Christine Killion

🏨 Ashley Dora, VP of operations at Valor Hospitality, identifies opportunities for automating hotel operations, especially in food and beverage departments, to save time and costs. Implementation is property dependent, with ROI varying based on time saved in communication and processes. Richard Valtr, founder of Mews, advises defining clear goals and integrating modern technology, while Adam Tuttle of Yipy emphasizes the importance of user-friendly platforms and upfront work to simplify staff usage. Beta testing and anticipating learning curves are crucial for successful implementation. According to an IDC analysis, Mews’ technology saved 5,000 administrative hours and increased front-desk staff efficiency by 24% in the summer, equal to the workload of around 12 full-time employees.

🔌 U.S. hotels spend on average $2,196 per available room annually on energy. Hotel Marcel in New Haven, Connecticut, is the first all-electric, solar-powered, LEED Platinum-certified hotel in the country, operating without fossil fuels. The Sinclair Hotel in Fort Worth, Texas, uses Power-over-Ethernet to save 20-30% power consumption for lighting. The Ritz-Carlton, Portland, integrates biophilic design and is LEED Gold-certified, aiming for energy and water efficiency. Energy efficiency in hotels can lead to less maintenance, longer-lasting systems, and operational cost savings.