Taking Something Out of an Eye - The Life of a Hotel Doctor
Few actions bring a hotel doctor more pleasure than removing something from a guest’s eye. Patients have kissed my feet in gratitude.
Operations & Strategy
A Doctor’s Routine - The Life of a Hotel Doctor
“Under your tongue… under your tongue… close your mouth… don’t bite!” Seeing a thermometer, the guest had unbuttoned his shirt and lifted his arm. Over much of the world, doctors take a temperature in the armpit. It’s often a struggle to make guests understand.
A Difficult Night - The Life of a Hotel Doctor
A woman began vomiting the morning after Christmas dinner. People blame upset stomachs on their last meal, but mostly these are viral infections. Although miserable, they rarely last long. Doctors enjoy short-lived illnesses because we get the credit when they go away.
Top Concerns and Trends for Hoteliers in 2021
In a brief look back at 2021, there was widespread hope that it would be a slow return back to normal as pandemic concerns eased and society reordered itself, but pandemic troubles lingered through the year.
By Heidi Banak and Stephen Szczygiel
Omicron Wreaks Havoc on Holiday Travel; Will It Stall Business Travel Recovery?
More than 4,400 flights were cancelled worldwide on Sunday Jan. 2, according to flight tracking website Flight Aware, dashing pre-holiday hopes for smooth travel going into 2022. With the Covid-19 omicron variant now bearing down hard in the eastern United States and throughout Europe, more than 2,700 cancellations affected flights into, within or out of the U.S. yesterday.
Cash Flow Problems - The Life of a Hotel Doctor
“Pick up card! Pick up card!” intoned the computer. This sometime meant a typing mistake, so I re-entered the numbers and heard the same announcement.
A Dog-Eat-Dog Business, Part 3 - The Life of a Hotel Doctor
Waiting at the local carwash, my eye ran over a sheet of ads along one wall. Among notices for personal injury lawyers, pest control, acupuncturists, and pizzas was a photo of a smiling young man in a white coat carrying a doctor’s bag. According to the text, a phone call would bring him to your door at a fee less than an emergency room’s. All ads for housecalls deliver this cheerful boast, never mentioning that the average ER visit, as of 2009, cost $1318.
The Superiority of American Medicine - The Life of a Hotel Doctor
Patriots boast that American medicine is the best in the world. My view is more nuanced, but let me take their point of view. You’ll be amazed at the dumb things foreign doctors do!
Colic - The Life of a Hotel Doctor
I saw a young Australian couple traveling with an infant. A placid sleeper in Australia, the infant had been screaming through the night since arriving six days earlier, attracting complaints from other guests, driving the poor parents to desperation. They wanted to go home.
2021 Cintas S.H.I.N.E. Award Names Housekeepers Who are Key to Guest Satisfaction & Safety
Cintas Corporation (Nasdaq: CTAS), today announced the grand-prize winner and runners-up of the 2021 Cintas S.H.I.N.E. (Star Housekeepers In a New Era) Award.
RFID Reduces Garment-Sorting Times, Boots Efficiency at Casino
The Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana opened its doors this spring with an RFID-based system that manages the uniforms and linens used by its staff. The solution, provided by InvoTech Systems, leverages UHF-RFID to identify items as they are allocated to personnel, then are returned for laundering, and received back from the laundry service. The latest deployment marks the tenth Hard Rock Casino property to install the InvoTech Uniform System. Since its deployment this past May, the system has helped the facility to ensure garments are received, laundered, and made available in a timely manner. The System also identifies any problems that may occur throughout the process, as well as the need to remove damaged garments, add items that are needed, or address cleaner or employee delinquencies. The RFID technology enables 100 percent control of the company's uniform inventory, while eliminating the need to hand-count or individually scan items, says Morgan Umali, InvoTech Systems' Sales Manager.
Hotel Executives Expect Business Travel To 'Roar Back' in 2022
As business transient and group travel continues to tick up in the U.S., hotel industry executives are contemplating the trajectory of that return while continuing to make room for a revitalized leisure travel segment.
Mainsail Rebrands, Expands Corporate Housing Venture, Invites Travelers to “Stay Sojo”
Mainsail Lodging & Development has announced the launch of Stay Sojo, a rebranded and expanded evolution of the company’s Mainsail Corporate Housing venture. Inspired by the word “sojourn,” Stay Sojo is a customer-driven brand designed to meet the needs of a new category of professional traveler in search of the flexibility, freedom, and comfort to live their own on-the-go experience. Stay Sojo offers quick and easy access to fully furnished, expertly styled one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartment homes throughout the U.S., available for short- and long-term stays.
Lagging business travel takes shine off transatlantic restart
Planes poured across the North Atlantic towards the United States on Monday, a boon for airlines after 19 months of travel restrictions - but that alone won't be enough for carriers whose profits depend on filling the most expensive seats.
The U.S. Is Opening Its Borders. Most International Travelers Remain Reluctant to Visit
On Nov. 8, the United States will reopen its borders to international travelers for the first time in nearly 20 months. While there will be restrictions on incoming travel — with limited exceptions, visitors will have to provide proof of vaccination — the reopening represents a turning point for the travel industry. International travel spending reportedly decreased by 79 percent during the pandemic, with the United States last year seeing less than a quarter of the foreign visitors it had welcomed in 2019.
Choice Hotels Announces New Corporate Headquarters In North Bethesda, Maryland
Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), one of the world's largest lodging franchisors, announced it has executed a lease for a new corporate headquarters in North Bethesda, Maryland. The new headquarters will occupy over 105,000 square feet of office space in the mixed-use development of Pike & Rose. The building is being developed by owner Federal Realty Investment Trust and Choice is expected to begin working there in the fourth quarter of 2023.
hihotels Launches New Consumer Website
hihotels by Hospitality International, a recognized leader in franchising of conversion and new-build hotels for economy lodging, is pleased to announce the launch of its new consumer website at stayhihotels.com.
Pent-up travel demand could lead to holiday headaches
Significantly more people plan to travel during the holidays this year than in previous years, according to a new PWC survey — but that pent-up demand will strain airlines still trying to recover from last year, industry analysts warn.
Global Business Travel Association Canada Looks Forward to Working with New Federal Government
Today, the Global Business Travel Association Canada (GBTA Canada) congratulated Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on forming Canada’s new Federal government. GBTA Canada also commended the other party leaders, candidates and volunteers for their effort in this historic election.
69% of Leisure Travelers to Reduce Trips Amid Rising COVID-19 Cases
U.S. leisure travelers plan to significantly pare back travel plans amid rising COVID-19 cases, with 69% planning to take fewer trips, 55% planning to postpone existing travel plans, and 42% likely to cancel existing plans without rescheduling, according to a new national survey conducted by Morning Consult on behalf of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA).