In January, Hilton launched a new elevated yet approachable lifestyle brand, Tempo by Hilton. Developed upon the discovery of a whitespace in the market, Tempo by Hilton was thoughtfully designed to meet the needs of a burgeoning class of modern achievers. This rising demographic of ambitious and discerning travelers, increasingly uninspired with current offerings at their price point, is looking for a hotel experience that reflects their ambitious lifestyles and will help them continue being their best selves even on the road. With surprising artistic touches and offerings developed in partnership with leading lifestyle brands, Tempo by Hilton was created for the rhythm of life. READ MORE

Cala Luna Boutique Hotel & Villas strives to protect the environment and educate guests about its importance, all while providing world-class service in a paradisiacal setting. Travelers are getting savvier and are taking into consideration their carbon footprint while booking their vacation and even business trips. They are also thinking about the impact they have on the local community with over tourism becoming an important global issue. Cala Luna is proud to hold the highest Sustainable Tourism certification (level five) from the Costa Rican Tourism Institute. Their sustainability efforts include solar energy, sustainably-farmed produce, bamboo straws, beach cleanups, and more. READ MORE

As national and state governments propose and pass legislation eliminating single-use plastics from the waste stream, the global lodging industry, at the property, company or organization level, is taking its own action. Earlier this year, The Global Tourism Plastics Initiative was formed and within the past year companies as large as Marriott, IHG, Accor and others have established policies around plastics ranging from straws to amenity bottles. What is clear is that consumers, as well as hoteliers, are growing tired of the problems associated with plastic-everything from tarnished reputations to ill health to tinier bottom lines. READ MORE

At The Beverly Hilton, 2020 brings many reasons to celebrate. This year, the ionic hotel marks its 65th anniversary and remembers its storied past while remaining a sought-after destination that combines the glamour of Hollywood with prestige of Beverly Hills. Continuously re-imagining itself, The Beverly Hilton will also unveil a top-to-bottom $35 million renovation, which includes updates to our guestrooms, common spaces, CIRCA 55 restaurant and our legendary suites. As we embark on this new chapter, we continue to look at creative ways to reduce our environmental footprint, increase our social impact and create a better world to travel for generations to come, in alignment with Hilton's Travel with Purpose 2030 Goals. READ MORE

Ideally situated minutes from Park City, The Lodge at Blue Sky, Auberge Resorts Collection, opened June 2019, is a 3,500-acre ranch in the Wasatch Mountain Range that invites travelers to leave the cares of the modern world behind and reconnect with nature through unmatched outdoor experiences offered on property year-round, from fly fishing on miles of private waters and mountain biking to shooting an 18-stand sporting clay course and horseback riding. Embodying a relaxed Western lifestyle – guests won't need to leave the resort to find adventure and learn to connect with the land. READ MORE

Your employees are your hotel's most valuable asset, and it's important to protect both them and your guests in times of crisis. Without a solid communication plan that accounts for frontline employees' needs, you run the risk of a chaotic internal environment, which ultimately leads to a negative guest experience. And in crisis situations - like a natural disaster, a live shooter situation, or public health threat - inconsistency or errors in communication can have far more serious and tragic repercussions. Use these three strategies to facilitate communication with frontline employees during a crisis. READ MORE

If you take a moment to look around and reflect on your own life, you might recognize a strange thing happening – at a moment when we are physically apart, our families, neighborhoods, and cities seem to be growing closer than ever. Your brand has the opportunity to do the same with its customers. And there is no better weapon in your company's pandemic response arsenal than its loyalty program. However usual strategies will need to be adjusted, and decision makers who hold an understanding of the human condition, informed by behavioral science, will have a massive advantage when navigating the critical decisions to come. This article is a cheat-sheet for those decision makers. READ MORE

Between the global pandemic and the teetering economy, the hotel industry is in the midst of interesting times. As these issues play out, it is important for hotel management to remember that, at heart, success still revolves around the culture of guest service. William J. Sander, CEO of Seagate Hospitality Group in Delray Beach, Florida, reflects on that culture with perspective gained from three decades in the industry and two recessions along the way. READ MORE

Keeping pace with trends and innovations in technology is imperative for most businesses today. This is especially critical for hotels in their quest to personalize and elevate guest experience, increase operational efficiency and reduce costs. Hotels are turning to evolving technologies like voice assistants to make it easy for guests to do everything from adjusting lighting to ordering room service, and equipping rooms with mobile app digital key access technology to deliver faster, more convenient guest access. On the operations side, robotic technology can handle repetitive tasks, improve guest interaction and provide predictive maintenance technology to ensure guest room systems and devices are optimally maintained. READ MORE

Text *MORE* if you'd like to keep reading! Just kidding. Please don't text me. When text messaging became a popular way for folks to look really busy pounding a Morse code into their flip phones and Blackberry devices, I opted-out. I introduced a simple rule: if you send me more than one text in five minutes, I'm calling you. I still live by that rule. That's the exception; messaging rules the world. Short message services and messaging platforms continue their worldwide proliferation, affording your guests an impressive communicative artillery. They've got lots of options to attack, so, while defense could win championships, proactive messaging will win you off-the-charts guest experiences. Text *STOP* now if you'd rather not learn more about engaging guest communications. READ MORE

In 2019, two California appellate courts issued separate decisions regarding employee on-duty meal periods that could greatly impact hotel operations in the Golden State. The Naranjo decision covered the specificity of on-duty meal period agreements and "substantial compliance" with the controlling state law, while the Ferra decision considered how to calculate the hour of premium pay owed to employees when employers fail to provide a compliant meal or rest period. Given these decisions, it is important for California hotel employers to understand these cases, their respective impacts and how they can be sure to comply with the new changes in law. READ MORE

Inspired by the movers and shakers, artists and innovators who give San Francisco its distinctive character, the stylish urban oasis W San Francisco attracts and retains the interest of hotel guests and locals as a fierce source of compelling events and category-defying activations. In addition to hosting What She Said, a women-led speaker series spotlighting female leaders across fashion, music, design and technology fields, and Living Room Live, a lively concert series connecting music lovers with emerging artists, the hotel just kicked off Three Course Drag TRACE, a series elevating "dinner and a show" with tasty bites and saucy performances. READ MORE

Some think historic boutique hotels can offer central locations and authentic guest experiences but can suffer in quality and operational efficiency. Fort Worth's Sinclair Hotel shows how wrong that perception can be. The recently renovated hotel maximized the use of modern technology while preserving the detail of its 90-year old iconic design. Energy consumption was reduced by 35%, while the developer was able to capture 45% of the renovation costs in federal and state historic tax credits. Sinclair Hotel represents an exquisite blending of old and new, capturing the best of both and serving as a wonderful prototype. READ MORE

Hospitality professionals and event planners can learn a lot from universities. With flexible and convenient spaces, opportunities for recruiting and connections, and engagement and entertainment options, campus settings can teach us plenty about creating elevated, professional events for today's changing workforce. Diane Tighe, area director of catering and conference services at Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club and JB Duke Hotel on the campus of Duke University, outlines best practices to take away from the university event setting, and it might just earn the top grade in 2020. READ MORE

It's no secret that technology is critical to creating a hospitality experience that guests will want to return to again and again. Not only does technology improve the guest experience and help hotels stand out amongst their competition, but it can also open opportunities for additional revenue streams by allowing properties to capture detailed data on guest preferences. Two recent technologies in particular, the Internet of Things (IoT) and voice-controlled tech, should be in every hotelier's toolkit as they look to make future tech investments. This article discusses the application of these innovations, and how first impressions matter when it comes to creating a personalized in-room experience. READ MORE