In the years following the recession, travelers, both business and leisure, have increasingly gravitated toward more casual, “live like a local” experiences, and away from formal and elitist environments. It is important for hotel executives to consider how this trend can be applied to on-site food and beverage concepts. Creating a comfortable, come-as-you-are environment in restaurants frequented by transient customers means achieving an inviting atmosphere without trading down on quality and overall sophistication. When done correctly, a casual food & beverage concept that delivers exceptional and authentic experiences to visiting guests and locals alike can be a huge boon to hotel businesses. READ MORE

Any hotel that has a high revenue-generating website and a strong digital marketing strategy that drives direct online bookings needs a great hotel digital marketing agency behind it. It's challenging to find a good digital marketing partner these days. As more and more companies join the market as 'experts in hotel website design and digital marketing,' hoteliers are faced with a difficult decision. With serious revenues at stake, here are some questions to consider when deciding on who to partner with, or whether or not to stay with your current agency. READ MORE

An increasing number of hotels are responding to growing global demand for health and wellness and are catering to the physical and psychological needs of guests while promising enhanced wellbeing - benefits that visitors can take home when the holiday is over. A far cry from more traditional vacations spent lounging on a beach or poolside chair. Westin hotels, for example, recently launched a Well-Being Movement and even Las Vegas's MGM Hotel has Stay-Well rooms. This article focuses on this trend and spotlights certain hotels around the world and the specific services they are providing for the growing number of health-conscious visitors. READ MORE

The word “engage” has several definitions. However the one that best fits our objective as hotel owners is “”to get and keep someone's attention or interest.” In order to do this we must create experiences that first gain our guests' attention. We then must also implement them successfully. If we do these things effectively we draw our guests back time and again. At the same time, we can build a network of advocates. These supporters can become our fans and will attest to the fact that our hotel is much more than a merely a place to stay. READ MORE

Is anyone else nervous leaving their mobile phone behind, in a locker, all by itself, TURNED OFF, when having a spa treatment? I know I should not be, but I am. Spa goers have traditionally visited with the intent to disconnect, to unplug if you will. At Hard Rock our goal for the Rock Spa experience is meant to plug you in, amp you up and maybe even turn you on. We began our re-tool from this perceptive. Times have changed and many spa operators have not evolved as technology and hospitality brands have. To this end we went about seeking to discover a new way forward to enliven the senses, instill wellbeing and infuse the spirit of rock and roll into our newly envisioned experience. Our objective was stated to energize and excite - we want guests to leave our bespoke treatments ready to hit the dance floor and show the rest of the band how it's done. Rock Spa is where Zen meets Zeppelin. READ MORE

When you think of “wellness,” what comes to mind? A “healthy” hotel room? A holistic spa treatment? Vegan offerings on your restaurant menu? A morning yoga class? The word “wellness” is ubiquitous. Marketers are spreading “wellness” as thick as organic hummus on a vast array of consumer products, services and experiences. But has this word lost its impact, and heaven forbid—its cachet for the traveler? Is wellness…”over”? READ MORE

According to the International SPA Association (ISPA) 2013 U.S. Spa Industry study conducted by PwC, 72 percent of American hotel and resort spas in 2012 offered 30-minute treatments. This figure shows how hotels are rapidly equipping themselves to cater to the spa needs of business guests. Business travelers are typified by little time and higher-than-average levels of stress - and spas need to adapt to their demands for short, simple, efficient and results-oriented treatments. Spa guests traveling on business are looking to find a balance they can squeeze into short breaks between meetings, presentations and travel time, and spas everywhere must learn to be flexible, customizable, succinct, connected, knowledgeable and memorable in order to attract and retain this increasingly important market. READ MORE

Getting the most out of employees has always challenged employers, and hospitality employers are no different in this regard. It is particularly difficult in today's highly regulated business environment with changing employee attitudes. But, in the hospitality industry, squeezing out the very best performance from employees can dramatically impact guest satisfaction and ultimately profitability. Performance management is not just about dealing with poor performers. Instead, as explained in more detail in his article, it is a holistic process that begins with getting the right people, setting employee expectations, coaching employees to deliver efficient, high quality service and terminating the employment of the poor performers or employees who do not fit into the organization. READ MORE

Why would anyone think about New Year's Resolutions now when it is more than half way through the year? It's simple. It's never too late to start. But just as this is true for yourself, it is also true for your hotel. But do you even make resolutions for your hotel? If you don't, you should. And it isn't too late to start either. If you could turn the calendar back to January 1st, what resolutions would you make for your property? For your staff? For your marketing plans? In a hats- off-to-David Letterman, here are five to give your thinking a fresh mid-year start. READ MORE

Nearly every employer has enforced written policies regulating conduct at the workplace. However, few have taken the time to think about effective and lawful policies that regulate employee behavior after hours and outside the workplace. Today, in the age of social media and smartphones, employees have much greater visibility when they leave work, resulting in increased exposure and potential for harm to an employer's reputation. So, can employers monitor or discipline employees for policy violations that occur when an employee is off-duty and off-premises? READ MORE

In today's fast-paced, overscheduled and hyper-stressed world, it's not easy to find the time to slow down. In the past, activities like a quiet visit to a coffee shop or well-deserved appointment at the spa allowed you to quiet the mind. Not so anymore. The traditional spa experience may not even allow the separation needed to slow down the pace. At day spas everywhere these days, guests are seen carrying their cell phones and iPads and even continuing to use them during their treatments. With this frenetic pace, people are not slowing down enough to ask important spiritual questions: Why am I here? How can I contribute to what is needed in this world? How can I find peace? And one thing is for certain, you aren't going to find the answers to those questions at Starbucks or on your smart phone. READ MORE

Let's be honest and straightforward. Smart Leaders and Companies never compete with another, they support each other, share experiences and goals in order for others to learn from and evolve; because they understand that the benefits of sharing will benefit everyone and increase the abundance within their community. Each of these smart leaders and companies are very well aware of their uniqueness, personality traits, special talents and skills; and by sharing all of these features with others they will create a more wonderful world to live and work in, for everyone. READ MORE

Standards exist everywhere in the world around us. Development of three primary standards used by event planners for meetings and events creates a new bar for hotels which serve as a primary venue for meetings and events. This article aims to increase hotelier's basic knowledge issues addressed in standards - environmental issues (waste, diversion rates, air quality, water conservation) and sociocultural issues (Fair Trade, sustainable wages, and legacy issues). The article identifies “hot buttons” where planners will be looking to hotels for sustainable practices. Finally, nine tips are offered to help hoteliers prioritize sustainable initiatives within the context of their own hotels, customer base, brand, and also their own opportunities. READ MORE

If possible while reading this article, sit with your bare feet directly on the Earth's surface - concrete, dirt, gravel or grass. You will experience what you are reading about, how contact with the Earth's natural healing energy, electrical field, restores your body's natural electrical field. The positive shift you feel is the beginning of process in which your body becomes recharged from the multitude of Earth's electrons when direct contact is made. This is Earthing, a simple, safe and natural healing process that reduces inflammation, improves sleep and energizes the body. READ MORE

We are in the Age of Wellness. The archaic cultures of waste and over-consumption, have given way to a healthier and more holistic mainstream ideology. Corporate social responsibility, sustainability, going-green, and locally grown are just a few phrases that define this era. Virtually every business sector has taken a stance on wellness including automotive, finance and energy. Finally tourism has joined this growing trend. READ MORE