Capital expenses are driven by numerous factors in the hotel industry. Projects are undertaken to improve the property, maintain or repair the property, and as requirements of the hotel flag’s brand standards. While the hotel owner considers these expenses as preserving or in some cases preventing the loss of revenue, tax assessors view the capital expenditures as improvements to the property that will drive revenue growth and increased value. In this article, Altus Group’s hospitality tax specialists explore how to manage these contradicting opinions of Cap Ex through their combined seventy years of experience in property tax.

By mid-year, pay-equity statutes will be in effect in over 15 states, including key hospitality states like California, Illinois and Massachusetts. Other states will be coming on board to this trend soon. These statutes will force hotels to justify pay disparities across jobs that were never before regarded as comparable – like, possibly, kitchen stewards and room attendants. Unless hotel employers start preparing now to analyze and justify pay disparities across job classifications, they may confront large and unexpected legal liabilities. This article explains this emerging trend and gives guidance on how to prepare.

The recruitment industry has changed drastically as every other industry over the years. But, we have to know our past to understand our future. The concept of recruitment dates back to 55 B.C. with the Roman Army. In that year, Julius Caesar signed a decree that stated that any solider who brought another solider into the Roman Army would earn a reward. Thus, the first employee referral program was born.

Insurance represents a significant cost of doing business for hoteliers. But too few truly comprehend the coverages they are paying for or why certain policies are needed at all. Which is why this overview of insurance and its role in hospitality-related risk management should come in handy. With an emphasis on the importance of adequate insurance coverage, and a straightforward explanation of the types of policies hoteliers should be in the market for - CGL, Worker's Comp, EPLI, Crime and Cyber, among them - the following primer for hotel and resort owners and operators is meant to clarify a subject that is oftentimes misunderstood.

Nikki Beach Hotels & Resorts operates innovative boutique and barefoot luxury beach and urban hotels with unprecedented allure for the luxury traveler and jet-set global elite. Whether on the beach or at the heart of a bustling city, a Nikki Beach hotel or resort features an innovative and unique room experience along with gourmet world-class dining, extensive spa facilities, and signature entertainment. Celebrating their 20th anniversary this year, Alexander Schneider, Vice President Europe & the Middle East gives us a background on the hotel company as well as some of their most recent acquisitions and developments.

Dialing 911 will soon became easier for guests staying at hotels because of a bill signed by President Trump on Feb. 16, 2018 called, Kari's Law. Michael Pryor, shareholder at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, dissects Kari's Law and how its requirements apply to businesses that operate or manage multi-line telephone systems, including, of course, hotel owners and operators. Technically, the law became part of the Federal Communications Act and in particular, its enforcement provisions. So what is required? Read more...

As F&B trends are constantly evolving, hotels and owners must collaborate to stay ahead of the curve and provide an elevated dining experience for guests and a high return on investment for owners. From utilizing smart, flexible design to understanding guest preferences and building a strong partnership between hotels and owners, these are the necessary ingredients for success. When done properly, incorporating innovative concepts can work in a hotel's favor by creating more in-house revenue-generating opportunities. Alan Roberts, global head, Embassy Suites by Hilton, shares insights on how the brand has followed this strategy through its E'Terie and Brickstones concepts and enhancements to its signature Evening Reception and made-to-order breakfast.

Mergers and acquisitions on both the buyer and supplier sides of hotel technology in recent years have caused the formation of many “accidental partnerships” that neither party entered into willingly, and likely wouldn't enter into again. Thank goodness for so many Innovative startups who offered timely alternatives. If only they had been on time, and had been a true alternative. And the independent hotelier who didn't think it possible to be any smaller of a fish, now is. In an age where Uber drives are rating their riders, it's time for hoteliers at all levels to cast aside their feelings of indignation or sheer helplessness, and to take a proactive approach to fixing these relationships.

Hoteliers will spend a fortune this year on website SEO, but the most important factor in how a hotel ranks in local/mobile & map searches is the proper optimization of its Google My Business (GMB) profile. Never standing still, Google is continually rolling out new enhancements and features that can mean the difference between being in the top 3 results, or being buried by the competition. In this article we examine everything an operator and marketing executive needs to know about Google My Business, from the basics to the latest functionalities and features. And it's all free!

The success of a Total Revenue Management process depends on not only the main objectives that a hotel or hotel company aims to achieve, but also the route it plans to take and move on to lead towards accomplishing those. The ideal route to maximize profit by adapting a TRM approach is through developing and instilling a revenue culture. A coherent revenue strategy is more than just systems, demand forecasting and constant price adjustments. It is a business philosophy and strategy that when taken into account in all departmental procedures can result in increased revenue & profit performance.