NYC’s nearly 100-year-old Roosevelt Hotel closing due to COVID-19

A historic building in the New York City skyline is being shuttered by the current historical moment.

Since opening in 1924, the Roosevelt Hotel at 45 E. 45th St. has prolifically featured in movie history and been the set for a number of important political happenings, but the coronavirus pandemic is forcing it to close its doors.

After 96 years in business, the hotel has announced it will shutter this year as a result of the novel virus’ financial fallout.

“Due to the current, unprecedented environment and the continued uncertain impact from COVID-19, the owners of the Roosevelt Hotel have made the difficult decision to close the hotel and the associates were notified this week,” a spokesperson told CNN in a statement. “The iconic hotel, along with most of New York City, has experienced very low demand and as a result the hotel will cease operations before the end of the year. There are currently no plans for the building beyond the scheduled closing.”

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Apex Hotels Goes on Point with Infor

Infor today announced that luxury hotel operator Apex Hotels has invested in Infor technology to create a standard platform across its entire property portfolio. Apex Hotels operates 10 sites throughout the United Kingdom, spanning 1,476 rooms in both three-star and four-star hotels. Infor has already delivered the first two of 10 implementations at the flagship Apex City of London - a property that boasts more than 200 rooms and industry-leading occupancy rates - and the Apex Dundee.

Delivered completely remotely, with no staff on site, whilst being accelerated to beat deadlines before the property had to close temporarily under UK government COVID19 guidelines, the first site went live on time and to budget.

The platform, which comprises Infor Hospitality Management Solution (HMS) and Infor Sales & Catering, delivers a comprehensive, cloud-based architecture that replaces a legacy system that frustrated plans for growth. Apex Hotels has an accelerated deployment plan. The remaining properties will have Infor HMS and Sales and Catering deployed within a four-month window.

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Airbnb's Commitment to Safer Travel: New Health and Safety Mandate

As people continue to find new ways to travel and host safely, in line with guidance and rules issued by local governments and health authorities, cleanliness remains a priority. Today, we announced hosts and guests must agree to follow Airbnb's COVID-19 Safety Practices, which include wearing a mask, practicing social distancing, and, for hosts and their teams, abiding by our five-step enhanced cleaning process. This commitment will help provide extra assurances to try and safeguard all our stakeholders - hosts, guests, their communities and governments.

Earlier this year we introduced Airbnb's Enhanced Cleaning Protocol, a set of guidelines for cleaning and sanitization developed with guidance from leading experts in hospitality and medical hygiene and former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, which earned the Safe Travel stamp from the World Tourism and Travel Council (WTTC).

Since the launch of the program in June, hosts have enrolled nearly 1.5 million listings and guests have given these listings an average 4.8* star rating for cleanliness. Early in the pandemic, Airbnb also issued health and safety guidelines about wearing a mask and practicing social distancing in accordance with guidance from the World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control.

Top Hotel Chains Go On Safety & Hygiene Overdrive

From laundry services to tie-ups with Zomato & Swiggy and launching their own F&B apps, hotels are going for major overhauls following Covid

New Delhi:

Barkha Mehra was missing the annual celebrations and surprises that she looked forward to putting together each year on her mother’s birthday in June. Fearful of going out but still wanting to make the occasion memorable, she decided to order in from a plush five-star hotel in the capital this year.

“I’m not one to splurge so much on dinners but this year has been an exception. I wanted to treat my parents to something special as they have stayed locked indoors for months,” said Mehra.

From offering to do your laundry to getting their signature dishes at your doorstep through tieups with food delivery platforms Zomato and Swiggy, and also launching their own F&B apps to keeping check-ins and check-outs contactless, hotel chains are undertaking major overhauls following the Covid-19 pandemic.

Besides World Health Organization guidelines, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India protocols and state and central government-mandated standard operating procedures, top hotel chains such as The Oberoi Group, Accor and Leela Palaces, Hotels & Resorts have worked on their own safety and sanitisation programmes through partnerships with external inspection and certification services providers such as Bureau Veritas to reassure guests.

In June, Hilton announced the global rollout of its CleanStay programme, created in collaboration with Lysol and Dettol maker Reckitt Benckiser and Mayo Clinic.

At ITC Hotels, the WeAssure initiative endeavors to offer stringent, ‘near-clinical’ levels of hygiene through a DNV-GL business assurance certification, chief operating officer Anil Chadha said.

“WeAssure is a holistic programme that addresses all facets of hotel operations — from revised protocols for back of the house activities such as receiving store, back offices and laundry, to the public areas with heightened sanitisation measures for guest luggage, elevators to room service,” he said.

Nikhil Sharma, area director, Eurasia at Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, said the chain implemented its ‘Count on Us’ initiative, which focuses on enhancing its broad range of health and safety protocols across properties in Europe, the Middle East, Eurasia and Africa.

“This includes consistent use of top-of-the-range disinfectants at all hotels, the introduction of robust new training and guidelines, and ongoing access to critical health essentials through trusted suppliers,” said Sharma. He said the chain leveraged its long-standing relationship with Ecolab for disinfectants across EMEA hotels, including rooms and public spaces.

In May, before restrictions were eased in the country, Roseate Hotels & Resorts launched its ‘Care by Roseate’ programme in a bid to minimise physical contact with guests at the chain’s six properties in India and the UK.

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Duncan O’Rourke Appointed CEO Northern Europe At Accor in Paris, France

As part of the recently announced organisational reset of Accor, Duncan O'Rourke has been promoted to chief executive for the extended northern Europe division.

The new region is a merger of the previous northern, central, east and new east Europe teams. In his capacity, he will be responsible for 29 countries including Scandinavia, UK, Benelux, Ireland, Poland and Russia in addition to his current responsibility for Germany, Austria and Switzerland. On top of this, O'Rourke becomes part of the global executive committee. O'Rourke has been with Accor since 2016; before being promoted to chief operating officer for Germany, Austria and Switzerland, he oversaw the luxury and premium hotels in Europe. Before he worked at Kempinski Hotels for many years; first as general manager for two pre-openings in London, later as regional director based in Jordan. In 2008 he was appointed chief operating officer and member of the management board of the group

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Anura Dewapura Appointed General Manager At Saranac Waterfront Lodge in Saranac Lake - NY, USA

Anura Dewapura has been appointed Managing Director at Saranac Waterfront Lodge upstate New York. Preferred lifestyle collection property in Saranac Lake NY due to open in November. He brings over three decades of hospitality experience to the role, where he is responsible for managing the overall team and operations, performance, and strategic direction.
With extensive experience in luxury hotel and resorts management, Dewapura joins the SWL pre-opening and development pace with s everal preopening hotel experience in various locations in the world. Dewapura spend working in various positions at Starwood, Hilton, Marriott and Independent lifestyle and luxury hotels in Europe, Asia, Australia, Middle East, Caribbean, and North America. Former Executive Chef earned his BA honors degree in International Hotel Management from University of Manchester Metropolitan UK and Higher Diploma in Catering from Swiss Management Institute in Switzerland an attended PDP program at Cornell University in US. Anura is a Certified Hotel Administrator prestigious certification awarded from American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute.
In Dewapura's free time, he enjoys cooking, exploring Adirondack outdoors

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Chroma Hospitality Goes Contactless With Xperium, Ready To Welcome Guests In New Normal

Bangalore - Chroma Hospitality Inc. has chosen Xperium; to provide solutions like hyper-personalized experiences to guests and automation of the entire guest-facing processes from booking to check-out.

As part of their elevated sanitation protocols called Culture of Clean wherein, they provide a seamless and safe welcome to all guests who are staying in any Crimson Hotels and Resorts or Quest Hotels in the Philippines, they will integrate Xperium in providing guests a contactless check-in and check-out experience.

Chroma Hospitality will also provide guests with a mobile concierge where they will be able to view digital menus, place in room dining orders, make special requests and complaints without interacting face to face with the staff. Chroma will also use Xperium to generate additional revenue through upselling ancillary services.

Chroma Hospitality will also be able to remarket to their past guests by tapping into their guest's historical data, transactional, demographic and booking data using Xperium CRM and marketing automation.

Mr Pranjal Prashar, Founder Xperium said "Xperium is aimed at helping hotels reopen safely. It gives all the tools necessary to adhere to safety norms that various industry associations across the globe have recommended, meet legal compliances and also kickstart revenue that is extremely important in the current market conditions."

Pranjal further adds "We are proud to be selected by Chroma Hospitality that is known to continuously innovate and elevate their high standards of guest experience and technology selection which makes them the choice local hotel chain in the Philippines"

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Oakwood Partners with International SOS

Oakwood has appointed International SOS to undertake the accreditation of its Clean360 programme which it launched in June.

International SOS' global medical advisors will assist Oakwood in ongoing risk analysis and enhancements to ensure robustness of the programme and maintain consistency across more than 80 properties in Asia Pacific, the United States and United Kingdom.

"Although public health requirements differ in every country, Oakwood is implementing a globally consistent safety program that meets the highest standards of health and hygiene so that our stakeholders can enjoy peace of mind at every Oakwood destination" said Dean Schreiber, interim chief executive officer of Oakwood. "The hallmark of our hospitality excellence transcends memorable experiences. Oakwood strives to create a safe sanctuary for our guests to feel at home. The partnership with International SOS demonstrates our relentless commitment to mitigating risks with vital precautionary measures in a safe and sustainable manner.

Thai Hotel Offers To Drop Lawsuit Against Complaining Guest

A hotel in Thailand that filed a criminal defamation suit against a guest who posted negative reviews about it online said Friday it will drop the complaint if he makes apologies and other gestures to restore its reputation.

The lawsuit filed last month by the Sea View Koh Chang Hotel could result in up to seven years in prison for American Wesley Barnes, who teaches English in Thailand, if he is found guilty of defamation and violation of the Computer Crime Act by posting false information online. He spent two nights in jail after he was arrested before being granted bail.

The hotel was also criticized for taking such harsh action. The Sea View said it was necessary to protect its reputation and that Barnes had failed to respond to its demands that he retract his reviews on travel websites.

The hotel said in a statement emailed Friday that it "would be pleased to conclude the complaint under conditions that Mr. Barnes shows his sincerity and takes full responsibility for what had happened and remedy the situation."

Barnes did not reply to an emailed request for comment about the settlement offer, which the hotel said came after he requested mediation. The American said last month he had been trying to reach out to the hotel to resolve the issue.

Thai media reported that Barnes offered a formal apology at a mediation session on Thursday and agreed to the hotel's terms.

According to the hotel on Koh Chang, an island about 300 kilometers (185 miles) southeast of Bangkok, the dispute began when Barnes and a friend brought an alcoholic beverage to dinner at the hotel's restaurant on June 27. When they were told there was a 500 baht ($16) corkage fee, they complained, and after some negotiation with the food and beverage director were allowed to pour from their own bottle without paying extra.

Barnes' version was broadly similar, but added that afterward he saw the food and beverage director, whom he called the restaurant manager, treat a Thai employee abusively, and that was why he decided to post his critical reviews.

"Do not sleep here! Don't support modern day slavery of Thai people!" began the most strident review. It singled out the restaurant manager as being "really bad." Later postings were similar in tone.

Rebecca Russell Appointed General Manager At The Sebel Yarrawonga Silverwoods, Australia

Rebecca Russell has been appointed General Manager of The Sebel Yarrawonga following a stellar career spanning six years with Accor Hotels.

She was earmarked for the group's leadership program in 2014 and since then has worked across the Accor network managing hotels and resorts in North Queensland, Sydney, Alice Springs and regional NSW before being appointed to manage the Accor-branded The Sebel Yarrawonga.

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Michael O'Donohue Appointed General Manager At Hotel Fairmont Grand Del Mar in San Diego - CA, USA

Michael O'Donohue has been appointed General Manager at Fairmont Grand Del Mar, one of only 14 Forbes triple five-star resorts in the world. He brings over 28 years of hospitality experience to the role, where he is responsible for managing the overall team and operations, performance, and strategic direction.

With extensive experience in luxury hotel management, O'Donohue joins the team after nearly five years with Montage International as General Manager at Pendry San Diego, where he opened the flagship property. Previous to this, O'Donohue spent ten years working in various positions at Starwood Hotels & Resorts. Prior to his time at Starwood Hotels & Resorts, O'Donohue worked at InterContinental Hotels and Hilton Hotels. He started his career at Hilton Short Hills in New Jersey as an Assistant Chef after earning his Associate of Occupational Studies degree from the Culinary Institute of America.

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IHG® Hotels & Resorts reveals new data about the British summer staycation in 2020

Karan Khanna, Managing Director UK & I, IHG Hotels & Resorts commented on the findings: "We've seen that people's appetite to travel and explore hasn't changed, but understandably their confidence in when it's safe to do so has. Cleanliness and flexibility are top of mind for everyone now, and by introducing enhanced cleaning measures and offering more flexibility, consumers have continued to travel this summer, with many opting for a staycation in the UK."

Staycation' was undoubtedly the travel buzzword of 2020. With travel restrictions limiting people jetting off to far-flung destinations this year, Brits looked to explore what was on their very own doorstep more so than ever before.

IHG Hotels & Resorts, which has more than 360 hotels in the UK & Ireland with brands including Holiday Inn, voco Hotels, Crowne Plaza, InterContinental, Hotel Indigo, Staybridge Suites and Kimpton, reveals new data about how British travellers chose to spend the last few months.

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New Data

RIU hotels receive Preverisk COVID-19 Hygiene Response certification

Preverisk Group, the international consultant specialising in health and safety consulting, auditing and training for the tourist industry, has guaranteed the effectiveness of the health and hygiene protocols in place at the RIU chain of hotels by issuing 62 COVID-19 Hygiene Response certificates. This certification guarantees that the chain's hotels audited by Preverisk have passed an intensive process of verification of the 17 protocols that were created by the RIU team in collaboration with the consultant and that served as a guide for operations as the hotels reopened post-COVID. In addition, this certification guarantees that all the measures aimed at preventing or mitigating the possible spread of COVID-19 outbreaks among guests, staff and visitors have been implemented satisfactorily.

The consultant is auditing RIU hotels to verify whether they meet the minimum requirements for each department for COVID-19. All of the 62 hotels that were audited achieved certification that validates their compliance with all the preventive measures that the chain is implementing. The consultant has commented that this result is "very positive".

The intensive verification process developed by Preverisk covers not only the necessary measures to prevent the spread of the disease in the hotels, but also considers the health and hygiene requirements that should be implemented in the establishments in order to open safely to the public. Those measures meet the relevant national regulations and also have a basis in the international recommendations issued by official organisations such as the World Health Organisation and other international bodies such as the Health Protection Agency (HPA).

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Davidson Hotels & Resorts Adds The Higgins Hotel & Conference Center to Portfolio

Hospitality management company Davidson Hotels & Resorts announces the addition of The Higgins Hotel & Conference Center to its portfolio. Operated by Davidson's lifestyle and luxury division Pivot Hotels & Resorts, the 230-room, Art Deco-inspired boutique hotel is part of Curio Collection by Hilton.

Located in New Orleans' Arts and Warehouse District adjacent to The National WWII Museum, the property was intentionally designed to complement the museum experience. Opened in December 2019, The Higgins Hotel & Conference Center features four era-inspired dining options including a rooftop bar, 18,000 square feet of high-tech meeting and event space and more. A true extension of The National WWII Museum, all proceeds support the museum's educational mission and programs.

"We are honored that Pivot Hotels has been selected to steward this tremendous hotel and conference center," said Thom Geshay, President, Davidson Hotels & Resorts. "We look forward to perpetuating an exceptional service culture and paying homage to the museum's mission and American history."

"The Higgins Hotel & Conference Center is truly an iconic hotel for the ages, providing unique and convenient accommodations while paying tribute to those who served abroad and at home," said Stephen Watson, President & CEO, The National WWII Museum. "Pivot's hospitality management expertise along with their operational support enables the Museum to offer guests a truly memorable experience and expands our ability to tell the personal stories of the WWII generation."

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Delhi Government Says Restaurants Can Stay Open 24X7

In a major relief to city restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Delhi government on Wednesday said that these establishments will be allowed to operate round-the-clock and requirement of tourism licences will also be removed.

The government also announced other measures such as initiating a process to abolish police licences and health trade licenses from local bodies for restaurants to end ''permit raj'' in the industry, according to a statement.

The decisions were taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and it was attended by restaurant owners.

The Delhi government said such steps will help the industry generate more employment through higher demand. This will set an example of the ''Delhi Model'' of ease of doing business, it said.

"On the request of restaurateurs to allow 24x7 business, it was agreed that restaurants will be allowed to operate at all hours subject to the condition that they submit an undertaking that they will take care of the health and security of their entire staff," the statement said.

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Novotel Hyderabad Airport announces to welcome guests with ALLSAFE certificate

Novotel Hyderabad Airport announces to welcome guests back in the new normal. The hotel has received the ALLSAFE certification from Bureau Veritas, a leader in hygiene and cleanliness inspection. 

The ALLSAFE label, which represents the new cleanliness and prevention standards developed and approved by Bureau Veritas. 

The ALLSAFE label has 16 key protocols which provides assurance that these standards will be met by the hotels in anticipation of the progressive reopening of the hotels across regions. Every hotel will also have an ALLSAFE Officer to ensure all protocols are followed. 

In a press statement, the hotel said all properties will follow strengthened cleanliness protocols. Strict new cleanliness standards will be implemented and monitored in all Accor hotels and will include an enhanced cleaning program with frequent disinfection of all sensitive areas. 

It also said that a comprehensive safety and hygiene training program will be put in place so that all employees have the skills and training necessary to protect themselves and our customers.

Novotel Hyderabad Airport is also implementing new standards to ensure social distancing measures in its hotels and special reception measures when registering customers. 

The food and beverage offering at the hotel has been created to ensure that it better responds to the current context with new food safety standards going beyond government and local regulations.

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Ted Knighton Appointed General Manager At Thompson San Antonio - TX, USA

Thompson San Antonio is pleased to announce the appointments of Ted Knighton as General Manager and Sofie Vasquez as Director of Sales & Marketing. The new 162-room hotel is scheduled to open in early 2021 on San Antonio's celebrated River Walk. Both executives are experienced hospitality professionals who will lead hotel operations and strategic sales and marketing initiatives to introduce the Thompson experience to a dynamic new market, while also establishing Thompson San Antonio as a sophisticated new destination for stylish accommodations, dining, socializing and events in the River City.

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MMGY Global Research Shows Perceptions of Travel Safety Rising Steadily in Advance of Holiday Travel Season October, 8 2020MMGY Travel Intelligence

MMGY Global has been tracking the impact of COVID-19 on U.S. traveler sentiment and behaviors since this past March and it has some encouraging news for the travel industry heading into the holiday season. The latest findings from MMGY Travel Intelligence's Travel Intentions Pulse Survey (TIPS) and MMGY Global’s Travel Safety Barometer show increasing confidence in the safety of domestic and international travel, cruising, dining and entertainment, business travel and lodging. 

For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the Domestic Travel Safety Barometer score rose above 50, indicating travelers are increasingly confident about the idea of traveling. The Barometer, which measures perceptions of safety on a scale of 0 (extremely unsafe) to 100 (extremely safe), rose to 52, which is 22 points higher than it was in April. Wave IX of the TIPS survey, conducted in late September, also found that 46% of respondents said they are likely to take a domestic leisure trip in the next six months.

Surprisingly, the International Travel Safety Barometer surged upward as well, increasing 6 points to 38 in October.  Twenty-five percent of TIPS respondents said they are likely to take an international leisure trip during the next six months, up from 18% in Wave VIII.

After months of stagnation, the October Business Travel Safety Barometer displayed promising signs of recovery, increasing from 38 to 41, a 12-point increase from the May score. The news is slightly better for conference and convention planners as well. The Travel Safety Barometer score for attending a conference or convention jumped from 30 in September to 35 in October, a 16% spike. As meeting planners and conference organizers debate the future of large group gatherings, this score will be one to watch closely in the months ahead. 

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New chef de cuisine joins Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah

Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah is delighted to welcome Yosuke Matsuoka as the new Chef De Cuisine at UMI Restaurant.

Beginning his culinary career in 1996 as a Chef and Banquet Chef Roll, he has collected significant experiences in various Japanese and international restaurants and five-star hotels. In 2005, he was promoted as a head chef in two renowned restaurants in the United States of America. Bringing his extensive set of skills and experiences, he worked in Spain as Head Sushi Chef in 2012. Through time, he became an Executive Chef in the Japanese section of Grand Hotel Columella, a five-star hotel in Italy, where he created traditional and Mediterranean-infused dishes.

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Taj Mahal, New Delhi Announces The Reopening Of Machan In A Re-imagined New Avatar

The iconic Taj Mahal, New Delhi unveiled the new avatar of the Capital's original and much-loved dining destination Machan. The hotel also reopened to an elegant new lobby and the Emperor Lounge after a stylish makeover. Taj Mahal, New Delhi has been under extensive renovation since July 2019, reinventing itself to offer the essence of timelessness and heritage of Lutyens' Delhi, coupled with contemporary flair and impeccable service the hotel has been renowned for. The next phase of the transformation will include the redesigned rooms and The Chambers - expected to be completed by end of the year.

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