May 22, 2012 - 11:55 AM ET

Lanyon signed deals with serviced apartment providers CityBase in the United Kingdom and SheVana in Denmark  to include content within Lanyon's engagements and projects tool. The tool processes requests for proposals and room contracts and manages data around long-term stays, a task traditionally handled by "highly manual processes or single-provider solutions," according to Lanyon chief commercial officer Mike Boult. Citybase has a portfolio of about 21,000 apartments across 25 countries, while SheVana represents about 10,000 apartments across Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

May 21, 2012 - 12:20 PM ET

Choice Hotels International developed a prototype that combines into a single building its Sleep Inn and MainStay Suites brands. The hotel design features separate sections for rooms of both brands, with a shared lobby, front desk and fitness room. Choice has not yet announced locations for the new prototype but said it is targeting "markets that could support more than a standalone Sleep Inn or MainStay Suites hotel."

May 14, 2012 - 03:20 PM ET

The Internet Crime Complaint Center warned travelers about uploading malware while using hotel-provided Internet connections. The warning, based on FBI and other government agency data, noted several instances in which travelers get pop-ups requesting software updates when setting up their hotel Internet connection. Clicking on the pop-ups installs malware onto the laptops. The center said travelers should check the digital certificates of prompted updates while traveling, regularly perform software updates immediately prior to travel and upload software only directly from vendor websites while traveling.

May 10, 2012 - 10:10 AM ET

More than 1,000 Starwood Hotels & Resorts properties now can be booked through China's TravelSky after the government-owned global distribution system completed a connection with hotel distribution technology supplier Pegasus Solutions, according to Pegasus. The connection will enable bookings through TravelSky of the nearly 100,000 total properties listed in Pegasus, with Starwood the first chain to go live.

May 09, 2012 - 12:15 PM ET

InterContinental Hotels Group reported a March quarter operating profit of $118 million, up 5 percent from a year earlier. Total revenue increased 6 percent to $409 million. Average daily rates increased in all regions, including 7.7 percent growth in the Americas. Revenue per available room also grew in all regions, including a nearly 12 percent jump in Greater China.

May 09, 2012 - 09:35 AM ET

Westin Hotels & Resorts announced plans to overhaul business centers, which it generally described as "low-tech, hidden and often unused." To accommodate the evolving mobile traveler, the hotel company's new "interconnected workspaces"—to be rolled out globally during 2013—would include various computer equipment and office supplies, free wired and wireless connectivity, videoconferencing technology and "collaboration areas" for "small impromptu meetings."

May 03, 2012 - 03:50 PM ET

STR projected average daily rates will increase by 3.8 percent at U.S. hotels this summer, nearing peak rates of 2008, while occupancy climbs 1.8 percent to 69 percent. STR COO Brad Garner said in a statement that additional leisure travel would add demand to already-strong corporate business travel demand, although the firm projects "very little contribution to the overall demand numbers from government transient and group travel" as well as "modest at best" inbound travel levels from the eurozone.

May 03, 2012 - 11:45 AM ET

Average daily rates at Hyatt Hotels Corp. properties increased by 3 percent year over year during the first quarter of 2012.  Rates in North America were up 2.7 percent at full-service properties and up 3.5 percent at select-service properties. Outside of North America, rates increased by 3.6 percent. Occupancy increased globally by 2.7 percentage points to 68.8 percent. Strong corporate demand pushed revenue at full-service hotels in North America up by 9 percent. Group revenue at those properties also increased 9 percent year over year, driven by corporate demand but hindered by softer association demand, according to Hyatt. Net income for the quarter was $10 million, the same as in the first quarter of 2011.

April 30, 2012 - 01:15 PM ET

Upscale Swiss hotel chain Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts plans to expand into China. Using the name Rui Xiang, the company already is developing properties in Shanghai and Sanya (both scheduled to open next year) and in Chifeng (scheduled for 2015). Mövenpick also appointed a director of global sales to lead a new Shanghai office and launched a Mandarin website.

April 27, 2012 - 12:30 PM ET

The average daily first-quarter rate at Choice Hotels International increased by 2.5 percent year over year and occupancy increased by 2.5 percentage points to 44.5 percent. Rates and occupancies were up for all Choice brands. The company for the quarter posted net income of $20 million, up from $15.7 million in the first quarter of 2011.