Airbnb Lux: Airbnb is planning to launch a new rental service for mega-homes, mansions and penthouses that will be inspected to ensure they make the grade. The company will start testing the new offering (internally known as Airbnb Lux) in some markets at the end of year, according to people familiar with the matter. If the tests are successful, the San Francisco-based company will roll out the service broadly, the people said.
InnVest scores “big”: InnVest Hotels acquired the tallest luxury hotel in Toronto from JCF Capital ULC. InnVest Hotels is a Canadian company that holds one of Canada’s largest hotel portfolios. As part of the transaction, the 65-story, 261-room hotel will receive a significant renovation and a new name.
Miraval leadership out: Top executives at Miravel, which Hyatt Hotels Corporation acquired earlier this year, are stepping down. Marc Ellin, Hyatt senior vice president, operations, Americas, will now have oversight of operations, sales and marketing. He will report to Steven Rudnitsky, Miraval Group president and chief executive officer. Rudnitsky will continue to lead Miraval through September 2017, at which point he will step down. Three other Miraval Group executives – Tom Botts, chief marketing officer; Paul McCormick, senior vice president for Miraval operations; and Meredith Nicklas, corporate director of finance – will also step down after the transition is finalized.
NoBanNoWall: Protests once again happened outside Trump International Hotel as Amnesty International stopped by to project messages onto the side of the building as the limited travel ban went into place. The messages included, “Trump travels in comfort, others travel in fear #NoBanNoWall.”
More from the New York Daily News
Barcelona wants to boot Airbnb: Barcelona’s council threatened to eject Airbnb from the city after accusing one of the company’s executives of illegally listing a sublet flat on the site. Kay Kuehne, who was at the time Airbnb’s regional manager in Latin America, was accused by the council of listing a flat in the city in December 2014, without a tourism license and having had deceiving the homeowner.
Ashford sells Crowne: Ashford Hospitality Trust completed the sale of the 495-room Crowne Plaza Ravinia in Atlanta, Georgia for US$88.7 million (US$179,000 per key). The sales price represents a trailing 12-month cap rate of 5.6% on net operating income.