Hotel & Resort News and Notes for April 2024

While most big hotel news is covered by TMR’s team and hosted on its Hotels and Resort homepage, some smaller news bits deserve attention. Below you can find rolling hotel news bites from the last four weeks that travel advisors, industry professionals, and frequent travelers should know about.

This month, the list is highlighted by new wellness offerings, new hires including a new GM for Nocturne Luxury Villas, and a very special addition that’s perfect for soccer fans heading to Manchester:

If you want your property or announcement to be featured, email dmccarthy@travelmarketreport.com.

• The Cameron House resort on Loch Lomond in Scotland opened a brand new restaurant called La Vista, an authentic Italian eatery. It named chefs Pasquale Calvanese, Ivano Erme, and Adriano Pierito to helm the new concept.
• Rosewood Hotels & Resorts brand’s first Asaya outpost is now open in the southern hemisphere, Asaya Spa by Guerlain at Rosewood São Paulo. The wellness spot offers Brazilian rituals with Guerlain’s storied approach to skincare and regenerative therapies. The spa is designed by Philippe Starck and celebrates the diverse cultures of the Brazilian people.
• The Omni Homestead Resort in the Allegheny Mountains of Virginia has announced five appointments to its leadership team— Chef Michael Zmigrodski as executive chef; Chef Pablo Rodriguez as executive pastry chef; Audrey Zmigrodski as spa director; Tyler Minamyer serves as golf course superintendent; and Juan Ayala as national sales manager.
• Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort & Spa on the California coast has appointed Ben Ly as its new general manager.
• Bürgenstock Resort Lake Lucerne in Switzerland announced that Chris Franzen was joining as its new managing director. Franzen is a third-generation hotelier, raised in Zermatt, and has an industry background.
• Nocturne Luxury Villas has appointed Lori Koogler as general manager of Exclusive 30A, a South Walton, Fla. Villa. Koogler will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the business, including strategic planning, operations, portfolio development, and homeowner and guest experience.
• Vail Resorts is adding Courtney Goldstein as the company’s new chief marketing officer. Goldstein will start on April 29. Before joining Vail, Goldstein spent two decades at Comcast and American Express. She will report directly to CEO Kirsten Lynch.
• The Meritage Resort & Spa has reopened after a $25 million renovation that included 322 renovated guest rooms, a transformed lobby, updated meeting spaces, and an adults-only pool area.
• Winter Haven Hotel, a 70-room Art Deco boutique hotel in the heart of Miami Beach, has unveiled its renovation, with updates to all 70 rooms.
• Aurora Anguilla Resort & Golf Club in the Caribbean has named Bobby Sweet as the new commercial director of leisure sales. Sweet formerly held sales leadership positions with The Ritz-Carlton Hotels of The Caribbean & Mexico, The Ritz-Carlton & JW Marriott, Grande Lakes Orlando, Loews Hotels/Universal Orlando Resort, and Busch Entertainment Corporation.
• KSL Resorts has named Greg Kennealey as its new chief executive officer. Kennealey succeeds Scott Dalecio, who will step down as CEO but continue as a senior advisor to KSLR and executive chairman of Outrigger Resorts & Hotels. KSL’s managed properties include Camelback Resort and Blue Mountain Resort – both in the Pocono Mountains, Penn.; Vespera Resort in Pismo Beach, Calif.; Silverado Resort in Napa, Calif.; and Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina.
• Montage Healdsburg recently launched a private wine label called Surveyor. The label was created in partnership with winemaker, Jesse Katz, of Aperture Cellars. The first vintage, available exclusively to guests and residents of Montage Healdsburg, is Surveyor’s 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon and 2021 Sauvignon Blanc.
• Velas Resorts has revealed its 2024 Wellness Getaways that include programming across its resorts in Los Cabos, Riviera Maya, and Puerto Vallarta.
• The Four Seasons Resort Hualalai has unveiled the Iliahi Farm and Spa Experience for its guests. The experience includes a visit to a local Iliahi and the Iliahi Forest Essence treatment back at the resort’s spa.
• Marriott has launched a Marriott Hotels “Suite of Dreams” at Old Trafford, the home of the English Premier League’s iconic Manchester United. The suite is inside the stadium, with views of the field below. Marriott says that ”the stadium suite will bring Marriott Hotels’ signature guest experience to Old Trafford, merging the comfort and wonderful hospitality of a stay with exclusive access to the action.” Bonvoy members will be able to bid to stay in the suite through Marriott Bonvoy Moments.