UrVenue and OpenTable partner to offer premium dining reservation access
Building on their successful 2021 integration, the collaboration allows guests to book exclusive restaurant experiences in advance via UrVenue's Itinerary Builder.
UrVenue chief growth officer Tracee Nalewak said: 'This expanded partnership gives hotels unprecedented control over how they prioritise and deliver premium dining access to their in-house guests, enhancing the overall value they bring to the stay experience.'
UrVenue's expanded collaboration with OpenTable is set to benefit luxury hotels, resorts, and lifestyle hospitality groups, among others.
With this integration, properties can now provide priority restaurant reservations access both for guests currently on-site and those with upcoming stays.
This service is incorporated into the guest's pre-arrival itinerary, ensuring a more personalised and curated dining experience.
The partnership also allows hotel staff to manage dining reservations through UrVenue's Experience Center on behalf of guests.
The integration between UrVenue and OpenTable is designed to be quick, with the technology already available on the OpenTable for Restaurants Integrations Marketplace.
This enables resorts to activate the integration with ease, facilitating self-onboarding and a faster go-live process.
OpenTable chief operating officer Amy Wei said: 'Our expanded partnership is all about helping hoteliers enhance the dining experience for hotel guests, giving them privileged access to premium reservations, while making it seamless for staff to manage it all and deliver personalised hospitality.'
The partnership is not the first technological advancement for UrVenue, which, along with its sister platform UrResort, joined the Oracle PartnerNetwork (OPN) last year.
The platforms unveiled their availability on the Oracle Cloud Marketplace.
"UrVenue and OpenTable partner to offer premium dining reservation access" was originally created and published by Hotel Management Network, a GlobalData owned brand.
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Miami Herald
a day ago
- Miami Herald
‘Black market' dining reservations sell for thousands. States want to stop that
NEW ORLEANS - This isn't just any old list. With tables spread across several distinct dining rooms at the storied Commander's Palace restaurant, managers must calculate precise labor needs and open up the reservation list for just the right number of rooms at the right time for each dinner service. "If I spread the reservations out too much, it feels like you're sitting in church," said operations manager Steve Woodruff. "We have an old saying: Nothing dresses up a dining room like customers." In recent years, emerging third-party online platforms selling hard-to-get dinner reservations have created headaches for popular restaurants like Commander's Palace. New platforms such as Appointment Trader auction off the most desirable tables for hundreds or even thousands of dollars. And unlike other platforms that contract with restaurants, such as OpenTable, the reservation trading apps work outside of a restaurant's control: Anyone can make a reservation (often for free) and sell it for a profit, with the platform taking a commission on the sale. During this year's Super Bowl weekend in New Orleans, one table at a French Quarter restaurant went for more than $2,100. When customers spend that kind of money before the meal, Woodruff said, it heightens expectations and alters a diner's perception of value without restaurants even knowing. He said the apps also can force restaurants to run a service with empty tables if those online platforms don't find buyers - putting the risk on the business, not the customer. "If you resell a concert ticket, you had to risk something to buy the ticket. There's no risk here," he said. The issue is increasingly gaining the attention of state lawmakers. Commander's Palace and the Louisiana Restaurant Association successfully lobbied for a new law banning the resale of reservations without the consent of restaurant operators. Recently, Republican Gov. Jeff Landry signed the bill, which gained unanimous approval in every committee and floor vote. The Louisiana law follows the signing of bills by New York Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul and Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. A similar measure passed by the Illinois legislature is awaiting action by the governor. California and New Jersey are also eyeing such protections. "I know what it takes for people to build a brand," Republican state Rep. Troy Hebert, who sponsored the Louisiana bill, said in an interview. "I mean, think about it: You're making money off of my brand, and I didn't even know about it." He said online reservation platforms can use automated technology to quickly secure reservations, holding them hostage from other customers. Hebert noted that restaurants can still choose to work with any of the online reservation trading systems. "We're not preventing people from running those types of models," he said. "They just need to get the permission of the establishment. That's it." The new law allows the attorney general to issue platforms a $1,000 daily fine for each restaurant they're selling reservations for without permission. Appointment Trader founder Jonas Frey told Stateline that lawmakers are only hearing from powerful restaurant associations and the reservation platforms they contract with like OpenTable and Resy, which have pushed for these new laws. Frey said restaurants often show no availability online even when they have free tables. "It's one of the reasons why Appointment Trader works so well, because people with the relationship to the restaurant generally get these tables," he said. "We didn't make this problem - the restaurants are doing that." He said the site can actually help restaurants avoid no shows because most trades occur on the day of the reservation. And many restaurants require a credit card for a reservation, meaning a consumer could be charged even if schedules change and they can't use their reservation. "In my mind, it's atrocious: You're liable for something, but then you're not allowed to sell it," he said. Consumers completed 50,000 transactions on the platform last year, he said, with a no-show rate of only 1%. While restaurants have raised concerns about people making lots of reservations to flip a few online, Frey said his site blocks sellers who list too many openings without selling them. So far, these"black market" restaurant reservations have been most problematic in the nation's hottest dining destinations, including Chicago, Las Vegas, Miami, New Orleans and New York City, said Mike Whatley, vice president for state affairs and grassroots advocacy at the National Restaurant Association. "It's the places where there are those reservations that if you aren't logging on right at midnight a month out to get the reservation, you're not getting them, where these challenges have arisen, where you're seeing piracy take place," he said. Whatley added that this wave of state legislation is reminiscent of one that followed the rise of third-party delivery services such as DoorDash. In some cases, delivery platforms posted restaurant menus and sent drivers to pick up orders without permission. "And restaurants were going, 'Hey, why am I on this website? I didn't give authorization for that,'" he said. Whatley said some restaurants have responded to reservation traders by requiring deposits to make reservations, decreasing the likelihood of no-shows. "There's a lot of interest in states where this isn't a problem yet, getting ahead of it and just passing something on a bipartisan basis so that it never becomes a problem down the road," he said. Commander's Palace first learned of these platforms early last year when a customer asked why he couldn't get a table on the restaurant's website but saw one for sale on Appointment Trader. Woodruff said the new law is important because the restaurant and its reservation vendor struggled to tell which reservations came directly from customers and which came from reservation traders. "It didn't feel like we could fight it effectively on our own in house, because it's like a game of Whac-A-Mole," he said. Located among historic mansions and Victorian homes in the city's Garden District, Commander's Palace is more of a campus than a single restaurant. Nicknamed "Big Blue" among the staff for its striking teal paint job, the restaurant sprawls across nearly 12,000 square feet and is known for dishes like turtle soup and gumbo. In business for more than 130 years, Commander's Palace is among the city's most famous spots. Reservations can be difficult or impossible to land, especially between October and May when tourists and conventions fill the Big Easy. Proponents of reservation trading platforms argue they can provide customer flexibility. But Woodruff says it's only those websites that are winning - while consumers and restaurants lose out. In the foyer of the restaurant, Woodruff pulls up a big screen at the podium displaying the tables for every meal service. The restaurant is a must-stop for many tourists, but it's the locals that keep the place running year-round. Wearing a white shirt and black braided leather suspenders, Woodruff scrolls back to the recent Mother's Day brunch service. The screen shows the history of each customer. Some have dined here dozens of times, some more than 110. "These people spend every family special occasion with us," he said. "There's an awful lot of local goodwill that I try and cultivate." ____ Stateline reporter Kevin Hardy can be reached atkhardy@ Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Yahoo
Over a million people now have access to the gen-AI powered Alexa+
More invites to Amazon's upgraded digital assistant, Alexa+, powered by generative AI, have been steadily rolling out. The service, first announced in February, now reaches over a million users, Amazon confirmed to TechCrunch on Monday. However, Alexa+ is not yet publicly available. Instead, Amazon has been working through its waitlist, sending out invites to those customers who originally signed up to test the service when it became available. Over the past several weeks, many people have shared on social media that they've received an invite to try Alexa+, whose service offers more natural and personalized interactions, smart home integration, and expanded capabilities thanks to AI. Alexa+ is available for free during Early Access and will later be free for Prime customers. Non-Prime users will be able to use the service for $19.99 per month after it publicly launches. Amazon earlier this year noted that invites to try out the new system would roll out in waves in the months ahead. As of May 2025, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said that Alexa+ had so far reached over 100,000 users, representing only a tiny fraction of the 600 million Alexa devices that had been sold. That number has grown significantly in the weeks since. Alexa+ represents a serious attempt by Amazon to create a generative AI experience for consumers that it can eventually monetize. Though Amazon created a market for smart home-connected, voice-based assistants through its Alexa-powered Echo devices, it wasn't able to turn that traction into a revenue-generating business. Meanwhile, Alexa lost its shine in more recent years as generative AI services, like ChatGPT, took off. Compared with modern-day AI, Alexa began to feel clunky, constrained, and underpowered. Alexa+ aims to bring the digital assistant new capabilities. The service allows users to chat with the digital assistant using more natural language, where you can phrase requests your own way. For instance, you could tell Alexa, 'It's too cold in here,' to have Alexa adjust their smart thermostat. You'll also more easily be able to create routines, search across your Ring camera footage, interrupt or pivot the conversation with the assistant, and more. The experience is more personalized, too, as it saves your preferences and remembers what you like, from favorite songs to recipes and beyond. With its generative AI component, Alexa can do things like summarize long emails you share with the service, create unique bedtime stories, generate quizzes from study guides, make travel itineraries, provide summaries of your smart home activity, and answer other questions, similar to how an AI chatbot might respond. Plus, the assistant will be able to help you take certain actions — like buying concert tickets, booking a dinner reservation, and notifying you when something you've been watching goes on sale, among other things. Initial partners on this feature include OpenTable, Ticketmaster, Uber Eats, Tripadvisor, Grubhub, Yelp, Priceline, Viator, Thumbtack, Atom, Fodor's, and others. While in early access, Alexa+ will initially be available on Echo Show 8, 10, 15, or 21 devices in the U.S. Over time, it will expand to more Echo customers, Fire TV users, and Fire tablet users. Customers who have been invited to try the product are reporting mixed results, with some praising the service, noting it's more advanced than Siri, while others said it's still rough around the edges. (Some early reviews agree with the latter.) It's worth pointing out that Alexa+ is not currently fully launched, but it's getting close. Amazon says nearly 90% of the features it previously announced have since shipped. Sign in to access your portfolio
Forbes
23-06-2025
- Forbes
Revamped Chase Sapphire Reserve: New Benefits And 100k Point Bonus
Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations. A few things in life are certain: death, taxes and issuers changing your favorite credit cards. Chase is keeping the tradition alive with a full revamp of its beloved Chase Sapphire Reserve® . With a flood of new perks and a steep annual fee hike, for better or worse, the refreshed Sapphire Reserve has arrived. What's Changing With the Chase Sapphire Reserve? $300 annual dining credit . Get primetime reservations at Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables, a curated selection of restaurants bookable on OpenTable. Awarded biannually, get up to $150 in statement credits from January through June and again from July through December. . Get primetime reservations at Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables, a curated selection of restaurants bookable on OpenTable. Awarded biannually, get up to $150 in statement credits from January through June and again from July through December. Complimentary IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite Status. You'll enjoy complimentary upgrades, a points boost, reward night discounts and late checkout (some status perks are subject to availability). You'll enjoy complimentary upgrades, a points boost, reward night discounts and late checkout (some status perks are subject to availability). $250 annual value for Apple subscriptions. Get complimentary subscriptions to Apple TV+ and Apple Music, worth up to $250. Get complimentary subscriptions to Apple TV+ and Apple Music, worth up to $250. $300 annual StubHub and viagogo credit. Get up to $300, awarded biannually, in StubHub and viagogo statement credits to use on concert and event tickets. Get up to $300, awarded biannually, in StubHub and viagogo statement credits to use on concert and event tickets. $120 in annual Lyft in-app credits. Cardholders get up to $10 monthly, plus 5X total points on eligible Lyft rides through September 30, 2027. Cardholders get up to $10 monthly, plus 5X total points on eligible Lyft rides through September 30, 2027. DoorDash benefits. Get a 12-month complimentary DashPass membership with DoorDash delivery service when you activate by December 31, 2027. This perk comes with $0 delivery fees and lower service fees. Plus, get up to $25 in monthly promos with a $5 monthly restaurant promo and two $10 nonrestaurant DoorDash promos through December 31, 2027. Get a 12-month complimentary DashPass membership with DoorDash delivery service when you activate by December 31, 2027. This perk comes with $0 delivery fees and lower service fees. Plus, get up to $25 in monthly promos with a $5 monthly restaurant promo and two $10 nonrestaurant DoorDash promos through December 31, 2027. $120 Peloton subscription statement credits. Get up to 10X points on eligible Peloton equipment and accessory purchases and up to $120 in annual statement credits toward Peloton memberships. If you are a big spender, you can unlock even more benefits when you spend $75,000 in a calendar year: IHG One Rewards Diamond Elite Status . IHG One Rewards' highest tier status. It includes the same benefits as Platinum Elite but also gives you priority Diamond support and 100% bonus points on every stay. . IHG One Rewards' highest tier status. It includes the same benefits as Platinum Elite but also gives you priority Diamond support and 100% bonus points on every stay. Southwest Airlines® A-List Status . With this status, you'll get a free checked bag and priority boarding. . With this status, you'll get a free checked bag and priority boarding. $500 Southwest credit. Use this credit toward Southwest Airlines flights booked through Chase Travel. Use this credit toward Southwest Airlines flights booked through Chase Travel. $250 credit to The Shops at Chase. Get a $250 credit to use for this new Chase online shopping experience exclusively for card members. Statement credits will be automatically applied. Your rewards on spending are also changing. These are the new earning rates for your Chase Sapphire Reserve card: 8 points per dollar on all purchases through Chase Travel, including The Edit 4 points per dollar on flights and hotels booked direct 3 points per dollar dining worldwide 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases Chase is replacing its 50% bonus on travel bookings made through Chase Travel with an all-new Points Boost feature. With the promotional Points Boost offers, select hotels and flights can be redeemed for up to 2 cents per point in value. Note that only select flights and hotels booked through Chase Travel are eligible for Points Boost. All other Chase Travel bookings will be worth 1 cent per point. What Isn't Changing? $300 annual travel credit. Existing Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders can breathe a sigh of relief because this famously easy-to-use travel credit is sticking around. It's automatically applied to the first $300 of card purchases each anniversary year that code as travel. Existing Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders can breathe a sigh of relief because this famously easy-to-use travel credit is sticking around. It's automatically applied to the first $300 of card purchases each anniversary year that code as travel. Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS application fee credit. Every four years, get an application fee credit for a Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS membership, which means expedited security at the airport Every four years, get an application fee credit for a Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS membership, which means expedited security at the airport No foreign transaction fees. Use your card abroad and save by avoiding currency conversion fees. Use your card abroad and save by avoiding currency conversion fees. Purchase protection. Covers new purchases for up to 120 days against damage or theft, up to $10,000 per item. Covers new purchases for up to 120 days against damage or theft, up to $10,000 per item. Return protection. If a retailer won't take a return, you may be reimbursed for eligible items within 90 days, up to $500 per item and $1,000 per 12-month period. If a retailer won't take a return, you may be reimbursed for eligible items within 90 days, up to $500 per item and $1,000 per 12-month period. Extended warranty protection. Adds one additional year to eligible U.S. manufacturer warranties of three years or less. How Much Does the New Sapphire Reserve Cost? You might want to be sitting down for this one. The annual fee on the Sapphire Reserve now rings in at $795. That's a $245 increase. And it gets worse—authorized user cards jump to $195 per person, up from $75 each, or in other words, a $120 increase. Note: As of June 23, new applicants will have access to the new benefits but will incur the increased annual fee. Existing card members will have access to Points Boost and the additional features and benefits starting October 26, 2025. The annual fee will increase on their next anniversary date, following October 26. Is the Chase Sapphire Reserve Still Worth It? That's a lot to take in—and if you're feeling overwhelmed, you're not alone. Whether you already have it, or you're thinking about applying, it can be tricky to figure out if the Chase Sapphire Reserve is worth it for you. While there's no one-size-fits-all answer, here are a few steps to help you decide: Calculate your potential earnings. Look at your typical spending in the card's bonus categories and estimate how many points you could earn each year. Weigh the perks against the annual fee. Add up the value you'll actually use from the card's credits, travel protections and new benefits—not just what sounds good. Compare alternatives. If the math isn't adding up, check out our list of the best cards to see if there's a better fit for you. With a little math and a comprehensive look at your travel plans, you'll be able to tell if the new Sapphire Reserve deserves a spot in your wallet. Was this article helpful?
