We all know that when it comes to setting the style standards for hospitality, boutique hotels are among the industry's most formidable trendsetters. Often, Kimpton Hotels have led the pack with innovative design and unique programs such as in-room yoga, tall rooms, and goldfish to keep the guest company. In 2005, they decided to make one statement that will never go out of style - green is the new black. READ MORE

As a public relations professional, one thing is very clear to me. Most people do not fully understand or appreciate the benefits of PR to their business. PR is perhaps the most under utilized tool in a marketing tool box. Public relations takes time and commitment. Sending out one release won't get you on the cover of Southern Living or the front page of the NY Times. However, handle a crisis poorly and it will. Understanding public relations is important to any business. Effective PR can help you gain exposure and increase revenues. Sure, PR can be maddening. It's hard to measure the ROI sometimes, but it can be done. It's time consuming, but the results are very gratifying. READ MORE

Do you consider your most popular services your most "profitable"? Just because you sell a lot of something doesn't make it profitable. Service profit is produced by careful control of your direct costs to produce that service. Profit is never just a happy accident in a spa business. Despite the seemingly lavish price tags for services in resort and hotel spas, our expenses and overhead are equally lavish. Spa directors must be constantly monitoring the actual expenses of producing their services, as well as looking for opportunities to simplify their menu and their operation, while adding value. READ MORE

Half of the US populace is on psychiatric drugs, and the vast majority of them do not need to be. But having taken these mind-altering drugs, they develop a biochemical personality that cuts them off from others, either making them wooden and unemotional; or causing great discomfort, making them into walking time-bombs who blow up from time to time. The hospitality industry is based on the concept of hospitality. It is hard to be friendly to anyone when one feels half dead, drugged, or when one is seething with upset... READ MORE

Whether or not Mr Horst Schulze, former chairman of Ritz-Carlton, was serious when he announced his plans to introduce a six-star hotel chain that was defined in part by private butlers, he was signaling a recognition of the value of a certain something that classic British butlers bring to the guest experience. So what's the connection between the British butler of the past and present, and the future hospitality professional? How does one move service employees from transient lower-paid wage earners to professional service providers acting with pride and knowledge, more akin to Life Consultants than room service and caring as much for guests as their own mothers? READ MORE

Rare is the week that goes by without word of some upscale hotel offering butler service as a way to improve service and retain or gain that coveted 5-star or diamond status. That's as it should be. But then consider the story broken recently by the Wall Street Journal of industry veteran Horst Schulze's declaration that he intends to establish a line of hotels with a six-star rating. What does he specify as the criteria for such an august label? Private swimming pools. And personal butlers. It seems butlers are really not just for the wealthy in their private estates, but also for their convenience when they travel. So, in providing butler service, a pertinent question might be "What exactly is a butler?" Or more to the point, "What are butlers in a hotel setting?" READ MORE

The statement is true..."Like swimming pools, a spa is considered to be a necessity for hotels and resorts." If you are contemplating investing dollars in building a spa or undertaking a spa at your hotel or resort, take some time to plan for the longevity of your spa brand. A long-term winner is born when a clear picture of the spa industry is combined with a concise concept and a plan to manage the concept. First, let's take a look at the spa industry. The spa industry has "arrived" and definitely proven itself. It has had the right formula at the right time - just when stress is high and the world wants a time out - a time to slip away - a time to escape. The latest Spa Industry survey prepared for the International Spa Association by The Association Research Centre Inc. quotes... READ MORE

Does your property have a compelling spa program that captures your hotel guests' sophisticated spa expectations? Today's spa customers are more knowledgeable, more discerning and less tolerant of a mediocre spa experience. There are more spas vying for their money and business. Decisions on where to spend their dollars will be determined by how well their needs are met. Spa guests are seeking an honest experience that supports a sense of escape while at the same time, offers meaningful results. READ MORE

How do consumers think about your hotel's restaurant? Why do people eat there? Is it only a convenience for overnight hotel guests, or is it a destination for non-guests as well? In consumers' minds, what does it compete with, and how does it compare to the competition? Why do some people return after their initial trial, but others do not? Is it the food, ambiance, staff or a completely different reason? What does the restaurant do well? What needs improvement? Qualitative research has been used to answer such questions and gain an in-depth understanding of consumers' attitudes toward restaurants -- elegant, casual, take-out/fast food, independent restaurants and/or chains. READ MORE

For spa directors in hotels and resorts offering spa services, there is the constant pressure to excel even further and so differentiate themselves in the minds of their guests; to find compelling ways to entice guests to return when there are many other venues for them to choose from. The same could be said of the butler service offered by many such hotels and resorts. Both programs add value and prestige, but is there a way to improve these service offerings? The short answer is, "Yes!" READ MORE

In an industry that is completely premised on the idea of service, and in which service is a key differentiator, it's a no-brainer to institute butler service. Butlers have always represented the pinnacle in service quality. After the initial required training, the running of a butler service is not much more expensive to provide than regular service, yet it allows rack rates to be raised and creates a loyal following of repeat visitors, as well as enhancing word of mouth and thus new business that make the investment most sound. Instituting butler service can be done gradually, perhaps instituting it on one floor, and at not such a great cost, especially when considering the return on investment. Fifteen rooms can be well serviced by four butlers on three shifts, for instance, with one of them assigned as Head butler. If service is to be 24-hour, then a fifth butler would be needed. Assuming an owner or manager decides to institute butler service, the next question is, "How?" READ MORE

The likelihood that any single hotel will be the target of a terrorist act is very small indeed, given the number of hotels in the world. The risks increase with the size of the hotel, its location, it being a trophy building or the destination of guests whose views are antipathetic to those of any of a variety of terrorist groups. Or perhaps the fact that it is an easy, soft target and offers a way of doing what terrorists do best: destroy buildings and lives, undermine the peace of mind and economies of whole nations. So how safe does that make any hotel? READ MORE

How often do you as a hotel owner or manager stop to help an employee who may be struggling to keep up with his or her day-to-day tasks? What have you done to motivate the employee who simply doesn't care about doing a good job or going the extra mile to please a guest because it's just a job, a way to collect a paycheck?. With no risk and no up-front-cost, hoteliers can increase a line-level employees' take-home pay by as much as $130 a month, provide better voluntary benefits to employees, and thus decrease employee turnover. READ MORE

Spas in resort and hotel properties are no longer an amenity that sets the property apart from its competitors - - spas are now a necessity and as a necessity, require more than build-it-and-they-will-will come planning. For the hotelier who is exploring the advantages of hiring a consultant or is already convinced that a spa consultant is a necessity for the project and wants to make a good choice, this article is intended to be helpful in understanding the role of the full service spa consultant and how to sort through the maize to find the right consulting firm for your property. READ MORE

Spas are a necessity for resorts and hotels. The Spa Business is experiencing an exponential growth rate. The number of Spa Goers is growing. Spas are hotel profit centers. Great statements! Great trends! What are the realities that these trends bring? The supply of spas has grown to the point that competition and consumer knowledge has changed the face of the industry. Now it is not just "a spa" that is necessary for a resort or hotel, it is a spa with an experience that is special for each guest along with service that is so seamless that the guest is not aware of it. No matter how spectacular the architectural features, or chic the interior design, or how creative the spa menu; if the experience and service delivery falls short, then guests do not recommend or return to the spa. READ MORE