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Neither Radford University nor the University of Virginia had to look far for collaborators on projects that have altered their campus footprints. The universities called on their own foundations to push forward the construction of two new on-campus hotels — The Highlander Hotel Radford and The Forum Hotel at U.Va. — and an upcoming hotel […]
New federal per diem rates provide bump for hotels
The federal government’s fiscal 2024 per diem reimbursement rates — released Aug. 16 by the General Services Administration — will largely benefit Virginia’s hotels, but not necessarily its restaurants. The continental United States (CONUS) rates — dictating lodging allowances and meals and incidental expenses (M&IE) for federal employees while traveling — will be effective[...]
Norfolk airport hotel is ‘desperately needed’
An influx of 200-seat airplanes is bringing record numbers of passengers into Norfolk International Airport, leading officials to fast-track infrastructure upgrades and pursue construction of an airport hotel. There is high demand for on-site lodging, especially among airline crews and travelers taking early morning flights, who often stay at downtown Norfolk hotels, says Norfolk Airport […[...]
The Highlander nearly complete in Radford
The Highlander, a $40 million boutique hotel and conference center, is expected to open next to Radford University soon. University officials and their partners in the project broke ground in April 2021 and expect it to be completed in January 2023. The conference hotel will have 124 rooms, including four suites, and a 4,000-square-foot conference […]
On the road again
Business and leisure travelers are putting the pandemic in the rearview mirror and once again are filling Virginia hotels and resorts. While that’s good news, widespread staffing shortages continue to hamper the hospitality industry. Occupancy rates are almost back to 2019 numbers, with Northern Virginia finally seeing upticks as corporate and government travel has slowly […]
Back in business
Like the proverbial canary in the mineshaft, the state of the meetings and convention planning industry is a good barometer for predicting how well the economy is doing and what direction it is moving. Despite the persistence of COVID-19 variants, the canary is still singing a happy tune — as are meeting and convention planners […]
Va. hotel revenues up slightly over 2019
Northern Virginia’s hotel market continues to be a drag on the lodging industry’s performance in the commonwealth as a whole, according to recently released data from STR Inc., a division of CoStar Group Inc. that provides market data on the U.S. hospitality industry. The latest data show rooms sold decreased by 4.6% in Virginia through […]
South Boston hotel springs back to life
A steady stream of developers considered purchasing South Boston’s long-shuttered John Randolph Hotel during the past decade, but none sealed the deal until Julian and Karie Brittano toured the downtown property last fall. This spring, the couple’s High Point, North Carolina-based firm, The Brittano Group Inc., and its subsidiary, The Rook Hotels, entered into a […]
Bathhouses at Homestead to reopen soon
A painstaking restoration of the Warm Springs Pools will wrap up in time for The Omni Homestead Resort in Bath County to reopen one of America’s oldest spas by 2022’s end. Formerly called the Jefferson Pools, the spring-fed public baths have been closed since 2017. The resort had hoped to start work on the $3 […]
April Va. hotel revenues down slightly from pre-pandemic
Virginia hotel revenues in April were down 3.5% compared with pre-pandemic April 2019 revenues, largely due to the lagging Northern Virginia market, according to data released Wednesday by STR Inc., a division of CoStar Group Inc. that provides market data on the U.S. hospitality industry. Hotel rooms sold decreased by 4.7% last month, compared with […]
Va. restaurant, travel association names new VP
Richmond-based Virginia Restaurant Lodging & Travel Association has promoted Brittany Wojdyla to vice president of membership and business development, the organization announced Thursday. In her new role, Wojdyla will be responsible for leading the association’s membership efforts throughout the state, developing partnerships and sponsorships, managing events and overseeing marketing an[...]
