Until recently, few Parisian hotels dared to distract from the classic aesthetics of the city itself. The décor of its gilded palace hotels, single-minded embassies of French heritage, was, largely, fussy and excessively impersonal, as if a misplaced streak of color could break the city’s spell. Today the capital is finally overcoming its self-seriousness, thanks in part to its vibrant post-Brexit ascendancy in the contemporary arts and culture scenes. Many of its new hotels seek to delight rather than simply impress, and often conjure other worlds, as in the Marais’s Maison Proust, a candlelit Belle Époque fantasy half-hidden behind tasseled indigo velvet curtains, or the nearby Le Grand Mazarin, fashioned by the London-based Swedish designer Martin Brudnizki from contrasting styles and eras, all in a swirl of candy colors. “It took longer than New York and London,” says the Italian architect and designer Fabrizio Casiraghi, “but Paris is at last discovering the kind of small hotel that has something to say.”
Google Hotels Is Making it Easier for Small Companies to be Found
20.10.2023 - 08:09 / skift.com / Pranavi Agarwal / Justin Dawes / Sean Oneil
Good morning from Skift. It’s Thursday, October 19. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.
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Google is constantly tweaking its hotels platform, and the latest iteration contributes directly to the democratization of the online travel industry, writes Skift Research analyst Pranavi Agarwal.
Skift Research conducted a study of Google Hotels platform. Here are three insights from the analysis: paid sponsored listings are dominated by the largest online travel agencies; the introduction of organic results is allowing direct sites and smaller online travel agencies to compete head-on with Booking and Expedia; and Google Hotels prioritizes the direct site in its organic results, with the official site most likely to appear on top, even when it is not the cheapest option.
Next, there have been at least four travel tech acquisitions this month, writes travel tech reporter Justin Dawes.
One of them was by property management system startup Mews, which acquired a small hotel AI startup called Nomi, whose tech is meant to help hotels deliver personalized recommendations based on data that guests provide. If the hotel can keep a profile on customers, then the hotel will have better information they can use to recommend activities and restaurants. And that data sets the groundwork for the useful implementation of future generative AI concierge tools.
Finally, Premier Inn’s owner, Whitbread, said a shrinking supply of budget hotels in the UK will strengthen its pricing power for years to come, writes Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neil.
Premier Inn, the UK’s leading budget hotel chain, said the country’s independent budget hotel sector shrunk 10% between 2019 and 2022, with many not expected to reopen. This supply shortage is predicted to last for at least five years, presenting a growth opportunity for Premier Inn. Because of the company’s size, it can more easily obtain favorable loans and discounted supplies. Premier Inn also said that repeat guests made 86% of its bookings this year.
I’ve visited all 193 countries on my own. Here are my top 10 favorites, and why places like Italy don’t make the cut.
At 27 years old, I completed my wanderlust dream of traveling to every country in the world as a solo female traveler. To be exact, I've visited all 193 sovereign nations — plus Taiwan, Kosovo, and Palestine. Then, by the age of 30, I achieved my athletic dream of becoming an Ironman. I find great fulfillment in inspiring and educating young women to get out and pursue their passions — or whatever gets them excited in life.
United makes some progress toward improving catering, but still has a ways to go, exec says
Bland French toast. Dry turkey sandwiches. A dish that might be chicken tikka masala?
Los Angeles to Drop Ballot Measure That Would Require Hotels to House Homeless
Los Angeles’ city council appeared this week to have reached a political compromise with the local hotel workers’s union about a controversial plan to mandate that hotels temporarily house the homeless.
Hopper to Offer Gift Cards on Flights, Hotels, and More for the 2023 Holidays
Hopper is helping us give the gift of travel this holiday season with new gift cards available to purchase on their site.
American Airlines Looks at Small Cities, United Airlines Looks Abroad
Good morning from Skift. It’s Thursday, November 2. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.
Hotels Celebrate The Holidays With Festive Activities
Over 112 million Americans traveled during the Christmas holiday last year, according to AAA Travel, a number that’s expected to be matched or surpassed this year. The first day of December is a popular air travel date for people who take extended, even month-long holiday vacations as airlines often offer discounted rates at that time of year. These hotels and resorts offer travelers all the bells and whistles one could desire from a vacation along with festive holiday activities.
Dallas Hotel Boom: 80 Projects to Begin Construction Within Next Year
The Dallas area has topped national rankings for hotel development for more than a year as the Texas capital enjoys a hotel building boom.
Disneyland Resort Reveals New Pixar Place Hotel
Disneyland is getting a dramatic transformation converting its Paradise Pier Hotel into a Pixar-themed hotel ready to open for business at the end of January. Last month, Disney revealed plans to double the investment in its theme parks by &60 billion over the next 10 years including expansions at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom parks, including potential new lands devoted to “Indiana Jones,” “Encanto” and “Zootopia.”
Disneyland's most affordable hotel to officially transform into Pixar Place Hotel in January
Unlike the wide variety of lodging choices at Disney World, Disneyland only has three on-property hotels: the original Disneyland Hotel (including the new Villas at Disneyland Hotel), the higher-end Disney's Grand Californian and the hotel currently known as Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel. The latter of the three is not only Disney's most budget-friendly hotel, but it is also in the midst of a major Pixar-themed makeover, which is set to be completed this winter.
The Future Of Palm Springs: Hot Hotels, Spas And Dining For 2024
Surrounded by four mountain ranges, Palm Springs is one of Southern California's most popular weekend destinations and the ultimate desert resort oasis. The area comprises nine cities — Palm Springs, Desert Hot Springs, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, La Quinta, Indio, and Coachella — each with its unique style and attraction for legions of followers.
Former Expedia Exec Says Google Increased Ad Costs for Little Return in Antitrust Trial
Expedia increased spending 10 times over five years to advertise vacation home rentals on Google, but the online travel agency saw no increase in traffic because the search giant has been prioritizing its own flight and hotel products.