It’s Not Constipation - The Life Of A Hotel Doctor
In the room, I was prepared to diagnose a routine stomach virus until I pulled back the covers and saw her swollen abdomen.
Opinion Articles
Loyalty - The Life Of A Hotel Doctor
As long as they do good work, doctors assume patients will remain loyal, but hotel doctors learn not to be so trusting. Helping sick guests produces no income for the hotel. Ninety percent are not terribly ill; if rebuffed when they ask for a doctor they rarely make a fuss, so the manager never hears about them. Years may pass before a GM encounters an imbroglio that only a doctor on the spot can defuse; I’ve recounted a few. Although the best marketing tool, they never happen when I need them.
Are You Checking In? - The Life Of A Hotel Doctor
“Welcome to the Biltmore. Are you checking in?” That is not my favorite greeting, because it means the valet doesn’t recognize me. My response is always: “I’m the hotel doctor. I’ll be here twenty minutes. They hold my car.”
Human Nature - The Life Of A Hotel Doctor
An elderly Mexican psychoanalyst was attending a psychoanalytic convention, but a cold was making her so miserable that she wanted to return home early.
You’d Better Ask How Much! - The Life Of A Hotel Doctor
Before hanging up the phone, I tell guests my fee, but this is not universal among hotel doctors. Guests may learn when the doctor hands over the invoice at the end of the visit.
Hotel Franchise Lawyer: 5 Things to negotiate in your next Franchise Agreement
After a year of economic upheaval in the hospitality industry, hotels are making big changes as they look ahead to recovery. Oftentimes these changes involve a complete rebrand, and this leads to questions about what is negotiable in a franchise agreement. In the article below, Bob Braun, senior member of JMBM's Global Hospitality Group® and Co-Chair of the Firm's Cybersecurity & Privacy Group, talks about 5 important franchise terms that can usually be negotiated.
By Robert Braun and Jim Butler
A Perfect Start To The Day - The Life Of A Hotel Doctor
A businessman at the Anaheim Hilton was vomiting. Vomiters hate waiting, but the call arrived at seven a.m. on a Friday, and Anaheim is forty miles away. I hate creeping in rush hour traffic, so I try to delay those visits for a few hours.
The Superiority Of Alternative Medicine: The Life Of A Hotel Doctor
At the Ramada, I cared for a lady whose eyes were red and itchy. She had no allergies, and I saw no evidence of an infection. I suspected something was irritating them, and she had been using several over-the-counter eye-drops. Drops themselves can irritate eyes, especially with persistent use, so I told her to stop.
Doing My Duty: The Life Of A Hotel Doctor
"I can't handle that in a hotel room," I explained. "She probably needs an ultrasound."
A Stressful Visit - The Life Of A Hotel Doctor
A dispatcher from the agency that handles airline flight crew had mentioned a sore throat, but the guest admitted an "unprotected sexual contact" two nights earlier. The sore throat appeared soon after, and he was worried.
Does Everyone Live Like This? - The Life of a Hotel Doctor
The Beverly Garland is a sixteen mile freeway drive. The guest had phoned at 8 a.m. on Wednesday. I avoid distant housecalls during the rush hour; guests rarely object to waiting.
It’s Not an Ear Infection - The Life of a Hotel Doctor
When I peered into the guest's ear, the drum looked normal, so there was no middle-ear infection. When I pulled his earlobe, it hurt but not a great deal. In an external infection (swimmer's ear), pulling is very painful.
Running Out of Medication - The Life of a Hotel Doctor
A guest at the Doubletree had run out of insulin. I could have made a housecall, written a prescription, but instead I explained that insulin doesn't require a prescription. She should go to the pharmacy and ask for it. The same is true for the morning-after pill, another request that arrives now and then.
Good News, Usually - The Life of a Hotel Doctor
A flight attendant with diarrhea is usually good news. Airline crew are young, so they suffer uncomplicated medical problems, and diarrhea qualifies. Her hotel in Costa Mesa was 46 miles away, but it was Saturday morning, so traffic would be light, and I'm paid extra for the distance.
Another Glamorous Film Shoot - The Life of a Hotel Doctor
"We're at 501 West Olympic," explained my caller. "Come up to the seventeenth floor."
Vision 2050 – 2nd Edition: The Recovery Year
The final U.S. lodging industry numbers for 2020 came out and RevPAR literally finished at half of where it finished in 2019—that's right, half! Occupancy was 66.1% at $131.17 average rate and RevPAR of $86.76. 2020 finished at 42% at a rate of $103.00, RevPAR was $43.26. The impact to the bottom line is easy to see in our bank accounts as breakeven has always been thought to be close to 60% occupancy but many forget the importance of rate to that equation.
By Bob Rauch, President of RAR Hospitality, R.A. Rauch & Associates, Inc.
A Bilingual Doctor at Midnight - The Life of a Hotel Doctor
A guest wanted a doctor who spoke French. "I don't speak French, and it's midnight," I pointed out. "You won't find a bilingual doctor to make a housecall at this hour."
I Save Another Life - The Life of a Hotel Doctor
The phone rang at 5 a.m. but I am an early riser. April Travel Insurance told me of a lady with a cough at the Residence Inn in Manhattan Beach. Vacationers hate to get sick, so even a bad cold produces wee-hour calls.
The No-Housecall Mode - The Life of a Hotel Doctor
Several times per year, a hotel guest suffers a bloody nose. I don't make housecalls for nosebleeds because there's nothing I can do. Treatment is to pinch the nose, releasing pressure every five minutes to check if bleeding has stopped. I tell guests to repeat until they get bored. If bleeding persists, the next step is cautery or nasal packing, both of which require expertise.
HVS U.S. Hotel Franchise Fee Guide 2020
The HVS U.S. Hotel Franchise Fee Guide provides a comparative review of various hotel franchises based on their applicable franchise fees. The selection of an appropriate franchise affiliation affects a property's ability to compete in its local market, generate profits, and achieve a distinguished image and market orientation. Because the success of a hotel is based primarily on the cash flow generated, owners and lenders must weigh the benefits of a brand affiliation against the total cost of such a commitment.
By Kasia Russell and Bomie Kim