Hotel occupancy rose for the month of July, with the biggest gain
in Palm Beach County, according to data from Smith Travel Research. The
occupancy rate rose to 62.1 percent in Palm Beach County from 53.2
percent in the same period in 2009, and jumped to 63.7 percent from
59.9 percent in Broward County, and rose to 67.9 percent from 64.1
percent in Miami-Dade County. Miami-Dade County had the highest average
room rate as well, at $118.33, up from $116.25 in July 2009. Broward
and Palm Beach counties saw a decline in rates, however. The numbers
follow a period of uncertainty about the potential implications of oil
reaching South Florida’s shores. [SFBJ]

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The Omphoy Ocean Resort in Palm Beach is the defendant in a foreclosure
action filed by Stabfund USA, according to Palm Beach County Circuit
Court records. The lawsuit was filed July 16 against CSC PB Beach, an
affiliate of West Palm Beach-based Ceebraid-Signal. The 134-room hotel
is located at 2842 S. Ocean Boulevard. The hotel was renovated and
reopened in 2009 under the management of Obadon Hotels, which is also a
defendant in the suit. The Omphoy is also the home of Michelle Bernstein
at The Omphoy, run by the noted Miami-based chef. [SFBJ]

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The luxury Omphoy Ocean Resort, the first oceanfront Palm Beach hotel
to open in 19 years, is a stylistic shift from the stately, venerable
aesthetic of its peers. The 134-room hotel, run by owner-developer
Obadon Hotel Group of West Palm Beach, acknowledged the tough
environment, and area hotel consultant Scott Brush said that will keep
it well positioned when tourism rebounds in 2010. [more]