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It’s been hard spotting the silver lining in this
difficult period for the hospitality industry. But I may have found it
last week at the inaugural Lifestyle/Boutique Hotel Development
Conference at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach. As you’ll see
when you read this edition of our eReport newsletter, speakers and
attendees at the conference were nearly universal in their belief that
boutique and lifestyle hotels may point the way out of the downturn.
Boutique hotels, as several speakers remarked, are good investment
vehicles when properly designed, positioned, marketed and perhaps most
importantly, operated. They’re often more expensive to build and
operate than a plain-vanilla hotel, but as Cambean Hospitality founder
Brian Scheinblum contended, the rewards can clearly outweigh the risks
when done right.
It was also heartening to see the large turnout for the event (about 275
people), including many developers and entrepreneurs seeking to get into
the business for the first time. Sure, times are tough, but smart,
creative and well-capitalized business people will respond when given
the right opportunity.
Maybe Richard Russo, the director of development for
Morgans Hotel Group, best answered the question posed in the title of
the opening general session of the inaugural Lifestyle/Boutique Hotel
Development Conference held Tuesday at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami
Beach. It was titled “Why Invest in a Boutique/Lifestyle Hotel?” and
Russo explained there are three simple reasons: strong financial
returns, investment diversity and ego. Read
More
When the market to buy and build hotels returns to
normalcy, the boutique and lifestyle segments may lead the way. That was
one conclusion from a panel discussion during this week’s
Lifestyle/Boutique Hotel Development Conference at the Fontainebleau
Hotel in Miami Beach. Lodging Hospitality sponsored the inaugural event
in association with HVS Hotel Management. Read
More
Cheryl Rowley quoted the movie Back to the Future, got
emotional while reminiscing about Bill Kimpton and declared good design
has prevailed during her keynote address at the inaugural
Lifestyle/Boutique Hotel Development Conference. Read More
If design is where a boutique or lifestyle property
starts, service is often where it ends. Service is the critical
infrastructure that gives a property its vibe and culture, according to
panelists at last week’s Lifestyle/Boutique Hotel Development
Conference at the Fontainebleau in Miami Beach. “We’re selling
experiences, not rooms,” said Raul Leal, president and a partner at
Tecton Hospitality and Desires Hotels. Read More
Bob Sonnenblick, chairman of real estate development firm
Sonnenblick-Del Rio LLC, said if you hit a homerun with a boutique
project and it becomes the “hip” hotel, the results will be off the
charts, but if you miss, it can be a costly mistake. Like with any
segment in the lodging industry, the problem is finding the money to buy
or build a hotel to take that chance. That was the consensus during a
session titled “Who’s Got Money: Sourcing Debt and Equity” at last
week’s Lifestyle/Boutique Hotel Development Conference in Miami Beach.
Read More
• ABVI Plays Ball
A decade after its start, Americas Best Value Inn is still proving
skeptics wrong and continuing to grow at a staggering pace
• New Face of Lancaster
Marriott at Penn Square and Lancaster County Convention Center is a
seamless blend of old and new, public and private
Design & Decor Handbook: Lodging Hospitality's annual
guide to everything design: easy-to-read charts highlighting vendors by
product category, a directory of those companies as well as an in-depth
listing of the top design firms focusing on the hospitality
industry.
lhonline.com/design/0909-design-decor-suppliers/
Stabilizing Force: Outrigger Enterprises helps support local growth in
Waikiki with its massive mixed-use Beach Walk development.
lhonline.com/development/realestate/outrigger_waikiki_beach_walk_0904/
Oct. 21-23
International Hotel Conference
Hilton Molino Stucky, Venice, Italy
IHConference.com
Oct. 22
Association of Hospitality Recruiting Executives Conference
Acapulco Marina Pacifica, Long Beach, CA
www.ahre.org
Oct. 21-24
Best Western Annual Convention
Phoenix
www.bestwestern.com
Nov. 3-5
JMBM’S Hotel Developers Conference
Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa, Hollywood, FL
www.jmbm.com
Nov. 4-6
American Resort Development Association Fall Conference
Fairmont Hotel, Washington, DC
www.arda.org
Nov. 7-10
AHLA Fall Conference
Javits Center, New York
www.ahla.com
Nov. 7-10
International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show
Javits Center, New York
www.ihmrs.com
Nov. 10-13
IHG Americas Investors and Leadership Conference
Washington, DC
www.ihg.com
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