Pacifica Host Hotels has reopened the 80-room voco Solana Beach – Del Mar in San Diego County following a complete renovation. The property is the first voco hotel in San Diego County and the brand’s third in Southern California. Located along Highway 101, the hotel is steps from Fletcher Cove Beach. Guest rooms, bathrooms, the lobby, and exterior have received a modern coastal redesign. The property also features 101 & Vine, a restaurant and bar serving breakfast and dinner, along with an outdoor pool, hot tub, and 24-hour fitness center. Read more

The von Trapp Family Lodge & Resort in Stowe, Vermont, has received the Legendary Family Historic Hoteliers of the Year Award from Historic Hotels of America. The award recognizes the family’s work in preserving its heritage and maintaining the property across generations. The family settled in Vermont after leaving Austria in 1938, and opened the lodge to guests in 1950. Today, the third-generation family-run resort spans 2,600 acres and offers Austrian-inspired hospitality, outdoor recreation, farm-to-table dining, and a craft brewery. The property also holds a place in American skiing history, having opened the country's first cross-country ski center in 1968. Read more

OTH Hotels Resorts has expanded its management portfolio with two properties in Kentucky and North Carolina, adding a total of 275 guest rooms. The additions are the Capital Plaza Hotel in Frankfort, Kentucky, and the Four Points by Sheraton Greensboro Airport in North Carolina. Capital Plaza, a 10-story property opened in 1983, is undergoing a major renovation and rebranding. It is expected to reopen as The Franklin Hotel in early 2027, with 163 redesigned guest rooms, updated public areas, and a new restaurant concept. The 112-room Four Points property offers a restaurant and bar, fitness center, heated outdoor pool, and meeting space. OTH will manage operations, sales, revenue, and guest services at both hotels. Read more

Michael Jordan’s Steak House at INSPIRE Entertainment Resort in Incheon, South Korea, has been named Korea’s Best Hotel Restaurant 2026 at the World Culinary Awards. The award was presented at a ceremony in Jamaica on October 14. Opened in 2023, the restaurant is the only international location of the U.S. brand, which operates in partnership with basketball legend Michael Jordan and Cornerstone Restaurant Group. The award recognizes its food, service, and overall dining experience, based on votes from industry professionals, experts, and consumers. The restaurant also received Wine Spectator’s Best of Award of Excellence in June. The recognition adds to the profile of INSPIRE, a large resort featuring 1,275 hotel rooms, an arena, an indoor water park, and dining and retail facilities. Read more

The Destination AI 2026 conference in Washington, D.C., brought together around 500 hospitality leaders to discuss how hotels are moving from AI trials to operational use. The event highlighted the growing role of AI in hotel discovery, marketing, distribution, and guest services. More than half of U.S. leisure travelers reportedly use AI channels to help plan trips, making accurate hotel information across websites and other online sources increasingly important. However, only 24% of hotel companies surveyed said their AI investments had paid for themselves. Poor data quality, disconnected systems, and staff adoption remain key barriers. Examples of reported benefits included better labor scheduling and lower energy use through occupancy-aware HVAC systems. The main message for hotel operators is to link AI projects to clear business goals and measure their effect on costs, revenue, and guest experience. Read more

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