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Hotel Guest Room

Choose a sustainable alternative to vinyl curtains

September 29, 2014

Many shower curtains are still made of PVC (polyvinyl chloride) – also known as vinyl – which includes harmful additives. One study found that PVC shower curtains contained high concentrations of phthalates, which have been linked to reproductive effects.1 Through our private Registry® brand, we ease your concerns with a high-quality alternative to vinyl.

 

Our Registry Deluxe PEVA Shower Curtains are made without chlorine, meaning they use fewer chemicals in construction and do not emit that strong chemical smell out of the package. Part of our Living Green collection of eco-friendly products, Registry Deluxe PEVA Shower Curtains are designed to support your sustainable approach to business.

 

  • Chrome-finished rustproof copper grommets prevent snags and tears while also providing an easy method to insert hooks.
  • Reinforced 3-ply top header improves durability and extends the life of the curtain.
  • Antimicrobial finish prevents bacteria from accumulating, and heat-sealed bottom hems prevent mildew buildup.

Registry Deluxe PEVA Shower Curtains should not be machine washed or dried, which saves you time and money. We recommend simply wiping down the curtain with soapy water after use. You should also note that California Proposition 65 requires vinyl shower curtains to have warning labels advising of potential cancer risk. PEVA curtains meet Proposition 65 requirements and do not require any such warning labels.

 

To learn more about the quality and value of this vinyl alternative, visit americanhotel.com or call us at 1-800-323-5686.

 

1. Abdollah T: That ‘new shower curtain smell’? It’s toxic, study says. Los Angeles Times, June 13, 2008, http://articles.latimes.com/2008/jun/13/local/me-showercurtain13, (Accessed 9/12/14).

Train your eye to avoid hospitality mistakes

June 2, 2014

Train your eye to avoid hospitality mistakes

Let’s be honest. Sometimes, in hospitality, mistakes are simply unavoidable. Even the most well reviewed hotels have their share of slip-ups. However, as we all know, more mistakes means less satisfied guests, which ultimately leads to fewer bookings. So, it’s important to prevent every mistake you can.

For starters, you can’t afford to ignore your online reputation. We exist in the world of click and choose information, and prospective guests are checking out your hotel online before booking. Anything and everything – the good, the bad and the ugly – will be available to them with the click of a mouse. So do not ignore what’s being said about your venue online. On a regular basis, designate time to research your online reputation.

You can’t stop the negative from coming out, but you can choose how to react to it. Positive verbal responses and physical actions taken to resolve an issue go a long way in convincing a former unhappy guest to give the venue another shot. Another good option is to outweigh the bad with the good. Increase your social presence. Fill it with new, exciting content and photos. In short, create an online presence that will instantly get people eager to stay at your venue.

Don’t forget that, for most guests, the most important hotel quality is cleanliness. Dingy bathrooms, poorly made beds, housekeepers ignoring ‘do not disturb’ signs are all bad for business. These mistakes will destroy your reputation, and ignoring cleanliness to save a buck now will end up chewing up your profits later. Your guests are paying top dollar for their home-away-from-home, and they expect it to be treated as such. Sloppy housekeeping and rude maids are a sure way to upset patrons. Be sure to enforce the rules and do regular checks to make sure no slack is catching in the line. Your quarterly report will thank you.

Would you tell any stranger on the street your home address? Of course not. So, would your guests be comfortable with the front desk loudly announcing what room they’re staying in upon check-in? Or worse, handing out their room number to anybody who calls asking? It’s your job to make your guests feel safe and comfortable under your roof, and your job to train your staff to use discretion.

Quite a few hospitality mistakes boil down simply to paying attention to details. Just by keeping a more watchful eye on your venue and staff, you’ll be cutting out reputation-killing mistakes without even trying.

What other common hospitality mistakes would you like to see addressed? Tell us in the comments section below!

Spa Bathrooms: Not Just for Luxury Hotels

March 4, 2014

Spa Bathrooms: Not Just for Luxury Hotels

The bathroom is an often overlooked space of the hospitality industry. It’s equipped with necessities, stocked with supplies and given mild attention in terms of décor. Unless you were visiting a luxury hotel – one of the ritzy high-end venues that people dream of being married in – this bathroom setup was the staple. Jacuzzi tubs and luxe products were reserved for the posh venues. In recent years, that’s all begun to change. Luxurious, spa-like bathrooms are becoming the new normal for mid-level to luxury-level hotels.

It’s not surprising that this fad is catching on. It’s a great alternative for hotels that don’t have an in-house spa. All that’s required is a few product upgrades, and wham, just like that you’ve elevated your guest experience toward the realm of luxury. Just think about how many guests will appreciate spa-like features right in their room. After a long day of travel, when the body is achy and you’re far from home, all you want is a bit of relaxation. A spa bathroom is just what the doctor ordered.

Here are a few tips to help make your bathrooms more luxurious.

  1. Start with a Good Tub
    If you’re currently working with a shower tub combo but have the space to do separates, it is worth considering. A bathtub is the prominent feature in a bathroom and a nice one whispers “luxury.” It doesn’t have to be a high-tech, top of the line Jacuzzi tub, even just one that is a bit oversized with a sloping back will do the trick. If you can’t make the tub happen, then upgrade your shower head. A waterfall shower or massage feature will put a smile on guests’ faces.
  2. Swaddle Your Guests in Plush Fabrics
    After enjoying all of the lovely amenities of their personal spa bathroom, guests want to wrap themselves in something soft and snuggly. Plush towels and bathrobes are like the cherry on top.
  3. Pleasing Products
    Guests staying in your hotel are often far from home, and all of the comforts that go along with it. Make them feel like they’re not settling for second best while on the road by stocking products that feel luxurious.
  4. Keep it Organized
    Far too often, bath amenities are cluttering the counters, or lined up on the edge of the tub, waiting to be tripped over. A simple caddy fixes that problem, and looks nice.

If you’re unsure about the scale of your upgrades, start slow. Revamp the bathrooms in suites, if nothing else. A fair cross-section of guests will likely be willing to spend a bit more to receive a luxurious personal spa. You can rest easy knowing that they’ll check out feeling rejuvenated and happy. After all, a happy guest is a repeat guest.

 

Items Every Hotel Room Should Be Equipped With

August 13, 2013

The elements that produce maximum happiness in your guests – a happiness that guarantees return service and excellent online reviews – is a science in and of itself.

As you have probably already gathered, we are devoted to exploring these “scientific” questions so you can employ them in your hospitality services.

One of these happiness-producing elements is providing guests with a well-stocked room.

In this post, we will explore some of the most common and requested items in a hotel room. By equipping your guests with the items they want and need, you ensure that they are not consumed by worry. Instead, they can relax comfortably and without anxieties.

So, let’s give guests what they are asking for! Here are some of the most common requested hotel room items:

This concludes our list of items every hotel room should have. Providing each and every one of these items can be costly for some hospitality business, and this is list is by no means a baseline to strive for. Instead, this list serves as an ideal to reach after to ensure guests are comfortable and well taken care of so they can enjoy their stay.

Is there something you would add to this list? Please share it with us in a comment.

Bathroom Upgrades Your Guests Will Love

June 6, 2013

It’s the little things that count, right?

If so, then we have some great advice: giving guests a little bit extra makes them feel extra special – and they’ll remember these little extras, too. But it’s not only about making them feel good – it’s about giving them what they want and what they prefer.

For example, USA Today released an article last December stating that, “Hotel chains are upgrading their toiletry lines, believing that a shampoo brand can make a difference to travelers who already stock their homes with high-end products.”

It’s not all about providing name brands for guests, however, and you don’t have to go big in order to create a bathroom environment that impresses guests. After all, it is the little things that count, right?

Before we discuss some larger-scale upgrade options that would impress anyone, consider simple additions like the following:

scale

 

wastebasket

 

amenity

Of course, what we’ve shown here are just a few examples of small bathroom upgrades. A quick visit to our website will reveal hundreds of more bath, shower, and bathroom accessories. Simple items like the ones featured above and on our website can have a huge impact.

If you’re thinking about larger-scale upgrades, we have ideas for that as well.

Let guests watch television in their bathrooms. Consider installing a small television when remodeling bathrooms. Low-voltage, water-resistant televisions come complete with water-resistant remotes and are designed for installation near a bathtub. To keep the television in working order, you’ll need to keep humidity levels in check with proper ventilation.

Keep guests warm with a cozy fireplace. Put a fireplace in the bathroom or living area so guests can enjoy the sight and warmth of a roaring fire as they relax in the tub or wind down from a rough day.

Dazzle guests with the beauty of an impressive sink and faucet. Make a design statement by upgrading to a chic vessel sink. This popular style of sink appears to sit on the top of the vanity counter like a bowl on a table. A vessel sink paired with a goose neck faucet can double as a focal point for any bathroom.

Don’t let guests get cold feet. Treat visitors to warmth underfoot with a radiant-heat system installed below the bathroom floor. Such a system is especially welcome beneath typically cold materials such as ceramic tile and stone. Add a layer of style and comfort with a gorgeous, soft area rug for guests to plant their feet on when they step out of the tub or shower.

You can’t see it, but it’s everywhere: how lighting can change a room

April 5, 2013

hotel room lighting

Have you been truly enlightened to the effects that lighting can have on a room?

The type of lighting used and the way that lighting is used can have drastic effects on a room, affecting the tone, mood, and personality of not just the space, but also the people inhabiting that space.

Determining the right type of lighting for a room is a matter of finding the balance between functionality and personality.

The first step, however, is to assess the amount of natural daylight the room receives and which cardinal direction the room faces to figure out how much daylight the room receives during the different seasons, thus determining the type of lighting the room needs.

For example, a north-facing room will only receive the minimum amount of natural daylight, even in summer. During winter months, consequently, that room will probably be dark after mid-day, so more lighting fixtures with a higher luminescence will be needed.

With this said, it is probably apparent that lighting a guest room will be vastly different than lighting a breakfast bar or lobby.

Here are some important tips to consider when lighting guest rooms:

  • Guest rooms should be calm, relaxing, tranquilizing, and inviting, and perimeter lighting accomplishes just that. Consider dim lamps or uplighting in the corners of the room or indirect lighting that illuminates the ceiling.
  • Guest room lighting (bedroom lighting) must be able to go from a subdued ambience to bright task lighting for dressing, reading, and other activities. Use a combination of general and task lighting that matches your guests’ needs. Dimming controls give guests the flexibility to vary the light to their immediate needs.
  • Lighting should give the illumination needed to dress and see into drawers and closets easily. Lighting for closets is best done with recessed or close-to-the-ceiling fixtures that won’t get in the way in a tight space.
  • Next-to-bed lighting is often done with table lamps and recessed lights, which can provide the light needed while leaving end tables open. Dimmer controls on next-to-bed lighting can change the room’s ambience to suit the guest’s mood, or lower the room light for TV viewing.

Here are some general tips to shed light on your lighting endeavors:

  • Most rooms need three light sources.
  • Overhead lighting, with the exception of chandeliers, is usually too harsh. Instead, try table lamps, floor lamps, uplighting, and spots.
  • If the room is for reading, place a good reading light in all the appropriate places.
  • If the room is for romance, put your lights on dimmers.
  • If the room is made for partying, uplights are fun and a little dramatic.
  • If the room is for showcasing art, spotlights put the focus on it.
  • Use CFLs wherever possible.
  • All fixtures within a space should have bulbs of the same color temperature. A 3,000 – 3,200K bulb provides a warm color tone without distorting colors. Bulbs over 5,000K have a cool, blue tone and distort interior colors dramatically.

With all this talk about lighting, it may be helpful to go back and reread our blog on Green Lighting for the Hospitality Industry, which illuminates the details on different types of lighting and the various effects they produce.

Checking In: Must Haves for Excellent Hospitality Service

February 28, 2013

As we mentioned before, the breakfast bar is one of the most popular and appealing attractions for those in the hospitality industry. Having the perfect breakfast bar can put you measures beyond your competition, but now you are probably wondering, what else can we do?

Keep in mind that nearly half of all travelers report that they will not book a hotel room without first reading online reviews. Monitor online reviews for input on ways to improve your hotel. Chief complaints cited in online reviews are housekeeping, service quality and general maintenance.

So, let’s imagine you have the friendliest and most reliable staff you could find and general maintenance has ensured that everything is in perfect working condition. Ready for the next step?

Here is a Top Ten list of services in the hospitality industry that will make guests and visitors become often-seen friends. You might want to pay close attention to it because it could change how you do hospitality.

  1. Free Wi-Fi
  2. Free Wi-Fi
  3. Plent of power outlets in each room
  4. Happy hours, wine tasting, or other activities involving food and drinks
  5. Complimentary bottled water in every room
  6. Designer toiletries
  7. Fitness center and spa
  8. Modern in-room amenities like iPads
  9. Fresh flowers throughout
  10. Entertainment amenities like an arcade or movie screening room

While we could have easily drafted a Top One Hundred list, these top ten items should be considered as some of the best to offer. So what are you waiting for? Turn guests into friends today.

Not sure where to start? Contact us today!

5 Factors To Consider When Purchasing Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment

January 18, 2013

1. Showcase Your Lobby. Create a great first impression and “wow” your guests with an interesting lobby design that incorporates a unique architectural element, columns, exotic woods, a mural or a dramatic fireplace. Today’s lobby serves as part business center, part meeting place, and part dining area, so it’s important to make it as multifunctional and dramatic as possible.

2. Keep Technology Cutting Edge. Guests expect the latest electronic gadgets, so offering high-speed internet access, including wireless, is essential throughout your hotel, along with plenty of data ports and electrical outlets. Extras like an entertainment center with a pivoting flat screen, high definition TV, a digital music and movie library available on demand, a stereo system or
MP3-compatible clock radio are rapidly becoming must-haves for today’s guests.

3. Beds & Bedding. From a comfortable place that provides a good night’s sleep to a luxurious area for reading, relaxing or working, the bed is the focal point of your guest rooms and deserves to be of high quality. Consider mattresses with higher coil counts and an extra-thick pillowtop for even more comfort. Top the bed with higher thread count linens, plush bedding and charming accent pillows for a soft, inviting look and feel. Offer a “menu” so guests can choose their favorite type of pillow for their sleeping style.

4. Case Goods. Keep both function and aesthetics in mind when selecting case goods to be sure the pieces look good together and accommodate guests’ needs. Coordinate finishes, colors and styles, along with accent pieces like cocktail tables in granite or metal to make a special design statement.

5. Lighting. Lighting is a relatively inexpensive way to add style, save energy, and bring any space to life. Explore ways to brighten work areas, soften lounge areas, or create a peaceful mood.

Not sure where to start? Contact us today!

Top of Bed Options

September 20, 2012

top of bed options

The bed is one of the first things guests look at when entering a room. It has the potential to set the tone for their entire stay and tie the whole room together. And if your bed is stylish, comfortable and clean, it is sure to bring repeat business.

When was the last time your hotel updated its bedding? Do you use accents and pillows for a polished look? If you have to think about it too long, then it’s time to take a look at our Registry ® Triple Sheeting options.

Forget the bedspread and bed scarf. Triple sheeting is a simple technique many hotels use to save time and money. Traditional bedspreads can cost between $100-$250 per piece, and duvet covers cause housekeeping staff to spend up to three times longer making each bed. With triple sheeting, the bed scarf is printed directly onto the top sheet, creating a great looking, easy to care for bed.

By replacing a bedspread or duvet cover with one additional sheet, the triple sheeting technique can reduce overall operational costs. And triple-sheeting components can be laundered after each guest to ensure a sanitary environment. It’s the perfect technique to ensure cleanliness, style and efficiency.

American Hotel also offers multiple options for pillow shams, top sheets and accent pillows for that final polished, top-of-bed look and comfort. Available in multiple colors for every season and décor style, our bedding products guarantee plush, luxurious comfort and top quality.

Glancing at photos of the Best Hotel Beds, many of them are simple, elegant and use accents to bring the entire room together. Please browse our selection or consult one of our staff to achieve the exact look you’re hoping for.

Celebrate International Housekeeping Week

September 12, 2012

housekeeping week

If you’ve never been directly involved with hotel housekeeping staff, it may seem unnecessary to dedicate an entire week to thanking them. However, let us assure you that housekeeping is one of the most vital departments in all hotels. Not only do housekeepers make guests feel comfortable in a clean, organized room, they also perform extensive amounts of behind-the-scenes jobs such as flipping mattresses, doing hundreds of pounds of laundry per day, and dealing with harsh chemicals.

According to the Les Roches School of Hospitality Management, the hotel industry is expected to grow 4 percent per year through 2019. That’s over a 24 percent growth from right now! Competition and the number of housekeeping departments will expand as well, making the need to create and keep a quality housekeeping staff a top priority for hotels.

A typical housekeeper cleans up to 16 rooms per day at an estimated 20-30 minutes per room. And opening the door to each new room is a complete surprise – there’s no telling what shape guests have left it in. That’s over six hours of squatting, bending, kneeling, lifting, etc. The job requires training, dedication and loyalty – and your entire hotel’s reputation can lie with one staff member.

Through proper morale, education and training, fair pay and a little bit of understanding, hotel management can ensure they get the most from their housekeeping department. Rotate jobs that do not have to be performed every day accordingly, assign help when needed for heavy-duty jobs and provide quality supplies. Spend the few extra dollars to get lighter vacuum cleaners, greener chemicals, and easy-push housekeeping carts. Have monthly luncheons and recognize superior staff members. But most importantly – do not treat the staff as insignificant. They are the foundation of your business, ensuring that guests are satisfied, and are an imperative part of keeping rooms in lasting, tip-top shape.

So, how will YOU celebrate International Housekeeping Week this September 9-15?