NATIONAL REPORT—Whether it’s celebrating an anniversary, receiving an award, earning a certification, debuting a new product or expanding the business, hotel companies and vendors achieve new milestones on a daily basis. Here’s a look at recent accomplishments:
Access Point Financial Secures $8.85M to Refinance Grand Rapids Hotel
Access Point Financial, LLC (APF) has finalized an agreement with Lodging Opportunity Fund REIT to refinance the Delta by Marriott in Grand Rapids, MI. As part of the deal, APF secured $8.85 million for the Delta Hotels by Marriott Grand Rapids Airport property. Lodging Opportunity Fund REIT approached APF to provide the financing due to its skill when working with a limited time budget, offering flexible terms, and a degree of certainty that the transaction would be completed on time.
APF also previously financed the Delta by Marriott in Green Bay, WI, for Lodging Opportunity Fund and had earned their trust by successfully fulfilling the requirements of the refinancing, despite being given 15 days to underwrite, approve and fund a loan for the property prior to its maturation in late March. The process took place at the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S., prompting APF to act quickly and purposefully.
The 188-room Delta Hotels Grand Rapids Airport is located four miles from the Gerald R. Ford International Airport, and eight miles from Downtown Grand Rapids. It is one of just two full-service Marriott hotels in the Grand Rapids metropolitan area, and it is the only full-service Marriott hotel in the Airport submarket. The hotel is operated by National Hospitality Services, an affiliate of Lodging Opportunity Fund.
Nordaq Group Appoints Johanna Mattsson as New CEO
Johanna Mattsson has joined Nordaq as its new CEO, bringing her international business experience in various market segments, including hospitality and F&B. Most recently, she served as sales director of the Nordic market for Salesforce, a cloud company. A Sweden-native, Mattsson has lived and worked in France, Ireland, Japan and Singapore, which has enhanced her ability to understand the complexity of local challenges.
Mattsson succeeds former CEO Pär (Pelle) Hallberg, who led Nordaq for the last six years. He will change his focus from day-to-day operations to strategic issues as a member of Nordaq Group’s board of directors.
Hotelsigns.Com’s Charity Donation Event Continues
Hotelsigns.com, a division of Intersign Corporation, has started its fourth annual charity donation event. This year’s charity donation event focuses on three organizations that directly assist frontline employees.
Open to the public at hotelsigns.com/charity-vote-2020, votes can be cast once per day for one of this year’s three nominated charities. The voting period ends on Dec 17 at 11:59 p.m. ET, with the charity accumulating the most votes receiving a $5,000 donation from Intersign Corporation. The winner will be announced in January. This year’s nominees are Golden Rule Charity; CORE: Children of Restaurant Employees; and Above & Beyond Foundation.
Waikiki Beachcomber by Outrigger Reopens
Outrigger Hospitality Group has reopened Waikiki Beachcomber by Outrigger, Hawaii’s first and only craft hotel. In addition to Waikiki Beachcomber’s unique style and design aesthetic—which was curated by The Beachcomber Originals, a collection of local artisans and influencers to offer a one-of-a-kind, immersive stay for guests—the property has implemented guidelines from Outrigger’s Clean Commitment and adapted its services to further accommodate guests’ safety and wellbeing from check-in to checkout.
Kicking off the reopening, Outrigger continues its longstanding partnership with Hawaii Food & Wine Festival (HFWF) by participating in the 10th annual event. On Nov. 18, Maui Brewing Co., located inside the Waikiki Beachcomber property, will host the sold-out Native Feast, a four-course collaboration dinner featuring Chef Sean Sherman, founder of the company The Sioux Chef; Kealoha Domingo, chef and Hawaiian cultural practitioner; and Terry Lynch, executive chef partner at Maui Brewing Co. at Waikiki Beachcomber. The hotel’s anchor restaurant will be open to the public starting Nov. 16.
Quality Inn Montgomeryville Adds BeyondTV GuestCast by HIS
Hotel Internet Services (HIS) has been selected by Quality Inn Montgomeryville in Montgomeryville, PA, to provide its guests with the industry’s latest in fully customizable in-room entertainment with the implementation of BeyondTV GuestCast.
By selecting HIS with its BeyondTV GuestCast platform, Quality Inn Montgomeryville is able to fulfill this growing demand by providing each guest with instant and secure access to their own streamed subscriptions on guestroom televisions. Compatible with thousands of mobile-based apps, BeyondTV GuestCast ensures that guests are able to view virtually any personalized content of their choosing, with the hassle-free ability to cast streaming accounts from personal devices such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Disney+, HBO Go, ESPN and many more.