The Lodging Lowdown is a series from Hotel Dive highlighting major headlines that hospitality professionals may have missed from the week.
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This week in hotel news saw two advances in the artificial intelligence space: Google introduced hotel booking through AI Mode in Search, partnering with the likes of Hilton and Choice Hotels for the launch; and hospitality management firm Aimbridge Hospitality launched an AI-powered staffing management platform called LIFT.
In addition, two companies made changes to their C-Suites this week: Airbnb named Pepijn Rijvers as its new chief business officer, while Choice Hotels International appointed interim CEO Dominic Dragisich as the company’s full-time president and CEO.
Here’s other news from the week that hoteliers should have on their radars:
Mews launches POS in U.S. and Canada
Mews launched Mews POS in the U.S. and Canada on Sept. 1. The system lets hotels run their property management, payments and food and beverage operations through one interface, according to a news release.
The system is already live in more than 20 countries across Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, per the release. According to Mews, its launch in North America is part of the company’s broader strategy to offer hoteliers a cohesive system “that covers the full scope of hotel operations.”
Richard Valtr, founder of Mews, said in a statement that the system “removes the headaches that come with standalone systems,” collating every guest interaction and payment in one place “with no manual reconciliation at the end of the shift.”
Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa begins $107M renovation project
MGM Resorts International’s Borgata Tower, part of Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City, New Jersey, announced plans to undergo $107 million in renovations, according to a Wednesday news release. The project will include updates to the tower’s guest rooms and suites, corridors and main lobby.
Work is expected to begin Sept. 13, and renovated guest rooms will be available starting in October, per the release. Avenue Interior Design is leading the renovation and intends to bring a “warmer, more contemporary” feel to the resort, per the release. Meanwhile, new furnishings and finishes throughout the property will draw inspiration from modern Italian design.
The project is part of a larger propertywide overhaul that will continue into 2027, per MGM. In 2023, the MGM Tower, formerly the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa Water Club, underwent a $55 million renovation as part of its rebranding.
Hotel Equities partners with Lodgic Hospitality to manage Austin portfolio
Management company Hotel Equities is partnering with Lodgic Hospitality to oversee its three-hotel portfolio in Austin, Texas, according to a Thursday news release. The properties, owned by entities affiliated with Lodgic Hospitality and its investment partners, include Aloft by Marriott Austin Northwest, Tru by Hilton Austin NW Arboretum and Hilton Garden Inn Austin Central.
The additions expand Hotel Equities’ Austin portfolio to seven properties and its Texas roster to 25.
“Austin is one of the most competitive hospitality markets in the country, and these three properties strengthen our position here,” David Rosenberg, president of the focused service division of Atlanta-based Hotel Equities, said in a statement.
In a statement, Amit Patel, CEO of Texas-based Lodgic Hospitality, said the company decided to partner with Hotel Equities “to bring additional scale, systems and specialized resources to the day-to-day operations of these assets.
