Could Ryanair be the Amazon of air travel? If the company’s executives have their say, the answer is a resounding “yes.” The cheapo European airline is taking steps to reach that goal with plans to launch an accommodation service for the destinations it flies in and out of. [More]
hotels
Owner Of Radisson Hotel Chain Purchased By Chinese Conglomerate
By 4.28.16
Just weeks after China’a Anbang Insurance Group bowed out of its bid for the Starwood Hotel brand, another Chinese hotel group has gobbled up a different group: Carlson Hotels, the operator of the Radisson chain. [More]
An Improved Spirit Airlines Still Comes In Last In Customer Satisfaction Survey
By 4.26.16
A year ago, low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines made its debut in the American Customer Satisfaction Index with a thud, coming in dead last among airlines in the annual survey. But even with a 15% improvement over last year’s score, Spirit still couldn’t escape the cellar. [More]
Should Airbnb Be Forced To Make Sure Hosts Comply With Local Laws?
By 4.26.16
Laws, taxes, and regulations governing short-term rentals and hotels vary from location to location, and home-sharing platforms like Airbnb remind their users that they are obligated to comply with all relevant restrictions in their area. But when it’s clear that many users are not following the rules, should the company be held responsible? [More]
Hyatt Offering 10% Discount To Loyalty Members Who Book Their Stay Directly
By 4.18.16
Although it might be nice and convenient for travelers to use an online travel site like Expedia or Orbitz to book hotel visits along with flights and rental cars, hotels win when their guests skip those sites and book directly. That’s why Hyatt Hotels is joining some of its hospitality brethren in dangling a discount for those who book directly on its site. [More]
The Bidding War Is Over: China’s Anbang Insurance Drops Pursuit Of Starwood Hotels
By 4.1.16
Just three weeks after crashing Marriott’s party and throwing billions of dollars in the ring to take over Starwood Hotels — the operator of brands like Sheraton, St. Regis, Westin, and W — China’s Anbang Insurance Group packed up its bids and decided to go home, leaving Marriott and its $13.25 billion to be crowned the merger winner. [More]
Bidding War Continues: China’s Anbang Insurance Offers $14B For Starwood Hotels
By 3.28.16
Just when you thought $13.6 billion was enough to put an end to the bidding war for Starwood Hotels — home to brands like Sheraton, St. Regis, Westin, and W — and crown Marriott the victor, the other suitor, China’s Anbang Insurance Group, comes back to sweeten the deal with an offer of $14 billion. [More]
Hotels Offering Perks To Sway Guests Away From Third Party Booking Sites
By 3.21.16
Using an online travel booking site to find the perfect accommodations for your upcoming trip can be a simple and easy way to compare prices and make sure you get the best deal. But actual hotels aren’t exactly fans of such sites, and in a bid to bring customers to their own sites some companies are offering extra perks. [More]
Starwood Hotels, Priceline Sign Hospitality Deals With Cuba
By 3.21.16
Now that travel is opening up from the U.S. to Cuba, hospitality companies are jumping at the chance to get in early: both Starwood Hotels & Resorts and Priceline have inked deals that will get them into business with the island nation and provide services for travelers. [More]
Marriott Beefs Up Bid, Buys Starwood Hotels For $13.6 Billion
By 3.21.16
Momentum in the tug-of-war over Starwood Hotels — home to brands like Sheraton, St. Regis, Westin, and W — has shifted once again. Only days after China’s Anbang Insurance appeared destined to win with its “superior proposal,” Marriott managed to dig deep with the help of a few billion additional dollars.
Marriott’s Acquisition Of Starwood Hotels In Question After New $14B Takeover Bid
By 3.14.16
Five months after Starwood Hotels and Resorts – which operates brands like Sheraton, St. Regis, Westin, and W – announced it would sell itself for $12 billion to Marriott to make the world’s largest hotelier, the company revealed that it had received an unsolicited takeover bid of roughly $14 billion from a group of suitors. [More]
Marriott Switching To “Made In The USA” Towels, Bath Mats In All U.S. Hotels
By 3.10.16
Soon, every time you step out of the shower and onto a bath mat to towel off at a Marriott hotel in the U.S., all that fabric you touch will have been made in America. The hotel company says it’s the first in the hospitality industry to move to exclusively U.S.- made towels and bath mats in all its 3,000 U.S. locations. [More]
IBM Watson Has A New Job Powering A Robotic Hilton Hotel Concierge
By 3.9.16
Artificial intelligence is here, and now it’s hanging out in the lobby of a Hilton Hotel as a robot concierge: IBM’s AI software Watson has been put to use powering a an electronic helper focused on hospitality. [More]
Hotels.com Leap Day Coupons Less Useless Than They Appear
By 3.3.16
Last week, we tried to figure out a promotion from Hotels.com that had an extremely lengthy list of hotels specifically excluded from a coupon. We’re glad to note that not only was that promo not as bad as we thought, but a new coupon from the hotel aggregator clarifies things a bit for the easily confused. Like us. [More]
Hotels.com Leap Year Promotion Specifically Excludes Pretty Much Every Hotel Everywhere
By 2.29.16
Marketers are having a lot of fun with the idea of Leap Day, which is nice: it’s a fun non-holiday that everyone who uses the Gregorian calendar can appreciate, but that a marketer didn’t have to invent. One promotion at Hotels.com seems like a nice idea –– in a virtual drawing, customers can choose a coupon worth up to 29% off their total hotel bill –– but the key question is, which hotel? [More]
Hilton Targeting Young, Budget-Conscious Travelers With New “Tru” Hotel Brand
By 1.25.16
The long list of hotels operating under the Hilton brand will be growing by one this year: joining the likes of Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Inn, Homewood Suites, and Home2 Suites is new, budget- and millennial-focused Tru. [More]
Hyatt Confirms 250 Hotels Were Infected With Malware Last Year, Possibly Exposing Customer Payment Data
By 1.15.16
After announcing late last year that a slew of its hotels had been infected by malware, Hyatt has now identified the 250 properties that were affected — roughly 40% of its businesses in operation. Customers staying at those hotels who paid with a debit or credit card may have had their payment data and other information exposed to hackers, the chain said. [More]
Hotel That Inspired “Fawlty Towers” To Be Torn Down
By 1.7.16
More than 45 years ago, the uptight manager of an English hotel inadvertently inspired Monty Python’s John Cleese to create a comedy legend. Now comes news that this landmark of sitcom history will soon be demolished. [More]
