Hotels and Resorts Pulse: 5 Trends That Defined the Week of Jan. 16-22

Photo courtesy of Hotel Regina

Travelers know that blissful silence is a precious commodity in the hotel industry — and its availability varies wildly from accommodation to accommodation. There is one that has edged out all others in pure, unadulterated lack of decibels, as recognized by Europe-based Quietroom Foundation in its first annual 2015 Quiet Hotel Award. Click to find out the winner.

Commune Hotels & Resorts and Destination Hotels have just agreed to a merger — the result is a formidable entity in the independent and lifestyle hotel sector. The newly combined company will operate more than 90 hotels and resorts in seven countries with about $2 billion total property revenues. Click for more details.

A recent hotel room hygiene study was conducted by Travelmath, who took 36 different samples from nine different hotels, specifically from bathroom counters, remotes, desks and phones. The results were surprising, and indicated that the number of stars an accommodation has does not necessarily determine its level of cleanliness. Click to find out more.

A fire broke out at the legendary five-star Ritz Hotel in Paris Tuesday, spreading from the seventh floor to the roof before being brought under control. Closed since 2012 for renovations, the accommodation is due to reopen in March, but that date is now being called into question.

With plans to construct a hotel-resort, marina, spa, beach club, restaurants, and a nightclub there, the Eastern European nation of Montenegro would like to eventually invite you to Mamula Island in the picturesque Bay of Kotor for some R&R. But some are up in arms over the plans, as the island was an Italian concentration camp during World War II, where conditions were cruel and over 100 prisoners died. Click to find out more about the opposing sides.

Follow @Michael_Isenbek