Best of hospitality in the news – part 13 – 31 October 2016
Hotel brands overhauling loyalty programs
Major hotel chains are rethinking their loyalty programs in the face of a consolidating industry and pressure from outside forces such as Airbnb.
Read full story in USA Today
Hotel CEO openly celebrates higher prices after anti-Airbnb law passes
A hotel executive said a recently-passed New York law cracking down on Airbnb hosts will enable the company to raise prices for New York City hotel rooms, according to the transcript of the executive’s words on a call with shareholders last week.
Read full story at Washington Post
Read next story at Fortune
How F1 Boosts Hotel Takings
The average annual fee paid to host a Formula One race comes to around $33 million with governments usually picking up the bill. It is a high-octane cost but the returns are equally turbocharged.
Read full story at Forbes
Trump’s D.C. Hotel Officially Opens, But Trouble Has Dogged The Iconic Property Since The Start
After two years of renovations, the nation’s capital’s former Old Post Office is reopening as Donald Trump’s latest venture, Trump International Hotel Washington D.C., on Wednesday morning. The Republican presidential candidate, who mentioned the trophy property in two of his three presidential debates, will be on hand to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony at the Pennsylvania Avenue property. Trump’s running mate Mike Pence will hold rallies in Nevada, Utah and Colorado.
Read full story at Forbes
UAE hotel lobbies: the perfect place to show off local art
In every hotel across the UAE, the first pieces of art that any visitor usually sees are the mandatory portraits of the nation’s rulers. Traditional and often mounted in gold-tinted frames, the images are so ubiquitous they might not even register with those who see them.
Read full story at The National (UAE)
Ramada Hotel brand returns to Japan
Leveraging on Japan’s tourism boom and burgeoning demand for travel among a growing global middle class and millennials, Wyndham Hotel Group has announced the return of its Ramada brand to Japan with the opening of the 300-room Ramada Hotel Niigata.
Read full story at JapanToday.com
The unusual history of Eh’häusl, the smallest hotel in the world
While most travellers would expect a palatial hotel suite if they paid over £200 per night, one establishment in Germany offers the exact opposite. The Eh’häusl Hotel is a small — but perfectly formed — establishment in Germany. It holds the Guinness World Record for the world’s smallest hotel, with just 53 metres of floor space.
Read full story at Business Insider (UK)