Typically, when we attempt to control insurance claims costs in hospitality, we find ways to reduce the number of claims. That means yet another conversation about slips, trips and falls, the most frequent source of any insurance claim filed by a hotel. What about the most costly claims, the ones that draw settlements in the hundreds of thousands of dollars? Hotels must also reduce their exposure to risks that result in these sometimes catastrophic claims, from Legionnaires' outbreaks to back strain injuries among hospitality staff. In this article, I will discuss five emerging risks and one all-too-familiar risk that generate costly insurance claims. READ MORE

A couple of years ago, I wrote a piece in HotelExecutive about how the Hotel Lobby was evolving from an arrival and circulation zone with the various program elements of food and beverage outlets, business centers, and the expected array of arrival components and moving towards a self-contained destination; becoming something quite independent of the hotel itself. READ MORE

So a man walks into bar…no lets change that, a couple walks into a hotel room and immediately they look at the bathroom and make an evaluation, what are they considering…..small, large and luxurious, is there space for my toiletries, lighting, outlets, shower size, and then there is the wc, where is it….and is the bathroom private or is it open to the rest of the room…? Well I have seen them all, as a designer and have probably made some of the same decisions other designers have done to make the bathroom special, unusual, chic, etc. READ MORE

Design is only good if it works. Hospitality designers are charged with plenty to think about at the onset of a new project. Most importantly, what will make the space work for the clientele and bring people back. People have many diverse needs and desires when travelling but each property has to find their niche and maximize the return on their investments. Luckily, at this time, hotel redesign is being mandated everywhere. PIPs that have been on hold during the recently weak economic times are shaking loose now, and hotel designers are being called to task. The difference between a good hotel room and a great hotel room is design. A well thought out interior can enhance the travel experience, but remember this newly renovated space has to last up to twelve years. READ MORE

Designing a hotel oriented towards Millennials, or Generation Y, means addressing the revolutionary shift in society's “gestalt” created by the instant accessibility of information. Although people of all ages are participating in this transformation, those born in the last two decades of the 20th century are shaping how these changes materialise through their attitudes towards the accessibility of technology, sense of community, work / life balance, experiences vs. possessions, memory-making, and personalised service - all of which impact a hotel's interior design. READ MORE