InterContinental Hotels Group announced Tuesday the launch of EVEN Hotels, aimed at those guests who value healthier travel.
Guestrooms of the new brand are designed for in-room workouts (e.g., a coat rack that doubles as a pull-up bar; a “Wellness Wall” that offers wellness tips to guests) as well as hypoallergenic linens, anti-bacterial wipes, and other health-centered offerings, according to an IHG news release. Also, menus were designed with healthy eating options in mind and feature fresh ingredients; complimentary flavored filtered water and mini smoothies also will be available.
“This trend of maintaining a healthy lifestyle is becoming a life choice for many, many customers and this trend is growing,” said Christian Hempell, VP of new business development and delivery for the company during an interview with HotelNewsNow's Shawn Turner.
The first EVEN property will be announced during the second quarter, and the first hotel is scheduled to open during the first part of 2013 with plans to open 100 EVEN hotels in major U.S. cities within the next five years.
“We want to ride the next wave of development,” he said. “This is the time you want to get a brand going.”
Though the organizing committee for the London Olympic Games returned 120,000 roomnights at more than 200 hotels, the city is likely to see a spike in rates despite the added inventory, The Telegraph reports.
Rates at the W Leicester Square at the beginning of August are at 559 pounds ($886.48) while the Park Lane Hotel has rates starting at 479 pounds ($759.62). During the second half of the month, after the Games, rates at the two properties are expected to be 299 pounds ($474.18) and 188 pounds ($298.15), respectively.
Joie de Vivre founder Chip Conley told attendees of the 6th Annual HR in Hospitality Conference & Expo what makes for great leaders.
“They allow their humanity to show up,” he said, according to a report from HotelNewsNow.com’s Patrick Mayock.
Most leaders have strong IQs, but far fewer have EQs—emotional intelligence—to match. That can be detrimental to business, Conley said.
La Quinta Inns & Suites expects to open more than 40 domestic and international properties this year, according to a report from HotelNewsNow.com’s Stephanie Wharton.
“The La Quinta pipeline for 2012 looks good,” President and CEO Wayne Goldberg said during the company’s 9th annual conference Monday.
The company is anticipating growth in Colombia and will continue to aggressively expand into Mexico, where it has 15 projects already underway.
Passenger growth at Abu Dhabi International Airport increased by 18% in January, according to the Abu Dhabi Airport Company.
A total of 1.14 million passengers passed through the airport last month. Cargo shipments were also on the rise, up 11% as nearly 40 tons of cargo were handled by the airport.
The top five routes for the airport during January were: Doha, Qatar; London; Bangkok; Manila, Philippines; and Sydney.
Compiled by Shawn A. Turner.
“We want to ride the next wave of development,” Hempell said. “This is the time you want to get a brand going.”
