A hotel for California
The Wall Street Journal
Developer Rick Caruso, Southern California's king of upscale shopping centers, wants to make a splash in another real-estate sector by building a luxury hotel on 16 acres of beachfront in Santa Barbara. The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors is expected to vote on a proposal to divert some of the future taxes generated by Caruso's hotel to paying for portions of the project.More

iPad revolutionizes iconic Hotel Bel-Air's room service
USA Today
The iPad has revolutionized the way guests order room service at the swanky Hotel Bel-Air in the Bel-Air neighborhood of Los Angeles. No longer do they need to pick up a paper menu sitting on their desk and call in their order for scrambled eggs and coffee. These days, 75 percent of people who order room service place their order via the iPad included in their room.More

Wilshire Grand Hotel is reopening its doors for liquidation sale
Los Angeles Times
In preparation for the start of demolition this summer of the now closed 936-room Wilshire Grand Hotel in downtown Los Angeles, the hotel will reopen its doors for the start of a massive sale of its furniture, plates, towels and television sets, among thousands of items in the building. Everything must go, including the kitchen sinks, which are priced at $350.More

Shore Hotel is Santa Monica's newest and greenest
The Washington Times
In Santa Monica, there is no shortage of environmental awareness. The recent shoreline addition of the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold Certified Shore Hotel, sets an eco-friendly standard that would awe even California's greenest, Kombucha-sipping, farmer's market loving locals and tourists alike.More

California hotels hosting culinary classes and events
Los Angeles Times
Hungry for a change of pace? Eat, drink and indulge your need to escape during a foodie weekend, a tasty trend sweeping the hotel industry. You can compare flights of wine, learn how to make sushi or whip up a classic French dessert. Then retreat to the hotel pool, spa or tennis court for alternative forms of recreation. It's all part of your weekend itinerary.More

3 tips to manage operations
Hotel News Now
The hospitality business is constantly facing challenges, and the key is to remain nimble in your management style, and ever-committed to motivating and preparing your staff to handle changes quickly and effectively. But how do we successfully manage these forced changes and stay on top of our service levels and guest satisfaction?More

Crestline Hotels & Resorts to manage the San Francisco Marriott Fisherman's Wharf
MarketWatch via Globe Newswire
Crestline Hotels & Resorts, Inc. recently announced that Host Hotels & Resorts, the owner of the San Francisco Marriott Fisherman's Wharf Hotel, has selected Crestline as the new management company for the hotel effective May 1. The five-story, 285 guest room Marriott Fisherman's Wharf includes 14 suites and 9,152 square feet of meeting space. It is ideally located near Pier 39 at Fisherman's Wharf and is within walking distance to most major attractions including the Golden Gate Bridge, Ghirardelli Square, the North Beach District, the famous Cable Cars as well as AT&T Stadium and Chinatown.More

Capital search focus of Meet the Money 2012 in Los Angeles
Hotel News Now
This year's Meet the Money conference in Los Angeles will focus on where hotel companies can find capital amid the tumult facing the industry today. The obstacles are many, Jim Butler, partner and chairman of the Hospitality Group at Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP. They include the eurozone crisis, unions, the roller-coaster commercial, mortgage-backed securities market, health care and more, he said in an email.More

California Home + Design's 50 Best Designed Hotels
Dexigner
California Home + Design has unveiled its 50 Best Designed Hotels in California list. From seaside marvels to tucked away mountain gems, the magazine has sourced the state for a comprehensive list of hotels, inns and resorts that pushed the limits on hospitality design.More

The next level in service excellence
ehotelier.com
No matter how you look at it, serving is about giving. In fact, giving, sharing, helping and teaching all go hand-in-hand. When Bryan K. Williams wrote The Double-Platinum Rule, his intent was to highlight the importance of going beyond merely meeting expectations. Williams wanted to emphasize the importance of looking for opportunities to exceed customer expectations.More

Hollywood giant eyes gulf in new hotels venture
Hotelier Middle East
Paramount Hotels & Resorts is set to be announced at the Arabian Travel Market. The project is currently in active development by PHR under licence by Paramount Licensing Inc. PHR has secured an exclusive, long-term agreement with Paramount Licensing Inc, the licensing division of Paramount Pictures Corporation, to establish the chain of Paramount-branded hotels and resorts, the company said in a statement.More