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Tags: NYT Reviews / Stockholm Hotels / Clarion Hotels / → All Tags

The Clarion Sign: An 'Overblown Diorama of the Scandinavian Sensibility'

Where: Ostra Jarnvagsgatan 35, Stockholm, Sweden

Scandinavian devotees might very well froth at the mouth over Stockholm’s Clarion Sign hotel — at least if the NYT is to be believed. Declared Stockholm’s biggest hotel, with “550-odd rooms,” the hotel also won Times-er Frank Bruni’s declaration that it’s “quite possibly” the most Scandinavian (based on Bruni’s travels in Norway, Iceland, Sweden, and “Ikea stores in several continents,” that is) — “a sort of overblown diorama of the Scandinavian sensibility.”

But what does that actually mean? Mod Arne Jacobsen chairs and four kinds of pickled herring at the free breakfast buffet, apparently.

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Tags: Choice Hotels / Clarion Hotels / Ascend Hotels / Steve Joyce / → All Tags

Clarion Hotels To Change Brand Name to 'Ascend'

Where: United States

Evidently there's some news to tell from Choice Hotels. While it's gone unreported, for the most part, by those in the know, we did a little research. And now that we know, we'll tell you.

During a convention earlier this year, the staff got to meet and greet the company's new President and future CEO, former Marriott International bigwig Steve Joyce. And once Steve took the mic, he announced something big was in the works.

Seems there's a rebranding campaign afoot regarding the company's more upscale Clarion Collection of hotels. Word is they'll be rebranded as the Ascend Collection, complete with nifty new logo and designations as "historic," "boutique" or "unique." Hmmmm...this also sounds alot like Aloft by Starwood.

While all this news continues to fly under the radar, such is not the case with Mr. Joyce's earnings. Word is his new gig got him a major raise worth $1.3 million in stock incentives before he even officially assumed his role at the company May 1st.

Forget the nunnery, we say, get thee to a job at Choice Hotels.