American Hotel Blog

Promoting health, wellness in hospitality

August 25, 2014

With the growing trend of health and wellness, travelers are now demanding more from their stay – from healthier food and spa treatments to meditation. Explore the latest wellness movements hitting the hospitality industry, and consider ways to make your business healthier.

Stressing the Physical Form. Though exercise isn’t exactly high on everyone’s list of ways to spend a vacation, a recent survey showed that 70% of travelers want a gym with both cardio machines and weights. Closely behind the fully equipped gym is a desire for more exercise options, according to the survey. Many hotels now offer fitness programs complete with a variety of class offerings – including dance-like exercises such as Zumba, indoor and outdoor yoga and meditation classes, and fitness boot camps. Don’t have the space for all that fitness? Not to worry. Many smaller venues partner with a nearby fitness center to meet the needs of their guests.

Back to Nature. If there is one word to sum up the health and wellness movement in 2014 it’s ‘natural’ – natural beauty, natural food, natural products. Delivering on the “less is more” appeal involves a closer look at your amenities. Reevaluate any scents and aromatherapy that don’t take an organic or natural approach. Do the same for food. There are a lot of terms being tossed out nowadays when it comes to eating – farm-to-table, organic, raw. Learn them, use them, and market them.

Ensure A Good Night’s Sleep. Hotels are improving guest health by changing the sleep game. No longer will guests fret over whether or not they’ll have a lumpy pillow or a bed with wonky springs. Now, finding the perfect pillow for guests is easy. For many hotels, promising sound sleep involves ambient sound machines, blackout shades, aromatherapy, and even chocolates and lighting that emit a dose of sleep-inducing melatonin.

We want to know – how is your venue attracting health conscious guests? Tell us in the comments!

Renovation fever hits the hotel industry

August 11, 2014

There’s a new epidemic hitting hotels hard. It’s called renovation fever. It wasn’t long ago that the hospitality industry was suffering through the Great Recession, when the focus shifted from “how can we be better?” to “how can we stay afloat?” Well, we’re happy to report that hotel renovations and refreshes are on the up-and-up – to a tune of $5.6 billion in improvements – and that’s only in the last year alone. Here’s what you need to know about the latest craze.

Repeat after us – guestrooms, lobby, and food service. Those are the most popular areas of improvement being seen across the board.
Plan for the fall and early winter months if you’re going to opt in to a refresh or renovation. On average, the slowest months for non-resort hotels are November – January, so that’s the ideal time to start your revamp.
If you can’t afford to renovate, then refresh. With stylish case goods. You can update or upgrade your guest rooms without having to invest in complete furniture replacement. Adding hard tops to case goods might be an option as well.
For another affordable renovation idea, think total room design schemes. Just as it sounds, this approach provides you with a full-room design package. All you do is choose, order and install.
When it comes to food, consolidation is key. One kitchen that can serve all areas of food service without sacrificing quality has become the goal for many venues.
Get your furniture counts right the first time. With renovations being popular right now, supplies are in high demand. Make sure you’ve got the numbers right so you can be sure the supplier has enough of the item in-stock to fit your order. Also, order domestic. Your furniture will generally be delivered more quickly and have lower shipping costs.
Focus on the ‘third-space’. Rather than a distinct check-in area, bar, workspace and eatery, blend them beautifully into an all-purpose, all-inviting common space.

Voila! All the inside info you need to get on your way to a chicer, fresher version of your venue.

Do you have a great idea on how to freshen up a hotel or business? Click here to share your idea and you could win thousands of dollars worth of products from our FRESH Ideas flyer to outfit your venue!

Youth sports can mean big business in hospitality

July 22, 2014

Most hotels aren’t lucky enough to book only wealthy leisure travelers and repeat business people. Succeeding in hospitality typically means playing the field. In fact, the newest batch of desirable groups to book is youth sports teams. Check the scoreboard and you’ll find that U-18 sports teams represent a booming $7 billion dollar business. And this isn’t the only reason to be hospitable to junior athletes. Consider three other big reasons to make your pitch count.

1.) They Fill an Occupancy Gap

Business travelers, for the most part, travel on business days. If your venue is like many others, weekends often present an occupancy gap. Good thing youth sports teams typically hold their tournaments on the weekends, then. For one team alone that means roughly 20 athletes, plus family and coaches. And there’s how many of them in the tournament? Gap sealed.

2.) There’s No Slow Season

Another great reason to seek out U-18 sports teams? There’s no slow season. With so many mainstream sports, there’s literally a game (or three) for every season. Perpetual guests sounds nice, doesn’t it?

3.) It’s a Massive, and Growing, Industry

courtesy of ESPN

Do you know how many kids in America are really engaged in competitive sports? 21.5 million. Yes, that’s right – 21.5 million. And that number is expected to increase by 3%–5% annually. More kids playing means more tournaments, and more tournaments means more guests in your hotel.

There’s little to argue against embracing a troupe of little leaguers, but it is important that hoteliers understand this demographic does come with a learning curve. With parents coughing up big money to send their child into a sport tournament – just one of potentially many that year – they will be looking for a good deal. Whether that’s a group price cut, free continental breakfast or cost-free access to WiFi, the sweeter the deal the more likely you’ll be to snag the winning goal with youth sports teams.

Smells of success: Considering scent in hospitality

June 27, 2014

Ever walk by a fast food place and get a sudden craving for a burger, even though you aren’t hungry? Consider the scent. How about your home goods store? Is it really that homey, or is it that familiar, comforting scent that warms you up?

Some of your favorite stores and even theme parks and sports arenas are using our olfactory system to sway brand image. It’s called scent marketing, and the hospitality industry is diving into the water headfirst. If you’re new to the term, this spicy Q and A will help you follow your nose.

What is scent marketing exactly?

Marketers have begun to think of scent marketing as the final frontier, in a sense. They’ve already mastered visual and auditory marketing, so scent is the next logical step. By combining science with business knowledge, companies can tailor a unique scent or series of scents designed to evoke a particular feeling that reinforces a positive brand image.

Why does it work?

It’s all very scientific. Our sense of smell is derived from our olfactory system. And the olfactory nerve lies very close to both the amygdala, the area of the brain which controls emotions and emotional memories, and the hippocampus, which is associated with memory. It all breaks down to this: a distinct scent makes for a stronger memory of the place where you smelled it.

How do hotels use scent marketing?

The amazing thing about scent marketing is its ability to create a lasting impression on a guest. Many hotels are crafting their own signature scent to use throughout their property – from candles in the lobby to room spray and toiletries to purchasable items available online or in a gift shop. The idea is that guests will associate their stay with that particular scent. Every time they smell it, they’ll think of that hotel fondly. To be clear, when it comes to scent marketing in the hospitality industry, the goal is not to make guests want to buy something that smells nice, but to form an emotional connection between scent and the memory of their visit.

How do you choose the right scent?

The key is putting serious thought into your particular brand. Where is your property located? What sort of vibe does it give off? Who is your primary audience? Do you want to promote a particular feeling? Determining what sets your venue apart and what your unique goals are will be the defining factor in choosing the “right” scents.

Who is using it?

This is a marketing tactic that isn’t limited to size or luxe level. Boutiques, major luxury lines, and teensy bed and breakfasts alike have all hopped on the wagon. These days, great smelling hotels are everywhere, so why shouldn’t yours be one of them?

Will you consider using scent marketing in your hotel? Tell us your thoughts on the tactic in the comments below!

Forecast calls for heat wave of guests

June 10, 2014

Forecast calls for heat wave of guests

It isn’t just the weather that’s heating up. The latest travel forecasts predict that millions of travelers will be hitting the road this season. In the U.S. alone, one industry analyst is expecting a whopping 5.8% increase in revenue per available room and a bump up in overall occupancy to 71.2%, a 1.8% increase compared to 2013.

What you need to know about your warm weather guests? Let’s zero in.

1.) Group travelers are on the rise

Many venues reported a rebound in convention and meeting business in the first quarter. With more and more businesses utilizing hotel centers, hotels can expect larger groups of guests at a time – this means higher occupancy, more regularly. And the best part? Sources expect the trend to continue.

2.) They are there for fun

Every hotelier loves a leisure traveler. These travelers are happy to be there, are hopeful and excited, and they tend to book longer stays. The good news is your favorite type of guest is expected to rise by 7% this year!

3.) Splurge is the word

Repeat after us, an improving economy equals bigger spending. It’s not just hopeful thinking. A recent survey revealed that 36% of polled participants plan to spend more on their summer vacation this year. It’s time to stock up the gift shops and eateries with summertime favorites.

4.) They want to be outdoors

After a serious winter chock full of polar vortexes and severe weather, guests are ready to escape out into the world. Leisure guests, in particular, will be looking for something to do al fresco this season, so freshen up that outdoor equipment. Whether that means organizing outdoor activities on your property’s grounds or partnering up with local businesses that provide bike rentals or adventure trips is up to you, but rest assured, those who give their guests something to get excited about will reap the rewards.

Now that you know what to expect from the season, all that’s left to do is prepare, sit back and enjoy the heat wave of guests. With some hard work and planning, perhaps this year truly will be the summer to remember.

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!

Exploring the future of room service

May 21, 2014

We won’t deny it; we love room service. However, we may be alone. The demand for room service has taken a shocking plummet in recent years. Hoteliers have realized they need to change the game if they want to save room service – and here’s how they plan to do it:

Whole, Healthy Foods

If a guest wanted to eat highly processed, low-quality food she would have stopped at the fast food joint on her way in. Because the health-minded modern traveler craves something more nutritious, providing whole food items on a room service menu holds much more appeal. Some hotels have even begun to hire nutritionists to work in tandem with chefs to design healthy, spa-inspired foods.

Portability

Guests don’t often have the time to waste sitting patiently in their room waiting to have a meal. Portability is key these days. Many hotels are introducing the twenty-minute menu – food items that can be prepared and delivered quickly. But it’s not just about the prep-and-serve time; it’s also about the portability of the food itself. Items that can be easily toted are gaining popularity – think wraps and burritos. Some hotels are even taking it a step further with grab-and-go picnic baskets so guests can make their room service an adventure beyond the walls of the hotel.

Being Considerate

Show your guests you care, not just about them, but also about the food, the environment – about anything and everything. Take a cue from Seattle’s Hotel Max, where high-quality food is packaged in earth-friendly containers, tied up with butchers twine and stamped with a personalized label that reveals the name of the chef who prepared your meal. You want to make your guests feel special? That will certainly work.

Now that you have insider tips on what’s trending, you can help make room service an indulgence guests can’t wait to experience!

Advancing hospitality in the digital age

May 8, 2014

Living in the digital age means travelers have more resources (and distractions) than ever before. How can you draw their attention when they’re making plans? It’s simple. Just learn how to leverage the technology they’re already using. Get started by going social.

Show Off Your Rooms
Posting photos of your rooms and grounds is one of the most popular, and most important, ways to leverage social media. It allows potential guests to see what you have to offer before making the commitment to book at your venue. If they can see a photo and picture a perfect stay, then your chances of securing a booking have just skyrocketed. Think it’s too much work? Think about this: If you don’t show off some recent photos, your potential guests might assume you have something to hide. So get snapping.
Add Another Booking Option
Take a cue from Loews Hotel Group, which implemented its Tweet & Book late last year. This innovation allows guests to book their room by direct messaging the hotel on Twitter. A live representative then contacts the messager to secure their reservation. Genius! Sounds like the perfect task for desk clerks when they run out of things to do.
Discover Your Guests’ Opinions
It’s just a fact of the industry; not every review you see is going to be positive. You can’t please everyone. The good news: An active social presence means you can find out about those negative reviews before your future guests do. In a bit of a controversial stand, hotel guru and host of Travel Channel’s Hotel Impossible, Anthony Melchiorri, cautions against responding to negative comments on social. Instead, digest the information gathered from social media and address the issue more personally. In laymen’s terms, don’t just type up a little blurb saying you’re going to fix the problem. Act on the complaint and your venue will be better off for it.

The wonderful thing about the age we live in is that with all of the tools modern technology offers to hoteliers, simply having a bit of knowledge can open up windows of opportunity that never existed before. So take what you’ve learned here, open up a computer and start making the most of it.

Do you have any suggestions on ways that social media can benefit the hotel industry? Tell us in the comment box below!

Be in good taste when breakfast is served

April 30, 2014

Be in good taste when breakfast is served

You’ve heard it time and time again – breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Whether you personally believe this or not, your guests are hungry and they want to wake up with a satisfying breakfast. While the complimentary selection is the most popular, the paid variety is just as important when it comes to staying on trend and in good taste. So what’s on the menu this year? Just see our guide below for some insider insight.

Get Exotic
Ethnic food is having a moment this year. Why not embrace food items such as Latin-inspired breakfast burritos and wraps? If you want to branch beyond that, by all means feel free to delve into other cultures.
Baked Good-ness
What’s an easier grab-n-go meal than baked goods and a good cup of coffee? Nothing. Well, nothing as satisfying at least. From pastries to biscuits to toasty breakfast sandwiches, these foods are a popular item for their portability and hominess.
Upgrade the Continental
Say so long to runny eggs and stale bagels. Don’t nix your hot items – they’re a popular choice, but consider the addition of mix-ins, such as shredded cheese, diced ham and spinach to add some flair and flavor. Also, don’t forget the healthy options such as Greek yogurt with a variety of topping options, such as dried fruits, seeds, and nuts. You have to remember that nearly every guest that passes under your roof will take advantage of a free continental breakfast, and more importantly, it’s the last taste guests will have before checking out, so make it a good one.
A Focus on Local
If your property provides a continental service, this may not be the most economical option for you, but hotels that provide a paid breakfast service have the choice of being able to source locally grown and produced foods. In a society full of foodies and sustainable trends, offering local products rings bells for a lot of guests and it is a good way to support the community that supports you.

Voila! Just like that you have the makings for an incredible breakfast, and a plan to ensure your guests start the day off right and leave with a good taste in their mouths.

Find Earth Day inspiration: Strengthen your Living Green commitment

April 22, 2014

Find Earth Day inspiration: Strengthen your Living Green commitment

As a society, we continue to discover new ways to be more environmentally sound. Not just in our homes, but in our offices, businesses, and leisure activities as well. With an estimated 62% of travelers reporting that traveling green is important to them, the hospitality industry cannot afford to skimp on eco efforts – especially when a sustainable approach can help draw more guests and save money.

At American Hotel, our Living Green collection of environmentally sensitive products ranges from pillows and facial tissue to small appliances. Each product meets our Living Green criteria and reflects our support of strong environmental standards in hospitality. This makes it easier for customers to go green.

“Our Living Green program, now in existence for more than seven years, has continued to evolve,” says Deidre Schwartz, Director of Merchandising and leader of American Hotel’s Corporate Social Responsibility team. “We have strengthened the program with over 1,500 products, and will be growing to 3,000 products before year-end. We realize our customers want to see exactly what sustainable qualities exist in a product or supplier, and we are providing that transparency for their own decision-making purposes,” she explains. “We have identified over 25 certifications and another 20 plus attributes that qualify a product into our program. We are committed to making ‘going green’ easier and providing solutions to our customers that contribute toward their own sustainability goals.”

If you are turning over a new leaf in your hotel, we hope you explore our latest products. As part of our effort to help you be greener and cleaner, we’ve also identified five innovative actions you can put into action today.

Change Your Attitude
Many view the effort of contributing to a better environment as an expensive and unnecessary adjustment. That’s simply not true. Sure, a little work goes in to it, but the reward doesn’t just come in the form of guest satisfaction. It also comes in the tangible monetary sense. Eco-efforts include cutting down on water and energy usage, which in turn means a lower bill for you. Plus, in many states companies that implement renewable resources and energy conservation qualify for a tax break. See, so it really is a big win for you and Mother Nature!
Here’s a ‘Bright’ Idea
Yes, pun intended. One of the simplest ways to start saving big on energy costs and boast eco-efforts is to switch your incandescent bulbs for high-efficiency fluorescent or LED light bulbs. They only use about a third of the energy. It’s true they do cost a bit more, but they also last 10 times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs.
Easy Access Recycling
You place trash bins in each hotel room to begin with, so this is as simple as simple gets. Just add another, except make it a recycling bin – and just like that you’re running a more eco-friendly venue.
Recycled Products
There is a world of eco-friendly or recycled products that can be swapped out throughout your venue. Nobody expects a complete overhaul, unless you’re aiming to become LEED certified, but a few swaps here and there could make a big difference. For instance, replacing traditional facial tissues with a facial tissue made with recycled paper. This could apply to essentially any paper or plastic product from napkins to room keycards.
Clean Green
Stock maid carts with eco-friendly cleaning products. Natural products clean just as efficiently as chemical-based ones and reduce the amount of toxins being released back into the environment. Plus, they tend to smell better – just one small bonus.

Congratulations! You’re on your way to a greener, more eco-friendly hotel. Hopefully you’ll soon be reaping the rewards of your efforts. We hope you will use the box below to share any green ideas that have worked for you.

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