November 2014 - American Hotel Blog

Building on a legacy of quality with added savings

November 24, 2014

Does the name WestPoint Hospitality ring a bell with you? It should. This home fashion pioneer, with its special hospitality division, is still building on a rich heritage that stretches back 200 years.

Today, you may be more familiar with its celebrated product brands, which include Vellux®, Martex®, Utica® and more. Martex is known by many hoteliers for the high quality products it offers for both bed and bath. The Martex RX bedding program delivers bedspreads and accessories for a more upscale look. A guest favorite is the Martex Classic Touch 200 Thread Count Bed Linens. The crease-resistant finish and proprietary Soft Seal process create a softer sheet for the life of the product. The long-wearing Martex Cam Border Towels are also known for durability. The poly/cotton blend, with 100% ring-spun cotton loops, makes them extra soft and absorbent.

In fact, there is no better time to act on the value of WestPoint Hospitality. These and other great items are now on sale at American Hotel.

WestPoint Hospitality and the companies that represent its heritage are recognized leaders in the innovation and fashion of home textiles, experimenting with new fabrics to meet ever-changing needs. They continue to lead in the areas of social responsibility and sustainability as well.

Being good stewards of the environment, WestPoint Hospitality is committed to managing chemical use responsibly, recycling waste, ensuring wise water use, and continually upgrading its wastewater treatment facilities. In fact, over the past six years, one of their production plant’s water consumption dropped by 82%.

In all that it does, WestPoint Hospitality strives to build on a legacy of providing quality, affordable, and fashionable products for every customer. To learn more about the company and its products, visit http://www.westpointhome.com.

Playing the Holiday Host

November 20, 2014

The holidays are in full swing and travelers are gearing up for some festive fun on the road! It’s at this time every year that roads get busier and, hopefully, your property fills up quickly. Are you doing the most you can to market your hotel as a house of holiday fun? Here are some tips to play the perfect host to your guests this season.

Holidays are about family. So, it stands to reason that many of your guests will be traveling with their children or relatives. Build interest in your venue this season by offering vacation packages tailored to families. Discounted rates on blocks of rooms, restaurant vouchers, and access to family-friendly activities are all great options to include in your family vacation packages.

Embrace diversity. It’s perfectly okay to emphasis a particular holiday in your venue, but it’s a nice gesture to acknowledge other holidays that take place throughout the season. Whether that’s something as small as making a note of it on your venue’s online calendar or something as grand as a feast or party surrounding said holiday, any gesture to acknowledge other holiday events will make guests of all different backgrounds feel welcome. And just for your reference:

Hanukkah: Dec. 17^th – 24^th
Christmas Day: Dec. 25^th
Kwanzaa: Dec. 26^th – Jan. 1^st

Get festive. ‘Tis the season to be jolly! Give your guests something to get excited about with fun activities to spread the holiday cheer. Parades, tree-lighting ceremonies and gingerbread house competitions are all popular options, but don’t be afraid to put your own creative spin on activities. Just be sure to include a few things that are specifically kid-friendly. Happy parents are happy guests.

Decorate your venue on and offline. Of course you know to decorate the venue itself with twinkling lights and holiday flair, but have you put any thought into your online presence? You can add allure to your venue as a holiday destination by promoting your festive spirit online. Change your Facebook cover photo to a picture of your property all lit up or something else that shows holiday spirit. If you can coordinate it, add something festive to your website, as well, with updated photos or holiday graphics, and be sure to feature your holiday packages and offerings front and center on the site.

Go the extra mile. Let’s be honest here. Each and every one of us has scrambled to do some last minute holiday shopping at one point. Help your guests out in a shopping emergency (or just a much needed mall break) by offering shuttle services to local shops or malls.

Don’t forget the food! Last, but certainly not least, holiday food. It’s a huge part of the season and thus, there should be a large emphasis on it at your venue. Consider laying out some refreshments in your lobby for guests to munch on throughout the day or at key points in the day.

If your property boasts an on-premises restaurant, you’ll definitely want to create a holiday menu. Anything from sit-down service to a grand buffet is sure to draw in a crowd. If you don’t have food service available in-venue, consider partnering with some local restaurants that you can direct guests to for their holiday feast.

How are you celebrating the holidays at your property? We’d like to know! Share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section.

Thrilling Themed Hotels

November 5, 2014

Thrilling Themed Hotels

When you hear “themed hotel,” there’s a good chance that Disney springs to mind. But, it’s not just theme parks embarking on this trend. These days, themed hotels can be found the world round, from teensy little towns to metropolitan cities to sprawling vacation resorts. The daring trend, although not for everyone, satisfies guests on a level that the ordinary room and board could not – our inner child or the secret thrill-seeker in all of us.

To many hoteliers, a themed hotel seems risky business. It’s a misconception that there aren’t enough people interested to stay, for example, in a college dorm themed hotel. But there must be, because venues like the McMenamins Kennedy School (in actuality, a hotel) serve close to half-a-million pints in their pink-tiled in-house brewery designed to look like a ladies restroom. And really, you can’t argue with numbers.

So, for those who are venturing into the great allure of theme hotels or are dabbling with themed suites, we’ve compiled a list of the most unique, talked about, and anticipated hotel destinations.

1) The Propeller Island City Lodge – Berlin, Germany

If you’re looking to feed your sense of adventure, Propeller Island is the place to be. From coffins in the attic and flying beds to rooms designed to feel like underground bunkers, Propeller Island has it all. It’s more art than hotel and rooms vary depending on the whims of German artist, Lars Stroschen.

2) The Chocolate Boutique Hotel – Bournemouth, England

This is the favored hotel of sweet-tooths everywhere. The hotel truly lives up to its name – it’s all chocolate, all the time, but in the warmest way possible. Plush, stylish furnishings in shades of, you guessed it – chocolate – create a cozy environment for any guest. The generous helpings of chocolate in its many forms don’t hurt either.

3) Jules Undersea Lodge – Key Largo, FL

For a mere $500 per person and a few scuba lessons, you, too, can take an underwater hotel adventure! Even though you’re below the surface, Jules Undersea Lodge doesn’t skimp on service. Here, staff divers will hand deliver a well-wrapped pizza straight to your room.

4) The Georgian House – London, England

A.k.a. the “Harry Potter” hotel, the Georgian is currently one of the most talked about theme hotels, but for all the wrong reasons. This is one theme that even the most leery of hoteliers might agree has a massive and eager fan base, but that’s just the problem in this case. High expectations led to a serious let-down when patrons realized the hotel was not sanctioned by Warner Bros. Entertainment, J.K. Rowling or the Harry Potter book publishers and was not indeed the “Harry Potter” hotel, but rather just a hotel that duped an adoring fan base.

5) Paramount Hotel & Residences – Dubai, UAE

The much anticipated movie-themed hotel is set to open in 2015, and the world cannot wait. Within hours of opening the first sales of its residences they were sold out. So what can residents and visitors alike expect? Think private screening rooms, home theatre surround sound systems, and classic Hollywood glamour – in short, a movie-lovers dream.

We’d love to hear all about your themed property or suites! Tell us in the comments!

American Hotel & 1888 Mills®: Partners in environmental stewardship & sustainability

November 4, 2014

At American Hotel, we’re focused on helping our customers deliver their best guest experiences while preserving the world around us. We embrace our responsibility to make a positive impact on the people we serve, the products we bring to market and the planet we are privileged to share. We continually adopt practices to help protect the environment and cultivate relationships with suppliers who share our vision and sustainability goals, like 1888 Mills.

As a leading global manufacturer of home and commercial textiles catering to the retail, hospitality and healthcare markets worldwide, 1888 Mills also has deep roots in the heritage of U.S. textile manufacturing. The company continues to be the proud operator of the largest remaining towel mill in the United States.

Consistent with its brand purpose of “Weaving a Better World”, 1888 Mills is devoted to its stakeholders and the economic regions in which it operates. By executing initiatives promoting environmental stewardship and contributing to poverty reduction, the company is driving innovation in the global marketplace.

In fact, 1888 Mills has adopted a “triple bottom line” approach to measure its success – People, Planet, Prosperity – that dovetails with American Hotel’s sustainability objectives. With product lines that promote energy savings and eco-friendly packaging, the company has reduced its usage of PVC, polyethylene and other harmful chemicals by more than 50%.

1888 Mills offers its quality bed and bath linens and towels on americanhotel.com and is a valued supplier partner in American Hotel’s Living Green program.