UK rescue flights for tourists fleeing ‘out of control’ wildfires on Rhodes and Corfu

UK airlines are scrambling evacuation flights to the wildfire-ravaged islands of Rhodes and Corfu where up to 10,000 British tourists are stranded in a “living nightmare” as a fresh red alert is issued for Crete.

The two biggest holiday firms Tui and Jet2 have axed all flights to the island in the coming days after holidaymakers were forced to flee their hotels having to sleep on floors in schools, airports and sports centers – but other firms, including Ryanair, Thomas Cook and easyJet continue to fly tourists who want to travel to Rhodes.

The popular destination of Crete was also placed under an “extreme” fire warning on Monday, with Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis telling parliament it must “be on constant alert” in the weeks ahead. He declared his country to be “at war” with the blazes and warned of three more “difficult days” before the extreme heat eases.

An aerial view shows smoke billowing behind Kiotari village, on the island of Rhodes (AFP/Getty)

An aerial

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Ashford Trust Plans To Hand Back Keys for 19 US Hotels

Dallas-based real estate investment trust Ashford Hospitality Trust plans to hand back the keys for 19 hotels after failing to meet debt yield tests on maturing loans.

All of the hotels sat in three pools of commercial mortgage-backed securities loans that matured in June, and company officials believe the required $255 million in paydowns to extend loan terms would represent “negative equity value,” according to a statement the company released late Friday. Ashford Trust had marketed several of the hotels they now plan to hand back to lenders but did not accept any bids above the amount owed on the properties.

“The company has been in discussions with the lenders on these loan pools seeking modifications to the extension tests, but at this time, it appears that the most likely outcome will be a consensual transfer of these hotels to the respective lenders,” the news release states.

Ashford Trust officials

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Choice Hotels (CHH) Expands in Colorado With New Hotel Opening

Choice Hotels International, Inc.‘s CHH Cambria brand recently announced the addition of the Cambria Hotel Copper Mountain in Colorado. This marks the brand’s third property in the region, joining the likes of Fort Collins and Denver International Airport.

Located in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, the six-story (127-room) upscale hotel provides guests access to fitness centers, on-site dining and multi-function indoor-outdoor meeting spaces. It also offers convenient access to a wide range of winter and summer outdoor activities, including MTB trails and Vail Pass. The property is in close proximity to leisure attractions such as the Leadville, Vail and Lake Dillon.

The company stated the integration of the property with the Choice Privileges loyalty program, which allows customers to earn and redeem points for reward nights. This includes properties from its existing coverage of 7,400 hotels (or 22 brands) located in 45 countries and territories worldwide. The company

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15 Richest Hotel Owners in the World

In this article, we will take a look at the 15 richest hotel owners in the world. If you wish to skip our detailed analysis on the richest hoteliers in the world, the hotel industry and billionaire wealth, you may jump to 5 Richest Hotel Owners in the World.

$500 Billion Poorer

The United States may be the richest country with the most billionaires, but the wealthiest are certainly not reaching new heights this year. According to Forbes, soaring inflation and falling markets have led the 400 wealthiest Americans to lose almost $500 billion last year. All of these individuals are now worth $4 trillion, experiencing a collective decrease in their net worth by 11%. For the first time since the Great Recession, the rich didn’t get any richer as compared to the previous year. In fact, the minimum net worth to make the Forbes 400 list also fell

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Windsor area hotels sell out amid busy event weekend

A number of events are happening across the region this weekend, including the Taylor Swift concert in Detroit, Poutine Feast at Festival Plaza and Strawberry Festival in LaSalle causing a sell out of inventory for Windsor area hotels.

Gordon Orr, CEO, Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island says this is a good problem to have.

“Events such as the Taylor Swift concert or conferences or swim meets or any sort of event that brings people here, they have the opportunity to experience Windsor-Essex first hand. And then they go back go back and they’re ambassadors for our community and they help tell our story.”

Orr notes that this is the first summer in three years with no COVID restrictions in effect and they are looking forward to having an uninterrupted summer.

He says ‘Art in the Park’ last weekend set the pace with over 20,000 people in attendance, and is

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Park Hotels Stops Debt Payments on Two San Francisco Properties

(Bloomberg) — Park Hotels & Resorts Inc. has stopped making payments on a loan tied to the Hilton San Francisco Union Square and the Parc 55 San Francisco, two of the city’s largest hotels, dealing another blow to a downtown struggling with remote work and mounting public safety concerns.

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Park is working with servicers on the $725 million loan to determine the best path forward for the 1,921-room Hilton property and the 1,024-room Parc 55 hotel, according to a statement Monday. The company expects that it will eventually remove the hotels from its portfolio.

“Now more than ever, we believe San Francisco’s path to recovery remains clouded and elongated by major challenges,” Chief Executive Officer Thomas Baltimore said in the statement. The city faces “record high office vacancies; concerns over street conditions; lower returns to offices than peer cities; and a weaker-than-expected citywide convention calendar through

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10 of the Best Luxury Hotels in Maine

Maine is renowned for its beaches, endless outdoor activities and adventures (including plenty of scenic hiking opportunities), and, of course, lobster. Whether you’re traveling with a partner, friends, or family — or flying solo — the Pine Tree State offers something for everyone. The destination also boasts its fair share of luxury hotels that embody its distinct laid-back vibe. From breezy beachfront resorts to intimate inns, we’ve rounded up the best luxury hotels in Maine to book for your next New England weekend getaway.

Related: The Best Small Coastal Towns in New England


Cliff House

Courtesy of Cliff House



This oceanfront hotel in Cape Neddick has been welcoming travelers since 1872. Each of the 226 rooms and suites is outfitted with breezy coastal-inspired decor and private terraces where you can soak up the magnificent sea views. On-site activities run the gamut from painting and stargazing to yoga and photography lessons.

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Ottawa man says hotel in Laval, Que., should warn guests that car thefts are a problem

Jose Velasquez was enjoying his stay at the Sheraton Hotel in Laval, Que., when he traveled there from Ottawa recently for his son’s hockey tournament — until his car disappeared.

He tried to track it down with GPS, but the results weren’t much help.

“At first I thought maybe I parked it elsewhere, but it shows me exactly where I parked it, and I knew it was gone,” said Velasquez.

The night before his own car was stolen, Velasquez had heard of other car thefts at the same hotel, located just off Highway 15, north of Montreal.

“I didn’t think my car was in danger because maybe it’s a rare occurrence,” he said.

Yet another hockey parent complained on Facebook about the frequency of car thefts at the Sheraton in Laval, warning people not to stay at the hotel.

More patrols needed: APA head

George Iny, the head of the

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