Hotels

Category Archives for Hotels.

Marriott Told Us Mobile Room Keys Will Keep Us Safe, Then Delayed Roll Out Of Mobile Room Keys

by Gary Leff on May 2, 2020

May 02 2020

Marriott emphasized that they have 3300 hotels active with mobile room keys and more being added. This means not having to check in at the front desk with an employee, or having the employee handle your room key. Instead you check in with your phone, and use your phone as a room key.

That’s great, and Marriott is proud of how widespread this feature is (though not yet at half of their hotels). What they didn’t tell you, it turns out, is that they’ve actually pushed back the roll out of this technology at hotels which don’t currently offer it in order to save money.

United Airlines Pilot Sues The Westin Denver Airport Over Indecent Exposure Arrest

by Gary Leff on April 21, 2020

Apr 21 2020

A year and a half ago police stormed the Westin Denver airport room of a United Airlines pilot, arresting him for dancing, gyrating and waiving” naked in front of the TSA screening checkpoint below the window of his room.

Police entered with guns drawn. He was naked. He took a phone call, he said, just as he was about to get into the shower…

8 Ways Hotel Stays Will Be Different To Meet Demands Of Post-Pandemic Guests

by Gary Leff on April 21, 2020

Apr 21 2020

For hotels to attract guests they’re going to need to be responsive to these customer demands. They need to give guests confidence to stay, and hotels will compete to offer a product that appeals to these sensibilities.

Marriott has now outlined their plans for increased health and safety for both employees and guests. But even more change will be coming to the industry.

Hotel Demands $400,000 Cancellation Fee Despite City’s Ban On Events

by Gary Leff on April 18, 2020

Apr 18 2020

While hotel chains have been good about allowing cancellations of non-refundable, non-changeable consumer bookings, this flexibility has not been extended to events in most cases. Most hotels seem to be asking event hosts to reschedule for a future date, not cancel, and are reluctant to return deposits.

Some hotels are asking event organizers to cough up cash for events that aren’t happening.

As Hotels Struggle, One Chain Markets Rooms As An Escape From Your Spouse During Lockdown

by Gary Leff on April 18, 2020

Apr 18 2020

Facing an unprecedented downturn, hotels are struggling to stay afloat. Some are turning to unconventional means to fill rooms, like providing luxury quarantine services or serving the homeless at risk for infection.

One furnished apartment chain based in Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo is taking a different route: they’re marketing themselves as an escape for spouses at wits end with their partners during the lockdown and the perfect antidote to ‘corona-divorce’.

American Express Just Bought Nearly Half a Trillion Hilton Honors Points

by Gary Leff on April 17, 2020

Apr 17 2020

A month ago I wrote that frequent flyer programs would save the airlines because they offer rich sources of value and cash. However while United and Delta are reportedly in talks to sell large chunks of miles at a discount to their credit card partner banks, it’s actually Hilton that’s first out of the gate with this.

Hilton shared with the SEC that they’ve pre-sold $1 billion worth of points to American Express. That probably somewhere around half a trillion Honors points.

California Is Filling Empty Hotels Up With Homeless

by Gary Leff on April 15, 2020

Apr 15 2020

Hotel bank partners are funding rooms for hospital workers to sleep in otherwise-empty hotels. Another source of revenue for hoteliers right now is housing the homeless who need a place to quarantine during the coronavirus crisis.

Here’s the scale of the project, which sorts of hotels are participating, and how much they can make – at least in California.

Marriott Giving CEO Big Raise While Business Craters, Tens Of Thousands Furloughed

by Gary Leff on April 14, 2020

Apr 14 2020

It shouldn’t be surprising that even as Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson announced that he would stop taking his salary through the end of the year, in light of the hotel giant furloughing tens of thousands of workers and the majority of corporate staff amidst the cratering of their business during the coronavirus crisis, he’s actually being given a raise. It must be all of those resort fees they pocketed, which Sorenson said are good for us.

Wyndham Extends Elite Status, Offers Instant Status To Essential Workers

by Gary Leff on April 14, 2020

Apr 14 2020

Wyndham Rewards is extending all current elite member status through December 31, 2021. Many of us noted that Marriott was last to extend status, but that’s not true. Don’t forget Wyndham!

Hilton Divulges The Secret To ‘Foamy’ DoubleTree Cookies

by Gary Leff on April 10, 2020

Apr 10 2020

Hilton has published the DoubleTree hotels cookie recipe. Normally more than 30 million of these cookies are baked annually. They’ve even been baked on the space station. But since you’re grounded Hilton is giving out the recipe.