HOTEL BUSINESS REVIEW

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Gayle Bulls Dixon

The spa is often a leading driver for many guests as they make hotel/resort selections. In fact, consumers seek out a spa experience they feel they can trust for high quality and value. Hotels/resorts can expect an increase in average daily rate (ADR), average length of stay, food & beverage revenues, as well as in the sale of other amenities offered by the property, if the leadership and staff understand how to utilize the draw of the spa to its consumers. Here are some simple guidelines to help you start and stay on the right track of spa profitability... READ MORE

Bob Carr

Westin Hotels & Resorts (then known as Western Hotels) made hotel history in 1946 when they introduced and issued the first guest credit card - a tremendous innovation for customers and the industry alike. They upped the ante in 1983 when they became the first major hotel to implement a comprehensive credit card reservation and check-out system. These advances sealed Westin's reputation as a leading-edge hotelier. They also put the hotel industry squarely at the forefront of payment card acceptance, solidifying its leadership position in the rapidly expanding credit card market. But along with the advantages of innovation, technology often brings headaches. Credit, debit and prepaid cards are no exception. While hoteliers and their guests have enjoyed the convenience and accessibility of cards for years, they - like you - have also struggled with the rising costs of accepting credit and debit cards. READ MORE

Bob Carr

Every time you swipe a guest's credit card, your hotel is charged with transaction fees. Since most of your bills are likely paid by credit card, the amount you pay in these fees are substantial. Yet, do you understand what you pay and properly manage that expense? If you are like many hoteliers, you may not drill down into credit card processing costs - first because you may not have the time, and second because the statements you receive from your payments processor are probably very confusing. If you take a good look at your statements, you will discover that fees vary wildly based on the type of card used and can reach as high as 5% on each payment. READ MORE

Larry K.  Kimball

Being under the influence is serious business but it seemed like a good idea at the time, your Honor. Just ignore the global excitement to protect the planet and simply avoid "green" themes in new hotel projects. It is only the latest trendy hotel fad, right? Wrong, your green future is now. The major brands are going about it differently but all have evolving sustainability and environmental initiatives. Like the lovely Hotel California where you check-in but can never check out, make more room in rehab because hotel developers without green-colored glasses are on the road to making impaired decisions. READ MORE

Jose Acosta

Although nobody can predict exactly when the economy is going to rebound nor when hotel prices and occupancies will return to previously desired levels, it is probable that there will continue to be a decline in corporate executive retreats to luxury resorts, annual board meetings, corporate sales incentive trips, and annual holiday parties over the coming year. In fact, one can only wonder about the extent of recovery for specific markets such as luxury, as well as whether there will be a recovery at all for the condo-hotel market. Having said that, it is important to pay attention to the items that will help maintain profitability by focusing on what I think are the top ten key recession survival best practices. READ MORE

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