There is one thing every hotel has in common: to satisfy the guest's request no matter how odd, peculiar or demanding. If you're a luxury hotel, the number of requests increase and their nature becomes even more complex. And they need to be fulfilled at the speed of light. In the midst of daily operations - preparation for arrivals, room inspections, hosting private events, and countless other details - there is a small department that devotes its efforts solely in establishing and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships between the hotel and all its publics. The term "publics" generally refers to any group attempting to influence an organization, and within hospitality, examples of publics include of course guests, VIPs, unions, activists, government, community leaders, and employees only to name a few. The public relations team leverages the hotel's mission and goals to reflect its interests to these publics and acts as a communications liaison. But the public that occupies a communication manager's time the most are the all-powerful, the invincible, the almighty Media. READ MORE

Press fam trips typically take a lot of time to be properly organized and planned. Consider them as an investment for the future, since the stories generated from this effort will help your property's positive word of mouth. And as most carefully researched investments, the efforts from the fam trip will grow over time into an invaluable return: your organization's success! Here are some tips to ensure you provide the most effective fam trip for your property... READ MORE

So many times I have heard from clients that previous pr campaigns have totally missed the mark on what the hotel was trying to accomplish, whether it was showcasing a renovation, introducing a new image, expanding audiences or recovering from a crisis. Public relations campaigns can be damaging as much as they can be successful if they aren't planned to the last detail. By details, I don't necessarily mean holding countless of fruitless meetings that last for hours with the hotel management, but rather using time productively by taking what was said in a meeting to produce pure public relations results that will align with the overall objectives of the hotel. I have put together some pointers and suggestions about creating a public relations plan that will prove to be successful! READ MORE

The impact of social responsibility on any business is enormous. While you are creating programs to benefit your community, for instance, supporting a charitable organization, taking measures to go green, funding children's initiatives or anything else, your credibility increases greatly as a business. You may think, "We're in the hospitality business, why should we care about building a playground in another part of town?" The answer is, your hotel is part of the community and the world. We are all responsible. Practicing social responsibility in your business can also help you from a public relations standpoint. Here are some suggestions as to how to start becoming involved. READ MORE

Let's face it, boutique hotels have their work cut out for them when they start out, rebrand or renovate. As we've explored in the past, a big part of a boutique hotel's success is left in Marketing and Public Relations. And while both are mutually exclusive disciplines, they often times work well together to provide a more integrated approach for overall success. We all know that in the first six to eighteen months of a hotel's opening, the buzz that is created helps feed news, media curiosity and guests who decide to stay a night or two by taking advantage of your promotional introductory rate. But what are the key elements in play that make your boutique hotel more distinguished -- a description that will last over time? How do we sustain the almighty Word of Mouth? READ MORE