You show up at 8am for a training workshop, dreading it all week. Right as you are about to step inside, you stop and the question pops into your mind, “Why am I here? Will this be worth my ever-so-fleeting time? And if they make me play games, I think I may be forced to commit hara-kiri.” Does this sound even remotely familiar? Games do not have to be painful or embarrassing. Some games, such as bouncing a beach ball, everyone standing on a sheet and turning it over without anyone leaving the sheet, lining up according to shoe size and everything in between have their place. We've been through them all. READ MORE

As the Architects and the Interior Designers, ForrestPerkins transformed an iconic downtown office building into a vibrant mixed-use property featuring a 326-key Westin hotel in Downtown Dallas. The adaptive reuse of One Main Place to hotel use required paying strict attention to the historic elements of the building in order to satisfy the requirements of the National Park Service and the Texas Historic Commission for achieving federal and state Historic Tax Credits for the owners. Repurposing this important downtown building has given it new life and has contributed to the burgeoning renaissance of Downtown Dallas. READ MORE

As someone who has poured money into a restaurant as an investment vehicle, the owner is looking at a good return on that investment. Restaurant profits cannot match rooms accommodation profits and in most cases tend to be between one third to one half of rooms profits. It is thus critical that the restaurant product is well thought out and harnesses resident hotel guest patronage complemented by non-residents. A well balanced buffet and a la carte offerings in the hotel restaurant will go a long way in delivering that patronage factor as well as producing that return on investment the owner is seeking. A win win situation that owners and stake holders hold dear to their hearts. READ MORE

There are various project delivery systems commonly used in today's construction renovation projects, Design-Bid-Build, Construction Management and Design-Build. It's important that an owner examines the pros and cons of each in order to determine which system works best for certain considerations such as project goals, costs to perform, timeline and risk management. In the Design-Bid-Build method, the owner engages entities such as the architect/engineer, designer and construction company separately. Since there is little if any connection between the different entities, this process requires a savvy owner who will be responsible for controlling all aspects of the design and construction process. One of the downfalls of this process, however, occurs if there are design errors for which the owner becomes at risk to the contractor. READ MORE

Most progress in human thought occurs by challenging common assumptions; sometimes at great personal peril. Galileo Galilei was placed under house arrest for the last eight years of his life for championing the heliocentric view of our solar system described by Copernicus. It was heresy to suggest that the Earth and the rest of the planets revolved around the sun. Germ Theory of Disease was ridiculed by the leading medical minds of the time. It was not until 300 years after the concept was introduced that it finally trumped the Miasma or “Bad Air” theory of sickness transmission. READ MORE

According to Google Research, Generation C is a powerful new force in consumer culture. It's a category of people who care deeply about creation, curation, connection, and community. It's not an age group; it's an attitude and mindset. Brands that take the time to understand Generation C and better engage with them will find a willing and influential audience. For this new group of consumers, the internet no longer sits behind a screen - it's a way of life - engaging with technology whenever they want. Gen C wants access to goods and services from all their devices in the fewest possible clicks. READ MORE

Meetings are out. Experiences are in. That's the message that emerges from research Development Counsellors International (DCI) conducted earlier this year, in partnership with the International Association of Conference Centers (IACC), to determine what will be required in the meeting rooms of the future. In a detailed survey of more than 150 meeting planners from five continents —including those specializing in corporate, association, and government meetings — 75 percent of respondents said their job is increasingly about “experience creation.” Before mobile phones and Wi-Fi, meeting participants had no choice but to sit down and engage with what was being presented. READ MORE

From content consumption to meeting and function room design, millennial mindset will continue to be the primary change agent at properties. Millennial: It's a buzzword that we see in just about every article today, but there's good reason for that. By 2025 millennials will make up over 75% of the workforce, which means they're an ever growing portion of hotel guests, attendees, and the event planners you're trying to reach. Asking how to reach millennials today, is really more like asking how to connect with the dominant mindset in hospitality (and every other industry for that matter). READ MORE

In July 2016, Starwood Hotels & Resorts opened a new hotel in Havana, Cuba. Once unimaginable for a U.S. hotel company, the Four Points Havana offers more than its 186 guest rooms and modern spa; it provides an authentic Cuban experience where guests can enjoy traditional Cuban cuisine in the Don Quixote restaurant, sip on the island's most popular beers, Cristal and Bucanero, in Starwood's signature bar “Best Brews,” and experience Cuba's most sought after cigars with the guidance of a cigar sommelier in the hotel's 5th Avenue Cigar Bar. As the first U.S. hotel in Cuba in nearly sixty years, the Four Points Havana signals the beginning of a new era, as previous forays into the hotel industry in Cuba did not end auspiciously for U.S. investors. READ MORE

Americans are increasingly concerned with their water quality. But you should be, too. You may not even know that your property could be liable for delivering lead-contaminated water to guests. But what causes high lead levels in water, anyway? What actions can you take to ensure your hotel's water is safe and healthy? How do insurance companies leave you liable? This article will help provide vital knowledge about the current lead problem and how you can make your property's water safe. READ MORE

This article is designed to help anyone in the hotel industry answer the challenge of hotel marketing in the 21st Century. It is built on my belief [1] that marketers have overly complicated the marketing process, [2] that marketing is dynamic, constantly evolving to meet the changing needs, wants, and expectations of people and organizations, and [3] that the reasoning behind the AMA's newly revised definition is right on target. In it, you'll read about the three legs that are necessary to support the marketing milk stool for hotels in this increasingly fragmented and competitive global environment. READ MORE

As the summer draws to a close, and many seasonal getaways get ready to wrap their busy-season, the Back-to-School phenomenon kicks itself into high-gear. While kids will get new clothes, haircuts, shoes, notebooks and backpacks,job seekers should do the same (all right, maybe they don't need the Hello Kitty lunchbox). And just like teachers are getting their classrooms set up with new activities for their incoming class, the end of the summer is a great time for hoteliers to refocus their recruiting efforts, gearing up for their next incoming group of team members. READ MORE

Capturing the adventure travel market, which encompasses a wide span, is a challenge for resorts in today's competitive media environment. Adventure travel is undeniably one of the most popular trends all over the world and growing by leaps and bounds. Social media PR is a vital way to highlight your property's involvement to reap more reservations from this category. While there are many travelers that enjoy a tranquil, white beach with turquoise waters for a calming vacation, the thirst for adrenaline filled and thrilling activities you offer has tremendous promotional opportunities. Finding those influencers who have huge followings on Instagram, in particular, will attract guests to your property. READ MORE

The economy is showing signs of improvement and hotels are reporting record profits. Yet the trends that are affecting convention room blocks today as well as vexing meeting planners are rooted in the past trials of the Great Recession. ConventionPlanit.com looked to its own Advisory Council, supplier members and industry leaders for feedback on the factors that are eroding meeting and convention room blocks. There's no doubt we're in a seller's market and many say we may be headed for a 'buyer's market.' Cyclical timing is critical for hotels capitalizing during gainful times while making up for previous losses from 'buyer market' years. READ MORE

As hotel group meeting business grows in 2016, groups are looking to hotels to offer cutting edge technology and environments that are especially conducive to collaboration, creativity and fresh perspectives. Gone are the days of professionals working alone in their rooms—across industries, people want to work in open areas, interacting and socializing seamlessly. With this in mind, Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport, located between Silicon Valley and San Francisco, recently completed a top-to-bottom transformation to become a hub of connectivity for professionals and group meetings. The Burlingame-based property welcomes approximately 330,000 guests each year, with almost half the hotel's overnight guests visiting for meetings and events. READ MORE