The hospitality industry has always been responsible for the safety of its guests. The industry is now grappling with its obligation to maintain a safe data environment. Hotel owners, brands and operators face significant challenges as bad actors become more sophisticated and as hotel systems become more complex. Recent legal developments in Europe and in America have created a new set of issues, requiring hotel companies to reevaluate how they collect process and protect information. The hospitality industry must, therefore, reconsider its approach to data security and privacy. READ MORE

High profile events and trends in the last year have made customers planning future events at hotels nervous. Things like the "#MeToo" movement, the Las Vegas shootings, and political and economic volatility have led meeting planners to request new terms in their event contracts. Many of these new clauses, some of which are being recommended by meeting industry groups, are poorly drafted, don't solve the problem that they seek to address, and put the hotel at risk for claims or lost business. READ MORE

In a marketplace that increasingly places a premium on authenticity and extraordinary, historic hotels offer a spectrum of event venues, from elegant to quirky, but typically unique. There is always a temptation to concentrate on operational efficiency and standardization in designing new space, and certainly, flawless service is a key to a successful event. But whether a grand dame hotel or an adapted vintage building, there is value in embracing the special places and unusual character of older buildings, capitalizing on historic architecture to create memorable venues – which in turn feed the bottom line. READ MORE

Despite confusing rhetoric from Capitol Hill, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and its employer mandate is alive and well. Not only that, the IRS is serious about enforcing the mandate and is collecting penalties from employers for noncompliance. Many companies fall short of ACA compliance because they fail to accurately track full-time employees throughout the year. Constant turnover, variable-hour shifts, and seasonality make it increasingly difficult for hospitality businesses to track employees' hours. This article will cover the nuances of ACA reporting and how to stay on top of all the day-to-day change with shift workers. READ MORE

In the context of a hotel acquisition or new hotel construction, there are a myriad of issues that must be addressed, including a tangled web of permits and licenses that must be obtained prior to opening. Perhaps the most challenging license or permit that must be obtained is the liquor license. The difficulty, obstacles and puzzles that must be solved when obtaining a liquor license vary in complexity and intensity depending on the state in which the hotel is located, and in some cases depending further on which county and / or municipality within the state. It can be easy for outside transaction lawyers working on a hotel acquisition for the owner or management company client to overlook the difficulty and potential for delay that obtaining liquor licenses can present. READ MORE