Tivoli in Qatar: Minor Hotels’ Tivoli Hotels & Resorts will operate the Souq Waqif Boutique Hotels in Doha, Qatar. The nine buildings, managed by Katara Hospitality, will be known as Souq Waqif Boutique Hotels by Tivoli.
Marriott Vacation Club bid: According to published reports, Marriott Vacation Club recently made an acquisition offer to Miami-based Interval Leisure Group (ILG) for about US$30 per share, what analyst Patrick Scholes of SunTrust Robinson Humphrey called an “all-time high multiple for vacation ownership companies.” It’s likely not the final offer, Scholes said.
Cuba rebuttal: Cuba Travel Services, in response to a travel warning to Cuba issued by the U.S. State Department in the aftermath of unidentified attacks against U.S. Embassy employees, said it “does not have any reason to believe these alleged incidents pose any danger whatsoever to those traveling to Cuba.”
Hersha’s Irma impact: According to analyst Michael Bellisario at R.W. Baird, Hersha Hospitality Trust, the REIT’s six south Florida hotels are expected to take a total US$7 million hit to estimated 2017 EBITDA, or approximately 11%. That’s due to the extended closures at two hotels, expectations for reduced leisure travel to Miami Beach and no insurance proceeds from business interruption in the short-term.
Loews Live in St. Louis: Loews Hotels’ first St. Louis, Missouri, hotel, will be part of a US$260 million expansion project at Ballpark Village, a mixed-use district adjacent to Busch Stadium. The US$65 million Live! by Loews – St. Louis, MO, hotel is a partnership between Loews, The Cordish Companies and the St. Louis Cardinals. The 216-room hotel will be designed by HKS Architects Hospitality Studio.
NY police training hotel employees: In the wake of the mass shooting in Las Vegas, New York City police are planning to train hotel staff on spotting suspicious guest behaviour and recognizing a gun case among other luggage.
Gencom group acquires Andaz: An affiliate of Miami-based Gencom and local real estate developer Sinergo Development Group S.A. has acquired the Andaz Costa Rica Resort at Peninsula Papagayo. Last year Gencom purchased the 1,400-acre Peninsula Papagayo and Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica.
RLH franchise agreements: Denver-based RLH Corporation agreed to open a franchised Red Lion Inn & Suites in Saraland, Alabama; GuestHouse Inns in Monroe, North Carolina and Bloomington, Minnesota; and Americas Best Value Inns in Porter, Texas and Sumter, South Carolina.
Plaza celebrity chef named in lawsuit: A sexual harassment lawsuit against employees of the Plaza Hotel in New York City has been amended to include a complaint against chef Todd English, whose restaurant is within the hotel. The lawsuit was originally filed in August by six current and former cocktail servers, bartenders and hostesses.