Karen Hana named General Manager of Alegria in St. Maarten

Veteran Caribbean hotel industry professional Karen Hana has been appointed General Manager of one the newest hotels in the Choice Hotels International Caribbean portfolio on the island of St. Maarten.

Hana, who was most recently Executive Director of the St. Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association, takes charge of the recently renovated Alegria, a distinctive 78-room resort on the southern coast of St. Maarten. Alegria joins Choice Hotels’ Ascend Hotel Collection, a global portfolio of independent boutique-style hotels and resorts.

A graduate of The Hague Hotel Management School in the Netherlands, with 22 years of experience working in the St. Maarten tourism sector, Hana – a Dutch native – grew up and worked in Mexico and the Caribbean. She has extensive experience working at resorts ranging from all-inclusive to timeshare, from boutique hotels to large chain hotels.

“Karen is a consummate professional and we expect her leadership to translate into the positioning of Alegria as a leading hotel and guest experience on the island,” said Fadi Salem, Chief Operations Officer of Alegria.

Hana welcomed the opportunity to make a difference in the island she now calls home. “We look forward to welcoming many more guests to Alegria,” she said, explaining that the hotel has benefited from a thorough refresh.

Hana reported that the response to the hotel has been encouraging. “With new bedding, new amenities and with the Ascend Hotel Collection, guests are just thrilled,” she said.

Overlooking the ocean at Sunset Beach and adjacent to Maho beach, Alegria is an oasis where guests can immerse themselves in world-famous white sand beaches or join the visitors from around the world who flock to Maho Beach to experience the close-up excitement of jets soaring overhead as they approach Princess Juliana International Airport. In contrast, the night skies remain clear, as the airport restricts flights after 9 p.m.

The hotel is a short taxi ride from Philipsburg, capital of the island’s Dutch side, and numerous beaches.

Nearby attractions include the Loterie Farm Nature Reserve nestled in the hillside of Pic Paradis on the French side of St. Martin which offers dining, hiking and zip-lining over the treetop canopy. Guests can also make day-trips to neighboring islands, visit Fort Amsterdam, a historic site that was built by Dutch settlers in 1631 and renowned for its architectural ruins and spectacular views, and enjoy the wide variety of culinary offerings. on an island dubbed the Gourmet Capital of the Caribbean.

Alegria offers several spacious room types that are fully equipped with upscale amenities and balcony views of the gardens or turquoise Caribbean waters. The two-bedroom penthouse features more than 2,000 square feet of space, king beds, two and a half baths, a lounge area with sofa bed, designer kitchen, and a washer and dryer.

The hotel also has two pools with a swim-up bar, and duty-free shopping is just a short walk away. Excellent dining options, casinos, nightclubs and an 18-hole championship golf course are also nearby.

The Choice Hotels International Caribbean portfolio currently includes hotels in the Caribbean destinations of Aruba, The Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Curaçao, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Puerto Rico and St. Maarten.

Post copied from: http://ehotelier.com/people/2016/04/08/karen-hana-named-general-manager-alegria-st-maarten/

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Amy Delegal-Fox appointed Director of Sales & Marketing for Hotel Zelos

Benchmark Hospitality International, a U.S.-based hospitality management company, has named Amy Delegal-Fox director of sales & marketing for Hotel Zelos, a Personal Luxury property located in San Francisco, California. Sietse Nabben, general manager, made the announcement.

“It is with pleasure that I formally welcome Amy to Hotel Zelos,” said Mr. Nabben. “She has invested much of her hospitality career within our regional market and brings a vast customer sales network to our property. She is a wonderful addition to our leadership team.”

Amy Delegal-Fox was most recently area director of sales and marketing for Evolution Hospitality, responsible for the Hyatt Fisherman’s Wharf and Hotel Adagio, both of San Francisco, California. Previous to this, Ms. Delegal-Fox was director of sales and marketing for the San Mateo Marriott of San Mateo, California. Earlier in her career, she was senior convention sales manager for the New Orleans Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Ms. Delegal-Fox is a graduate of the University of South western Louisiana, located in Lafayette, Louisiana, where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. She resides in Berkeley, California.

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INTERSTATE EUROPE ANNOUNCES FOUR APPOINTMENTS TO UK MANAGEMENT TEAM

The UK division of Interstate Europe, part of global hotel management company Interstate Hotels & Resorts, has announced a quartet of senior appointments to its UK management team.

Barry Dawson joins the company as Vice President Hotels Finance; Quentin Neville as Vice President Procurement; Clare Snowdon as IT Director and Caroline Michel as Marketing Director.

Dawson joins Interstate from Macdonald Hotels and Resorts, where he has worked throughout his career in a variety of roles stretching back to the late 1990s where he started as a Hotel Financial Controller, before being promoted through the ranks to Hotels Finance Director, the position he has held for the last five years.

Neville is an experienced independent purchasing consultant/interim who has worked across a range of sectors with a proven track record for delivering profitability via cost control, revenue streams, quality and service, from an effective mix of strategic and tactical activity.

Snowdon is a business led, professional IT Consultant with over 25 years’ experience, the last decade of which has seen her lead her own consultancy. Operating within the hospitality industry internationally in both a business and technical capacity, Snowdon has extensive experience of delivering a range of services to hotel sector clients.

Michel joins Interstate from Halfords, where she was Head of Advertising and Digital Media with accountability for advertising, PR and email marketing. Her previous roles have included strategic planning, advertising and campaign management for National Express and FMCG brand management.

Robert Crook, Interstate’s Managing Director for the UK , said: “I’m delighted to welcome Barry, Clare and Caroline to the Interstate management team. This trio of appointments demonstrate that Interstate is enhancing its the central team in advance of exciting times ahead for the company in the UK as we seek to add to our evolving portfolio.

“Barry is an acknowledged visionary with a proven track record in financial management; Quentin is a dynamic and professional Procurement and Supply Chain leader with extensive experience across many sectors; Clare has extensive experience in designing, developing and delivering corporate IT strategies across all disciplines within time and budget and Caroline is a commercial marketer with strong experience in strategic marketing management who is deploying the skills she has developed in the retail and FMCG sectors to bring a fresh perspective to the hospitality sector.”

“All four strengthen our team, and their individual talents bring expertise in their specialist fields that will directly benefit Interstate clients.”

Post copied from: http://ehotelier.com/news/people/2015/03/25/interstate-europe-announces-four-appointments-to-uk-management-team/

Casa de Campo appoints Leandro Cruz as VP of Sales

The management of Casa de Campo – the 7,000-acre luxury resort and golf destination in La Romana, Dominican Republic – announces the appointment of Leandro Cruz to Vice President of Sales. 


Cruz will be responsible for overseeing local and international sales at Casa de Campo – most famous for its stellar Pete Dye-designed golf courses, including the #1 golf course in Latin America, Teeth of the Dog – in addition to its world class polo and tennis facilities, ki-ra spa, spacious villas and private beaches.

“We are pleased to have an executive, like Leandro Cruz, with such an acclaimed professional portfolio and sales expertise,” said Rafael Torres, President of Casa de Campo.

A hotel management graduate, Cruz has more than 25 years experience in the hospitality industry throughout the United States, Europe and Latin America.

Casa de Campo is a member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts and Leading Hotels of the World provides a choice accommodations in hotel rooms, suites or villa homes. “The Sporting Life” beckons with classic sports rooted in tradition, including five Pete Dye-designed golf courses (including famed Teeth of the Dog), 370-slip Marina & Yacht Club, Polo & Equestrian Club, La Terrazza Tennis Center and skeet/trap shooting at the 245-acre Shooting Club. Additional amenities range from The Casa de Campo Spa, Minitas Beach and Catalina Island, to The Beach Club by Le Cirque dining, six other cuisine collections, and cultural immersion at Altos de Chavon – an artisan’s village modeled after a 16th-century Mediterranean city with boutique shops, museums, and a 5,000-seat Grecian-style amphitheater that hosts international touring concerts.

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