Rooted in history, our nation's capital is full of character and charm, and a focus on preservation is the norm rather than the exception. That's why the design for Columbia Place, a recently completed, mixed-use development combining a dual-branded hotel, residences and retail with historic buildings in Washington, D.C.'s Shaw District, didn't need to invent a new sense of place. Design and architectural firm COOPER CARRY in collaboration with tvsdesign instead built upon its origins. Striking an artful balance between "then" and "now", Columbia Place blends centuries-old structures with modern living to honor history while also welcoming the next generation. READ MORE

This has been a monumental year for the All Suites brands by Hilton, and the category has big plans in store to push the envelope even further next year. Embassy Suites by Hilton, Homewood Suites by Hilton and Home2 Suites by Hilton have each broken into new markets domestically and abroad with innovative construction methods, enhanced their technology offerings to make personalizing a guest stay easier than ever, and have doubled down on their social and environmental initiatives. Looking ahead to 2020, the All Suites brands vision has never been clearer. READ MORE

So, what does the future hold in store for guest loyalty? And more importantly loyalty for independent hotels? Well, independent hotels have their work cut out for them but do not need to despair. The customer is looking for value offerings and in recent times does not care whether they are from independent or chain hotels. A slickly executed marketing strategy on the foundation of strong differentiation and tying into guest personalization demands can bring the bacon home. Owners of these independent hotels who have already stuck their necks out with the investment can then laugh all the way to the bank. READ MORE

The landscape of revenue management is everchanging, and revenue managers must stay at the forefront of these changes as Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) continue to evolve. It seems like only yesterday that Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) was the end all be all KPI. Then came Total Revenue Per Available Room (TRevPAR) and now we review Gross Operation Profit Per Available Room (GOPPAR) as an additional metric for growth. Let's review the many ways to maximize GOPPAR so that through proper management of your property resources, your team will find success. READ MORE

As it has over the past three decades, revenue management will continue to evolve in the one that follows. Changes in this field are likely to be far reaching and those that prepare now will be well positioned to thrive in the future. Organizational structure, education, hiring practices, guest engagement, pricing practices and performance metrics are just a few of the areas that will be significantly impacted. This article delves into possible scenarios and issues that practitioners and others will face in the years to come. READ MORE

Revenue management professionals have been talking about 'Total Hotel Revenue Management' for well over a decade. There have been multiple presentations and academic articles on Total Hotel Revenue Management, yet based on the research we have conducted, our observations and conversations we have had, not too much progress has occurred. The question is why have hotels been so slow in achieving the goal of Total Hotel Revenue Management? In this article, we discuss some of the obstacles and impediments to success and offer some suggestions and proven tips for success. READ MORE

The old thinking of hotel revenue management within the silo of revenue per available room may have been acceptable in the past, but times have changed. No longer is it adequate to measure success through key performance indicators such as RevPAR or TrevPAR. Today, hotel revenue managers must look through a different lens finding innovative ways to produce profit in all areas of hotel operations, demonstrating ROI to ownership. In my article you will see how creative opportunities to grow profit exist all over your property; they are just often overlooked. READ MORE

Hotel executives find that knowledge management is the in the forefront of success. And knowledge management could be the most important component of success in this ever-changing business environment of today. This, by far, is why some hotels are successful and some are not. The key take-away for hotel executives is that knowledge management is a resource that enables hotels to solve problems and create value through improved performance and it is this point that will narrow the gaps of success and failure leading to more successful decision-making. READ MORE

William Toth, Spa Director at the brand new St. Somewhere Spa at Margaritaville Resort Orlando discusses trends in the spa industry in 2019. As consumers become more educated on the capabilities of resort spas, products and treatments, industry leaders are looking to find differentiators. What are consumers looking for? Current trends can be broken down into four factors. They are facilities, experience, services, and results. Especially for those wishing to make their spas a part of their revenues or profit, since spas surely add to the profit of a hotel, all of these factors should be considered. For that reason, this article will focus on those factors as a guide towards a successful spa. READ MORE

From where we sit in the hospitality space, we are seeing the industry suffer from an over-reliance on inbound as the primary source of group business. This dependence is leading us to a commoditization within group, where rates are becoming the only differentiator between properties. But what if we could change that? What if there was another source of business that would allow hotels to reclaim their control of group sales, allow them to build stronger repeat business and ultimately a more profitable property? In this article we will explore why hotels are struggling today to meet group targets and propose alternative ways to sell group that are more profitable. READ MORE

Traditional goals for business conferences include Education and Learning, Sales and Business Development, Networking; Team Building and Industry Innovation. But meeting planners have been focused on a new trend in recent years: Experience Creation. And in that endeavor we are seeing amazing new technology applied to creating unique and inspiring experiences for meeting goers. In this article we will explore some of the latest technological developments and methodologies, including Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR) and Holography, as they apply to the enhancement of all of the aforementioned meeting goals. READ MORE

Today, almost everything we use is driven by technology. This includes your hotel's waste management program: Enter the smart waste compactor. The goal of a compactor is to condense waste to optimize the space for everyday trash disposal. A smart waste compactor takes this the next level and delivers a real-time, cloud-based dashboard to give you the insights about your compactor you need to better understand your hotel's waste usage. We wanted to give you a rundown of the key benefits of a smart waste compactor on your hotel and how it can make your hotel's waste management program smarter. READ MORE

Over the past decades, we have seen how significant our impact on nature can be and the long-term consequences that imply. Leisure and business tourism move millions of people every year, and taking initiatives to protect nature should be a main priority for all hospitality companies around the globe. Taking care of the environment through a green-building approach, implementing new systems to preserve and recycle water resources and developing a biomass power plant to provide green energy are just a few activities that Toscana Resort Castelfalfi has undertaken to preserve the pristine nature that surrounds it and to ensure guests' wellbeing. READ MORE

Inspired by the location's rich history, embracing today's prevailing trends, and with a steady eye toward the future, Current doesn't suffer the effects of time. Every element of Tampa's new Marriott Autograph Collection hotel on Rocky Point is steeped in intention, from the location, architecture, art gallery, and dining options, to the guest rooms – each one specifically designated to make sure it maintains an ocean view. The hotel stimulates all of the senses, and the excitement of something new is right around the corner. Offerings remain fresh with ever-changing menus at Julian and Rox, and a curated art gallery with rotating exhibits. In this way, Current travelers and visitors are always offered a unique taste of Tampa Bay. READ MORE

The women of today have begun to shift public opinion on who is able to travel alone-studies have shown that accommodations booked by female lone travelers has increased by 45 percent in recent years. As women continue to venture out into the world for solo travel experiences, safety precautions remain a major concern. Throughout Japan, this issue has been remedied by women-centric travel and experiential accommodations. Taking women's comfort into consideration, sleep capsules are being utilized in hotels that exclusively serve women or offer the option of gender specific floors, offering women necessary privacy and safety in their own spaces. READ MORE