Ali.

For more information please visit below mention link:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B91vbU8l68Z/?utm_source=ig_embed

https://www.instagram.com/tv/B90Oo5lHxYv/?utm_source=ig_embed

https://www.instagram.com/tv/B-GFvZXHSTM/?utm_source=ig_embed

Radisson Hotel Group announced the signing of the Radisson Resort Dubai Palm Jumeira

Radisson Hotel Group has announced the signing of the Radisson Resort Dubai Palm Jumeirah, its first beach resort in Dubai and third Radisson hotel in the United Arab Emirates, bringing its UAE portfolio to 23 hotels in operation and under development.

Elie Younes, Executive Vice President & Chief Development Officer, Radisson Hotel Group, said:“Radisson is a very compelling brand to all stakeholders, blending real estate efficiencies with guest relevance. We are excited to enter this new partnership and look forward to a successful journey with our partners based on trust and responsibility.”

Home to some of Dubai's top resorts, the Palm Jumeirah is built from reclaimed land in a series of artificial archipelagos and shaped like a palm tree when viewed from above

Inside the hotel’s 389 upscale rooms and suites, guests will discover the renowned hospitality and modern amenities

.The hotel will also be home to three meeting rooms; the ideal space to host any leisure or business function.

Vaishali Shahi appointed as Human Resources Manager at Hyatt Regency, Chennai

Hyatt Regency Chennai recently announced the appointment of Vaishali Shahi as the Human Resources Manager. She brings with herself 12 years of experience in human resources and will be seen overlooking strategic planning, recruitment policy, design & implementation, talent management, and associate engagement.

 Having a strong background in the hospitality industry, Shahi gained immense knowledge working with eminent brands such as, IBIS Bengaluru, Crowne Plaza Pune City Centre, and JW Marriott Pune. In her tenure, she coordinated with senior managers to ensure that smooth activities are completed and issues are addressed to reinforce an assertive outlook of the organisation, championed communication with necessary use of compensation systems, tools, programs and policies, facilitated learning and development sessions and other key strategies.

Brand overview: Pullman to grow portfolio by 40 hotels with strong APAC focus

Growth in the coming years

According to the TOPHOTELCONSTRUCTION database, Pullman Hotels & Resorts has 15 hotels in its pipeline for 2020, which will bring the company 4,410 new rooms

9 properties are planned for 2021 and things pick up again in 2022 with 12 scheduled openings. 4 more hotels are on the books for 2023 with more likely to be added by then.

Pullman’s main regional focus

Of Pullman’s 40 new hotels, 31 will launch in the APAC region, adding 8,732 rooms to this area. Africa comes in a very distant second place with 4 projects and 1,074 rooms followed by the Middle East with 3 openings. South America and Europe will each see one hotel launch.

China leads the pack with 17 projects and 4,833 new rooms. Despite the coronavirus wreaking havoc in the local hotel industry, investors are still keen on new projects there since they expect everything to go back to normal in the near future.

Vietnam and Indonesia share second place with 3 hotels each, followed by New Zealand and Australia which will get two new hotels each.

Noteworthy Pullman hotel projects around the world

The largest project currently in Pullman’s pipeline is the Pullman Doha Bridge Towers (West Bay) with 468 rooms. The hotel will open in late 2020 and offer guests easy access to Doha’s West Bay business district.

Visitors to Thailand’s serene islands will look forward to the late 2020 opening of the Pullman Khao Lak Resort. The 251-room property set on a stretch of gently sloping beach is the ideal family getaway thanks to its large kids’ club and family-friendly facilities. Couples can avail of the private villas to have their peace and quiet or go for a dip in the adult-only infinity pool overlooking the sparkling Andaman Sea.

Set within Accra’s Airport City enclave, the Pullman Accra Airport City will become a hub for business travellers visiting the city. Slated to open in early 2021, the 214-room property is anticipated to become a major venue for conferences and events thanks to its seven meeting rooms and banqueting facilities as well as its convenient location just a few minutes from Kotoka International Airport.

Coronavirus: Chef Floyd Cardoz, co-owner of Bombay Canteen, dies of Covid-19 in New Jersey

 He was the co-owner of two popular restaurants in Mumbai – the Bombay Canteen and O Pedro. He had recently launched his third venture, the Bombay Sweet Shop.

The Mumbai-raised chef had been in Mumbai until March 8. In an Instagram post on March 18, he said that had admitted himself to hospital in New Jersey, where he lived, since he was feeling feverish

The Hunger Inc, the company that runs the restaurants, later put out a statement confirming that the restaurateur-chef had tested positive for the virus in New York, Mid-Day reported. “As a precautionary measure we have informed the Health Department in Mumbai about the same,” it said. “We are also reaching out personally to people who have interacted with him during his visit to India, so they can take necessary medical advice should they indicate any symptoms [fever, cough, shortness of breath] and or [put themselves in] self-quarantine.”

“Floyd tested positive for Covid 19, in USA, on March 18th and on March 25, 2020 he passed away  in New Jersey, USA,