Russian airline Aeroflot was accused by some of "fat cat shaming" upon learning that Mikhail Galin's frequent flier miles were taken away after he smuggled his 22-pound cat, Viktor, onto a plane. Galin earlier chose to miss a flight when he wasn't allowed to board with Viktor, who is 4.5 pounds over the limit -- then found a lookalike cat to take Viktor's place for a weigh-in for a later flight, ultimately swapping the two cats before boarding and getting caught.

Marriott International will establish its first franchised all-inclusive resort as it continues its advance into the all-inclusive sector with two Caribbean new-builds. The 283-room Autograph Collection on Curacao, owned by Bastiaan Guis with Pen Resort B.V., is planned, along with an 800-room Marriott in Jamaica.

The bidding war for Japanese hotel operator Unizo Holdings entered a new round as Fortress Investment Group raised its offer by 2.5% to $1.3 billion. The sum is below the $1.6 billion US buyout firm Blackstone Group proposed last month.

Radisson Hotel Group's one-stop website is more efficient since the company consolidated 10 sites last summer into one platform, which is on its way to doubling the visitor conversion rate, said Global VP of Digital Remy Merckx. The site is credited with enhancing booking, integrating the loyalty program and cross-promoting Radisson's eight hotel brands.

Expedia Group this week began taking into account the addition of resort fees when providing sorted lists of hotels to consumers, with the fees often leading to a lower ranking. The company's algorithms also consider room rates, hotel quality and popularity, as well as whether hotels choose to compensate Expedia.

More than 55 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home over the five-day Thanksgiving period, the most since 2005, AAA estimates. The figure is the second-highest since AAA's surveys started in 2000.

Inkaterra Hotels in Peru hired research scientist Carmen Soto several years ago to help figure out how to control insects that were ruining eucalyptus beams in its Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel. Nowadays, Soto continues research projects nearby while organizing environmental excursions for hotel guests, and other hotels around the world are similarly using scientists to further their sustainability efforts and appeal to environmentally minded guests.

Hotel Barriere Le Fouquet in Paris has unveiled townhouse-style suites with views of the Arc de Triomphe and Champs-Elysees. "With dreamy, plush decor dripping with Parisian elegance and next-level high-touch hospitality (think round-the-clock butler service, complimentary dining and spa experiences and pretty much anything else the heart desires), the grandeur of one of these expansive, 1,400-square-foot apartment-style suites is unmatched," Luxury Travel Magazine says.

New York City's legendary Waldorf Astoria will continue its glamorous history in dramatically new form if its new Chinese owner succeeds with an almost $3 billion gamble. Anbang Insurance Group paid $1.95 billion for the famed property and is spending $1 billion on renovations for 375 upscale condos and 375 hotel rooms.

Keeping and satisfying high-quality kitchen staff in a tight labor market requires constant communication and training opportunities, hotel food and beverage directors advise. "Employees stay longer and are inclined to perform better because someone showed them they matter," says Hospitality House executive Marianna Alfa.