News

Navika Group of Companies has acquired two stylish hotels with magnificent views of the New York City skyline from across the Hudson river. The premier commercial real estate company has added EnVue, Autograph Collection by Marriott and Residence Inn by Marriott, Port Imperial, Weehawken, NJ, to its stable that already boasts iconic hotels like Sheraton Mahwah, Marriott Long Island and Andaz Wall Street, rebranded as Hyatt Centric Wall Street.

EnVue, Autograph Collection

Rated Best of the Best Hotels in NYC, it has a great location, right on the Hudson River across the street from the NY Waterway ferries to NY terminal. Guests can revel in spectacular views of the Hudson River and Manhattan skyline. In fact, as the name signifies, EnVue, Autograph Collection is New York City on exhibit.

Weehawken, NJ was once host to prominent ancestors, infamous neighbors, and the forefathers’ famous duel of 1804. Now, EnVue hotel rises from the revitalized Hudson River waterfront offering a clean slate for new generations to create their own history. You can gather with friends and family for intimate dinners or large, timeless events at Skyline, their 25,000 sq ft adaptable outdoor terrace encircled by NYC’s horizon. You can also host a meeting for about 800 attendees inside the WorldVue Ballroom, their most expansive venue. And showcase your vision with their state-of-art audiovisual equipment, available in every meeting room. At night sleep well in their well-appointed suites and guest rooms with a host of amenities.

Residence Inn Weehawken Port Imperial

The boutique hotel in Weehawken, NJ is located on the Hudson River with sweeping views of the Manhattan skyline. For those wishing to explore the city that never sleeps, the hotel is just an effortless ferry ride away from Central Park and Midtown Manhattan.

Spacious and innovative suites come with fully equipped kitchens. Whether you are traveling for business or pleasure, you can enjoy local Jersey hotspots or utilize the hotel’s grocery-shopping services and enjoy a night in. Also avail complimentary breakfast buffet and work out at the onsite fitness center.

Headquartered in Uniondale, N.Y., Navika Group possesses a big portfolio of income-producing properties nationwide in the hospitality, leisure and corporate markets, including hotels, office buildings, apartment complexes, shopping centers and golf courses.  Its portfolio includes Limited and Full Service Hotels, which are flagged under global brands such as Marriott, Hilton, Intercontinental, Wyndham, and Best Western.

Navika Group Acquires 2 Stylish Hotels In New Jersey With Views Of NYC Skyline (theunn.com)

NEW YORK, Feb. 23, 2023 – JLL’s Hotels & Hospitality Group announced today that it has closed the sale of two Marriott brand hotels totaling 372 keys along the Hudson River in Weehawken, New Jersey.

JLL represented the seller, Veris Residential, in the all-equity sale to Navika Capital Group, LLC. The hotels were offered unencumbered by management.

The portfolio includes the 208-key EnVue Autograph Collection Port Imperial and the 164-key Residence Inn Port Imperial. The hotels, which opened in 2019 and 2018, respectively, operate under one building complex at the center of the $4 billion mixed-use development that is in the final phases at Port Imperial. The property features a collective 15,000 square feet of outdoor space, over 27,000 square feet of meeting and conference space, a fully equipped fitness center and unobstructed views of the New York City Skyline.....

To Read Full Article-> 

I recently spent a couple of nights at the Hyatt Centric Wall Street (formerly the Andaz Wall Street, which closed during the pandemic and was rebranded before reopening). The day before my stay, I discovered that unlike several of the other Hyatt properties at which I’ve stayed in Manhattan, the Centric Wall Street does not have free parking for Globalists on award stays (they have no dedicated parking garage). At that moment, I said to the rest of the Frequent Miler team that there was no threat of this place becoming my go-to New York property (since I typically drive to the city from Upstate New York and value the savings of free parking). After a couple of nights at the Hyatt Centric Wall Street, I left very pleasantly surprised: given the very large space of the Centric Premier suite and the way the service at this property stood out far beyond other properties I’ve visited in New York, especially from Laszlo at the front desk, I will almost certainly be back.

Hyatt Centric Wall Street New York Bottom Line Review

I booked a standard room and used a Suite Upgrade award to confirm a standard suite at booking. I was then fortunate to be upgraded to a Centric Premier Suite, which would ordinarily be a premium suite upgrade award. While this is not the suite you ordinarily get with a suite upgrade award, you can book the suite I had as a Premium Suite award. Keep in mind that there are quite a few ways to book Premium Suites with Hyatt. 

For Hyatt suite enthusiasts, it’s worth mentioning that on the Hyatt website, the description for both the Centric Suite and the Centric Premier Suite say that they are standard suites, but the Centric Premier prices as a Premium Suite award. I followed up with Hyatt wondering whether I could book the Centric Premier Suite with a standard suite upgrade, but I was told that the website description is incorrect and the Centric Premier suite is a premium suite.

The bottom line is that if I needed to be in lower Manhattan, I would have no reason to even consider another hotel based on the service alone here. That said, there were a couple of drawbacks that will prevent this from becoming my go-to property even though I will almost certainly be back.

• Points Price: Category 5. I paid 20K per night. Regular award prices are:
  • 17K-23K points per night for a standard room
  • 29K-35K points per night for a standard suite
  • 34K-46K points per night for a premium suite (our Centric Premier suite is a premium suite despite the website description indicating that it is a standard suite)
• Cash Price: Varies from the $250’s to the upper $300’s for a standard room. During my stay, a standard room was $380 per night or the Centric Premier suite was $700 per night.
• Points Value: Good during much of the year, especially when considering the fact that you don’t pay a destination fee. Note that in the past, when this property was an Andaz, I would sometimes see cash rates in the $150’s during winter weekends. That could make a premium suite upgrade award (where you pay the standard rate + 9K points per night for a premium suite) a particularly good value.
• Resort/Destination Fee: $35 ($40.17 with tax) per day, waived on award stays. (See inclusions on this page) 
• Parking: Pay your own separately. They have a discount at a garage next door, though the garage was full when I arrived on a Saturday afternoon around 4pm (I had already booked a spot a block away via ParkWhiz).  
• Turndown service: None.
• Housekeeping: Every day as Globalist member. This was listed as an elite member perk during the in-app check-in process. I was impressed that the app also asked what time of day we preferred service (morning or afternoon) and that housekeeping honored the request.
• Internet: Free and worked smoothly.
• Dining:
  • Wall & Water: Serves breakfast 6:30am-10:30am daily. Menu service, no buffet.
  • Centric Bar & Grill: Serves lunch (12pm-2pm daily), dinner (5:30-10pm daily), Bar & Lounge (12pm-midnight daily)
  • Note: There is no room service available. That also meant that it took a little while for someone to find and bring up silverware and plates (we ordered Uber Eats and in one case the restaurant forgot to include the utensils I requested.
• Spa: None.
• Fitness Room: I didn’t try this and forgot to get a pic.
• Hyatt Globalist Elite Benefits: 
  • Welcome Gift: At check-in we were given bottles of water and told to request them any time, but no other welcome gift.
  • Suite Upgrade: We used a Suite Upgrade Award to upgrade to a standard suite and we were upgraded from there to a Centric Premier Suite, which would ordinarily be a premium suite for the purposes of booking with points.
  • Club Lounge: None.
  • Free Breakfast: Served at Wall & Water. My understanding is that Globalists are entitled to one entree, one coffee, and one juice for each of two adults. We also ordered a side dish each morning expecting to pay for it, but the entire restaurant bill including gratuity was removed from our bill.
  • 4PM Late Checkout: Granted upon request. This was requested in the app on check-in and honored without issue.
  • Free Parking: No. While Hyatt Globalists typically get free parking on award stays, that is only true when the garage is operated by the hotel / parking charges can be added to the room folio. In this case, there is a garage next door with a discount for guests, but parking is paid separately and directly to the garage and thus is not free and space is not guaranteed (when we arrived at 4pm on a Saturday with a special event happening in the area on Sunday, the garage was full). There are several nearby options on apps like ParkWhiz and SpotHero.
•  Would I stay again? Absolutely in the right circumstances. Service was so good that I’d be willing to pay for a night or two of parking and even to take the subway to Midtown, though for a tourist who doesn’t visit the city often and wants more of a “city that never sleeps” vibe, this may not be the right fit. More detail below.

Quick Tour and Notes

For a quick tour of the room, see this video:

Service at the Hyatt Centric Wall Street was fantastic. Laszlo at the front desk in particular really made this property shine. I have stayed at a number of top Hyatt properties and Laszlo would be an asset at any of them. It’s hard to describe what makes a good check-in experience, but Laszlo had it. He recognized the situation (after ~1.5hrs in traffic in Manhattan that turned a ~3hr drive into a 4.5hr drive, our kids were done with sitting still) and kept check-in brief yet warm. It really set the tone in that way that you know if you’ve been to a nice Park Hyatt and that was unexpected. Admittedly, this was only my second stay at a “Centric” property, so I am light on comparisons, but it certainly felt a step up from what I expected.

Extending beyond that, every time I passed by the desk (which was often enough given its position next to the elevators), Laszlo greeted me by name. When he saw that I came down to accept an Uber Eats delivery, he jumped in to let me know that I needn’t trouble myself to come downstairs as the front desk could call me when a delivery arrived and send it up to the room. He was quick to offer an extra bottle of water or two and just took care of business. That’s the type of service that often makes Hyatt stand out at properties overseas, but I found it pleasantly surprising in New York.

Laszlo wasn’t the only employee who impressed me. I didn’t get the names of others working at the desk, but when I had a question about billing at check-out (on a guest of honor stay I had also booked during the same dates), an agent who helped Laszlo get that sorted out was every bit as professional and helpful. Aaron at breakfast had no trouble handling our group of four adults and two kids and he was quick with a smile and a coffee refill in the mornings when I needed it.

In my opinion, good services goes a long way in creating a memorable and positive hotel experience. After all, the core product — a room with a bed — can be provided almost anywhere. The less tangible parts of the experience make a world of difference.

Furthermore, I loved the dining space in this room. The hotel currently has no room service, but we ordered out (thank you Amex Uber Credits!) and enjoyed some great meals at the huge dining table. It was also functional: there is a power strip in the center, so it would be easy to work from here. I’d be very happy to have this room again for a group trip to New York.

The suite didn’t exactly have doors on the bedroom, which I initially thought might be a problem, but the ends of the wardrobe (like at either end of the TV stand you see in the living room) had mirrors that opened up kind of like wings, mostly closing off the bedroom. It was enough that we could have the bedroom lights on and talk quietly with the kids asleep in the living room without an issue. And during the day, we could fold those wings away and the kids could run circles around the TV island (and they sure did).

All that said, there were a couple of drawbacks to this property beyond the lack of parking (which I recognize is a total non-issue for the majority of readers who would likely fly to New York and not have a car).

From a tourist perspective, the location of the Hyatt Centric Wall Street probably won’t make sense for a first or second visit to New York. In that situation, you’d want to be in Midtown rather than a 20 or 30 minute subway ride from everything. While there are a number of subway lines within an easy walk of the Hyatt Centric Wall Street, I’d think that the average tourist booking a standard room would be better off using 5K more points per night to stay a the Andaz 5th Ave or Hyatt Centric Times Square (or the same number of points as the Centric Wall Street for a Hyatt Place closer to Midtown). On the other hand, if you’re looking to see Trinity Church, the New York Stock Exchange, Battery Park / the Statue of Liberty, and the many other places to see in lower Manhattan, the Hyatt Centric could be a great location for you. Personally, since I value space so highly, I’d be more tempted by booking this Premium Suite for a reasonable premium over what a standard room will cost me at the Andaz 5th Ave, but if it’s your first time in New York you may be willing to sacrifice space for location.

The other drawback for me is an entirely seasonal complaint: the temperature of the room was uncomfortably warm, particularly at night. Our stay was on the last weekend of April / first days of May, which are a very much “in-between” whether point in New York. On our dates, outside air temperatures were cool enough, but the temperature in our room on the 16th floor was in the mid-70’s, which is warmer than we prefer when we go to sleep. The Air Conditioning could not be turned on. When we inquired about this, the engineer explained that because the temperatures outside at night were still in the 50s and 60s, thee cooling capability was not yet turned on. He told us that even if he did turn on the cooling capability, it wouldn’t turn on in the room because of the outside temperature. He offered a solution: open a window. The windows don’t fully open, but they open plenty to allow some cool air in and that worked. While they don’t open far enough for an adult to be able to slip out of one, I was concerned since we have young kids. The engineer assured me that a kid couldn’t even get an arm out of the window

I grew up in a house without air conditioning, so I am certainly not the type who can’t live without A/C. On the flip side, if I were paying four hundred dollars a night for a standard room (or more than seven hundred for the suite we had), I would generally expect to be able to set the sleeping temperature to whatever matches my comfort level. Further, I love New York City street noise. My grandmother lived in Manhattan when I was very young and I loved going to visit and hearing the street noise when I went to sleep, so it gives me a sense of nostalgia. That is to say that I certainly didn’t mind sleeping with the window open, but a light sleeper may have been less enthused with that solution.

After leaving the Hyatt Centric Wall Street, I was in for one final pleasant surprise: about an hour after leaving the hotel, I realized that we had left a cell phone in the room. While I don’t make a regular habit of leaving things in hotel rooms, I have traveled enough to have forgotten an item here or there. Maybe it’s just my luck, but I run about a 20% success rate on the hotel finding my lost item even when I contact them shortly after leaving and know exactly where it was. I’m pretty sure one of my kids had this phone last though, so I had no idea where they had put it in the room and thus I immediately called the hotel annoyed with myself and expecting to never see that phone again. Much to my surprise, the desk agent who answered put me on hold for less than a minute before coming back to tell me that they indeed found the phone and would be happy to ship it to me. A day or two later, I had the phone back (and very well packaged to keep it in one piece!). Again, that both pleasantly surprised me and made the experience stand out enough to want to return.  

Again, overall, I’d be back to this property. Apart from the temperature issue, which wouldn’t be an issue at all at most times of the year, I was very happy with the Hyatt Centric Wall Street. While the suite was large, the service was terrific, and the location was what we needed for our stay.

Photos and Captions Follow

For those interested in a comparison with a standard room, the standard room had a very similar bath tub / shower space as what you’ll see in the video above and the bedroom looked like this:

I thought it was an interesting use of space that the back of the TV was mirrored and had a desk / vanity type space with a stool (and a chair at the opposite end made it also a desk).

The standard room also featured a little spinning closet that was also a neat use of space.

If a customer comes down with COVID-19 after buying a show ticket or paying for a reservation, should they get their money back?

The omicron surge has more consumers and businesses wrestling with the issue of cancellation policies as the pandemic extends into 2022.

There’s no standard answer. Some venues are providing flexibility, others are handling it case-by-case and some not budging at all.

For businesses, it’s a delicate balancing act between trying to stanch losses and to avoid creating ill will, experts say.

"It’s been a pain point for almost two years," says Chris Cole, the Washington-based co-chair of Crowell & Moring’s Technology and Brand Protection group.

When COVID first started, there was a wave of cancellations of live events and shows by artists and performance spaces but that’s since slowed down.

Now it's consumers affected by COVID trying to cancel, he says.

Enforcing a contract

That’s spurred "a basic issue of contract law being applied in an area where you simply didn’t see it happen a lot," Cole says.

Two parties sign a contract and the "question becomes: What’s the understanding of the business and consumer from the outset?," he says. Was it clear upfront the business wouldn’t provide refunds under any circumstances?

"Most of my clients as a gesture of good will … will offer some concession most of the time," Cole says, but there are variables such as the uniqueness of event and ability to make up lost business.

The Patchogue Theatre offers refunds and credits to patrons with COVID. Credit: B Migs Photo

Michael Linder, 61, of Middle Island, was hoping for a concession, but found himself out of $741.90 after a positive COVID test prevented him from attending a New Year’s Eve gala with overnight stay he had booked at The Inn at Fox Hollow in Woodbury with his girlfriend.

He was aware of the no-cancellation policy when he booked last November, but reached out to Fox Hollow on Dec. 29 when he tested positive, hoping they’d give a refund or even a credit for another night’s stay.

He was told the New Year’s Eve Package was a nonrefundable reservation.

'Heartless'

Linder, semiretired, says he thought Fox Hollow should make an accommodation given circumstances beyond his control and him "doing the right thing by not attending."

"I find it a bit heartless," he says. "I believe a business should be a little more flexible." Other unforeseen instances can arise, Linder says, like "what if someone was seriously injured in a car wreck?"

The Inn at Fox Hollow responded to requests for comment from Newsday with an email saying "we have no comment at this time."

To be sure, if it’s clear upfront there’s no refunds, a business can generally adhere to the contract, but that isn’t always the best move, experts say.

"I’m sure it’s been hard times for many businesses, but I do think it’s good business sense to treat your customers well and make them happy," says Ted Rossman, senior industry analyst with Bankrate.com, a personal finance website. "I tend to think there’s kind of a karma element to some of this."

Seeking recourse

As for consumers, Rossman recommends:

·         Asking for a refund even if there’s a no-refund policy, perhaps alternatively suggesting a credit.

·         If denied, go up the chain-of-command.

·         Tell others about your unhappy experience with reviews on social media.

·         As a last resort, file a dispute with the credit card company. "It may be declined," but worth a try, Rossman says.

Local venues interviewed by Newsday reported trying to be flexible regarding COVID cancellations.

Michael Papierno, regional director of sales at Jericho-based Samar Hospitality, which owns and operates nine hotels including three on Long Island (Viana Hotel and Spa in Westbury, Four Points by Sheraton Melville and Inn at Great Neck), says if it’s a group booking, they always encourage rebooking for a future date.

Good will hunting

"But if the customer’s unable to rebook for a future date, the good will you show a customer now could lead to future business," he says, noting they’ve given refunds due to COVID-related situations.

A room at Four Points by Sheraton-Melville. The hotel has given refunds in COVID situations. Credit: Samar Hospitality

Michael Newman, vice president of sales and marketing for Blue Sky Hospitality Solutions, which locally owns and operates the Long Island Marriott in Uniondale and Hilton Long Island in Melville, says when it comes to COVID, they’re flexible with individual room reservations if the person calls before arrival. With group bookings, they’ll encourage customers to book a future date and apply their deposit to the new booking.

For cancellations, they’ll look at the group bookings on a case-by-case basis, but have given partial or full refunds depending on circumstances, Newman says.

The lobby of the Hilton Long Island in Melville. Credit: Blue Sky Hospitality Solutions

As for performance venues, regarding refunds and credits, the policy at the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts in Brookville "depends on the show … on a case-by-case basis," says Marketing Director Shari Linker.

Jodi Giambrone, Associate Director at the Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts, says patrons with COVID, "will get a full refund or opportunity to use the balance towards another show."

Best Practices for Business Cancellation Policies

·         Make sure refund policies are clear upfront

·         Set staggered refund timelines (for example, a patron gets a 50% refund back if they cancel one week ahead, zero two days before).

·         If you can rebook the reservation with another customer, consider a refund for the one who canceled for goodwill.

Source: Chris Cole; Crowell & Moring LLP

By Jamie Herzlich

SOURCE: NEWSDAY

Navika Group of Companies Acquires 253-Room Andaz Wall Street in New York

Navika intends to invest approximately $5 million into the hotel, which has rebranded to Hyatt Centric Wall Street New York

NEW YORK (January 18, 2022) — Navika Group of Companies, a self-advised commercial real estate company, and Blue Sky Hospitality Solutions (BSHS) Management Company, one of the leading and fastest growing operators in the United States, today announced the acquisition of Andaz Wall Street, which has rebranded to Hyatt Centric Wall Street New York. The hotel plans to resume operations and begin welcoming guests on January 26, 2022, bringing a modern lifestyle hotel experience to Lower Manhattan. The hotel features a design that offers a vibrant, playful interpretation of the iconic city in which it resides. The property’s guestrooms were modernized in 2019, and the lobby was recently enhanced to reflect the contemporary design of the Hyatt Centric brand. Navika plans to invest approximately $5 million to further reimagine the property over the next several years.

Rebranding Andaz Wall Street to Hyatt Centric Wall Street New York was a strategic decision based on the hotel’s location in the heart of the world’s most exciting city, a key brand differentiator for the Hyatt Centric brand, which is known to embrace the locale and inspire exploration. The hotel is ideally situated at 75 Wall Street and offers a premier location for savvy travelers to discover the best that New York City has to offer with premium lifestyle accommodations in the heart of Wall Street. 

“The competitive advantages provided by Hyatt Centric Wall Street New York, our first hotel in New York City, make it an ideal addition to our current portfolio of 53 owned and operated hotels throughout the U.S.,” said Ernie Catanzaro, executive vice president with oversight of the management team, BSHS.   “The hotel has some of the larger rooms in New York City, ranging in size from 345 to 1,500 square feet, as well as an unmatchable location and address. Our planned multimillion-dollar renovation will reinforce the hotel among the most desirable locations in New York City.”

Upon entering the lobby, guests will be introduced to a modern design aesthetic wherelarge scale artwork from local artists captures the essence of downtown New York City while textured layers with pops of color will offer points of interest throughout the public spaces. The 253 guestrooms combine upscale, modern comfort with layers of tactile discovery and offer walk-in rain showers, hardwood floors and 12’ foot ceilings with oversized windows. In addition, guestrooms will feature shareworthy art and styling elements that celebrate the character of the destination and signature brand amenities including a cozy, Hyatt Centric bathrobes, exclusive Beekind® high-end, socially conscious bath amenities, and a Drybar® hair dryer in each guestroom. 

On January 26, the hotel will also celebrate the re-opening of the Wall & Water restaurant, an open-air eatery concept serving breakfast and dinner, which will be led by New York chef and food and beverage director Alan Ashkinaze. Hyatt Centric Wall Street New York will also provide a new dining experience that will serve as the social center of the hotel and a destination that will meet every guest’s needs. The property also offers more than 10,000 square feet of meeting event space to accommodate groups of all sizes.

Hyatt Centric Wall Street New York will be led by veteran industry expert David Cohen, who has been named as the hotel’s general manager. Cohen joins the property team having led luxury properties such as the Five-Star Hotel Plaza Athenee, and The Ritz-Carlton, Waldorf Astoria and Four Seasons in New York.

To book a reservation or for further information, please visit hyattcentricwallstreetnewyork.com.

Guided by its purpose of care, Hyatt’s multi-layered Global Care & Cleanliness Commitment further enhances its operational guidance and resources around colleague and guest safety and peace of mind. More information on Hyatt’s commitment can be found here: hyatt.com/care-and-cleanliness.

The term “Hyatt” is used in this release for convenience to refer to Hyatt Hotels Corporation and/or one or more of its affiliates.

Navika Group of Companies

Headquartered in Uniondale, N.Y., Navika Group of Companies Navika Capital Group is a self-advised commercial real estate company. The company invests its capital primarily in income producing and cash flow generating assets comprised of limited and full service hotels, office buildings, shopping centers and multi-family housing.

Blue Sky Hospitality Solutions

Blue Sky Hospitality Solutions is a trusted partner that provides development, management, revenue management services, asset management, renovation and consulting services. The company has the experience, talent and resources of a large company while providing the access to senior leadership, flexibility and focus of a small company.  BSHS works with each of its owners/partners to understand short- and long-term objectives, creating unique plans to deliver results that move the business onward and upward.

Hyatt Centric

Hyatt Centric is a brand of full-service lifestyle hotels located in prime destinations. Created to connect guests to the heart of the action, Hyatt Centric hotels are thoughtfully designed to enable exploration and discovery so they never miss a moment of adventure. Each hotel offers social spaces to connect with others in the lobby, meanwhile the bar and restaurant are local hot spots where great conversations, locally inspired food and signature cocktails can be enjoyed. Streamlined modern rooms focus on delivering everything guests want and nothing they don’t. A passionately engaged team is there to provide local expertise on the best food, nightlife and activities the destination has to offer.  For more information, please visit hyattcentric.com. Follow @HyattCentric on Facebook and Instagram, and tag photos with #HyattCentric. 

Forward-Looking Statements 

Forward-Looking Statements in this press release, which are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Actual results, performance or achievements may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of words such as “may,” “could,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “seek,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” “continue,” “likely,” “will,” “would” and variations of these terms and similar expressions, or the negative of these terms or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the issuer of this release, are inherently uncertain. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which are made only as of the date of this press release. Neither the issuer of this release nor any other entity associated with it or its subject matter undertakes any obligation to update publicly any of these forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, new information or future events, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable law. If one or more forward-looking statements is updated, no inference should be drawn that any additional updates will be made with respect to those or other forward-looking statements.

SOURCE: Business Wire

PLAINVILLE - Everything at the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott in Plainville is open and ready for guests to enjoy after being closed due to the pandemic.

The Plainville Fairfield Inn & Suites is a highly rated hotel that provides many amenities such as free WiFi, spacious guest rooms, a complimentary hot breakfast, and more.

“At Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott, your hotel experience will be what you want - a clean, comfortable guest room equipped with a microwave, refrigerator and friendly service,” their website states.

The Plainville Fairfield Inn & Suites is located off of I-84, and is situated near Lake Compounce. It is located near many businesses, such as General Electric, Stanley Back & Decker, United Technologies, ESPN, Hartford HealthCare Medical Group and others. It is near the WestFarms Mall as well as Hartford.

Currently, all of the hotel’s amenities are back in operation after being closed due to the pandemic, including the indoor heated pool, the 24/7 fitness center, the business center and a 20-person meeting room. They are serving their usual complimentary buffet breakfast and hot breakfast as well, featuring scrambled eggs, sausage patties, and fresh cut fruit.

Craft Kitchen recently opened a second location on the hotel’s property. It is a locally sourced, scratch kitchen with Italian and southern style influences that is open for lunch and dinner.

Lisbell Rivera, Fairfield’s director of sales, said the hotel is doing well. It hosts many sports groups and wedding parties. Fairfield Inn & Suites provides event organizers with a unique complimentary reservation link that makes it easy for guests to reserve their rooms. It can be shared in an email, embedded in a website, and personalized with the group name, event dates and special rates.

The hotel is located at 400 New Britain Ave. in Plainville. Call 860-747-1188 or log onto www.marriott.com to make reservations.

SOURCE: NEW BRITAIN HERALD

   

• Devotion to a culture of excellent service at the property
• Going “above and beyond” for our guests
• Seeks new opportunities for improvements and/or increased revenue
• Involvement in outcome of positive guest reviews
• Lead by example, their dedication, enthusiasm and loyalty to their team

Every day Felix embodies the word service.  Each and every guest that walks in gets his undivided attention and care in order to ensure a perfect stay.  But with service the unexpected leaves a lasting impression.  We had a young guest who was staying with us for a couple of weeks and Felix knew it was his birthday, so he went out on his own time and bought the  young kid some toys.  He made sure to surprise the kid with these toys as he walked in from school that day.  The kid was elated and couldn't stop smiling.  Felix provided the unexpected service that WOWED this guest and these things are normal occurrences for Felix.

No one knows her Front Desk systems as well.  Hannah is an expert in both Opera as well as Concerto and shares her knowledge willingly with other.  She champions Brand Initiatives and challenges the team to exceed brand expectations in IHG Rewards Recognition.

Hannah demonstrates caring leadership & leads by example.  I consistently see Hannah touching base with her team for the purpose of “checking in” and gauging their comfort with change and/or learn what can be done to improve his/her overall performance.

Financial Accountability: Hannah oversees Accounts Receivable as well.  When she first took on the duties the hotel was owed a significant amount of money.  After “untying the spider web” of invoices Hannah got the accounts in line and has kept them that way ever since.  She is quick to respond to the accounts should they fall tardy and tenacious as a terrier with the client until the accounts are settled keeping the balances within tolerance.

Dec 4 to Dec 6, 2019

Blue Sky Hospitality Solutions hosts 1st Senior Leadership Meeting in Long Island,NY which consisted of a jam packed 3 day event with celebrity guest speaker Anthony Melchiorri from Hotel Impossible

The company was selected as the top performer for the Embassy Suites by Hilton brand.  Hilton recognized nearly 60 high performing owners and developers during its recent Americas Owner Conference.  Naveen Shah, CEO, BSHS, and David Fincannon, COO, BSHS, accepted the award on behalf of both companies during the Orlando event.

                “It is our goal to provide an unforgettable experience for our guests, an exciting and fulfilling workplace for our associates and excellent returns for our investors,” Fincannon said.  “We have taken great efforts to ensure that our Embassy Suites by Hilton hotels are among the finest not only within the brand, but within the entire upper upscale segment.  This award is an honor to receive and a testament to the fantastic work done by everyone from our on-site associates to our corporate team.”

               The Legacy Awards acknowledge Hilton’s partners’ creativity, passion and innovative spirit, as well as positively impacting communities around the world with a commitment to quality projects that meet or exceed brand standards. Hilton’s development and brand team leaders select winners based on strict criteria including, but not limited to, commitment to guest experience and hotel quality.  Across the global portfolio, each brand awards the top ownership groups for their outstanding performance metric, a combined score of Satisfaction And Loyalty Tracking (SALT), Quality Assurance (QA) and Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) growth.

The company’s portfolio of Embassy Suite by Hilton hotels includes:

     1.      150-suite Embassy Suites by Hilton Palmdale in Calif.

     2.      175-suite Embassy Suites by Hilton Ontario Airport in Calif.

     3.      161-suite Embassy Suites by Hilton Williamsburg in Va.

Blue Sky Hospitality Solutions

Headquartered in Uniondale, N.Y., Blue Sky Hospitality is a trusted partner that provides development, management, asset management, renovation and consulting services.  The company has the experience, talent and resources of a large company while providing the access to senior leadership, flexibility and focus of a small company.  BSHS works with each of its hotels to understand short- and long-term objectives, creating unique plans to deliver results that move the business onward and upward.

About Hilton

Hilton (NYSE: HLT) is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of 17 world-class brands comprising nearly 5,900 properties with more than 939,000 rooms, in 114 countries and territories.  Dedicated to fulfilling its mission to be the world's most hospitable company, Hilton earned a spot on the 2018 world's best workplaces list and has welcomed more than 3 billion guests in its 100-year history.  Through the award-winning guest loyalty program Hilton Honors, more than 94 million members who book directly with Hilton can earn Points for hotel stays and experiences money can't buy, plus enjoy instant benefits, including digital check-in with room selection, Digital Key, and Connected Room.  Visit newsroom.hilton.com for more information, and connect with Hilton on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube. 

“The DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Houston-Greenway Plaza is one of the top performers in our portfolio, consistently receiving outstanding scores on brand QA inspections, solid positive YTD RevPAR index and above average guest service scores,” said Ernie Catanzaro, CHA, executive vice-president, BSHS.  “We plan to make additional upgrades this year, including enhancing the porte-cochère and conversion of bathtubs into full, walk-in showers, in our ongoing efforts to exceed guest expectations.”

Located at 6 East Greenway Plaza, the 20-story hotel is situated in Houston’s premier master-planned business development, Greenway Plaza, and offers easy access to downtown Houston and The Galleria and its numerous dining, shopping and entertainment options.   The hotel provides a 24/7 fitness center, heated, outdoor pool, state-of-the-art business center and nearly 27,000 square feet of meeting space.  Guests may dine at Sprigs, the hotel’s restaurant specializing in locally sourced flavors with sharable portions, for breakfast, lunch and/or dinner.  Also, guests may enjoy dinner and cocktails at Rocks @ Greenway Bar.

Guest rooms come with floor-to-ceiling windows that provide stunning views of River Oaks and downtown Houston.  To ensure a good night’s sleep, guests will enjoy luxurious linens, custom duvets and fluffy pillows.  

“While the hotel underwent substantial improvements in 2016, we wish to remain ahead of the curve when it comes to providing the finest guest experience possible,” Catanzaro added.  “We have gone above and beyond to improve multiple aspects of the hotel, including extra landscaping around the entire perimeter of the hotel, the introduction of a license plate reader parking system, enhanced staff training programs and a giant sized monitor in the lobby that can be customized to welcome any VIP groups.”

Each year, AAA visits and reviews all eligible hotels and restaurants across the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean before announcing its rating results.  Hotels and restaurants that meet AAA’s Approval Requirements for their category during an unannounced on-site inspection receive the AAA Inspected & Approved designation.  Every AAA Inspected & Approved establishment is acceptable for the type of experience it provides; AAA does not approve substandard properties.  For hotels and restaurants designated as AAA Inspected & Approved, inspectors assign a rating of One to Five Diamonds based on the extensiveness of services, facilities and amenities typical of each rating level, indicating the type of experience to expect.  Four Diamond hotels “provide a notable splurge for a special occasion.”

The Plasencia Group is pleased to share a report on lodging investment dynamics in the Sunshine State. Hotels in the state continue to perform well, and investor interest is moving beyond Florida's major markets.

This report contains information on operating metrics, development and transactions. It also includes highlights of The Plasencia Group's insights on the opportunities and challenges ahead for the market... READ MORE

Influx of wealthy vacation owners stokes Denver development.... READ MORE

Part of Denver's Union Station renovation was the construction of a new hotel in the transit center called The Crawford Hotel, one of the first hotels built as part of the city's current development wave.

Mr. Naveen Shah the CEO/ founder of Navika Capital and Blue Sky Hospitality Solutions had a unique Privilege of meeting the Prime Minister of India Mr. Narendra Modi.Mr Shah and PM Modi discussed the several areas of cooperation between Indian Americans the home country India and to strengthen the bonds between USA and India.

Mr. Shah is involved in all areas of the business operation with a particular emphasis on strategic planning, capital transactions, asset management, and acquisitions and has over 30 years of experience of working in Commercial Real Estate industry, in accounting, financial reporting, business consulting, management advisory, and tax services.

Blue Sky Hospitality Solutions a premier national hotel management company, launches in the Greater New York City Market. The new management company brings a team of seasoned veterans together to deliver industry-leading systems and support to its national portfolio of hotels.

“Blue Sky Hospitality was founded with the mission to be a leading management company providing boundless opportunities for our employees, memorable experiences for our guests and outstanding results for our owners,” said President and Co-Founder Naveen Shah. “Our overriding objective is to reliably and consistently deliver superior results for all our stakeholders measured by key metrics for employee and guest satisfaction, product quality, market penetration and profitability.”

Blue Sky Hospitality has been approved as a trusted operator of full and select service, extended stay and all suites hotels by Marriott International, Hilton Worldwide, Intercontinental Hotels Group, Choice Hotels, Wyndham Hotels and Resorts and La Quinta Inn and Suites. Blue Sky’s portfolio includes hotels across the country covering the full spectrum of lodging segments. A newly established leader in third-party hotel management, Blue Sky Hospitality team’s passion focus and depth of experience drives outstanding results and asset value in all of its managed hotels.