Hotel Operations

🏨 Are you considering a 5% or the full 11-16% royalty fee when underwriting a branded hotel? Over 20 years, working with Aman, Nikki Beach, One&Only, The Luxury Collection, Banyan Tree, and Hilton, it's clear that successful owners invest time negotiating 20–30-year agreements to protect NOI and exit strategies. Key areas include fee structures, approvals, and termination terms. A complimentary agreement review is offered, highlighting risks and aligning incentives. #HotelInvestment #HospitalityStrategy

📆 Today, Hilton announced 25 winners of the inaugural Americas Franchise Owner Performance Awards across five categories, recognizing outstanding hospitality. These awards, complementing the Americas Development Awards from April, celebrate owners' dedication to service and operational excellence. The initiative highlights Hilton's ambition to be the World’s Best Place to Stay, acknowledging owners who consistently deliver exceptional guest experiences. These awards encompass the full lifecycle of Hilton's owner partnerships, from hotel development to ongoing operations.

Here is a blog post excerpt summarizing the article: 💬 2026 research reveals customers value five key service experiences: 93% prioritize kind and helpful employees, 92% seek convenience and knowledgeable support, and 91% desire to reach the right person initially. Additionally, 89% demand fast response times. These practical expectations enhance loyalty and are achievable without major investments—requiring discipline, consistency, and a supportive culture. Companies must integrate these elements for optimal customer satisfaction.

🥝 Sleep Inn by Choice Hotels International, in North Bethesda, Maryland, launched the "Local Favorites" breakfast program, incorporating regionally inspired items into their Morning Medley offering. This initiative includes local pastries and seasonings, alongside stories linking them to the community. Optional regional waffle recipes, including banana bread waffles in the Southeast and chocolate waffles in the Midwest, are also available. This program enhances guest experiences by showcasing local flavors and culture.

💐 Couples today are more hands-on with wedding room blocks, seeking more than just discounted rates. At Courtyard by Marriott Collegeville, an example of thoughtful hospitality includes a welcome with Prosecco and chocolate-covered strawberries. Hotels like this transform spaces with décor, creating a warm, inviting atmosphere for continued celebrations. Over the past 5 years, the focus has shifted to personalized experiences and seamless communication, elevating guest expectations and creating additional revenue opportunities for hotels.

📈 Radisson Hotel Group (RHG) is rolling out Yipy's Hospitality Standards Management System globally to enhance brand standards management across its 1,500+ properties and ten hotel brands. This system improves operational agility with role-based visibility, multilingual support, automated self-assessments, and centralized reporting. Melissa Melendez Juan emphasizes its ability to simplify compliance and training. CEO of Yipy, Adam Tuttle, highlights the system's role in moving from static documents to actionable standards, supporting RHG’s operational consistency efforts.

💸 Choose cost-efficient accommodations outside Boston's core; consider Cambridge. Walk between attractions like Boston Common and Faneuil Hall to save on transport. Enjoy budget-friendly dining in areas like Chinatown and the North End. Explore free attractions like the Boston Public Library and Public Garden. Avoid tourist traps with inflated prices, especially during events. Take advantage of student areas for affordable activities. Use public transport and seek free events to minimize expenses.

🛍 When one team member in hospitality stops caring, it creates a ripple effect that burdens others. This indifference, which can't be ignored, diminishes service quality, turning it into mere transactions. Leaders often adjust responsibilities to more dedicated staff to avoid immediate discomfort, yet this compromises standards. The problem highlights the need for leaders to distinguish between genuine struggles and indifference, ensuring care remains a foundational element in hospitality, preventing a decline in service quality.

🏨 PM Hotel Group assumed management of a 12-hotel, 1,533-room portfolio in Nashville for Pinnacle Hospitality Partners on May 1, 2026. The properties, branded under Hilton, Marriott, and others, are located in Nashville's Opryland and Downtown Stadium districts, plus Goodlettsville, Mt. Juliet, and Brentwood. The management transition started April 1, 2026. PM Hotel Group aims to enhance performance through strategic revenue, sales, and marketing alignment. They operate over 80 hotels in 20 states.