HOTEL BUSINESS REVIEW: Articles for Hotel Executives

Hotel Business Review: Week of Dec 09, 2013

Social Media & PR
Understanding Place Pins on Pinterest
By Brandon Dennis, Technical Marketing Manager, buuteeq
Pinterest recently updated their social network with Place Pins, which add a new layer of rich interactivity to location-based pins. Historically, Pinterest has been a great place to explore products and craft ideas. Upon noticing that many users shared travel photos as well, Pinterest developed Place Pins as a way to give users more context about the photos they're viewing. With this release, hoteliers can finally take full advantage of Pinterest's 70+ million users, at last making Pinterest a viable marketing solution that can rival Twitter and Facebook at driving new guests to your website and booking engine. Read on...

Revenue Management
Managing Rate Parity: Just When You Thought You Had It Sorted
By Michael McCartan, Chief Executive Officer, eRevMax International
Under the eye of storm for a while, Rate Parity has become one of the biggest challenges for hoteliers today. Is it just another headache or will it turn out to be the primary influencer when it comes to online sales? Is rate parity restricting your ability to maximize your revenues or presenting an opportunity to go for fairer Net Based Parity. With the recent UK Office of Fair Trade's ruling, hotel industry is debating whether this finally brings the death nail for parity as we know it. But does end of parity going means end of worry for hoteliers? Let's explore the ongoing debate over rate parity and what it means for the hotel industry. Read on...

Revenue Management
Payroll in the Age of the Affordable Care Act
By David Hogan, Executive Director of Major Accounts, Heartland Payment Systems
The Affordable Care Act began its official rollout on October 1, 2013, and with it a whole new set of regulations was added to an already complex system, effectively making a do-it-yourself approach no longer feasible, even for an independent hotelier. However, while having to outsource payroll is becoming a must, hoteliers must be careful about which provider they choose, because not every payroll or accounting software provider is able to offer the expertise, support and understanding of the complexities associated with the unique employee needs of the hospitality industry. Read on...

Architecture & Design
Communicate Your PIP Plights and Progress – or Perish
By Steve Van, President & CEO, Prism Hotels
After reading my last column, you’ve come to accept that Property Improvement Plans (PIPs) are essential for remaining competitive in today’s market and keeping your brand flag. Renovating a hotel while keeping it open and keeping guests happy is one of the most difficult tasks in our business. It’s as tricky as operating on a battlefield or taking the SAT with the flu. But in today’s economic environment it is absolutely necessary. Read on...

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DECEMBER: The Hotel Concierge: Principles and Best Practices

Building Relationships for Life
By Susanne Carter, Chef Concierge , The Ritz Carlton New York, Central Park

In the hospitality industry, we strive to build relationships with our guests. In the concierge profession, many of these relationships are often life-long and fulfilling relationships. Many of us have participated in life transforming events for these guests. Whether planning surprise engagements, assisting with wedding and honeymoon plans, or finding the right schools and colleges for their children, every aspect of our service can be a pivotal moment or an emotional shift in winning a guest for life. Many concierges have been in the industry so long that they have actually watched their guests’ children grow up. This is because top concierges are committed for life. Read on...

A Concierge’s Guide to New York City for the Holidays
By Charlie Loor, Chief Concierge , Hotel Chandler

While travelers dream of white sand beaches and warm locales during the cold winter months, you may be surprised at how many from around the world make the trek to New York City. More at the end of the year, in fact, than any other time: September through December is the busiest travel season for the world’s most visited city. People seek out Santa at Macy’s, the famed Rockefeller Center tree, and designer holiday shopping, but what many guests to New York don’t realize is how much there is to do aside from the “typical tourist” activities, and especially the best way to navigate the city when millions of visitors take on the streets. Read on...

Why Concierges Are Essential to the Guest Experience
By Johan Creytens, Owner & General Manager , Hotel Heritage, a Relais & Chateaux Property

It is interesting to observe how the role of the concierge has evolved over the centuries. Particularly in Europe, concierge means “keeper of the keys,” referring to someone who was the caretaker of a small inn, usually living on the premises. Over time, the role of the concierge transitioned into the hotel employee whose occupation is to assist guests with special requests, anything from directions, to dinner reservations, airport transfers and tickets to concerts among other things. Read on...

The Modern Luxury Traveler
By John T.A. Vanderslice, Global Head, Luxury and Lifestyle Brands , Hilton Worldwide

The luxury travel market has remarkably transformed in recent years. One of the world’s leaders in research for consumer regions throughout the world, Euromonitor has spelled out some of the stark changes. Emerging markets are growing faster than advanced markets to drive worldwide growth of the luxury segment. While traditional travel destinations (Italy, France and the U.K.) are still the most popular, Gulf countries and China are growing fastest. Today’s luxury traveler considers the entire globe to be a potential destination; whereas past generations may not have looked past Western Europe. Read on...