Things to Do in Lyon During ECE 2019

The European Congress of Endocrinology (ECE) attracts over 3,500 international delegates each year as the European Society of Endocrinology’s premier event. ECE 2019 will take place between 18-21 May 2019 at Le Centre de Congrès de Lyon, Lyon, France. We’ve put up a list with accommodation options you can choose from and also worked on this blog article with what you can do while in Lyon. Enjoy!

Book your accommodation for ECE 2019 at the best hotels in Lyon!

Founded 2,000 years ago, Lyon is France’s third largest city and a major tourist destination. The city feels like a living museum where you can experiment the culture and traditions of the populations that have inhabited it.

 

Visit le Musée des Beaux-Arts

With over 70 rooms and an impressive collection of paintings from the 1300s to the 1900s, sculpture and displays of both Egyptian and Oriental art, the Musée des Beaux-Arts is France’s largest fine art museum after the Louvre in Paris. Housed in a former 17th century abbey, the museum opened to the public in 1803 in order to preserve and display French and international arts. Some of the artists on show include: Degas, van Gogh, Renoir, Cézanne, El Greco, Canaletto, Picasso, Max Ernst and Francis Bacon and many others.

What’s truly impressive is the Antiquities department which houses some 600 Ancient Egyptian artefacts, including reliefs, busts, statuettes and sarcophagi, as well as monumental gates from the Medamud temple.

 

Spend an afternoon in the Parc de la Tête d’Or

In 1530, the lands constituting the current park were the property of the Lambert family, and the location was already named “Parc de la Tête d’or”. At that time the area was a flood zone, composed mainly of swamps. When the park opened in 1857,  a dam was built to make non-flooded vast lands transformed into a park.

The park contains four rose gardens, huge greenhouses, a botanical garden, a zoo and a velodrome. The botanical attractions are spectacular, with more than 20,000 plant varieties and impressive 19th-century greenhouses.

 

Be amazed by the Musée Miniature et Cinéma

Located in the “Maison des Avocats”, a 17th-century World Heritage building, the Musée Miniature et Cinéma is one of Lyon’s most unusual museums, currently ranked 7th-best museum in France. It’s actually two museums in one covering the area of special effects in films, as well as the art of miniatures.

The special effects in films is the only collection of its kind in Europe and it highlights the tricks and techniques used in films before digital filmmaking.

The art of miniatures hosts a collection of miniature scenes created by Dan Ohlmann, along with some 30 miniaturists from around the world. There are more than 120 ultra-realistic reproductions and dioramas of our everyday spaces.

 

Feel the history at the Ancient Theatre of Fourvière

The Ancient Theatre of Fourvière is a Roman theatre that was built on the hill of Fourvière, which is located in the center of the Roman city. In 15 BC, a theatre with a 90 m diameter was built next to the hill. The structure was completed at the beginning of the 2nd century giving way to a theatre with a diameter of 108 m and seats for 10,000 people. 2,000 years later, the theatre is still being used every summer to host the Nuits de Fourvière festival.

Book your accommodation for ECE 2019 at the best hotels in Lyon!

 

About Congress Bookers

In the world of MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events), Congress Bookers provides a whole range of services needed to organize a group for a medical congress. On our website, you will find a full list of hotel allotments for the most important medical congresses, regardless of their location. We operate internationally!

• ECTRIMS 2018
• ESMO 2018
• EBMT 2019
• ECCO 2019
• EAU 2019
• EPA 2019
• EASL 2019
• EHA 2019

The EAACI Congress 2017 is in Helsinki. Top 5 Locations to Visit while There

The European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, EAACI, is an association of more than 50 National Allergy Societies, over 9,500 academicians, research investigators and clinicians, from 121 different countries across the globe.

EAACI’s Annual Congress is one of the biggest international meetings dedicated to Allergology and Clinical Immunology. It brings together thousands of delegates from every corner of the world, and provides many sessions covering all aspects of their field.

EAACI 2017 will be held in Helsinki, Finland, a city situated on the shore of the Gulf of Finland. According to Wikipedia: “In 2011, the Monocle magazine ranked Helsinki the most liveable city in the world in its “Liveable Cities Index 2011”. In the Economist Intelligence Unit’s August 2015 Liveability survey, assessing the best and worst cities to live in globally, Helsinki placed among the world’s top ten cities.”

Scenic summer view of the Old Port pier architecture with ships, yachts and other boats in the Old Town of Helsinki, Finland.

To make your stay in Helsinki as memorable as possible, we’ve put together a list with the top 5 locations that you can visit while you’re there:

Visit the Ateneum Art Museum

Ateneum is Finland’s National Museum of Art and it boasts some of the most loved classic works of Finnish art – paintings and sculptures from the late 19th century through to the 1950s, including works by Albert Edelfelt, Hugo Simberg, Helene Schjerfbeck, the Von Wright brothers and Pekka Halonen.

There’s also a collection of 19th and early 20th century foreign art, including works such as

Rembrandt’s Monk Reading and Vincent van Gogh’s Street in Auvers-sur-Oise.

The building hosting the Ateneum Art Museum dates from 1887.

 

Walk around the Design District

You can learn more about how design has become a lifestyle for the Finns and visit design stores by going on a 2-hour walking tour around the Design District. You will also learn about iconic Finnish designers such as Alvar Aalto, Eero Aarnio and Jukka Rintala.
The design quarter now spans over 25 streets and features over 200 design spots.

Be Amazed at the Temppeliaukio Church

It’s not age that makes the Temppeliaukio Church one of the most well-known architectural sights in Finland. The “Rock Church” as some call it, was only built in 1969 and designed by brothers Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen. What makes it truly special is the fact that it is built inside of a massive block of natural granite in the middle of a residential square. Its copper roof shines with natural light that brightens the inside through 180 glasses between the dome and the wall. Concerts are oftentimes being held inside the church because of its enhanced acoustics.

Go to the Zoo

You won’t believe it but Helsinki Zoo Korkeasaari was established in 1889 which makes it one of the oldest zoos in the world. In here, you’ll see around 200 different animal species, from the arctic tundra to the tropical rainforest. There are also around a 1000 different plant species.

Restore the Calm at the Kamppi Chapel of Silence

The Kamppi Chapel of Silence is located in the Narinkkatori square and it’s a Lutheran chapel.   There, people can enjoy a moment of calm and silence at the centre of what is probably Finland’s busiest area. The church promotes contemporary architecture and also works as an  exhibition area. It’s a place where visitors can meet both a priest and a social worker.

As you’ve seen, there are quite a few things to visit and do while you’re in Helsinki. Don’t let the opportunity of learning more about this beautiful city slip away.
Travelling to Helsinki for the EAACI 2017 Congress? Check out our accommodation offers!

• Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel 4* – 55 rooms
• Original Sokos Hotel Vaakuna 4* – 55 rooms
• Glo Hotel Kluuvi 4* – 30 rooms
• Helka Hotel 4* – 55 rooms
• Kamp Hotel 5* – 40 rooms
• Haven Hotel 4* – 26 rooms
• Klaus K Hotel 4* – 55 rooms
• Next Rivoli Jardin 4* – 30 rooms
• Fabian Hotel 4* – 18 rooms
• Lilla Roberts Hotel 4* – 89 rooms
• Best Western Premier Katajanokka 4* – 75 rooms
• Clarion Hotel 4* – 35 rooms
• Hanasaari Hotel 4* – 55 rooms

5 Things to Do in London while Attending EAU 2017

The 32nd Annual EAU Congress is the second annual EAU event to be held in London since 1988. The event will take place between 24-28 March 2017. More than 14,000 professional visitors and participants are expected to attend the event for its in-depth scientific programme, presented and examined by 1,400 expert speakers and lecturers.

If you happen to be in London for the 32nd Annual EAU Congress, there are plenty of things that you can do and see after the daily congress programme. We’ve picked 5 things that are totally related to London and that will create that unique connection between you and this impressive city.

 

Visit the Impressive Wellcome Collection

This was amassed by Sir Henry Wellcome, a pioneering 19th-century pharmacist, and it comprises a collection of items related to the medical trade. Some of them are really fascinating – used guillotine blades, ivory carvings of pregnant women and even Napoleon’s toothbrush. Apart from these, there are also some works of modern art on display.

One well known item that’s part of the Wellcome Collection is the leather resuscitator. Its story will definitely bewilder any reader. This leather resuscitator was used in the 18th century to revive victims of drowning by blowing smoke up their rectum. So that’s why these resuscitator were actually placed along the Thames river. It was pretty common for people to fall in the river at that time.

Thanks to a £17.5 million development project, more areas of the Wellcome building have recently been opened, including two new galleries and the beautiful Reading Room.

 

See a Play at the Royal National Theatre

This is known to be one of the greatest theatres in the world, showcasing a varied programme, including Shakespeare and other international classic drama, as well as new plays by contemporary playwrights. The theatre features four auditoriums – Olivier, Lyttelton, Dorfman and Temporary- and each auditorium can run up to three shows in repertoire.

In June 2009, the theatre started National Theatre Live (NT Live), a programme of simulcasts of live productions to cinemas, first in the United Kingdom and then its greatest hits got beamed across the globe to over 1,000 venues in 35 countries.

While at the National Theatre, you also have access to eating and drinking facilities, including flagship restaurant House.

 

Visit the British Museum

The British Museum was opened in 1759 and it was actually the first national museum to be open to the public in the whole world. It was free to visit then and it still is free to visit today. It’s a great opportunity for every history lover to connect with other cultures, be they ancient or contemporary. You can also find there the most significant finds made by British explorers such as the Rosetta Stone from Ancient Egypt and the Parthenon sculpture from the Acropolis in Athens. The galleries are organised by location and periods in history – Ancient Iran, Greece, China from 5000 BC onwards, Roman Britain, etc.

The British Museum opens its doors to over six million visitors every year, being one of the world’s most popular attractions.

 

Go for a Spin in the London Eye

This observation wheel started turning in 2000. When built in 1999 it was the world’s tallest Ferris wheel. The trip takes 30 minutes for a full rotation and on a clear day passengers can see as far as Windsor Castle. On most days. you can see if the Queen’s opened the curtains yet at Buckingham Palace 🙂

Take a Walk on the Tower Bridge

Although the Tower Bridge is only 120 years old, the fact that it lifts up in the middle when large vessels are passing underneath makes it famous across the globe and an iconic symbol of London. As Wikipedia explains it: “The bridge consists of two bridge towers tied together at the upper level by two horizontal walkways, designed to withstand the horizontal tension forces exerted by the suspended sections of the bridge on the landward sides of the towers.” On average, Tower Bridge is raised 850 times a year.

The bridge’s walkways have a floor made of glass that gives you the feeling that you’re standing on top of the Thames without anything between the water and your feet.

These are only 5 things that you can do in London during the 32nd Annual EAU Congress. If you need more information on what can be done there, check out the London Pass website.

 

Travelling to London for EAU 2017? Book your Accommodation Now!

 

We’ve got rooms in the following 4-star hotels:

• Britannia International
• Corus Hyde Park
• Novotel London Paddington
• Citizen M Bankside
• Doubletree Islington
• Millenium Baileys
• Copthorne Tara
• Mercure London Bridge
• Millenium Gloucester
• Grange Wellington
• The Cumberland
• ibis London Euston St Pancras
• Marble Arch Marriott Hotel
• Regents Park Marriott
• Park Plaza County Hall
• Park Plaza Victoria
• Citizen M Tower of London

4 Reasons Why Madrid is a Great Destination for the EULAR Congress in 2017

The Annual European Congress of Rheumatology was first held in 2000 and has since then become the primary meeting event for medical doctors, scientists, people with arthritis/rheumatism, health professionals and representatives of the pharmaceutical industry worldwide. Usually, the EULAR congress takes place every year, in June, in one of Europe’s major cities.

In 2017, the EULAR congress will be held in Madrid, Spain. The city is not only one of the most renowned ones in Europe for its beauty but also one that sees an increasing number of visitors walking its roads and paths every year. What makes Madrid so special and why is it a perfect location for the EULAR congress? You’re about to find out.

 

Madrid’s History

The city was originally called Mayrit and it was founded by the emir Muhammad at the end of the IX century. Under the Arab occupation of the Iberian Peninsula, the city gained importance and surpassed Toledo which had previously been the main Spanish centre.

Panoramic aerial view of Gran Via, main shopping street in Madrid, capital of Spain, Europe.

Because Madrid passed from Muslim to Christian hands several times during the Reconquest of Spain by the Christians, a mixture of cultures still characterizes the city even today. The present location of Madrid, at the centre of Spain, was established by king Alfonso I in 1083.

It was over the following centuries that the city developed in what we see today. The Main Square (Plaza Mayor) was built under the auspice of John II during the 13th century. Later on, Enrique III ordered the building of El Pardo Palace as a place of residence for royal visits. In 1561, the Spanish Court was transferred from its location in Toledo to Madrid.

The Spanish Constitution of 1978 confirmed Madrid as capital city of Spain after the death of General Franco.

Nowadays, Madrid has a population of around 3 million inhabitants in the metropolitan area and nearly 6 million people in the whole province of Madrid.

 

Plaza Mayor

It was designed in 1619 by Juan Gómez de Mora and built in typical Herrerian style, of which the slate spires are the most obvious expression. Until 1878, bullfights, often in celebration of royal weddings or births, were a recurring event in the Plaza. Also, during the Spanish Inquisition, ritual condemnations of heretics, followed by executions would also be carried out here.

In 1790, a fire greatly destroyed the square, which was then rebuilt under the supervision of Juan de Villanueva, who lent his name to the building where we can visit nowadays the Museo del Prado.

The present frescoes date back to 1992 when Madrid was named the European Capital of Culture. They were made by artist Carlos Franco and represent signs of the zodiac and different gods.

 

Museo del Prado

It hosts one of the world’s top art galleries, with more than 7000 paintings in its collection (including renowned artists like Velázquez, Goya, Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, José de Ribera and Francisco de Zurbarán).

In 1785, the western wing of the Prado was completed and is now known as the neoclassical Palacio de Villanueva. Although it was initially meant to serve as a house of science, the building was used as cavalry barracks for Napoleon’s troops during their occupation of Madrid between 1808 and 1813.

It was in 1814 that King Fernando VII decided to use the palace as a museum, with the purpose of storing royal paintings. In 1819, the Museo del Prado opened for visitors with 311 Spanish paintings on display.

 

Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza

In the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, visitors can see art from the 13th century to the late 20th century. There are nearly one thousand works on display and visitors can take a glimpse at the main periods of western art including the Renaissance, Mannerism, the Baroque, Rococo, Romanticism and the art of the 19th and 20th centuries up to Pop Art.

You can see a mix of the big three of cubism, Picasso, Georges Braque and Madrid’s own Juan Gris, along with several other contemporaries.

Some of the museum’s most valuable pieces can be found on the 1st floor. There’s a Gainsboroug, a Goya, Van Gogh’s Les Vessenots, the Woman in Riding Habit by Manet, The Thaw at Véthueil by Monet, Renoir’s Woman with a Parasol in a Garden and Pissarro’s quintessentially Parisian Rue Saint-Honoré in the Afternoon. Cézanne, Gauguin, Toulouse-Lautrec, Degas and other big names like Picasso, Matisse and Modigliani can also be found on this floor.

Madrid is an amazing city for many reasons. Some of them we outlined in this article, others are there for you to discover.

Travelling to Madrid for EULAR 2017? Book your Accommodation Today!

We’ve got rooms in the following 4-star hotels across Madrid:

Silken Puerta Madrid – 85 rooms

Novotel Puente de la Paz – 130 rooms

Melia Galgos – 25 rooms

Axor Barajas – 100 rooms

Axor Feria – 100 rooms

Marriott Auditorium – 130 rooms

AC by Marriott Aitana Hotel – 40 rooms

 

Why the EBMT Annual Meeting Should Be on Your List in 2017

The European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) is a non-profit organisation established in 1974 with the purpose of enabling scientists and physicians doing  clinical bone marrow transplantation to share their experience and put together co-operative studies.

In 2017, the 43rd edition of the EBMT Annual Meeting will be held in Marseille, France. The 2017 edition will also include the 33rd EBMT Nurses Group meeting, 16th EBMT Data Management Group Meeting, 9th EBMT Quality Management Group Meeting, 2nd EBMT Pharmacist Day, and 11th EBMT Patient & Family Day.

Having second thoughts about attending the event? Actually, you should be attending the EBMT annual meeting in 2017 for the following reasons:

 

It is the Most Important Annual European Event in this Field

The EBMT Annual Meeting is the most important annual research and education event in the bone marrow transplantation field  in Europe.

The meeting now has over  4,000 participants, including renowned experts, scientists, physicians, nurses, statisticians, clinical research technicians, patients and processing laboratory personnel. Attendees will access a programme that includes symposia, educational sessions and workshops discussing the main issues related to bone marrow and stem cell transplantation.

The EMBT has always helped establish a close relationship between its sponsors and collaborators, fact that adds real value to the meeting, benefitting all attendees in the long run.

 

It is Highly Diverse to Suit All Audiences

The EBMT Annual Meeting includes both educational days and a series of educational sessions on highly discussed themes for audiences with different needs.

The EBMT Patient and Family Day has been included in the programme for the past 5 years and takes place on the Saturday immediately preceding the EBMT Annual Meeting. The sessions included here are very detailed and informative and are specifically directed to patients and their families so that they gain insight into blood and marrow transplantation, as well as patient treatment and support networks.

Sunday is reserved to the EBMT Nurses Group and the Nurses Pre-Meeting Study Day where the latest developments and techniques for BMT nursing are discussed. On Sunday morning, there is also a Statistical Course on survival analysis for Data Managers.

The programme for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday is built around specific educational sessions and workshops for physicians, nurses, data managers, and quality managers. The programme includes sessions on current standard treatments and trends in stem cell transplantation, as well as workshop sessions.

You can find more Resources on their dedicated page.

The 2016 Edition was a Major Success

EBMT 2016 took place between 3 and 6 April 2016 in Valencia, Spain. It covered working party business meeting on the following topics: solid tumour, acute leukemia, chronic malignancies, inborn errors, infectious diseases, lymphoma, paediatric diseases, autoimmune diseases and others.

The 3 sessions taking place on the Patient, Family and Donor Day covered highly discussed and extremely important issues starting from what a transplant is and a description of the transplant process to how fertility can be preserved in transplanted patients, what the social impact of illness is and what the ethical dilemmas in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation are.

You can find more information on the event here.

You Get a Chance to Visit Marseille

Marseille is the oldest city in France, loaded with more than 1500 years of history. Over the centuries, the city became one of the most important harbours in the Mediterranean area and is now France’s second biggest city after Paris. In 2013, Marseille was selected European Capital of Culture.

At the heart of the city lies the vibrant Vieux Port (old port), pack with yachts and holiday boats. Here, you can can visit Marseille’s most famous church, the neo-Byzantine Basilica of Notre Dame de la Garde. Just uphill is the oldest part of the city, the ancient Le Panier neighbourhood. You can also go on an exploration trip in the République quarter and enjoy its swanky boutiques and Haussmannian buildings. Don’t forget to also visit Marseille’s famous striped Cathedrale Sainte-Marie-Majeure, one of the most important church and national monument in France.

Accommodation for EBMT 2017 & Marseille sightseeing

If you’re going to Marseille for EBMT 2017, we can help you find the right accommodation in one of the following 5 hotels:

Mercure Marseille Centre Prado Velodrome – 4*, 70 rooms available

Novotel Marseille Centre Prado – 4*, 25 rooms available

MGALLERY Grand Hotel Beauvau Vieux Port – 4*, 45 rooms available

Newhotel Bompard – 4*, 25 rooms available

New Hotel of Marseille – 4*, 50 rooms available

Book Your Accommodation for EBMT 2017 Now!

5 Places to Visit in Milan during ESH 2017

The ESH Annual Meeting is held in Milan every second year (odd numbered years) and in other European cities on even numbered years. Meeting attendees have access to an array of scientific programs related to research in basic and clinic areas in hypertension with lectures on the latest innovations, satellite symposia and teaching sessions.

As you might have already guessed, in 2017, the annual European Hypertension Meeting will be held in Milan between the 16th and the 19th of June. And because Milan is such a wonderful city, it would be an idea to take this opportunity and do some sightseeing. In that sense, we’ve selected 5 important places that you can visit while in Milan.

 

Santa Maria Presso di San Satiro

This is a 9th century church with Gothic frescoes, wooden sculptures and trompe l’oeil paintings. The latter refers to an art technique that uses realistic imagery to create the optical illusion that the depicted objects exist in three dimensions. Although the church itself is quite small, the interior makes up for all that it lacks in size.

The Gothic frescos, two bays and a vaulted ceiling actually date back to the 9th century, while a wooden sculpture of St. Christopher and baby Jesus is from the 14th century. It was in the 15th century that architect Donato Bramante added the Church of Saint Mary as an adjacent to the original structure. He was also the one who added the trompe l’oeil paintings in an attempt to make the church look larger. This was the first known use of the trompe l’oeil painting technique.

Royal Palace of Milan

The Palace is situated on Piazza del Duomo in central Milan and it is home to the Contemporary Art Museum and the Duomo Cathedral Museum. Covering 7,000m², the palace was the center of Milan government in the Middle Ages and during the rule of Torriani, Visconti and Sforza. During the 17th and 18th century the palace was damaged by fires and restored in 1745.

It became the home of successive rulers including Maria Theresa, Napoleon, Ferdinand I and the Savoy family. In 1920, the palace was opened to the general public. In 1943, during WWII, the building was bombed and later restored. The only part of the palace that survived bombings  is the Hall of the Caryatides (Sala delle Cariatidi) which is also one of the building’s most stunning rooms.

Piazza del Duomo

This is the main square site of the Duomo, the city’s cathedral, and other historic buildings. It is considered to be the heart of the city. The square is surrounded by the Palazzo Settentrionale with a triumphal arch leading to the 5 storey high Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II arcade; the Royal Palace of Milan; the Palazzo Meridionale; Palazzo dell’Arenario; Palazzo Carminati and two symmetrical modernist buildings known as the propylaea.

The statue of Victor Emmanuele II, the first king of unified Italy, has been standing at the centre of the square from 1896.

Santa Maria delle Grazie

The church in the Piazza Santa Maria delle Grazie is home to Leonardo da Vinci’s fresco The Last Supper. Da Vinci spent 2 years (between 1495 and 1497) painting the scene of the Jesus’ last supper with his disciples. Although the painting suffered some damage during WWII and Napoleon’s times, it is still one of the most iconic paintings out there.

The church is also worth taking a look at. It was completed in 1490 and the vaults have frescos dating back to the original construction of the building.

Discover Michelangelo’s unfinished masterpiece

The Castello Sforzesco is home to one of the city’s most precious, yet often overlooked,  artworks: Michelangelo’s final, uncompleted sculpture, the Pietà Rondanini. In 2015, the sculpture was moved to a new, purpose-built display area at the castle and shouldn’t be missed.

Accommodation for ESH 2017 & Milan sightseeing

If you’re going to Milan for ESH 2017, it would be a pity not to visit this wonderful city. You know what they say: mix business with pleasure whenever possible.

We can help you find the right accommodation for ESH 2017 in 6 of the best hotels in Milan:

Uptown Palace Hotel – 4 stars

Visconti Palace Hotel – 4 stars

Hotel Cavour – 4 stars

Worldhotel Cristoforo Colombo – 4 stars

Melia Milano Hotel – 5 stars

Westin Palace Milano – 5 stars

Book your accommodation today!

 

Hotel Reservations Are Becoming More Complicated, and Costly to Cancel

The deal on the website of Hilton Hotels & Resorts seemed like a good one to Jeffrey Buszkiewicz: A 72-hour online sale after Thanksgiving showed a $129 room at a Hilton Garden Inn in Manhattan for Christmas night. Two subsequent nights cost more.

But there was a hitch. After he talked about it with his wife and was ready to book, the rate had increased by $40 a night when he logged on again the next day.

“I assumed if the sale was on for 72 hours, the rate would be good for 72 hours,” said Mr. Buszkiewicz, fiscal officer for the Indiana University School of Education.

Making hotel reservations used to be straightforward. Guests booked a room and could generally cancel without penalty until the day of arrival.

Now, as hotel chains consolidate, last-minute booking apps proliferate, and short-term rental sites like Airbnb and HomeAway grow, experts say the reservations landscape is undergoing an upheaval with new and higher fees and new restrictions on reservations that are driving new sources of revenue.

Last January, Marriott International and Hilton began requiring cancellation the day before arrival, rather than 6 p.m. the day of arrival. Guests forfeit the amount of the first night stay if they miss the deadline.

“Hotel reservations have long been way too flexible,” Christopher K. Anderson, a faculty member at the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration, wrote in an email. They have been slow to become more restrictive because of competition, he added.

Still, with the increasing presence of online travel agents like Expedia and Priceline, and the prevalence of day-of-stay deals delivered to mobile devices, hotel cancellations are becoming more common.

“The traveler wants to be flexible, and needs to be flexible,” said Sam Shank, chief executive of Hotel Tonight, a mobile booking app started in 2011 that offers last-minute hotel deals. In 2014, it began allowing users to book a room seven days before check-in. Guests can book a stay of up to five nights. Mr. Shank said his plans change frequently, and the hassle of traveling and calling before the cutoff time for a cancellation is just one more task to remember.

In mid-November, Hilton embarked on a pilot program that imposes a $50 cancellation penalty anytime after a reservation is booked. The test is scheduled to run 60 days in 24 Hilton-managed hotels. Hilton Honors loyalty members are exempt.

Chris Silcock, an executive vice president at Hilton Worldwide, said the company was taking a measure of cancellation rates, adding that the penalty being imposed was “lower than airline fees” for changes.

Still, the fees are helping the hotel industry’s bottom line.

In a study released in August, Bjorn Hanson, a professor at the Tisch Center for Hospitality and Tourism at New York University, reported that a record level of fees and surcharges at hotels was anticipated in 2015, reaching $2.47 billion. That is up from $2.35 billion a year earlier. “With occupancy high, hotels are looking for other ways to increase revenue,” Mr. Hanson said.

Guests may be more accustomed to nonrefundable fees than they used to be because Airbnb charges them. It currently charges a guest service fee of 6 to 12 percent of the total booking. The website says the fee covers the cost of running the company.

HomeAway, which is being acquired by Expedia, said it expects to add a “traveler’s fee” averaging about 6 percent of the cost of a booking in the new year.

Some guests are beginning to push back.

Andrew Mitchell, the owner of a tutoring service in Los Angeles, is one. In trying to book a vacation rental on Airbnb, the room rental rates appeared to be competitive to hotels, but after selecting one in his price range, “I was hit with fees at the end,” he said.

When the host did not respond to his request to book a reservation, he said Airbnb told him there would be a delay in receiving a refund after his credit card was charged. Mr. Mitchell decided to book a hotel room instead.

More details…

Marriott International buys Starwood Hotels in $12bn deal

US hoteliers Marriott International and Starwood Hotels have agreed a $12.2bn (£8bn) deal to create the world’s biggest hotel company.

Combined, the two firms have more than 5,500 hotels with 1.1 million rooms and $2.7bn in revenue.

The two boards have “unanimously agreed” to the deal, under which Marriott will buy Starwood.

The tie-up will see them overtake the UK’s Intercontinental Hotels, which has just under 5,000 hotels.

J.W. Marriott, Jr, chairman of the Maryland-based company, said: “We have competed with Starwood for decades and we have also admired them.”

Marriott chief executive Arne Sorenson, who will head the new group, said the two firms hoped to become “the world’s favourite travel company”.

Starwood shares dropped 5.7% in early trading on Wall Street to $70.75, while Marriott shares fell 1% to $72.

The deal will combine Marriott’s 19 brands, including Ritz-Carlton and Fairfield Inn, with Starwood’s Westin, W and St. Regis chains.

Marriott will pay $11.9bn in stock and the rest in cash, and hopes to have the acquisition completed by mid-2016.

Starwood, which opened a review into its strategy in April, had also been linked to deals with Intercontinental and Hyatt Hotels.

BBC News