The notion of "downsizing" has long been associated with the adverse affects of the economy on businesses. Many business experts, in particular investors, believe that larger businesses are better suited to survival in challenging economic times. But according to two new pieces of research, smaller organizations that focus their efforts on sustainability may win out in the long run.

In banking, the term "too big to fail" is bandied about, suggesting that the larger the bank, the more stable and profitable it must be.

A new study by the Global Alliance for Banking on Values, however, suggests that from 2007 to 2010, "sustainable banks" had significantly higher levels of growth in loans and deposits and better Returns on Assets with comparable Returns on Equity than the world's 29 "GSIFIs" (Global Systemically Important Financial Institutions as classified by the Financial Stability Board).Continue reading...

It's nothing unusual for a hotel chain to concentrate on China as a growth market; InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) was the first international hotelier in the country and has operated there for thirty years. What is novel, however, is IHG's newest Chinese play: Hualuxe, which the company describes in a press release as "the first international brand designed specially for the Chinese traveller."

"Hua" translates into 'majestic China' and "Luxe," of course, stands for 'luxury.' IHG says it already tailors the hotels it operates in China to local tastes, but Hualuxe will take the concept one well-shod step further to attract the high-end traveler.Continue reading...

While some hotels may be considered trendy, you wouldn't think a major global hotel chain would watch lifestyle trends so carefully that it would launch brands around them.

But InterContinental Hotel Group (IHG) is different. Back in 2004, IHG introduced Hotel Indigo, widely regarded as the first of the boutique hotel brands that started a trend among large hoteliers. In 2007, IHG started refurbishing its somewhat dowdy Holiday Inn brand and gave franchisees until the end of 2010 to "contemporize" or risk losing rights to use the iconic name. Today, most Holiday Inns have been updated to reflect a whole new look. Holiday Inn Express, which pioneered the limited-service hotel segment in 1990, is one of the fastest growing hotel brands.

Now IHG is bringing a new hotel brand to the chain's biggest U.S. cities, bucking the trend of major chains making investments in Asia and Europe while avoiding a soft and saturated North American market. The just-announced brand, called EVEN Hotels, is all about lifestyle — a healthy one.Continue reading...

When it comes to personal branding, it's hard to trump Donald Trump. The self-proclaimed $3 billion brand name may have been conspicuously absent from the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary, but don't count Donald Trump out just yet.

Flexing his publicity-prone muscles, Donald Trump gave the media and blogosphere a New Year's gift by proclaiming that he wouldn't rule out a run for president as an independent should the Republicans choose the "wrong candidate." In fact, a report surfaced that a group of Trump supporters had filed paperwork in Texas to allow him to run as a third-party candidate for the "Make America Great Again Party." 

Whether it's true or not, Trump continues to keep the political fire burning — and awareness of his name high.Continue reading...

The gay-rights movement was kicked off back in 1969 when a police raid on the Stonewall Inn, a hangout for the gay community of the time, in New York’s Greenwich Village was met with outrage, protest, and violence. More than 40 years later, New York is getting its first gay, but “straight-friendly,” hotel.

The Out NYC is scheduled to open in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood on March 1. Hotelchatter.com reports that room prices start at $229 a night, although there is actually a cheaper option. The Out also has $99 “Sleep Share” rooms that will have you sharing your room with three other people. Don’t worry, you each get your own bed, TV, privacy curtains, and “a cubby to store your belongings,” the site reports.

The Out will have its own nightclub (partially put together by the creators of New York’s legendary Roxy), restaurant, and 5,000-square-foot fitness center along with three courtyards, one of which the hotel suggests would be good for a wedding now that gay marriage is legal in the state of New York.

In the branding world, Las Vegas stands out as a city so well known that it is in a class by itself. The hotel brands that occupy the Vegas strip are just as famously iconic, so it's a rare event when one of them changes its name.

But on Tuesday, some Sin City visitors may have thought an extended New Year's hangover had them seeing things. That's when the long-standing Hilton name was removed from the Las Vegas Hilton and a new marquee appeared: The Las Vegas Hotel & Casino. 

Opened as the International Hotel in 1969, the property soon became the Las Vegas Hilton when the hotel chain bought it in 1971. But last year, financial troubles led to the hotel-casino seeking to end its agreement with Hilton, and new ownership took effect this year.

The new owners, an investor group that includes Colony Capital LLC, were determined the hotel will remain open for business without any big changes beyond a new name and website (indeed, Flavor Flav used the hotel to launch his vodka before the holiday, LeFlav Straight Up). However, guests staying at the hotel can no longer take advantage of Hilton's hotel loyalty program.Continue reading...

Morgans Hotel Group pulled out of its minority stake in the Las Vegas Hard Rock Hotel & Casino back in March, but the company can’t seem to stay away from the gambling capital.

This time around, though, the company that owns 13 hotels, such as New York’s Hudson Hotel and the Delano in Miami's South Beach, is going into Vegas by buying a 90% stake in Vegas nightclub operator the Light Group for around $47 million, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Nightlife is a key component in Morgans' brand reputation.Continue reading...

New York hotelier Ian Schrager announced in May a new boutique hotel brand, Public, that would kick off in Chicago.

True to his word, the property opened this month, and has been drawing accolades from locals suspicious that he would ruin the Ambassador or its famed Pump Room restaurant, which has reopened under chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten.

Public's website explains the brand concept as "Ian Schrager has taken the best from the luxury segment, boutique hotels and select service to create a new genre of hotel where everything has been rethought and every original idea updated. At PUBLIC, service matters most. But the key point of differentiation is in the kind and quality of services it offers. The brand will only offer services that matter, those that guests really want and need rather than an array of superfluous services they do not use."Continue reading...