Hotel Lodging News

Some say it is the worst economic times since the Great Depression.   Unemployment is at an all time high!  So are revenues at the Plantation Suites in Port Aransas, TX.

The hotel recently turned in it’s best month EVER.  When ask what he attributed that to, Kevin P. Hilchey, President of Lodging Host Hotel Corp, the hotel’s management company, replied “There is no doubt that it is a team effort.  Start with the on-site personnel.  From the General Manager, Geneva Peacock, to the newest employees, we have a great team.  Second, we have committed Owners, good times and bad they have done what is needed to be done to keep up the product.  Because of them our product is second to none in the market.  Give a team like that the support they need from the corporate staff… and you WIN even in the toughest of times.”

That produced a comp set REVPAR yield of 121% and a market REVPAR yield of 219% in July for this 10 year old non-franchised hotel while the comp set includes newer, franchised properties.

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.”

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.

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.

Lodging Host lost three hotels temporarily. Hurricane Ike hit TX and LA on September 12th 2008.  The Comfort Suites in La Porte, TX, the Hampton Inn in Livingston TX and the Holiday Inn Express and Suites in Livingston TX.  In addition the Hampton Inn in Hillsboro TX lost power briefly and the Holiday Inn Express and Suites in Marshall TX lost power for 2 days.

The Holiday Inn Express and Suites in Livingston sustained the most damage with water penetration to all guest rooms and public areas.  It should reopen late in the week of September 29th.  Mike Scavone headed up the efforts for the team.  The LHHC & hotel staff reacted quickly getting generators transported to the site for temporary power.  That provided enough electricity to allow lighting for crews to work, to do water extraction and power fans to lessen the growth of mold.  Outside contractors were secured immediately to replace carpet and padding, replace damaged sheetrock in walls and ceiling, paint and texture effected areas and eradicate mildew.  When power was restored the team was poised to move forward to minimize the loss created by Ike.

The Hampton Inn in Livingston sustained minor roof damages and water penetration only to a couple public space and a few guest rooms.  Again the team quickly moved to minimize damages and take in the remaining guests of the Holiday Inn Express that were displaced by the large amount of damage to that hotel and employee and their families displaced by the storm.  When the hotel got power back a couple of days later, the hotel quickly opened rooms and worked with the City of Livingston to house emergency crews working in the area.  The hotel opened the rest of it’s rooms the week of September 22nd even as repairs proceeded.

The Comfort Suites in La Porte TX was not as fast with power not restored until late in the week of September 22nd and access to the city restricted until early that same week.  The hotel sustained water damages to the first floor mostly due to the rising water.  But again the hotel and LHHC staff moved quickly to get repairs underway and reopened about 30 of their rooms later in the week of September 22nd, even as repairs continued, to provide much needed housing for emergency Utility crews doing repair work in surrounding communities.

From the sound of ringing phones, it is evident that folks are getting out their calendars, checking kids’ sports schedules, and calling to plan their summer vacations. Port Aransas has become one of the most popular vacation locations in the country, and everyone knows that reservations need to be made early.

With 16 miles of beautiful beaches, fishing opportunities galore and many, many terrific restaurants, the island offers the perfect vacation get-away. Eventhough there are often large crowds, Port “A” has a personality and charm that causes visitors to relax and leave the pressures of their everyday lives behind. Even if you’ve been here a million times, there is something about being in paradise that makes you yearn to return and return again.  For those who have never been, a wonderful new experience awaits.

LONGVIEW, TX - With a new year comes new growth and Lodging Host Hotel Corp is preparing for a year of expansion.  Lodging Host has been re-positioning managers to meet the current needs of the company.

Gloria McKelvey has temporarily left the Holiday Inn Express in Farmington, New Mexico.  She will be returning to the hotel and Lodging Host in approximately six months. Janet Glynn, our prior Field Systems Consultant, has stepped in as manager of the Holiday Inn Express in Farmington during their renovation period.   “I’m very excited to be a part of such a great team.  I’m looking forward to watching the renovation make this hotel an even more comfortable and home-like experience.” Janet K. Glynn, MBA  Glynn will continue in management at the new Residence Inn Albuquerque hotel once open in 2008. The corporate position of Field Systems Consultant has been filled by Nikki Patterson, formerly General Manager of the Hampton Inn Livingston.Louis Christian, a Lodging Host manager for over 15 years, is currently filling the Hampton Inn Livingston management position.  Christian is also training new managers during this time, preparing the company for future growth.  Christian will move to Marshall, Texas  to open the new Holiday Inn Express Marshall this spring.Holiday Inn Express Livingston welcomes Ms. Sandra Brown as manager.  Brown is a recent hotel management graduate who has also been in training for the prior 90 days with Christian.  Down in south Texas, the building of a hotel in Hamilton Texas has caused a shift from the manager at Plantation Suites in Port Aransas (Monica Blackwell) to take the new property when it opens. Her position will be filled by Geneva Peacock, coming from the second position at Candlewood Suites in Round Rock. 

PORT ARANSAS, TX (November 2007) - Bass Pro Shops and Plantation Suites & Conference Center have teamed together to charter another  “Go Deep or Don’t Go at All” Deep Sea Fishing Adventure Friday, November 9 & Saturday, November 10, 2007, an all day deep sea fishing trip out of Port Aransas.  Limited availability. Call today at 877-836-3866. For more details, visit www.PlantationSuites.com/specials.htm.

Longview, TX (November 2, 2007) - There has been much speculation as to what the crash in the sub-prime market is going to do to Hotel lending and construction.  My quick answers would little and nothing respectively but let me explain because it is certainly not that simple. 

While hotel lending does not really have a sub-prime aspect in name it does have “conduit” lending.  This lending source is used for stabilized operating hotels and is significantly more sophisticated than what was happening in the Housing sub-prime market. Read the rest of this entry �

LONGVIEW, TX (October 29, 2007) - Lodging Host Hotel Corp held its bi-annual Managers Lock-In Training Conference October 28-30 in Hillsboro, TX. The two-day conference hosted by the Hampton Inn Hillsboro was a time of training and team building for Lodging Host corporate employees and hotel managers. The final evening featured an awards dinner where the following employees were recognized for their excellent customer service and dedication to Lodging Host over the previous year.

Employee of the Year - Teresa Marcus

Hampton Inn On the Lake Marble Falls Guest Representative

Department Head of the Year - Becky Schomer

Hampton Inn Livingston Sales Manager

General Manager of the Year - Louis Christian

Holiday Inn Express Livingston General Manager