Hotels

TORONTO, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – July 15, 2010) – Looking for new ways to enhance the guest experience and help travelers stay fit and maintain a balanced lifestyle while away from home, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has announced an extension of its partnership with German automaker BMW to provide a complimentary hotel bicycle service featuring BMW Cruise Bikes. Already present in Fairmont’s Canadian properties, Fairmont hotels across the United States will introduce these state-of-the-art bikes as the newest benefit for guests this summer, granting active and adventurous travelers the opportunity to explore the vibrant cities and stunning landscapes of Fairmont’s distinctive locales. In addition to having a selection of regular BMW Cruise Bikes available, hotels will also boast some child-sized BMW Junior Cruise Bikes, allowing families to enjoy the great outdoors together.  With a diverse collection of iconic hotels and picturesque resorts throughout the United States, guests will have no trouble putting the bicycles to use in exploring the sundry sights and landscapes of Fairmont’s unrivalled destinations. From The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa, where guests can cycle through beautiful wine country, to Fairmont Chicago, set on the doorstep of the famed Millennium Park, to Boston’s Fairmont Battery Wharf, where visitors will be able to cruise to the city’s many historic sites, there are myriad ways to take advantage of the new amenity. Lock and helmets are also provided to keep both guests and bikes safe and secure.

SOURCE: Accor North America “Phoenix” Prototype in Northlake, Texas Gains Respected Green Certification DALLAS, TX–(Marketwire – July 15, 2010) –  Motel 6, known for providing guests with a clean, comfortable room for the lowest price of any national chain, has proven that green lodging does not have to be expensive lodging. The brand’s newest property in Northlake, Texas, is the first economy hotel in the nation to attain LEED ® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the first hotel for parent company Accor to gain the distinction.  “With the brand’s ‘Phoenix’ prototype, we are setting the pace for the future of Motel 6, which, in line with our values, must be as energy-efficient as possible,” said Olivier Poirot, CEO of Accor North America, Motel 6 and Studio 6. “LEED’s ® high environmental standards lend a great deal of credence to our efforts, and we look forward to continuing on the path to greater sustainable practices in the future.”  According to the USGBC, LEED ® certification provides “third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using strategies aimed at improving performance across all the metrics that matter most: energy savings, water efficiency, CO 2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts.” Opened in October 2009, Motel 6 Northlake-Speedway adheres to Accor North America’s ongoing sustainable initiatives like the use of technologically-advanced heating and cooling systems, Fluorescent Light Bulb and Battery Recycling Program and water conservation measures, and also includes advanced energy efficiency features that further reduce its energy consumption compared to existing Motel 6 properties. Some of these advanced environmentally-friendly measures include: Energy Efficiency — Thermal solar water heating; reflective cool roof; low e-glass tinted windows; low-energy lighting (compact fluorescent and LED); high-efficiency PTAC units with wireless occupancy-sensing thermostats; high-efficiency laundry equipment with computer-controlled dryers; environmentally sensitive laundry and cleaning products; property designed to get minimal western sun exposure to keep the building cooler in hotter months Water Conservation — Native landscaping with water-efficient and drought-resistant plants; high-tech irrigation control; guestroom low-flow 1.1-gallon pressurized toilets; 0.5-gallon aerators in all sinks; and 1.75GPM shower heads Building Materials & Recycling — Wood-effect flooring made of 80% pre-consumer recycled material which is longer-lasting and requires no vacuuming or steam-cleaning; use of certified sustainable lumber for construction; low-emitting construction material; waste recycling during construction Since its introduction in March 2008, the award-winning Motel 6 “Phoenix” room design has been incorporated into more than 70 of Motel 6’s existing corporate-owned and franchised locations in more than 20 U.S

TORONTO, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – July 15, 2010) –  Northampton Group Inc., (TSX VENTURE:NHG)(TSX VENTURE:NHG.DB) an integrated Canadian hotelier, today reported its results for fiscal 2010. Affected by increased supply and reduced demand, consolidated revenues for the year dropped 14.2% to $25.66 million from $29.90 million in fiscal 2009. Year-over-year decreases in both occupancy and average daily rates (ADRs) resulted in a decline in revenue per available room (RevPAR) of between 7% and 31%. All properties have been affected by the contraction, with the airport locations experiencing more severe declines. In the fourth quarter, Northampton’s revenues decreased 3.5% year-over-year to $5.44 million from $5.64 million for the same quarter in the previous year. Although the fourth quarter tends to be comparatively soft, the decline was not as severe as was the case in previous quarters this fiscal year. The quarter was affected primarily by reduced leisure and business travel, but also felt the impact of a strong Canadian dollar, higher energy prices, and the combination of decreased demand and increased hotel supply in most of Northampton’s markets. Despite the difficult situation, Northampton posted a 200.6% increase in net income to $1.67 million from $0.55 million in the previous year, primarily as a result of the sale of the Four Points Montreal Centre-Ville in April of 2009. Overall, the environment continues extremely challenging for everyone in the hospitality sector. Northampton’s lean executive team, strict cost containment, and hands-on management have enabled the company to reduce costs both in the year and the quarter, and the company will continue to manage expenses aggressively

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA–(Marketwire – July 15, 2010) – VRX Worldwide Inc. (TSX VENTURE:VRW) is pleased to announce that its wholly owned subsidiary, VRX Studios Inc . (“VRX Studios”) has signed of a one-year agreement with Choice Hotels International Inc

SOURCE: WhitePages New Online and Mobile Social Buying Site From WhitePages Offers Consumers up to 70 Percent Off the Best Places to Eat, Shop and Have Fun in the Greater Seattle Area SEATTLE, WA–(Marketwire – July 15, 2010) –  WhitePages ( www.whitepages.com ), the largest and most trusted online directory, today announced it has entered the social buying category with the launch of DealPop ( www.dealpop.com ) in its hometown of Seattle. With the official launch, DealPop will leverage the more than 100 million local and business searches conducted monthly at WhitePages.com and 411.com to determine the most popular places to eat, shop, and have fun. This knowledge, as well as picks by DealPop’s local insiders, will allow the company to work with merchants to provide the most relevant deals for consumers at local favorites and hidden gems.

SOURCE: Sell My Timeshare NOW DOVER, NH–(Marketwire – July 15, 2010) –  Jason Tremblay, CEO, Sell My Timeshare NOW, LLC, announced this week that SellMyTimeshareNOW.com has become authorized reseller for The Crane Resort, one of the most luxurious vacation properties in the Caribbean. Kim Goddard, sales director at The Crane Resort, says, “We are excited to enhance our resale program by partnering with Vacation Property Solutions , the Resort Services Division of SellMyTimeshareNOW.com and Timeshare Broker Services, the company’s brokerage arm, to best represent the weeks that owners at The Crane may desire to sell. SellMyTimeshareNOW.com is the only authorized resale company for The Crane Resort.” Jay Bade, RRP, VP of Business Development for SellMyTimeshareNOW.com, says, “Although The Crane Resort has a successful resale program in place, affiliating with Sell My Timeshare NOW increases visibility for The Crane Resort resales, driving traffic and additional buyers through both www.sellmytimesharenow.com and www.thecrane.com

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA and LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM and SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA–(Marketwire – July 15, 2010) – To coincide with its new brand and website launch, Kiwi Collection has re-imagined WOW Travel as an inspirational travel and lifestyle publication for those looking to expand their horizons. Continuing to stand as a trusted resource for discovering and booking the world’s most exceptional hotels, Kiwi Collection has set out to create a new industry standard with its updated web presence, brand — and now — a unique online publication.

SOURCE: Squaw Valley USA OLYMPIC VALLEY, CA–(Marketwire – July 14, 2010) –  Nancy Cushing, retiring CEO of Squaw Valley Ski Corporation , is pleased to announce the appointment of Andrew (Andy) D. Wirth to the position of Chief Executive Officer at Squaw Valley USA . Wirth will be responsible for all aspects of resort operations at Squaw Valley USA, and he will report directly to the Board of Directors at Squaw Valley Ski Corporation. Wirth will succeed Nancy Cushing, who has advised Squaw Valley Ski Corporation since 1985 and served as its President since 1994. Wirth’s appointment as CEO will be effective on August 2, 2010.

SOURCE: Cassa Hotel and Residences New Luxury Midtown Manhattan Hotel Offers Easy Access to the US Open NEW YORK, NY–(Marketwire – July 14, 2010) –  Beginning August 30, the greatest tennis players in the world will take center stage at the US Open, the all-star packed series of matches that has captivated the world since its inception over 100 years ago. New York City has hosted this exhilarating event since 1978, and again this summer, New York City is the place to be. To celebrate the tennis greats and their fans, Cassa Hotel and Residences , New York’s latest luxury boutique hotel, is offering a “Take Me to the US Tennis Open”* package rate of $375 per night from August 30 – September 12, 2010, valid with a minimum two night stay.

SOURCE: Rafffles Hotel & Resorts SINGAPORE–(Marketwire – July 13, 2010) –  From Siem Reap’s outdoor haven near the famous temples of Angkor, to Raffles Dubai’s pool with stunning views of the hotel’s tropical garden, swimming pools at Raffles properties across the globe provide a relaxing backdrop, complemented with inspiring vistas and thoughtful service. Raffles Dubai Raffles Dubai’s pool is set against the panoramic Dubai skyline and overlooks the hotel’s tropical Botanical Garden. Special features at the pool include a technological marvel that keeps the pool deck cool for bare feet even in the height of summer, two counter-current pools for residents who seek a more challenging water workout and a unique water clock, reminiscent of ancient Egyptian times, which indicates the time of the day with spouts of water. Raffles Dubai’s pool has recently been named one of Sixteen of “World’s Most Spectacular Swimming Pools” on MSN Travel . Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor, Siem Reap Inspired by the ancient bathing pools of the Khmer kings at the temple of Phimeanakas at Angkor, the stunning pool at Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor was named one of Sixteen of “World’s Most Spectacular Swimming Pools” by MSN Travel . Replenishing the children’s pool are two stone lions, reconstructions of statues that were once found at the temple of Preah Pithou. Refreshing pineapple skewers, cold towels scented with eucalyptus and mineral water spray are offered to residents throughout the day