Lodging Daily News

Kerry Ranson developed his entrepreneurial spirit at a young age—all the way back to his high school days in New Orleans, La. As a teen with a car, he learned how to parlay what he did have into something more. At that time, he would clean his parent’s house weekly for an allowance; however, he realized that he could get the work done more efficiently with a little help from his friends. So he sub-contracted

In November, Hershey Entertainment & Resorts announced a new president, Bill Simpson. Simpson was formerly executive vice president and chief operating offier of the company. He began his career with Hershey Entertainment & Resorts in 1996 as the general manager of the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center (now Hershey Lodge). He oversaw the dramatic expansion of the Lodge in 1998 and guided that property to record years during his tenure. He became vice president of

“Dreams do come true,” an exuberant Bill Duncan, global head of brand management, Homewood Suites and Home2 Suites, said from his office in Memphis, Tenn. He’s discussing the opening of the first Home2 Suites, which is slated for next month in Fayetteville, N.C. “We’re really excited about it,” he continues. The long-awaited opening of Hilton Worldwide’s first Home2 Suites by Hilton property has been more than a year in the making. LBA Associates and Apple

The economic recession has had an overwhelming impact on many industries that vie for the consumer dollar, among them the lodging segment of the hospitality industry. With corporate travel cut to a minimum and consumers cutting their discretionary spending on travel, the occupancy levels, as well as average daily rates, decreased dramatically during the recession. Recently, however, occupancy rates have increased, which is driving the growth in revenue per available room. According to Colliers PKF

Turntables in rooms, hangover pills in vending machines, copies of the Kama Sutra sitting next to the Bible—when it comes to design choices, Ace Hotel founder Alex Calderwood isn’t afraid to be unconventional. With his first space—a 28-room hotel with some shared bathrooms in Seattle’s downtown bar district, to his latest in New York City—a larger, more developed property with 58 different room types and a bustling daytime lobby scene—Calderwood has redefined the industry standard