What Makes Traveler’s Sick - The Life of a Hotel Doctor
American water. American food. Air conditioning. Air Travel. Stress.
Opinion Articles
Another Spiked Drink - The Life of a Hotel Doctor
It was one a.m. as I drove Santa Monica Boulevard, but crowds packed the sidewalks in West Hollywood, lining up to hear the latest band. A few blocks beyond, I parked at the Ramada.
An Exotic Travel Destination - The Life of a Hotel Doctor
Tourists come to America expecting a strange foreign land. They usually leave satisfied, but encountering an American doctor is an unexpected bonus, so everyone on the tour gathers round, and I often go about my business in front of a large attentive audience.
Doctors Are Always Late - The Life of a Hotel Doctor
At 6 p.m. on the Friday before Memorial Day, I learned that a flight attendant in Costa Mesa had a cold. I prefer not to drive 46 miles during the rush hour, so I promised to be there between nine and ten. That was acceptable. Airline crew are not demanding.
Girls are the Best - The Life of a Hotel Doctor
"'allo!" a little girl shouted from her bed as I walked into the room, but that was her only English. Her French parents had called because she was running a 101 fever.
A Dog-Eat-Dog Business, Part 10 - The Life of a Hotel Doctor
My last post reported a housecall service that charged an unbelievably large fee. By an odd coincidence, at about the same time, I came across another new service with an even more unbelievable fee: $99.
A Dog-Eat-Dog Business, Part 9 - The Life of a Hotel Doctor
I keep an eye on the competition, and recently an internet search turned up International Medical Services (not its real name) which promised to send a highly qualified doctor to a home, office, or hotel at a moment's notice. When I phoned, its medical director knew my name, having dealt with me at previous jobs.
Another Incident in a Hotel Doctor’s Glamorous Life - The Life of a Hotel Doctor
Younger, cooler, more expensive doctors own the franchise on Los Angeles film shoots, but I go now and then.
Lost in Translation - The Life of a Hotel Doctor
5:30 a.m. Saturday is an ideal time for a call. I had finished writing and was sitting down to breakfast. I told the dispatcher that I would be at the hotel in an hour.
A Medicolegal Housecall - The Life of a Hotel Doctor
Stepping out of the shower, a Doubletree guest stumbled and cut his leg. He had paid little attention, but now, two days later, the wound had grown painful.
A Better Medicine - The Life of a Hotel Doctor
A 2 year-old was ill with vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and a rash. That sounded bad.
Disaster Averted - The Life of a Hotel Doctor
"We have a situation with a guest…" explained the manager of the Georgian.
Are a Hotelier’s Expat Days Numbered?
While in Singapore in March of this year, I was fortunate enough to be given a tour of a newly opened, luxury hotel by the front office manager. As we wandered the halls it occurred to me that, while the demand for a beautifully designed, 5-star property overflowing with luxurious service and experience shows no sign of diminishing, the guy showing me around might be one of a dying breed. A German national, the front office manager had transferred to Singapore for the hotel's opening following several years working his way up the career ladder within the same group across three different cities and hotels in China. Our business is full of people who have made similar journeys away from home, exploring the world, leading an expatriate life. Indeed, for many, it is one of the appeals that attracts them to the industry in the first place. A good friend of mine in the business and I first met while we were both working in New York. In the ensuing 20 years that we have known one another, he and his family have worked and lived in six different cities across the United States, the Middle East and Asia.
By Chris Mumford, Managing Director, AETHOS Consulting Group
Easy Money - The Life of a Hotel Doctor
A Brazilian traveler had left her medication at home. Could I drive to Hermosa Beach and write some prescriptions? The caller was the guest's travel insurer.
Another Wee-Hour Call - The Life of a Hotel Doctor
It was midnight when the phone woke me. An Emirate flight attendant at the Hilton in Costa Mesa needed a doctor.
Fixing Your Washroom Experience
So much talk nowadays surrounds the concept of improving the guest experience. While this umbrella term applies to everything from the moment a customer discovers a property online to all post-departure marketing efforts, one area that doesn't seem to get the attention it deserves is how guests move about in each room's washroom.
By Larry Mogelonsky, Partner, Hotel Mogel Consulting Limited
Trusting the Guest to Take Care of Things - The Life of a Hotel Doctor
A guest at the Crowne Plaza was feeling under the weather.
Sickness Makes You Sick - The Life of a Hotel Doctor
"Normally I wouldn't bother you with this cough, but when I started to bring up green mucus I knew I had to do something….."
Luckless Americans - The Life of a Hotel Doctor
When US airline crew get sick, they're out of luck. They must find transportation to a clinic in a strange city, present their insurance card, and hope for the best.
In Search of Hotel Excellence: Hotel Hayden NYC
New York is not only a capital of commerce but also for hotels. With over a hundred thousand total guestrooms as well as properties that range from modern lifestyle and traditional boutique luxury to the monsters that abut Times Square, you can find just about anything on this empire isle. This makes a vibrant albeit cutthroat competitive environment, and tons of learning opportunities therein.
By Larry Mogelonsky, Partner, Hotel Mogel Consulting Limited