Today's consumers want more than spa. They look for integrated wellness within hotels. U. S. Spas have a long history starting with colonial times when Europeans arrived on American shores. European customs included thermal or mineral spas. During the Civil War and the two World Wars, spas converted to military hospitals. As antibiotics evolved, spas closed for the "cure". Fast forward to the 1940s when Elizabeth Arden opened the first women's spa called "The Maine Chance" in Arizona and Deborah Szekely opened the first destination spa "Rancho La Puerta" in Tecate, Mexico. By the 1990s there were many independent day spas as well as hundreds of hotel spas. READ MORE

"Feel Welcome" became the new signature of Accor back in 2015, which, according to Accor chairman, is a strong commitment to its audiences and enriches the bond between Accor and its brands. "Feel Welcome encapsulates the generosity and the very essence of hospitality. It is a promise addressed to all our audiences: customers, employees and partners, so that they feel expected, unique and privileged." During our 2018 Spa Director's Academy, a gathering of the entire Accor North and Central America Spa directors, we discussed the changing guest landscape and the correlating challenges and opportunities that enable us to deliver upon this promise especially for our guests recovering from cancer. READ MORE

Proper Hospitality is expanding from a single Proper-branded hotel – San Francisco Proper Hotel – to a high-end lifestyle hotel brand with three additional properties opening this summer - Santa Monica Proper Hotel in June followed by Austin Proper Hotel & Residences and Downtown LA Proper Hotel. Led by Brad Korzen and Brian De Lowe, Proper Hospitality designs and operates high-end lifestyle experiences under its three distinct brands - Proper Hotels and Residences, Avalon Hotels and Custom Hotel. Proper Hospitality seeks out emerging, urban innovative districts within dynamic U.S. cities. Each Proper property is designed by world-renowned international tastemaker Kelly Wearstler and is an ode to its respective city. READ MORE

Unlike with some recent industry-wide disruptions (think Netflix vs. Blockbuster), the hotel industry has weathered the rise of Airbnb, and held on to most of its market. A new study from Clever Real estate uncovers some of the competitive advantages that have allowed the hotel industry to compete with the $38 billion upstart, from 24-hour reliability, to a specific class of amenities, and points the way toward a future of renewed vitality and innovation. READ MORE

A trademark can be a recognizable sign or design that defines a brand. Protecting that trademark can be crucial to a hospitality player attracting guests and maintaining a competitive edge. A hospitality player's success may lead to imitation from competitors. That imitation may lead to infringement of a hospitality player's trademark. Protecting any trademark should be a priority for hospitality players. Failing to protect a trademark can lead to waiving rights and claims that a hospitality player may use to enforce its trademark rights. Hospitality players should seek to understand whether any threats exist to their trademark rights and take appropriate action in response to those threats. READ MORE