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Briefs: Marriott’s facial recognition foray | Standard takes its business elsewhere

Getting a facial: Alibaba Group (which entered into a joint venture with Marriott International back in August 2017) will now spearhead Marriott’s facial recognition check-in pilot with Fliggy, Alibaba’s travel service platform. the pilot will kick off from July 2018 at two Marriott International properties in China – Hangzhou Marriott Hotel Qianjiangand Sanya Marriott Hotel Dadonghai Bay, with the goal of global rollout across Marriott International’s properties in the future. This move is set to position Marriott International as a pioneer global hospitality company to offer this seamless check-in experience for Chinese travelers.

 


Not up to Standard: New York-based Standard Hotels was prepared to make its San Francisco Bay Area debut., but the hotel operator says it has now decided to take its brand elsewhere. The Standard still plans to have a property in San Francisco and is on the hunt for another site better suited to its brand, according to The San Francisco Business Times. Details behind the termination of the deal were not immediately available.

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Marriott’s AC in Australia: Marriott International signed an agreement with Melbourne-based property development company Capital Alliance to introduce the AC Hotels by Marriott brand to Australia. The 200-room AC Hotel by Marriott Melbourne Southbank hotel is expected to open in 2020 as part of a mixed-use development. The hotel marks Marriott International’s second major hotel deal with Capital Alliance, with Melbourne Marriott Hotel Docklands currently under construction.

  


Google Hotel campaigns: Google has introduced a new campaign type in Google Ads – Hotel campaigns, designed to simplify campaign management and optimization. Hotel groups will now be able to organize hotels by brand and class and bidding that allows marketers to optimize for bidding dimensions unique to hotels like a traveler’s length of stay or check-in day and audience bidding, among other features. The company also added a Hotel Center for hotel price feed management that replaces the existing Hotel Ads Center and aims to simplify feed troubleshooting, optimize a feed’s health with actionable opportunities and uses a central hub to power other price feed-based hotel features in the future, like dynamic remarketing creatives.

 


One more Marriott: Marriott International said Tuesday it would no longer manage or be associated with three hotels in Dubai after reaching a mutual decision with owner Al Habtoor Group. Marriott will end its management and association of the St. Regis Dubai, W Dubai Habtoor City and The Westin Dubai Al Habtoor City on July 31. Management of the three hotels, which will no longer be part of the St. Regis, W Hotels and Westin Hotels global brand portfolio, will be transferred to Al Habtoor Group. 

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Crescent takes a SeaWorld property: Crescent Hotels & Resorts will now manage the 28-acre, 1004-room DoubleTree Orlando Resort at SeaWorld. The property has 100,000-square-feet of event space, three pools, miniature golf and putting green and a kids camp with daily activities, among other amenities.

 


Interstate managing in Virginia: Arlington-based Interstate Hotels & Resorts has assumed management of Virginia-based The Westin Alexandria in partnership with Hong Kong-based owner Junson Capital. The Westin Alexandria has 319 rooms, in addition to 20,000 square feet of meeting and event space.

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Dream Atlanta, Buckhead: Dream Hotel Group will develop Dream Atlanta, Buckhead in Atlanta, Georgia by 2021. Designed by Atlanta-based architecture firm Cooper Carry, the hotel will have 200 guest rooms and suites, 90 private residences and a spa and wellness concept.

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