Lodging News

Certificates of Excellence for half of Canadian Best Westerns

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 07:35:47 PST

Fifty per cent — or almost 100 — Canadian Best Western hotels earned TripAdvisor certificates of excellence this year. This award is determined by customer experience ratings and is usually awarded to just 10 percent of total hotels listed on TripAdvisor.com, making Best Western’s percentage of hotels included all the more impressive. To qualify for the Certificate of Excellence, businesses must maintain an overall rating of four or higher, out of a possible five, as reviewed by TripAdvisor users.

InterContinental Montreal renovates meeting rooms

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 07:06:10 PST

MONTREAL—The InterContinental Montreal recently completed a $3-million renovation of its 13 meeting rooms.

Tim Hudak addresses GTHA AGM

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 05:06:28 PST

TORONTO—Tim Hudak, leader of Ontario's Progressive Conservative opposition party, addressed the 39th Annual General Meeting of the Greater Toronto Hotel Association June 5. At the same meeting, Paul Verciglio, David Ogilvie and Dermot McKeown were honoured for their years of service to the association.

ORHMA and OAA join forces

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 12:43:11 PST

MISSISSAUGA—Tony Elenis, president and CEO of the Ontario Restaurant Hotel and Motel Association, announced June 3 at the association's annual meeting, that the Ontario Accommodation Assocation would cease operations of its 64-year-old non-profit association and conduct activities through the ORHMA starting August 1, 2013.

High tea for dogs at Furrmont Royal York

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 07:52:46 PST

TORONTO—The 'Furrmont' Royal York welcomed dogs and their owners to their Doggleganger High Tea, where pooches dress up like celebrities, and strut the runway set up for a fashion show with prizes. It was held on June 2 in honour of the 10th Annual Woofstock celebration which takes place next weekend in Toronto's St. Lawrence Market area. Click here for story and photos.

Coming events for June through November 2013

Thu, 30 May 2013 09:05:23 PST

From the MHA Tradeshow in Winnipeg to the International Hotel, Motel & Restaurant Show in The Big Apple.

SilverBirch opens up an Eastern office

Thu, 30 May 2013 08:55:51 PST

TORONTO—Vancouver-based SilverBirch Hotels & Resorts has set up a new corporate satellite office at 10 Four Seasons Place near Burnhamthorpe and Highway 427 in Toronto, to help support the company’s growing portfolio of hotel and conference facilities in Eastern Canada.

Engaging community at 8th Online Revealed

Thu, 30 May 2013 08:37:38 PST

WINDSOR—Both Online Revealed and social media itself have come a long way since Patricia Brusha and Alicia Whalen of A Couple of Chicks hosted their first conference in 2006. At that time, the words ‘Twitter’ and ‘Pinterest’ were not in anyone’s vocabulary.

Green Key celebrates 15 years

Thu, 30 May 2013 08:35:28 PST

OTTAWA—Green Key Global headed into Earth Week celebrating two major milestones for its flagship offering, the Green Key Eco‐Rating Program.

CHIC looks at Family Ties

Thu, 30 May 2013 08:29:59 PST

TORONTO—Special issues crop up in family-run hotel businesses that don’t occur anywhere else. One of the panels at the 17th Canadian Hotel Investment Conference held at the Hilton Toronto May 28-29, took an up close and very personal look at the dynamics of family businesses.

Hotel builders use building energy modelling

Thu, 30 May 2013 08:17:29 PST

There is a new energy code in Ontario that is changing the way hotels, especially limited service hotels, are being built.

Heather McCrory, aka Hotel Superwoman

Thu, 30 May 2013 08:16:01 PST

Somehow, someway, I was able to squeeze in a Q&A with Heather McCrory, the GM of The Fairmont Royal York in Toronto. She had recently received Hotelier of the Year honours from Canada’s Hotelier Magazine. Add to that her double duty as the regional VP, Central Canada for Fairmont Hotels and Resorts.

People: Choice’s new franchise team

Thu, 30 May 2013 08:13:32 PST

Choice Hotels Canada’s new franchise team. Top L-R: Daniel Da Emi, Eric Normand, Brendan Gibney, Doug Amirault, Michael Cruz, Rob Alldred. Bottom L-R: Kent Hull, Cheryl Warner, Sandra Stewart, Tim Trowbridge

Go Resorting: Resorts of Ontario's call to action

Thu, 30 May 2013 08:10:08 PST

ORILLIA—One of the stars of the show at Resorts of Ontario’s annual conference held last month at Casino Rama and Fern Resort was a new phrase, “Go Resorting.” It’s also the title of the association’s new magazine, unveiled at the conference. Resorts of Ontario is now selling the “resorting” experience.

Game on: AHLA's 93rd Convention and Tradeshow

Thu, 30 May 2013 07:55:34 PST

LAKE LOUISE, AB—It was all in jest, really. In keeping with the theme of Alberta Hotel and Lodging Association’s 93rd Convention and Tradeshow, “Game on,” president Dave Kaiser suggested a game of hockey on the still-frozen Lake Louise.

Canadian Lodging News: People

Thu, 30 May 2013 07:52:25 PST

A look at who's doing what in the hospitality industry.

Choice launches technology development and marketing division

Thu, 30 May 2013 07:37:49 PST

SILVER SPRING, MD—Choice Hotels International Inc. has announced the launch of SkyTouch Technology, a new division that develops and markets cloud-based technology products to help hoteliers industry-wide improve their efficiency and profitability.

Training for keeps

Thu, 30 May 2013 07:33:35 PST

How a new line of hospitality champions is learning the way of the industry, and how that industry is keeping their interest.

Stone Edge Estate

Thu, 30 May 2013 07:25:23 PST

GEORGETOWN, ON—When Doug Rapien built an 8,000 square foot family home on 96 acres near Georgetown, ON, he had no plans to open a bed and breakfast.

Comment: TFW: Going the extra mile

Thu, 30 May 2013 07:18:50 PST

The Toronto Star has been talking about temporary foreign workers as though their presence is a burgeoning blight designed to wrest jobs from Canadians. That’s certainly not an attitude shared by hospitality associations and training bodies across Canada, (see article pages 14-15).