| October 1, 2008 | News for hotel and lodging professionals |
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- Discounts on the rise at U.S. hotels
Travel discounts abound around the U.S. right now, as the economy and a slow travel season combine to prompt hotels to reduce prices. The W Chicago-City Center is offering discounts of up to 15% for a three-night stay and 20% for a four-night stay, and the Stratosphere Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas has travel packages of as low as $213 for two nights, including airfare. MSNBC/Shermans Travel
(9/30)
      
 | Whatta catch! "Inside the NFL" is now on Showtime.
Produced by CBS Sports and NFL Films, this studio show airs each Wednesday until February. The program, which debuted in 1977, recaps the week's match-ups and previews upcoming games.
SHOWTIME. TV. AT ITS BEST. |
| Business Update |  | |
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- Hilton plans to quadruple presence in Caribbean, Latin America
Hilton Hotels is planning to add 150 hotels to its existing portfolio of 51 hotels in the Caribbean and Latin America. "We are focusing on accelerating the growth of our international management and franchise business by securing strategic development agreements and employing resources in international markets," said Steve Goldman, president for global development and real estate at Hilton. Los Angeles Business Journal (free registration)
(9/30)
- News from Lodging Conference
Amid all the concern about Wall Street and the economy, there were some business announcements of note at last week's Lodging Conference, including Concord Hospitality Enterprise's news of having broken ground on its 16th property this year, and the signing of two separate management contracts by Gemstone Hotels & Resorts. Hotel Interactive
(9/30)
- Financing package helps Maguire secure new mortgage, extend loan
Maguire Properties has secured a new mortgage on its Plaza Las Fuentes hotel and retail development in Pasadena, Calif., as part of a $100 million financing plan. "We are extremely pleased to complete this important transaction, particularly given current market conditions," CEO Nelson Rising said. The company said the financing extended the maturity on a construction loan until next year on a new office tower. Los Angeles Business Journal (free registration)
(9/30)
| Market Trends | | |
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- Some Marriott hotels to equip rooms with Nintendo Wiis
Marriott hotels in five U.S. cities are equipping either their rooms, or in one case, the lounge, with Nintendo Wiis and a selection of 20 games. Guests will be able to buy packages to play all they want, and the games will be pre-loaded. CNET
(9/30)
- Hotel honors poet Burns on its toilet seats
A hotel in Scotland is paying tribute to the country's beloved poet Robert Burns in a rather unorthodox way: It has printed a picture of Burns and one of the poet's most famous verses on the lids of its toilets. The Selkirk Arms, in the town of Kirkcudbright, is reputed to be he birthplace of the subject of the poem, Selkirk Grace, and the hotel's owner said he wanted to bring a smile to guests' faces while raising awareness of the poet. BBC
(9/29)
| Best Practices | | |
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- Why your brain is lazy and what to do about it
Ask your brain to imagine a sunset and it will choose one you've already experienced rather than spend a lot of neural resources creating a novel image. "In order to think creatively, you must develop new neural pathways and break out of the cycle of experience-dependent categorization," writes Gregory Berns, author of the book "Iconoclast." You can jolt the brain into action, he says, by surprising it with new information or an unfamiliar environment. Fast Company
(10/2008)
- Making the case for unreasonable management
Reasonable managers have to keep updating their resumes, adding to the ever-growing list of bankrupt companies they used to work for, says BNET blogger Jo Owen. "If Alexander the Great had been reasonable, he would have realized that he ruled a tin-pot state on the edge of civilization," she writes. "Being unreasonable, he conquered the entire civilized world by the age of 30." BNET/Sterling Performance blog
(9/16)
| Development | | |
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| AH&LA News | | |
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Find hospitality products and services at your fingertips
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If your property is a member of AH&LA, then take advantage of your complimentary registration into WIL. This robust network sets the foundation for accelerated growth within the industry by providing educational resources and fostering a close-knit community of like-minded executives. There's strength in numbers, and WIL cannot be ignored. Get more details.
| Editor's Note | | |
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Poll result: Do you use hotel shampoo, hair conditioner, shower gel and body lotion?
 Monday's poll asked readers whether they use hotel shampoo, hair conditioner, shower gel and body lotion.- 17.63% said no -- I bring my own products.
- 37.68% said I use some of the hotel products, but not all of them.
| SmartQuote | | |
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 | If you're not a risk taker, you should get the hell out of business."
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