Hotel Lodging News

Back in late 2009 at the semi-annual management meeting for the company, the General Managers of the hotels listened to a presentation by Charisse Hilchey about charity options.  Many of the employees of the company have requested that the company pick an appropriate charitable organization for the company to support.

In July Lodging Host Hotel Corp entered into a contract with “Clean the World” for a test property, The Holiday Inn Express in Marshall, TX.  Clean the World collects used soap, shampoo and lotion products to be reprocessed and distributed at no cost in third world countries to needy people.  The managers liked this charity because it accomplished a number of goals at one time:

- It allowed the employees to reach out to those in need

- It allowed the hotel to be more “Green” as it will take hundreds of pounds, per hotel, of hazardous materials out of landfills

- It was a program that all of the employees in the hotel could participate in

- There was little to no operational cost to the hotel outside of a small amount of time actually used in the recycling effort

 Louis C. Christian III, General Manager of the Holiday Inn Express in Marshall, TX, discussed the charity with his employees and volunteered to be the test hotel for the program. The test program will run until Fall of 2010 when the General Managers will be able to, at their Fall meeting, review the results of the test and determine if this is the charitable program company would like to adopt.

Lodging Host, seven years ago, was one of the first hotel management companies to adapt to on-line access for clients’ records.  This technology, while challenging at first to some, quickly became very popular with clients. 

Through a secure server, clients are able to access all of their hotels up to date and sometimes up to the minute information.  Revenues, deposits, contracts, property tax information, financial reports, franchise reports and inspections are just some of the information available to Lodging Host’s clients and their CPAs.  But as with any technology, as it becomes more popular and more flexible, more and more demands are put on it.  This requires additional storage space, ever larger programs requiring more memory and greater speeds.

So recently Lodging Host installed a complete new computer server system.  Don’t worry though, it all still works the same.  Just as easy as before.

But lets not forget to be green! We did not dispose of the old system but reconfigured it to be the back up system for the new one!

Lodging Host Hotel Corp President, Kevin P. Hilchey announced today that effective December 11th 2009 Lodging Host had assumed the management of the Staybridge Suites at the Austin Airport in Austin, Texas.  The hotel opened for business earlier in 2009 and houses 161 guest suites. 

The Staybridge is the newest hotel at the Austin Airport and offers studio, one bedroom and two bedroom/two bathroom suites, all with full cooking facilities.  It also offers complementary breakfast 7 days a week,the brand’s “Sundowner” dinner 3 nights a week, free high speed Internet access, the Bridgemart, meeting space, outdoor pool, exercise facilities, complementary guest use laundry facilities and a sports court.

According to Denise Arnold, Director of Marketing for Lodging Host, “We are proud to add this sixth IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group, parent company of Holiday Inns) product to our portfolio of managed hotels.  Lodging Host Hotel Corp has been in business for over 25 years, providing quality property management services to lenders, federal agencies and private owners.  This hotel is a superb addition to 14 hotels and we look to provide the Austin Airport Market with the same exceptional guest service that has separated our hotels from our competitors.”

With the opening of the Residence Inn at the Airport on December 23rd 2008 in Albuquerque NM, Lodging Host Hotel Corp has opened it’s first Marriott franchised product.  The hotel consists of 110 guest suites all of which have full cooking facilities.  Other amenities of the hotel include indoor pool, hot tub, exercise facility with equipment each with their own televisions, guest Market, guest laundry facilities, airport shuttle service, business center, meeting room to accommodate 40 persons and a Boardroom for 8 persons.

The hotel is a Generation 7.5 Residence Inn and incorporates the InnFusion Guestroom design of the new Generation 8 Residence Inn product.

Lodging Host Hotel Corp intends to develop 4 more Marriott products in the next 4 years and has executed franchises for a 75 room Fairfield Inn and Suites in Forney, Texas and a 110 suite Residence Inn in Longview Texas.  Construction is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2009 on both of those hotels.

According to Kevin P. Hilchey, President of Lodging Host Hotel Corp “We will be developing other product as well during that time as the economy and lending environment allow.”

Best Western The Inn at Circle T just recieved its AAA Approved Lodging rating.  Come stay at our beautiful hotel that is top of the line and 3 diamond rated.

During the semi-annual meeting of all the Lodging Host Hotel Corp Management Team a break was taken from the training exercises and information exchanges to hold the Annual Awards Dinner. It was an enjoyable evening, during which the three Lodging Host annual employee awards were presented.

The first award presented was to the Lodging Host Hotel Corp Manager of the Year. It was presented in his absence to Lloyd Quinn, who had to miss the event due to infectious flu. As General Manager of the Hotel Phillips in Bartlesville, OK he has stepped into one of the most demanding roles in the company after proving himself at the Hampton Inn in Marble Falls, TX. Now running a full service, historic facility has allowed him to show what he can really do.

Second award given out was for Department Head of the Year. The award presented to Cary Johnson of Hampton Inn Hillsboro. Cary has been with the hotel prior to the opening in April 2007 and no one was surprised when he won the prestigious 2008 award. Cary’s dedication, work ethics, responsiveness to guests needs, and wonderful sense of humor were big factors in the decision by the Lodging Host Hotel Corp Board of Directors to bestow Cary with this honor.

And finally, the Big Winner with a trip and spending money on the line was the Employee of the Year Award. After much deliberation it was presented to Marsha Jess of the Hampton Inn on the Lake, Marble Falls, TX. Marsha has been working at the hotel for over seven years at the Front Desk. She is khown for her cheery demeanor with guests and for filling in whenever and wherever the hotel needs her.

We would all like to congratulate this year’s outstanding service people who were given the awards as well as all those who were nominated from their respective hotels. It is employees such as those that create the high level of guest service surrounding Lodging Host managed hotels.

Dec. 6 Arts/Crafts/Food Vendors beginning at 10:00 AM, Parade at 6:00 PM and lightening of Christmas lights and tree, Tour of Homes Saturday and Sunday beginning at the Courthouse. For more information call the Chamber of Commerce at 254/386-3216.

The Best Western The Inn at Circle T would like to welcome Tyler Magnus and his staff to Circle T Arena.  The Arena is the home “The Roping Show.”  For more info go to http://www.tylermagnus.com/ or call us at 254-386-3209.  Best Western will be the host hotel for all of Magnus’ students.

• Breakfast with Santa on Christmas Morning

Are you and your family looking for a home away from home for Christmas? Join us at Best Western Inn at Circle T. Our package includes a 2 night stay with the option to stay through the weekend. On Christmas morning you and your family can enjoy a full hot breakfast with Santa. Don’t forget the camera!

Special runs Wednesday, December 25th and Thursday December 26th

$150 per couple, kids under 12 in the couple’s room are free

Add a Friday and Saturday night with us for $80 per night (save $40 off the regular price)

In the month of September the three Hampton Inns run by Lodging Host, Hampton Inn Hillsboro TX, Hampton Inn Livingston TX and the Hampton Inn in Marble Falls TX ranked #1, #5 and #11 in the state of Texas.  This is a fantastic accomplishment by the three hotels and is based on Hilton’s SALT scores (Satisfaction and Loyalty Table) based on customer comment cards and Hilton inspections.

In addition The Hillsboro property won the Hilton 3rd Quarter Hampton Inn Hall of Fame award being ranked #33 in the entire Hilton system.