hotels articles

Even New Jersey Gov. James McGreevey and a host of other local, federal and state officials were on hand to thank and congratulate the operators and investors for their economic commitment to Atlantic City and the 5,000 jobs the resort created. The Borgata is a joint venture of Boyd Gaming Corp. of Las Vegas and MGM Mirage.

Marketed as a destination resort and the first casino to open in Atlantic City in 13 years, the 43-story facility offers 11 restaurants, half of them luxury establishments operated by well-known operators.

Among the distinguished restaurateurs who are operating eateries in the Borgata are Suzanna Foo, a onetime librarian-turned-internationally acclaimed chef-operator from Phiadeiphia; Marc and Greg Sherry, owners of New York’s Old Homestead Steakhouse; and Luke Palladino, an alumnus of the kitchens of Jeremiah Tower, Todd English and Emeril Lagasse.

Guests of the 2,002-room resort have access to 3,650 high-tech slot machines; a palatial 100,000-square-foot gym, pool and spa complex; a 1,000-seat performance theater; and a dance club.

Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration appointed Gary Thompson as executive director of its Center for Hospitality Research, replacing Cathy Enz, who will continue in her rote as the Lewis G. Schaeneman Professor of Innovation and Dynamic Management at the school.

Bond was instrumental in reducing the turnover rate of Monical’s hourly employees to less than 100 percent a year and that of management to less than 7 percent. The 53-unit pizza chain has not lost a general manager in a year.

In 1997 Bond eliminated the vice president of operations position and replaced it with five team leader positions to spur more decision sharing throughout the company. The change also led to the creation of incentive plans rewarding employees for achieving business goals that emphasize how people are treated.

WASHINGTON — The Essential Worker Immigration Coalition, a group of such national business and trade associations as the American Hotel & Lodging Association, commended Arizona congressmen for introducing legislation to strengthen border security and to establish new work visa programs.

Sen. John McCain, along with Reps. Jim Kolbe and Jeff Flake, all Republicans representing Arizona, recently proposed the Land Border Security and Immigration Improvement Act of 2003. The act would create a new visa program for individuals wishing to enter the United States to work on a short-term basis and a new visa program for undocumented immigrants currently living in the country.

John Gay, vice president of governmental affairs for the AHLA and chairman of EWIC, called the act the most comprehensive immigration reform to be introduced in the past three Congresses.

* Sunstone Hotel Investors, a newly formed real-estate investment trust, completed an initial public offering of 21.1 million shares of its common stock and received proceeds of about $358.7 million. The company also sold Sunstone Hotel Properties, the manager of 54 hotels comprising 12,643 guestrooms, including 50 hotels owned by Sunstone Hotel Investors, to Interstate Hotels & Resorts.

Publicly traded REITs are required to have their hotels managed by third-party perators.

So Peggy’s visiting relatives were scattered in hotels in LaCrosse and Onalaska. That prompted her parents, who owned a resort in Crivitz, north of Green Bay, to say the Johnsons should build a hotel someday in Holmen.

Seventeen years later, they’ve done just that.

The Johnsons opened their 38-room Prairie Inn & Suites hotel on Dec. 19 at 3913 Circle Drive in Holmen, off Hwy. 53, just north of Hwy. OT.

It’s near the BP gas station/convenience store and McDonald’s restaurant.

“Holmen is growing, and we thought there was a need for a hotel,” Peggy said. She works full time there, while her husband runs the couple’s Johnson Terrazzo Co. in Holmen.

Johnson Terrazzo installs terrazzo flooring in buildings such as airport terminals, schools, stores and offices in the tristate area. Rick’s father, Richard V. Johnson, started the terrazzo business in 1960.

Rick and Peggy bought the business from him in 2000.

Peggy, 48, and Rick, 45, decided against buying a hotel franchise. Their hotel is independent, like the Johnsons are.

“We just like doing things on our own, and designing it the way we wanted it,” Rick said, “We wanted to do something different.”

The hotel was designed and built by BrickI Bros. of West Salem, Wis.

It’s near prairies, one reason why the two-story hotel has a Frank Lloyd Wright, prairie-style look, with wide eaves and rectangular windows. Its interior is decorated in a prairie-style look, with local photographs of prairie flowers and scenes.

“We wanted to give people a taste of the area,” Rick said of the local photos.

As for the hotel’s overall design, he said, “We wanted it to have a nice, homey feel.”

The hotel’s front desk area and lobby feature custom oak woodwork and an open staircase. The lobby also has a fireplace and a dining area with a continental breakfast featuring items such as waffles, muffins, cereal, yogurt, oatmeal, French toast, doughnuts, fresh fruit, coffee, milk and juice.

There’s also a conference room.

Rick has stayed in many hotels during business travel for the couple’s terrazzo flooring business.

That influenced some decisions about the Prairie Inn & Suites.

For example, he said, “We spent extra money on sound proofing. You can’t hear anything from the highway. And the beds are top of the line.”

Each room has high-speed Internet hook-ups, a refrigerator and a microwave oven. The hotel’s two suites each have a whirlpool tub.

Room rates begin at $45 a night.

The Johnsons have two sons, Adam and Buck. Buck is a student at Holaren High School and works part time at the hotel.

Aaron Loft is general manager of the hotel, which has 10 employees.

NEW YORK — The Buckingham Hotel, “home away from home,” to Gotham-bound artists and musical performers, unveiled the three winning paintings at an exhibition and awards ceremony for the second annual “Buckingham Prize for the Expression of Music through Art.”

The Hotel announced art student Malado Baldwin, of New York Studio School, as the Grand Prize winner.

“The idea of expressing music in a painting intrigued me immediately, and I found that the Buckingham Prize was challenging and exciting,” says Malado Baldwin. “l often see music when it’s playing; it registers emotionally through colors and shapes. I invented melodies while I created the Buckingham piece, so you can say that I actually composed it.”

Baldwin’s piece, “Modulations,” a double painted canvas oil diptych that is rendered in pale blue with waves of dot-like “melodies” moving over the surface, was awarded the grand prize. “Capriccio” by Peg McCreary of the renowned Art Students League, took second place and “Concerning Music,” by John Dechamp of Memphis College of Art, third. The work of the winners was unveiled by Stephen Shapiro, Managing Partner of the Buckingham Hotel on Nov. 30.

“Modulations,” culled from entries from around the country, was awarded $7,000 and will be displayed by the Buckingham Hotel in its grand lobby; additional cash purchase prizes of $2,000 and $1,000 went to McCreary and Dechamp.

Determination of the finalists of the Buckingham Prize was made by a prestigious panel of judges, including Graham Nickson, dean of New York Studio School; Ira Goldberg, director of the Art Students League; Dennis Adams, acting dean, School of Arts, Cooper Union; Annette Blaugrund, Ph. D., National Academy Museum and School of Fine Arts; John Torreano, program director of the MFA program in Studio Art at New York University and Barrett White, assistant vice president of Christie’s Post-War and Contemporary Art.

The Buckingham Hotel, located across from Carnegie Hall, sponsors this competition because of the musical heritage that is woven throughout its history; which, when combined with West 57th Street’s own artistic tradition, results in “musical artwork.” The property was once home to such luminary musicians as Ignacy Jan Paderewski and Giovanni Martinelli.

“The Buckingham Prize celebrates the extensive musical history of the property, while honoring West 57th Street’s own long-standing artistic traditions,” says Stephen Shapiro, the hotel’s managing partner. “For three-quarters of a century, the Buckingham has been home to world-renowned musicians, performers and artists from across the world, so the Hotel saw this competition as a fitting contribution to both the performing and visual arts.”

The three paintings have become a part of the Buckingham’s permanent collection of musically inspired artwork, that already includes “Bounce Fugue”a multimedia and installation created entirely from musical instruments, which graces the Hotel’s entrance hall in eight different display boxes. The Buckingham collection also features portraits of Arthur Rubenstein and Mstislav Rastropovich by the late School of Paris painter Arbit Blatas, on loan by his wife, Regina Resnik, who is one of the world’s greatest living opera performers.

The Alonquin Hotel is truly one of New York’s oldest and most exclusive hangouts. A favorite spot for some of this country’s most illustrious literary minds of the 20th century, it is also legendary and full of history. To this day, no one can mention the name of famous writer Dorothy Parker without immediately thinking of the Algonquin. The history that surrounds this phenomenon goes something like this:

Shortly after World War I, Vanity Fair writers Dorothy Parker, Robert Benchley and Robert Sherwood began lunching at the Algonquin Hotel in New York City. In 1919 they gathered in the hotel’s Rose Room with some literary friends to welcome back journalist Alexander Woolcott from his service as a war correspondent. The lunch was intended as a . put-down of Woolcott’s pretensions (he had the annoying habit of beginning stories with, “From my seat in the theatre of war … “), but it proved so enjoyable that someone suggested it become a daily event. This led to the daily exchange of ideas, opinions and often-savage wit that has enriched the world’s literary life and its anecdote collections as well. Literary icons George S. Kaufman, Heywood Broun and Edna Ferber were also in this august assembly, which strongly influenced writers like F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway. Though society columns referred to them as the Algonquin Round Table, they called themselves the Vicious Circle. “By force of character,” observed drama critic Brooks Atkinson, “they changed the nature of American comedy and established the tastes of a new period in the arts and theatre.”

Today, the Algonquin retains that air of privacy that made it so famous and such a perfect venue for these extraordinary thinkers. A welcome, quiet spot amid the raucous noise of downtown Manhattan, the hotel is barely a few steps away from Times Square, Broadway shows and some of the world’s finest shopping.

Walking into the hotel’s lobby you can quickly notice, and appreciate, the preserved Edwardian decor of its 1902 opening. Mornings at the hotel are peaceful, with mellow jazz in the air and the ubiquitous smell of coffee. A popular spot for business people, the hotel’s lobby usually thrives with professionals meeting to discuss publishing projects and with guests reading the daily newspaper or magazines. By early evening, the hotel regains its legendary, trendy “bohemian” aura, attracting a well-varied, if mostly jet-set type of crowd.

The Oak Room, the hotel’s only restaurant, sits at the far end of the lobby, and it features the famous “Round Table” as its centerpiece. But what makes this restaurant unique is that dinner comes complete with a cabaret show. During its regular cabaret season, September through June, performances are held Tuesday through Saturday at 9pm, with a dinner seating at 7pm. An additional late show on Fridays and Saturdays is held at 11:30 p.m., with light fare available at 10:30. Expect to see cabaret-genre icons Andrea Marcovicci, Harry Connick Jr., and Michael Feinstein among the stellar lineup. It’s a rather complex dining arrangement that offers a fixed price dinner and a show, all bulked up into one. The menu is well worth the money, and it features appetizers such as Chilled Tiger Shrimp Cocktail and Atlantic Smoked Salmon. We tried the Salmon and were convinced we had made the right choice. It made us all the more eager for the entree, which includes Pan Seared Filet of Beef, Roast Duck Algonquin and Black Striped Sea Bass among others. We sampled the Pan Seared Filet, which came with buttermilk mashed potatoes, caramelized onions and sauteed broccoli. The meat was aged and cooked to perfection; the mashed potatoes and the onions were truly to-die-for, but the broccoli was a bit too crispy for our taste. Still, it was delicious, and it was all served with class and distinction by the restaurant’s apt and friendly staff. A cover charge of $50 is usually- charged per person, along with a dinner charge of $60 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Dinner is required for early shows on Friday and Saturday, other times a $20 minimum is required.

The rooms at the Algonquin are a far cry for the typical, Vegas style “mega-rooms”, with lots of space and new gadgets. Instead, the Algonquin has retained its classic turn-of-the-century atmosphere and character, which makes for a much more intimate experience. Standard rooms are, by all modern standards, considered somewhat small, but they are decorated with handsome, understated furnishings designed to be as restful to the eye as the body. Modern amenities have been added in order to ease the burdens of 21st Century travelers. Still, if you are traveling with company and can afford the upgrade we highly recommend the two-bedroom suite at the very minimum instead. A special piece of American lore, The Algonquin Hotel is definitely a unique hideaway worth visiting on your next trip to the Big Apple. Check it out!

Future uncertain for airlines. Second-quarter profits were up for several airlines, but the industry still faces daunting challenges, Bloomberg’s Doron Levin writes. JetBlue Airways is scaling back growth plans as it faces higher costs, and Southwest Airlines says high ticket prices are discouraging some travelers from flying. One industry group expects the world’s airlines to lose $3 billion this year. Aug 27, 2006

Low cost carriers invest in future. Discount carriers are expanding into new markets and investing in new technology. JetBlue, for example, recently signed new agreements with global distribution systems after removing inventory in 2002 and 2005. AirTran recently negotiated new rates with reservation and seat inventory companies. Aug 21, 2006

Air Berlin

Air Berlin is evaluating using Munich International Airport as a new hub following its acquisition of dba, which is based there. According to Focus, the carriers are flying to some 60 destinations combined from the airport, which also is Lufthansa’s second hub after Frankfurt. AB is based mainly in Berlin and Nurnberg but also operates around 300 weekly summer flights from Palma de Mallorca, its most important base outside Germany. Aug 22, 2006

Air Berlin partner Niki Lauda said that that AB has no plans to take over LTU, which like dba is controlled by Hans Rudolf Woehrl. “I don’t believe that makes sense, because [long-haul] is not the core business for Air Berlin,” Lauda said. He added that AB’s acquisition of dba will benefit his Niki LCC “because my partner Air Berlin gets stronger. And that’s good for us.” Aug 21, 2006

AirAsturias

AirAsturias of Spain expects to launch service in October, according to Spanish press reports. The startup will be based at Oviedo Airport and initially will fly four-times-weekly to Rome, Milan, Lisbon and either Frankfurt or Berlin aboard A320s. It also intends to serve Paris, London, Brussels and destinations in Mexico, Panama and Venezuela, where its main shareholder, the Celuisma hotel group, has interests. Long-haul flights will originate from Madrid Barajas. Aug 23, 2006

EasyJet

EasyJet to open Madrid Barajas base. EasyJet is launching a base at Madrid Barajas, its 17th, and said operations will start Feb. 16 with several new routes, details of which will be announced next month and will include domestic services. Aug 25, 2006

EasyJet

EasyJet issued a statement encouraging travelers to limit themselves to one piece of checked luggage in order to “speed up the handling of baggage at airports and minimize inconvenience to passengers.” A second piece of checked luggage will cost [pounds sterling]5 ($9.50) online and [pounds sterling]10 at the airport effective with bookings made from Sept. 1. Total weight must not exceed 20 kg. Passengers will continue to be charged [pounds sterling]5 per kg. above the limit. Aug 21, 2006

FlyMe

FlyMe abandoned its Gothenburg Landvetter-Amsterdam route, citing a lack of profitability. Aug 22, 2006

Frontier Airlines

Frontier Airlines will launch Saturday Kansas City-Cabo San Lucas service on Dec. 16. Aug 25, 2006

Frontier Airlines

Frontier Airlines flew 849.3 million RPMs in July, a 16.1% increase over the year-ago month. Capacity rose 11.6% to 996.4 million ASMs and load factor was up 3.3 points to 85.2%. Aug 23, 2006

Germanwings

Germanwings will add a fourth daily Cologne-Berlin Schoenefeld flight on Oct. 30. Aug 25, 2006

Oasis Hong Kong Airlines

Oasis Hong Kong Airlines, a startup slated to launch in October, yesterday selected PAM (Oasis) Ltd. to establish, operate and maintain its Hong Kong-based call center. Aug 25, 2006

Ryanair

Ryanair Seeks Compensation For Security Crackdown. Low-cost carrier Ryanair said on Friday it had submitted a claim for just over GBP3 million pounds (USD$5.7 million) in compensation from the UK government after stepped-up airport security forced it to cancel flights. Aug 25, 2006

Ryanair

Ryanair said it intends to operate a full schedule from London Stansted even if the Bank Holiday strikes against Swissport International occur next weekend. The carrier said it will allow all passengers to use Web check-in and may require them to travel without checked luggage. Aug 22, 2006

Ryanair

Ryanair throws down gauntlet to terrorists, UK government. Ryanair revealed its intention to take on both “terrorists and extremists” and the UK government in a single press release Friday.Its battle against evil will be waged with the week-long sale of 1 million seats across more than 100 routes for [pounds sterling]25 ($47.40) one way including taxes and fees. “Ryanair is releasing these cheap seats to get Britain flying again, which is the best way to defeat terrorists and extremists,” the combative airline said. Aug 21, 2006

Ryanair

Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary said the security alert cost Ryanair at least [euro]2 million ($2.6 million) in lost revenue, according to press reports, rejecting some analysts’ predictions that the hit would be closer to [euro]10 million. Aug 21, 2006

Limited bin space leads to disputes among fliers. With full flights and passengers worried about checked bags, space in overhead bins is at a premium. The battle for bin space has sparked angry encounters between fellow travelers and with flight attendants who try to enforce carryon rules. Aug 27, 2006

Checked luggage surge may overburden security: Checked luggage at U.S. airports has increased by 20% since liquids were recently banned from carry-on bags, threatening to strain screeners and bomb detectors, according to Transportation Security Administration chief “Kip” Hawley. “Anytime you have a system that’s overwhelmed, that’s where failure is a concern,” Hawley says. Aug 24, 2006

Fewer domestic tickets involve Saturday stay. The percentage of domestic airline tickets that involve a Saturday stay has fallen to 44% from 51% three years ago, according to a study by Sabre Airline Solutions for USA TODAY. Fare simplification, rising hotel costs and more attention to “work-life balance” have contributed to the changes, experts say.

Aug 24, 2006

Airlines deserve credit for smooth operations. Airlines, TSA and sensible travelers deserve credit for the way they handled the confusion and new security rules that stemmed from a foiled terror plot, New York Times columnist Joe Sharkey writes. He writes that, “Nobody has ever accused me of being a shill for the airlines or a Pollyanna about air travel. But I have to say that I got from Point A to Point B last week without a hassle.” Aug 22, 2006

Travelers should read insurance policies carefully. An industry group says annual sales of traveler insurance have nearly doubled since 2001. Most travel insurance policies won’t cover losses from a trip that a traveler cancels out of fear of anticipated events or conditions. Often during hurricanes, blizzards, terrorism attacks or other major disruptions, airlines typically waive restrictions and fees on rebooking, so travelers should read policies carefully. Aug 22, 2006

A UK Dept. for Transport spokesperson told the BBC, “The security regime in place at UK airports is necessary because of the level of security threat and is kept under constant review. We have no intention of compromising security levels nor do we anticipate changing our requirements in the next seven days.” The spokesperson added that the government does not believe it is liable for Ryanair’s losses. Aug 21, 2006

Balance needed between tight security, efficient operations. Airlines and lawmakers hope to strike a balance between keeping air travel safe and operating flights efficiently. Some airline officials, while insisting security takes priority, say new security requirements could boost costs for already squeezed carriers. “Nobody cares more about security than we do,” Air Transport Association President James May says. Aug 21, 2006

Frugal travelers track fares to secure low prices. Frugal travelers are using a variety of strategies to secure deeply discounted airfares. They are purchasing lower fares available for travel on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, taking advantage of last-minute sales, and tracking prices at sites like Farecompare.com. Aug 21, 2006

Governments should cover airline security cost, official says. National governments should pay for additional security measures required to protect airlines from terrorist attacks, the director general of an international airline group says. It is too early to estimate the cost of additional security measures put in place after a foiled terrorist attack earlier this month, says Giovanni Bisignani, director general of the International Air Transport Association. Aug 21, 2006