Courtyard by Marriott New York Midtown West opened in Midtown Manhattan. The 28-story hotel is located in the city’s Hudson Yards district, offering guests convenient access to the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, The High Line, Madison Square Garden and the Empire State Building.

You can expect to see licorice syrup, spicy tomato granita and orange wines across banquets, events, restaurants and bars in 2020, according to Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants’ sixth annual Culinary & Cocktails Trends Forecast. More than 130 chefs, sommeliers, general managers and bartenders from over 75 Kimpton restaurants and bars were surveyed to uncover the 2020 trends. Read more.

Shangri-La Hotel, Suzhou Yuanqu debuted in the city’s central business district of Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP). The 32-story hotel features 303 guest rooms and suites as well as 16 serviced residences with views of Jinji Lake and the city landscape.

Renaissance Indian Wells reopened as Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa at Indian Wells following a multimillion-dollar design transformation. The property underwent a complete makeover of its 560 guest rooms including 103 suites. Also included in the project were remastered corridors, a new multi-story lobby, a new fitness center, pool-area enhancements and food and beverage innovations, including The Place lobby bar.

The Hotel Distil and Moxy Louisville Downtown opened on historic Whiskey Row, sharing the same building. Both hotels are Marriott branded and operated by White Lodging.

Stamats Communications business-to-business (B2B) publishing brand Meetings Today won a Folio: Eddie Award in the categories of best Full Issue: B2B, Travel/Transportation, for its October 2018 issue; and for Best Website/B2B, General for MeetingsToday.com. Read more.

PCMA announced the locations of its 2022 and 2023 Convening Leaders event. The association selected Las Vegas and Caesars Entertainment’s new Caesars Forum conference center for the 2022 event and Columbus, Ohio, for its 2023 event. Read more.

The Axis Hotel Moline, Tapestry Collection by Hilton opened in the historic Fifth Avenue building in downtown Moline. The hotel and historic art deco landmark was named for the location’s prominence on Fifth Avenue and 17^th Street. When the Fifth Avenue building was originally constructed in 1929, the location was known as the main axis of Moline, connecting business, leisure and transportation.

Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood debuted its Guitar Hotel as part of the property's $1.5 billion expansion. Complementing the 450-foot high Guitar Hotel are a Hard Rock Live performance venue for 7,000 attendees; 13.5-acre pool and lagoon experience with overwater cabanas; more than two dozen dining, lounge and entertainment options; and more than 150,000 square feet of meeting space.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Sunday, Oct. 27, as multiple wildfires spread across the state. What does this mean for planners and attendees in these fire zones? Read more.