Hotels

Category Archives for Hotels.

Complete Guide To The New IHG Elite Program: Confirmed Suites, Lounge Access, And Breakfast

by Gary Leff on April 13, 2022

Apr 13 2022

IHG Rewards is now IHG One Rewards with a whole new set of elite benefits to go with the introduction of a new top elite tier, Diamond. I spoke with IHG’s Senior Vice President of Global Loyalty and Partnerships, Heather Balsley, both about the vision for the changes and the to get into the weeds about how new benefits will work.

In theory new elite benefits are better than Hilton’s, and some guests will prefer them over Marriott’s, but how valuable they are depends on the properties members stay at and how well those hotels deliver on promises.

Insiders Say Hotels Must Stop The Covid Cuts Now – It’s Immoral (And Bad For Business)

by Gary Leff on April 11, 2022

Apr 11 2022

Jeff Bezos says the biggest mistake businesses make is not focusing most on what customers want. However Marriott’s CEO – who says workers make too much money and guests need to have more sympathy for hotel ownership groups – says his chain needs to modify brand standards to “consider franchisee feedback and..focus on reducing costs.”

Two hoteliers and hospitality consultants are pushing back, making the case that the hotel industry is living a big lie.

What Does Hyatt’s New All-Inclusive Chart Mean For Legacy Hotel Redemption Prices?

by Gary Leff on April 9, 2022

Apr 09 2022

As you can see from this chart, only Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta has changed pricing, going from 20,000 points per night to 25,000 points per night. Hyatt tells me, though, that Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta will be moving to Category B at 20,000 points in the next week.

I have to give Hyatt a lot of credit here. My first instinct is to wonder whether assigning existing all-inclusives to a new award chart would be an opportunity to raise the price of redemptions. Surely at most programs it would be! And they have not done this here.

I Just Learned I’ve Been Mispronouncing Marriott My Entire Life

by Gary Leff on April 9, 2022

Apr 09 2022

There’s a lot of words in hospitality that people get wrong all the time. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve heard people refer to American A-Advantage, or A-Mex. But it never occurred to me that I’ve been pronouncing Marriott wrong for the last 20 years or longer.

Hyatt Introduces New All-Inclusive Award Chart As It Starts Adding 100 New Properties

by Gary Leff on April 4, 2022

Apr 04 2022

Hyatt is introducing a new award chart for all-inclusive properties. That’s because they used to have the Ziva and Zilara brand, but are now starting to bring the 100 Apple Leisure Group properties into the World of Hyatt program that they acquired. In fact, 6 hotels are already live and 50 more will be joining the program May 9. Kudos for speed, this took about 8 months from deal announcement rather than the traditional 18 months.

New Hotel Amenity: Talk Therapy, As Hotels Push Into Wellness Space

by Gary Leff on March 30, 2022

Mar 30 2022

Kimpton Hotels is providing free therapy to guests. They’re providing “up to 1,000 complimentary video therapy sessions with licensed counselors to any guest over the age of 18 staying at one of Kimpton’s 60+ participating properties.”

And the deal on mental health treatments extends even beyond the stay.

Hotels Are Practicing “Shrinkflation” And Hoping You Won’t Notice

by Gary Leff on March 27, 2022

Mar 27 2022

The hotel industry is practicing “shrinkflation.” That’s like when Doritos cost the same as before, but come in a bag with fewer chips. The price of a bag of Doritos hasn’t gone up, but you get less for your money anyway.

A New Way Marriott Is Cutting Breakfast Costs, Tells You It’s An Enhancement

by Gary Leff on March 27, 2022

Mar 27 2022

Fairfield Inns in Japan will offer breakfast boxes instead of hot breakfast.

This Marriott Hotel Charges Elite Members A Cash Co-Pay For Their Free Breakfast

by Gary Leff on March 26, 2022

Mar 26 2022

Gratuity is part of the cost of breakfast so for a breakfast to be considered complimentary guests must not be expected to pay cash out of pocket when they eat it. But the Delta Hotel Daytona Beach Oceanfront has figured out a way to charge elite guests a cash co-pay for their ‘free’ breakfast.

Venice Hotels Have Started Giving Guests Water Pistols

by Gary Leff on March 25, 2022

Mar 25 2022

Seagulls have become a nuisance along the Grand Canal in Venice, and hotels have adopted a variety of strategies to ward them off. Two in particular – Marriott’s excellent Gritti Palace and Preferred Hotels’ Hotel Monaco – have started issuing water pistols to guests.