Luxury is having a day, and Hilton is celebrating the travel advisors who sell that niche with a new, and better, preferred partner program.

Hilton on Tuesday launched Hilton for Luxury, an invitation-only program for travel advisors who sell the 100 properties in its luxury brands: Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, LXR Hotels & Resorts, Signia by Hilton, and Hilton’s newest luxury brand NoMad Hotels.

Members of the program will have their own dedicated concierge desk, improved connectivity through a private website, value-added benefits from the hotels and direct contact with on-property hotel team members. And each hotel will have a team of Hilton for Luxury ambassadors whose job is to ensure that program features and benefits are fulfilled.

Clients of participating travel advisors will receive a variety of benefits, including the best available rates, double Hilton Honors Points, complimentary breakfast for up to two guests, next-category upgrades and, wherever possible, early check-in or late check-out.

In addition, the program soon will offer rewards to participating travel advisors; details will be announced soon.

Good to know: Hilton Luxury Brands comprises 100 hotels and resorts around the world. Most recently, Hilton welcomed the NoMad Hotels brand into its portfolio.

For more information, visit www.hilton.com/hilton-for-luxury.

September will bring two new all-inclusive options to Jamaica, as the Princess Hotels & Resorts Group debuts the adults-only Princess Senses the Mangrove (Princess Senses The Mangrove | Only adults hotel Jamaica (princess-hotels.com) and the family-friendly Princess Grand Jamaica (Princess Grand Jamaica Hotel en Negril (princess-hotels.com).

Scheduled to open on Sept. 15, the two properties will be next to one another in Green Island, a town on the western tip of Jamaica in Hanover.

Princess Senses The Mangrove has 401 oceanview suites and 14 overwater villas with private infinity pools. Among them are Pleasure Suites, which promise a sensual ambiance, and more exclusive Platinum Club Suites offering private areas, upgraded amenities and butler service.

Also on site will be a spa, a fitness and wellness center, a water park, a convention center and a nightclub, along with 14 restaurants and 15 bars serving everything from steak to food truck fare.

The Princess Grand Jamaica, meanwhile, has 590 oceanview suites, including Platinum Suites as well as Family and Master Suite options. It also has nine restaurants and a food truck, eight bars, three pools, a water park, a kids club and teens center, and a spa.

To keep guests busy, both properties offer beach volleyball, yoga, water aerobics, dance classes, cocktail-making and cooking classes, motorized and nonmotorized watersports, soccer, tennis, basketball, pickleball and archery.

Starting rates are $579 for a deluxe junior Suite at Princess Senses The Mangrove or $505 for a Princess Junior Suite at Princess Grand Jamaica.

Based in Spain, Princess Hotels & Resorts has a total of 11,000 guest rooms in the Canary Islands (Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Tenerife, La Palma), Barcelona, Dominican Republic (Punta Cana), Jamaica (Negril) and Mexico’s Riviera Maya.

A new Marriott on Florida’s Gulf Coast is accepting reservations beginning June 2, offering a new option for individual travelers as well as meetings and conventions.

Overlooking the Manatee River, the Palmetto Marriott Resort & Spa is the largest hotel in the Bradenton Area, offering 252 guest rooms, each 375 square feet, as well as two resort-style pools and one lap pool, a waterfront with cabanas, beach volleyball and pickleball courts, a spa and two state-of-the-art fitness centers, and an event “epicenter” with a 40,000 square-foot outdoor lawn and a state-of-the-art amphitheater. Its design is meant to “celebrate its coastal surroundings,” with architectural and design elements reminiscent of a ship on land.

The property connects to the Bradenton Area Convention Center, which is currently undergoing a $48 million renovation and expansion that is scheduled to be completed in 2025. Together, the resort and the convention center will offer 140,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space.

The hotel is less than an hour from Sarasota-Bradenton International (SRQ), St. Pete-Clearwater International (PIE) and Tampa International (TPA) airports. On-site dining options include The Social and the Oyster River rooftop restaurants as well as a food truck and an M Club executive club lounge.

In its quarterly report on May 1, Marriott International said it has added 46,000 new rooms, for a total of 1.6 million.

For more information, visit Palmetto Marriott Resort & Spa.

Why rent an Airbnb or go glamping when you can stay in a private pod of your own at the all-inclusive Hyatt Dreams Resort on Curaçao?

When it opens on June 1, the new adults-only section at Dreams will debut a whole new look in hospitality, with 52 private home-sized modular units. Hyatt promises that the units will offer more privacy than a hotel room, and each will open directly onto the beach.

The fiberglass rooms will be on the smaller end of the property’s accommodations, in two sizes measuring either 377 square feet or 436 square feet, vs. the 350 to 715 square feet of the other rooms. But each will have a king bed, a dual vanity bathroom, and a furnished terrace. Guests will have exclusive access to a new infinity pool, bar, and Mediterranean restaurant being built in Il Mare, the new adults-only area.

Guests also will still have access to the rest of the Dreams resort, including three complimentary eateries, three à la carte restaurants, three pools, four bars, tennis and kayaks.

But Hyatt will charge a premium for its foray into modular construction; the cabins start at more than $600 a night.

The modular hotel cabin is not a totally unique idea, though Hyatt is the first major hotel brand to give it a try. New York-based Moliving plans to launch its own modular resort in the Catskill Mountains, about two hours from Manhattan, this summer.

Dreams, meanwhile, is one of three all-inclusive Hyatt brands on Curaçao. Located on Piscadera Bay, it is about 10 minutes from Zoëtry and 20 from Sunscape. There also are two all-inclusive Hiltons.

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has rejected an unsolicited $8 billion buyout by bid Choice Hotels International, Inc., saying it is not in the best interests of Wyndham shareholders.

Noting that it is the world’s largest hotel franchising company, with 9,100 hotels in more than 95 countries, Wyndham called the proposal “involves significant business and execution risks, including an extended regulatory timeline and uncertainty of outcome, potential franchisee churn, and excessive leverage levels at the pro forma combined company.”

It would take more than a year to determine if the merger of the two companies could clear antitrust review, Wyndham said in a statement to shareholders, that likely would cause franchisee churn. The statement also noted “our deep concerns about the value of their stock,” which would make up 45% of the purchase.

“Choice’s offer is insufficient relative to Wyndham’s recent trading levels, significant growth momentum and premiums paid in a precedent change of control transactions,” Wyndham said, noting its rapidly growing pipeline, which is up 20% over the past two years.

Wyndham operates Days Inn, La Quinta, Ramada and other hotel brands. Its newest brand, ECHO Suites Extended Stay by Wyndham, signed 265 contracts since its launch in March 2022. Choice Hotels, meanwhile, last year acquired Radisson Hotels; it now operates about 7,500 hotels in 46 countries.

The two companies have been talking merger for six months, and the deal is not done yet.

“A few weeks ago, Choice and Wyndham were in a negotiable range on price and consideration, and both parties have a shared recognition of the value opportunity this potential transaction represents,” Choice CEO Patrick Pacious said in a statement. “We were therefore surprised and disappointed that Wyndham decided to disengage. While we would have preferred to continue discussions with Wyndham in private, following their unwillingness to proceed, we feel there is too much value for both companies’ franchisees, shareholders, associates, and guests to not continue pursuing this transaction.”

Kind Traveler, the socially conscious booking platform, has launched a new program to empower travelers to positively impact the communities they visit.

Following a six-month global pilot that raised $73,000 in donations for seven charities, the new Every Stay Gives Back (ESGB) program has fully launched, and now includes 30 hotels and 17 charities in 19 destinations.

Following the principles of responsible tourism, 100% of the proceeds of the program will be donated directly to participating local charities, whether the client books through the hotel or through a third party.

The program makes it easy for guests “to plant native trees in Hawaii, support wildlife rehabilitation efforts on Catalina Island, fund local schools in Belize, Dominican Republic, and Costa Rica, and much more,” said Jessica Blotter, Kind Traveler’s CEO.

ESGB is a formalized third-party giving program where a portion of every guest stay is donated to a local charity designated by the hotel. Travelers also are given suggestions of other ways they can get involved and help local communities. Kind Traveler verifies and tracks the monthly donations and makes it easy for hotel and destination partners to communicate their initiatives to guests and stakeholders.

Kind Traveler has a portfolio of more than 350 hotel, destination and charity partners in 25 countries.

There’s a new niche in the travel industry and its name is Taylor Swift, it seems.

With her concerts selling out at exorbitant prices in the United States, some Swifties are looking to the pop star’s European tour schedule—and reaching out to travel advisors to book them a trip around their ticket dates. Better still, budget seems to be only a minor issue.

“This whole concept of parents taking their teenagers to Taylor Swift concerts is an opportunity for travel advisors,” Read the rest of this entry »

It’s a Vegas wedding for Marriott International and MGM Resorts, whose new loyalty program alliance will add 17 resorts and 40,000 rooms to the Marriott portfolio, and make them easy to book with Marriott points.

Beginning in October, the 182 million members of Marriott Bonvoy—the world’s largest frequent traveler program—will be able to use, and to earn, loyalty points at 17 resort properties in Las Vegas and other cities, while members of MGM Rewards can link their accounts with Marriott Bonvoy and “receive select member benefits.”

MGM just ended its relationship with Hyatt Hotels, effective Sept. 30.

The new MGM Collection with Marriott Bonvoy will include the Bellagio Resort & Casino, ARIA Resort & Casino, Park MGM and Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Vdara Hotel & Spa, MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, NoMad Las Vegas, The Signature at MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, New York-New York Hotel & Casino, Luxor Hotel and Casino, and Excalibur Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, as well as the Borgata in Atlantic City, Beau Rivage in Biloxi, MGM Grand Detroit, MGM National Harbor in Maryland, and MGM Springfield in Massachusetts.

Marriott Bonvoy members also will be able to earn points on certain transactions through BetMGM, MGM’s gambling loyalty program, and to “participate in exclusive games, experiences, and offers on the BetMGM platform,” while BetMGM members can redeem points at Marriott properties.

“This is a very robust relationship; it’s not just a typical franchise agreement,” said Marriott International, Inc. president and CEO Tony Capuano in a virtual press conference. “That’s really illustrated by the creation of The MGM Collection with Marriott Bonvoy. This is a relationship that allows us to take full advantage of the breadth of the entertainment, culinary [and] sports offerings that MGM enjoys, and in turn, allows MGM and its loyalty members to take full advantage of our global portfolio.” He noted that the alliance will grow Marriott’s room distribution by 2.4%.

MGM Resorts president and CEO Bill Hornbuckle said the company is “thrilled to offer Marriott Bonvoy members greater distribution access to our award-winning resorts—as well as exclusive event and entertainment opportunities—in Las Vegas and across the U.S.”

Just ahead of opening sales for the 2024 season, Walt Disney World announced a handful of sure-to-be-popular changes that seem designed to turn things back to the way they used to be.

Leading the list is the return of Disney Dining and Disney Quick Service Dining Plans, which again will be available on Disney World packages that include a Disney Resort hotel stay, beginning January 9, 2024. The plans include more than 100 dining venues across the park.

Also beginning January 9, guests will no longer be required to have theme park reservations in order to buy date-based tickets at Walt Disney World, and annual passholders and cast members will be offered occasional “good-to-go days” when they can visit the parks without a reservation.

Disney also said that early park entry (for all Disney Resort hotel guests) and extended evening hours (for guests staying at Disney Deluxe Resort Hotels and Disney Deluxe Villas) will continue through 2024, and that it is working on ways to help guests plan Disney Genie+ service and Lightning Lane selections in advance of their visits, rather than only on the same day.

Tickets for the 2024 season at Walt Disney World will go on sale May 31, and Disney then will also release complete details on the new dining plans, it said. But the company did say the plans will allow guests to make dining reservations up to 60 days in advance of their trip.

Insiders attribute the renewed focus on the guests experience to the return of Bob Iger, who six months ago canceled his retirement and returned to Disney as CEO. Since then Walt Disney World has stopped charging for overnight self-parking, allowed annual passholders to visit after 2 p.m. without a reservation, offered free digital downloads of photos on rides for guests using Disney’s Genie+, ramped up character meet-and-greets, added new characters, and restored annual passes.

There were four interesting takeaways from the Travel Leaders Network press conference in New York last week, but this one really caught my eye: An air booking system, already in beta testing at new TLN member Avoya Travel, that holds the promise of increasing airline commissions and making it possible to build and price your own resort packages.

Also on the agenda were membership numbers that keep on growing, a new cruise booking tool, and more education around potentially profitable niches.

Set in a 19th century Ottoman palace, The Four Seasons Istanbul At The Bosphorus blends ancient Turkish architecture with contemporary accommodations that provide world class service. The property has a rich cultural location, sitting on the Bosphorus where east meets west, Asia meets Europe. One of the two Four Season’s in the city, it boasts postcard style scenery of Istanbul. From traditional hamams, retail shops, outdoor pool and some of the finest eateries in town, the FS at The Bosphorus houses large rooms to make any stay in Istanbul both Read the rest of this entry »

Elevate every sense at the magical Six Senses Zil Pasyon. The only property on Félicité Island it offers the ultimate in privacy, luxury and wellness. Sitting amid massive granite rocks and coral beaches with 28 one-bedroom pool villas and three to four bedroom residences all with inspiring design and ultra sleek finishes.

The Pasyon pool villa sized at 2,150 square feet comes with private infinity pools with a sunken inside bed. The large outside deck with a sunbed and dining table is the ideal space to lounge while in your own sanctuary. The villas are located on both sides of the resort offering sunrise or sunset views from Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to…

The Royal Residence at The Raffles Maldives Merhadoo. A bespoke experience awaits the guest at Gaafu Alifu, one of the world’s most remote atolls, found in the southernmost parts of The Maldives. This incredible unit is a three bedroom that can be expanded into a six bedroom. The amount of space available makes it an ultra luxury experience. The unit comes with a resident butler who ensures all the Read the rest of this entry »

Las Vegas is hiring. The seismic rumble of a big comeback is roiling underfoot on The Strip.

Las Vegas’s KSNV TV recently reported that job fairs by the big casino operators are picking up steam in Las Vegas, signaling that the casinos are preparing for an abrupt turnaround as the vaccination rate reaches critical mass.

Casino owner Derek Stevens recently held a drive-through job fair, making offers to applicants in their cars. Caesar’s Entertainment recently held a job fair virtually. Now people are starting to worry about a possible labor shortage. Read the rest of this entry »