Percipia Collaborates With Amazon’s Alexa Smart Properties Hospitality to Launch VIVA+
PERCIPIA | September 16th, 2024
The Art of a Great Arrival for Luxury Hotels
Adam and Larry Mogelonsky | May 22nd, 2024
Arch Amenities Group Appoints Caitlin McKenna as Chief Executive Officer
Arch Amenities | October 30, 2024
ROCKVILLE, Maryland (Oct. 30, 2024) – Arch Amenities Group, a full-service, global provider of wellness, amenity management and meeting services for commercial and residential properties, hotels, private clubs and pools, today announced the appointment of wellness and hospitality veteran Caitlin McKenna as chief executive officer. Barry Goldstein, who served Arch as CEO for the past three years, has been appointed to the new position of chief commercial officer, responsible for business development and customer relationship management. “Caitlin McKenna is a dynamic and respected leader known for her human-centric leadership, passion...
PPDS Brings Hospitality Solutions to Life Inside First PPDS Master Showroom Experience Center in North America
PPDS | October 28, 2024
Inspiration, innovation, and co-creation: Extending PPDS’ global network of PPDS Studios to nine – and the second of the company’s regional Master Showrooms – the new, state-of-the-art, 2,368 ft² PPDS Studio NYC Metro opens new opportunities for partners and hotel owners to discover and experience the benefits and capabilities of Philips Professional Displays. Atlanta, October 2024: PPDS, the exclusive global provider of Philips Professional Displays and complementary solutions, is delighted to announce the latest expansion of its North American business, with the grand opening of its stunning new PPDS Master Showroom experience cen...
Vingcard Unveils VConnect as the New Standard in Hotel System Integration Efficiency and Future-Proof Scalability
Vingcard | October 28, 2024
End-to-end solutions provider to showcase how hoteliers can seamlessly unify and streamline property operations at The Hospitality Show. Stockholm –October 28, 2024 – Vingcard, an ASSA ABLOY company and provider of advanced technologies for the hospitality industry, is pleased to announce the launch of VConnect, a cutting-edge interface able to function as a communications bridge and centralized hub for a wide range of hotel systems and devices. With its tradeshow debut taking place during The Hospitality Show from October 28-30 at Vingcard booth #713, VConnect is set to gain the interest of attendees aiming to eliminate operational si...
Hilton and Be My Eyes Launch Industry-First Partnership to Enhance the Hilton Stay for Guests Who Are Blind or Low Vision
Hilton | October 15, 2024
McLEAN, Va. – For many, checking into a hotel can mean the beginning of an exciting adventure, a relaxing getaway or important moments in life. For guests who are blind or have low vision, exploring the unfamiliar surroundings of a hotel could pose unique and specific challenges that have the potential to impact their stay. Hilton, a global leader in hospitality, announced today an industry-first, exclusive partnership with Be My Eyes to ensure guests who are blind or have low vision can experience a more accessible, seamless and welcoming stay. Together with Be My Eyes, Hilton is making available AI-powered assistance and dedicated H...
Counting the Cost of Contactless
PolyU School of Hotel and Tourism Management | September 30, 2024
Today’s hotels are embracing the contact-free revolution, seeking to meet the expectations of health-conscious travellers by minimising physical contact and enhancing hygiene protocols. Today, with the tap of a smartphone or even a wave of a hand, hotel guests can access their rooms, make payments and request services. But how much are customers willing to pay to go contact-free in hotels? Thanks to Dean Kaye Chon, Dr Faye Hao and Dr Jinah Park of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, working with a co-author, we now know much more about the factors driving hotel customers’ willingness ...
Radisson Salt Lake City Downtown Leverages GuestCast Streaming Solution by Hotel Internet Services to Optimize Guest In-Room Entertainment
Hotel Internet Services, Inc. | September 24, 2024
4-Star hotel expands HIS partnership to deliver seamlessly personalized, secure and user-friendly TV-viewing experiences. SALT LAKE CITY. — September 24, 2024 — Hotel Internet Services (HIS), a full-service provider of internet connectivity services and solutions for the hospitality industry, has been selected by Radisson Salt Lake City Downtown to enhance the quality of in-room entertainment experiences with the deployment of its GuestCast streaming solution. Previously partnering with HIS to upgrade its guest WiFi abilities, Radisson Salt Lake City Downtown with GuestCast can now extend superior and user-friendly service performance ...
What Hoteliers Need to Know About Sleep Architecture
Adam and Larry Mogelonsky | September 18, 2024
By Adam and Larry Mogelonsky With sleep science reaching the mainstream over the past few years, numerous hotel brands have unveiled fancy new sleep programs in an arms race to win over travelers looking for accommodations that will help them get a full night’s rest while aboard. But the rise of sleep tourism needn’t be limited to only luxury hotels that have the capital to devote a gargantuan sum per key to noise-dampening materials, new air purification systems or state-of-the-art bedding systems that have built-in temperature and moisture controls. Rather, any brand can build a strategic plan for deploying affordable sleep enhancem...
Hjortviken Country Club Sides With Vingcard for the Latest in Sustainable Security Access Technology
Vingcard | September 17, 2024
High-end Swedish destination owned by ESS Group adopts Vingcard door lock solutions proven to heighten guest safety and convenience while minimizing environmental impact. Stockholm –September 17, 2024 – Vingcard, an ASSA ABLOY company and provider of advanced technologies for the hospitality industry, is pleased to announce the adoption of several of its cutting-edge door lock solutions by Hjortviken Country Club in Hindas, Sweden. Managed by ESS Group, the soon-to-be-opened Hjortviken Country Club, together with the support of Vingcard and BRA Bygg construction company, is setting its sights on delivering a refined guest stay experience...
Percipia Collaborates With Amazon’s Alexa Smart Properties Hospitality to Launch VIVA+
PERCIPIA | September 16, 2024
CHICAGO, September 16th, 2024 – Percipia, a leading provider of hospitality phone systems and enhanced guest room technology for hotels, resorts, casinos, and conference centers, announces the release of VIVA+, an all-in-one hospitality solution built on Alexa Smart Properties (ASP) for Hospitality that is available now to all new and current Percipia clients. VIVA+ integrates Percipia’s IP phone system, Frequency PBX and Frequency Stratus, and guest voicemail solution, Precision Voicemail, by utilizing their middleware engine, Parallax. VIVA+ transforms the guest experience by offering a comprehensive suite of features in a single, sl...
Hotel Room Innsights Report: Hotels.com Pulls Back the Covers on the Surprising World of Hotels
The Hotels.com | September 10, 2024
Lost and Found: A pet lizard, $6 million watch and car tire are some of the oddest items left in hotel rooms around the world Room Service: An Evian filled bathtub, burnt toast, 4lbs of bananas and a caviar hotdog top the most bizarre room service orders Hidden Hotel Perks: A 400-year-old Japanese garden and guitar concierge are among the hotel perks you never knew you needed September 10, 2024, AUSTIN — Today Hotels.com launches its annual Hotel Room Innsights Report*, uncovering surprising services and stories from more than 400 partner hotels worldwide. This year’s report reveals the astonishing items left behind by guests, w...
Parking and EV Stations Charge U.S. Hotel Performance
Jim Hurless | September 9, 2024
By Robert Mandelbaum and Jim Hurless Parking revenues have increased by 23.1% from 2019 to 2023, based on a sample of U.S. properties in CBRE’s Trends® in the Hotel Industry database, which is more than four times greater than the growth rate for total hotel revenues during that period. Not only is parking a growing source of revenue, but it is relatively profitable as well. In 2023, parking department profit margins for the CBRE sample were 61.3% of total department revenue, while the average profit margin for all other-operated departments was 58.7% at those hotels. While the contribution to revenues and profits is welcomed news to hot...
How to Make a Hotel’s Common Areas Anything But Common
Cicero Construction Group | July 24, 2024
PLAINFIELD, IL, JULY 24, 2024 -- Before embarking on a hotel renovation, do not overlook common spaces like the pool, business center, and grab-and-go pantry. Updating these spaces can improve the overall guest experience, attract new customers and lead to return visits. In addition, renovating common areas can save the hotel money in the long run by addressing maintenance issues, therefore preventing deterioration and extending the lifespan of the property. Cicero Construction Group, a premier contractor with more than fifty years renovating commercial properties, offers the following renovation ideas for hotel common spaces: BUSINESS ...
Since When Have EV Chargers Become a Necessity for Hotels?
Linchi Kwok | July 2, 2024
I rented a pure electronic vehicle (PEV) or battery electric vehicle (BEV) for a road trip to Palm Springs in January. That was the first time I took a trip with an EV, and I discovered that a PEV was only good for short or daily commutes. I will need a hybrid EV or a gas-powered car for longer road trips. My not-as-pleasant EV experience in Palm Springs Before this road trip, I assumed that EV chargers would be “everywhere” in California because California is the pioneer in banning the sales of new gas-powered vehicles. As a result, I did not “bother” to check how many EV chargers the area or my hotel has, even though I kne...
Paragraph Freedom Square, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Combines Heightened Security and Attractive Design With the Adoption of Vingcard Allure Door Lock
Vingcard | June 11, 2024
Marriott’s first Luxury Collection hotel in Georgia leverages Vingcard Allure’s customizable appearance to boost property’s elegant style while maximizing guest safety and convenience. Stockholm –June 11, 2024 – Vingcard, an ASSA ABLOY company and provider of advanced technologies for the hospitality industry, has announced the successful adoption of its Vingcard Allure door locks by the recently constructed Paragraph Freedom Square Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, in Tbilisi, Georgia. A Marriott franchised location representing the brand’s first Luxury Collection hotel to be opened within the Eastern European country, the prop...
The Art of a Great Arrival for Luxury Hotels
Adam and Larry Mogelonsky | May 22, 2024
By Adam Mogelonsky, Larry Mogelonsky In the realm of luxury hotels, guests have a highly discerning eye. And as they say, first impressions are everything. Combining these two, it’s no surprise that resorts and other envious properties around the globe spent an inordinate amount of time and money on crafting a great arrival experience. Having the honor of working with some of these over the years, we can say that there are lessons for all that are replicable at the non-luxury level. To start, you must understand the luxury mindset – something we articulate in our ‘Mille Club’ designation and playbook for clients with ‘mille’...
Vingcard Boosts Hotel Security, Sustainability and Scalability With MIFARE Ultralight® AES Compatibility for Door Lock Key Credentials
Vingcard | May 8, 2024
Vingcard locks able to utilize Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) offered by NXP Semiconductors while also providing hoteliers with enhanced flexibility in addressing evolving guest expectations. Stockholm –May 8, 2024 – Vingcard, an ASSA ABLOY company, has announced the enhancing of its door lock security abilities and features by ensuring compatibility with MIFARE Ultralight® AES from NXP® Semiconductors. The latest in contactless integrated circuit (IC) technology for door lock credentials, MIFARE Ultralight AES together with Vingcard locks are set to provide the advanced encryption and flexibility that today’s hotels need to ensu...
Radisson Blu Sobieski Upgrades Vingcard Door Locks to Feature Latest in RFID Security and Mobile Key
Vingcard | May 1, 2024
Elegant Polish hotel leverages future-proof door lock design to effortlessly keep pace with evolving security standards and guest preferences. Stockholm –May 1, 2024 – Vingcard, hospitality’s leading provider of security access solutions and other advanced technologies, has announced a successful upgrade of its Vingcard Classic door locks at Radisson Blu Sobieski in Warsaw, Poland. An upscale property situated within the heart of Warsaw’s business district, Radisson Blu Sobieski by upgrading to Vingcard Classic RFID which will be enabled with Mobile Access, can provide its guests with the ideal combination of enhanced security and ...
InnSpire to Provide Powerful Guest Room Entertainment Platform for Members of Prestigious New York Private Members Club
InnSpire | April 30, 2024
Historic private members club in New York City embraces InnSpire’s innovative InnSmart and InnCast TV solutions to enhance the member experience Stockholm & Washington, D.C. – April 30, 2024 – InnSpire, the leading provider of innovative hospitality technology solutions that help drive seamless, world-class guest experiences for some of the world’s most iconic hotels and brands, has announced that its advanced IPTV, InnSmart and InnCast guestroom entertainment solutions have been successfully deployed at one of the world’s most exclusive private members clubs located in New York City. The InnSpire solutions were implemented i...
PPDS Delivers Seamless Guest Room Casting for Hotels With New All-In-One Philips Cast Server
PPDS | April 18, 2024
Casting with confidence: The Philips Cast Server brings additional choice and opportunity for hotel TV integrations, delivering a seamless and secure solution that brings smooth experiences without the need for guests to switch to a casting network on their mobile device. Amsterdam, 18 April 2024: PPDS, the exclusive global provider of Philips Professional Displays, is delighted to announce the launch of Philips Cast Server, a brand new, dedicated, and highly innovative hotel TV solution designed to deliver seamless and secure casting and app streaming experiences for hoteliers and their guests alike. Marking the latest evolution in PPD...
Waterparks Maintain Momentum in 2024 Amid Growth and New Opportunities
David J. Sangree | April 11, 2024
By David J. Sangree March 2024 – In 2023, waterpark owners and operators saw a more competitive market as attendance levels remained similar to 2022 while ticket pricing growth was more subdued. This occurred due to increased competition from a variety of additional attractions and entertainment venues in the post-pandemic economy. In 2023, 16 indoor waterpark openings and expansions added 480,000 square feet of indoor waterpark space while twelve new outdoor waterparks opened. New growth is forecasted for indoor and outdoor waterparks in 2024 as several large-scale projects will open that will alter the waterpark landscape. These projec...
Why Prioritize Attribute-Based Shopping in 2024
Adam and Larry Mogelonsky | April 3, 2024
By Adam Mogelonsky, Larry Mogelonsky Exploring the significance of attribute-based selling (ABS) for 2024 requires a nuanced understanding, particularly in light of pivotal events shaping the hospitality landscape. Consider the landmark moment in early December 2020: the much-anticipated Airbnb IPO, which saw the home-sharing platform soar to a staggering $100+ billion market capitalization on its opening day. This valuation surpasses that of industry giants like Booking Holdings and major hotel brands combined, underscoring Airbnb's dominance and offering key insights into evolving traveler behaviors. While some may dismiss Airbnb's st...
ASSA ABLOY Global Solutions Makes Vingcard the Main Brand for Hospitality Business Area
Vingcard | April 2, 2024
Hospitality's next chapter combines widespread brand recognition and trust with a heightened commitment to redefining the future of end-to-end security and efficiency. Stockholm –April 2, 2024 – ASSA ABLOY Global Solutions is announcing that its Hospitality business area will make Vingcard its main brand. Vingcard has a history of offering enhanced security across industries for almost 50 years, and it reinforces its commitment to quality service and customer satisfaction. For the core hospitality segments and adjacent markets, this includes continuing to expand and push the limits in technology innovation, including leading new advanc...
The New Frontier of In-Room Tablets + AI Is Here and It’s Impacting Hotel Operations, Starting With Housekeeping
Neil Schubert | March 12, 2024
AI-powered tablets can enable housekeepers to fill service requests, update room status, pinpoint their location in an emergency and more via voice command in multiple languages By Neil Schubert Imagine a businessman traveling from Italy to America. Upon entering his room for the first time, the man is greeted by name by an AI concierge who proceeds to converse with him in his native language, (i.e. Italian). The woman on screen is speaking fluent Italian, but he detects a slight American accent. He begins to converse with her, asking if she could help him order food. A room-service ordering screen appears, but the woman says she can take h...
Hotel Water As a Wellness Amenity
Adam and Larry Mogelonsky | March 6, 2024
By Adam and Larry Mogelonsky A common expression is ‘you are what you eat’, but an asterisk here is ‘you are what you drink’. Besides only the narrowcast view of this as an alcohol-related issue, there’s an increasing focus on water quality and how contaminants affect health over long periods of time. With our own guiding adage that ‘as one does at home, one will expect at hotels’, heightened awareness for water quality will soon come to affect how guests perceive your in-room tap water, your restaurant’s water, your showerheads and whichever bottle supplier you’ve sourced. First, we need some background on the problem...