Hotels
Jamaica Inn Welcomes Guests ‘Home’
While already popular with Canadians, two officials from the Jamaica Inn in Ochos Rios, Jamaica are in Toronto this week promoting the quaint, family run all-suite resort, known for its personalized service and welcoming staff. The 48-suite (and four, two-bedroom cottage) boutique hotel, a member of Resort To The Best, sits on an eight-acre, beachfront site offering guests a quiet oasis ideal for unwinding from life's everyday stresses. Helping guests “unplug” is the fact the resort has no TVs, radios or clocks. It does, however, offer guests WiFi in every room so staying in touch...
Transat Strengthens Its Presence in Panama
Air Transat is expanding its presence in Panama with new flights to Playa Blanca. Flights to the Rio Hato airport from Toronto and Montreal will be operated on Mondays starting Nov. 2. The new flights can be combined with a stay at the Royal Decameron Golf, Beach Resort & Villas, a hotel exclusive to Transat Holidays, located just minutes from the Rio Hato airport. Facing Playa Blanca, one of the top beaches on the Pacific coast, the Royal Decameron features 852 rooms. Rated 4.5 stars, the complex offers a variety of restaurants including eight that are à la carte. Other...
Choice Unveils New Brand Identity
Choice Hotels International has introduced a new identity that is rolling out company-wide. The launch includes a new look and feel and an integrated advertising campaign that spans TV, radio, digital and mobile designed to grow Choice’s brand awareness and celebrate everyday experiences and “people connections.” A redesigned ChoiceHotels.com makes it easier to book reservations from any device. The new identity will be activated across public relations, social media and strategic partnerships to reach potential hotel guests in all channels. The refreshed brand positioning...
It’s All Good
A trio of top industry executives were in Toronto this week (May 7) for the annual Best West Leisure Summit, talking about the latest trends and issues that may or may not impact on the upcoming summer travel season. On hand for the event were Best Western's senior vice-president of marketing & sales, Dorothy Dowling; CAA's vice-president, travel, Brenda Kyllo; and TripAdvisor's head of industry relations, Brian Payea. The hour-long Q&A session was moderated by Granite Productions' Bryson Forbes. As for their forecast for the summer of 2015, well, each and everyone panelist...
Free Wi-Fi Reigns, But Wanes as Top Hotel Amenity
Global travellers' desire for free Wi-Fi is still the number one amenity when choosing a hotel for both leisure and business stays, but it is slowly declining according to the latest research from Hotels.com. Highlights of the research: Complimentary Wi-Fi is the top factor in choosing a hotel for leisure stays (30%), as compared to 34% in 2013. Canadian travellers ranked it slightly higher than the global average at 36%; no surprise considering the country has topped the list of highest Internet usage worldwide. 50% of respondents said free Wi-Fi is their must-have when...
Homewood Suites to Open in Santo Domingo
Hilton Worldwide has signed a management agreement to introduce its Homewood Suites by Hilton brand – an upscale, all-suite, extended-stay offering – to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Scheduled to open in 2017, the new-build 120-room Homewood Suites by Hilton Santo Domingo represents both the brand’s first hotel in the Caribbean and first hotel designed in line with its Caribbean and Latin America prototype. “The signing of Homewood Suites by Hilton Santo Domingo is a great milestone as it introduces a new Hilton Worldwide brand to the Caribbean and our third hotel in...
Some Like It Hot At Velas Vallarta
Guests at Velas Vallarta in Puerto Vallarta can get a real taste of Mexico with the luxury resort's new “Signature Hot Sauce Tasting Experience.” Those with adventurous palates can experience a guided tasting of hot sauce from Jorge Sierra, executive chef, poolside at the oceanfront resort. Inclusive of explanations on which sauce pairs well with which foods, the tasting is also a “bite” of a Chili 101 with explanations also given about the heat quotient of the different chilies. In addition, recipes are provided to recreate dishes at home. The first Hot Sauce Tasting...
Club Med Appreciates Agents
As part of Travel Agent Appreciation Day, Club Med has introduced the experience of a familiarization trip with a video, and has launched a contest in which agents can win a spot on its next fam trip. To view the video, go to https://youtu.be/8Rn00KVsMHE . The contest rules are simple: to participate, agents must send an e-mail to [email protected] by May 15. Club Med reminds that being subscribed to its web site dedicated to travel agents – clubmedagents.ca – as well as on the Facebook page – facebook/english.clubmed – will give additional chances to win. The...