“Dark or Grief Tourism” is a different type of tourist attraction.

Posted on October 29, 2012 by Susana

Imagine you are in Paris and your guide is telling you that there is a new site to visit in the city, the “Pere Lachaise Cemetery”. What would you do? Would you go? Or would you think it is for crazy people ….

In fact, millions of travelers worldwide, when they are in certain countries or cities for holidays, they feel the urge to visit certain places: a cemetery, a museum of horrors, the exact spot where a celebrity died, the site where they carried out an attack, a death camp….

What motivates this kind of tourism?

Experts define the ‘dark tourism or grief tourism’ as the fascination or curiosity that may attract ordinary people to visit places associated with death. It has nothing to do with mental or hidden perversions…. (good news, since my favorite place is the Jewish Cemetery in Prague) and I would say it is a lucrative travel industry!
And what we have to remember is that it is a new way of tourism, we have to adapt our facilities to make it easier for our clients to enjoy their stay. By this, I mean that our marketing campaign has to be directed to Dark Tourism, if we are in Cambodia we should give instructions to our future clients with, the history of the site, routes, weather, dangers, etc…
At the moment, the area is under-researched and the “Institute for Dark Tourism Research (iDTR)” hopes to become a global ‘hub’ of research on the subject. It will also help those who manage and promote dark tourism sites and exhibitions.

Some examples :

Ground Zero, site of the former World Trade Center twin buildings
Nazi death camps, where six million people died
Crash sites, such as Lockerbie in Scotland, where a TWA jumbo jet was blown up in 1988
The Paris tunnel in which Princess Diana was killed in 1997 being chased by paparazzi
Cambodia’s killing fields (Choeng Ek Extermination Camp), mass graves for some 20,000 Cambodians murdered during the Khmer Rouge genocide of the late 1970s
Central Park’s Strawberry Fields memorial to John Lennon, who was assassinated nearby outside the Dakota in 1980
Most Cemeteries, including Arlington in the US and the Père Lachaise in Paris. There is an Association to promote European cemeteries as a fundamental part of the heritage of the humanity. To raise European citizen awareness of the importance of significant cemeteries. http://www.significantcemeteries.org/p/the-association.html
Soham, a small English town, where two 10-year-olds were kidnapped and murdered by their school caretaker
Hiroshima in Japan, where the first atomic bomb was dropped
Chernobyl, where tour guides use geiger counters to test radiation while escorting visitors
The Anne Frank museum in Amsterdam, in memory of a 13-year-old Jewish schoolgirl who kept a diary while hiding from the Nazis
Hitler’s mountain residence at Berchtesgaden, in the Bavarian Alps
Normandy (France): The Alabaster Coast has beautiful scenery can be admired widely, but are ignored by the strong attraction of the twenty-seven cemeteries that bear witness to the battle that took place at the site. Bunkers standing still remembering the picture looked decisive Allied victory.
In London, the routes of Jack the Ripper, try to create the atmosphere of the city sordid Dickens.
The tunnels of Cu Chi, relict of the Vietnam War are a vast underground network that was used by the Vietnamese resistance in the bloody war. For a few hours, thousands of visitors to this attraction located near the capital relive the claustrophobic life of the soldiers of the Viet Cong or can exercise their aim with a “real” AK47.

Source:

http://www.dark-tourism.org.uk/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-17814100

http://www.hosteltur.com/112960_turismo-cementerios-espana-20-ciudades-muestran-su-oferta.html

This type of tourism has supporters and detractors. The first claim that it is a new concept which motivates visitors tours to visit the monuments, while encouraging the preservation of spaces that keep an important historical, artistic and social.

Critics who reject this new form of tourism argue that visitor arrivals could damage the burial sites and reduce the protection of historical and religious monuments.

See you next week, Susana

I am…

Posted on October 8, 2012 by Therese

There are a few versions of this floating around on the net:

I have advanced degrees in accounting, public relations, marketing, business, computer science, civil engineering, and Swahili. I can also read minds.

Of course I have the reservations that you booked six years ago even though you don’t have the confirmation number and you think it was made under a name that begins with the letter “X”. It is not a problem for me to give you seven connecting, non-smoking, poolside suites with two king beds in each rom, four roll-aways and yes I can install a wetbar. I know it is my fault that we do not have a helicopter-landing pad.

I am expected to speak all languages. It is obvious to me that when you booked your reservation for Friday, you really meant Saturday. My company has entrusted me with all financial information and decisions, and yes I can tell you why your bill for March 1989 contained a .25-cent phone charge because, obviously you never pay for phone calls.

I understand that the McGillicotty’s Widget Manufacturing Company is a vast empire that will make or break our hotel. Yes, I am lying to you when I say that we have no rooms available. It is not a problem for me to quickly construct several more guest rooms. THIS time I will not forget the helicopter-landing pad. And it is my fault that everyone wanted to stay here. I should have known you were coming in, even though you did not have a reservation.

I am quite capable of checking three people in, two people out, taking five reservations, answering fifteen phone calls and plunging the toilet in room 101… all at the same time.

I am a front desk agent, operator, bellhop, houseman, guest service agent, housekeeper, sales coordinator, a map, entertainment critic, restaurateur, stock broker, computer technician, ice-breaker, postman, dispatcher, laundry cleaner, FAX-expert, human jukebox, and verbal punching bag, and I know why room 112 is not answering the phone.

I always know where to find the best vegetarian kosher, Mongolian barbeque restaurants. I know exactly what to see and do in this city in fifteen minutes without spending any money. I take personal blame for airline food, traffic jams, rental car flat tires and the national economy. I realize that you meant to book your reservation here; people often confuse us with Galaxy Delight Motel of Antarctica. Of course, I can “fit you in” and yes you may have the special one-dollar rate because you are affiliated with the Hoboken Accounting and Bagel Club.

I am expected to smile, emphasize, sympathize, console, cajole, upsell, downsell (and know when to do which), perform, sing, dance, and fix the printer. And I know exactly where Possum Trot Lane is.

I am a Front Desk Agent. – (Author unknown)

9 of the most Spectacular Hotel Suites in the World.

Posted on September 12, 2012 by Susana

And you can find them in Utah, South Africa, México, Australia, Italy, Kenia, Rajasthan.

1- Amangiri Resort (Lake Powell, Canyon Point, Utah)

A full moon showcases the mesas against the sky. At night the occasional coyote yips, and at dawn bighorn sheep may troop by. Welcome to Amangiri, the extravagant 600-acre resort near the Navajo Nation in Utah as it cuts in near Page, Arizona. This is one of the best places in the United States for star-gazing: The air is clear and dry, and there’s very little ambient light. If you’d like less exposure but a more focused relationship with the starry pitch above, six Amangiri suites have “Sky Terraces” – three protecting walls with the open sky above and a pool below you. With summer nights in the 60s and January nights in the mid-30s or lower, there’s appropriate bedding – from silk and wool throws to plumped down quilts. Cocoa with a shot of brandy? Coffee at 5:30 a.m.? This is Amangiri (435-675-3999; suites, $1,500–$3,500)

2- Lion Sands Private Game Reserve (Sabi Sand Game Reserve, South Africa)
Guy Aubrey Chalkley, who founded Lion Sands in 1933, used to tell his daughter when she slept out on the Chalkley Treehouse, “Never fear the roar of the lion for it is rather when you don’t that you need to be aware.” Over the past 60 years, this tree house – built as a photographer’s platform – has been reinforced and adorned with a cozy double bed, a hot-water bottle, dressing gowns, and a basin. Guests can have dinner and drinks in the tree or dine at the lodge and head out afterward. Once dropped off – with mosquito repellent, torches, lanterns, and a two-way radio – they’re on their own till morning. Chances are that during the night you will hear a lion roaring to stake his claim. This part of South Africa, bordering Kruger National Park, has a high concentration of noisy predators: Hyenas and jackals engage in chitter chatter. At sunset and sunrise birds chime in. The tree house sits on the edge of an open plain: You may be able to hear the Sabie River, about a mile away. The sun sets and evening emerges; when the moon is full, you might see its light shimmering off the elephants less than 200 feet away across the plain. They are remarkably silent under the spectacular night sky – the Southern Cross, shooting stars, satellites – which is all yours, from horizon to horizon (27-11-484-9911; tree house, $254)

3- Las Ventanas Al Paraíso (Los Cabos, Mexico)
From the terrace of your penthouse high above Las Ventanas al Paraíso, at the tip of Mexico’s Baja Peninsula, you have a 180-degree view of the Sea of Cortés, about 150 feet away. The bed is king-size, the breezes and waves are gentle, and the sounds are ambient – birds at sunset and sunrise. The mountains 40 miles inland are lit and shadowed by the moon. Far-off houses warm the night with the reassuring calm of distant civilization. At around 10 p.m., you might see fireworks in the distance; celebrations are easy to come by down here. But the later it gets, the more silent the night becomes. As the penumbra subsumes the whites and blues and greens, the fragrance distilled by the heat of the day rises, the smells of sand and earth, the ozone released by breaking waves, the scent of jasmine. Here’s your essential equipment: All suites have telescopes and guides to the constellations (52-624-144-2800; penthouse suites, $1,600–$3,780).

4- Blue Mountains Private Safaris (Blue Mountains National Park, Australia )

“You know the song – ‘Once a jolly swagman?’?” asks Mark Tickner, who takes guests into the bush for Blue Mountains Private Safaris. A swagman, he says, is a nomad who sleeps in a swag. But here, the swags are padded, lined with fine cotton, and laid out on decks by the Wollondilly River, 75 miles southwest of Sydney, where the eucalyptus forests yield their oily vapor to the sun, leaving a scent and a blue haze that gives the mountains their name. After days spent hiking the sandstone escarpment and deep gullies, viewing platypuses, kangaroos, wombats, and echidnas, slip into your swag. Dingoes howl, parrots and eagles screech, rapids roar. At dawn, the kookaburra laughs (yes, sitting in the old gum tree) and grazing kangaroos thump around in the bush (61-2-9571-6399; doubles, $1,317).

5- L’albereta (Erbusco, Lombardy, Italy)
Industrialist Vittorio Moretti has a theory about houses, that each should have a pensatoio at the top – a place surrounded by windows where a person can pause, contemplate nature, and refresh. So L’Albereta, his family’s Relais & Châteaux hotel in the hills of Franciacorta, between Brescia and Bergamo, has the Cabriolet Suite. Atop a tower facing Lake Iseo, you are in the clutches of Northern Italian luxury – sitting on satin, grosgrain, damask; surrounded by vineyards; fed by the great Milanese chef Gualtiero Marchesi. Feeling romantic? Press a button and the roof above the bed opens to the heavens. During the annual Perseid meteor shower (known here as the tears of San Lorenzo), the suite is particularly sought after: Legend has it that for every falling star, a wish will be granted. But the sky is beautiful anytime, and the nights can be full of the perfume of wild roses, jasmine, and gardenias (39-030-776-0550; Cabriolet Suite, $617).

6- Loisaba Wilderness Lodge (Nanyuki, Kenya)

Loisaba, on Kenya’s Laikipia Plateau, has spurred ten marriage proposals. “It’s all about the beds,” says owner Tom Silvester. “They are ridiculously comfortable.” You’re just off the equator, amid acacia woodland and savanna, not far from the Rift Valley, the birthplace of modern man. There are two Star Bed camps: Kiboko, by a huge water hole that attracts wildlife, and Koija, on the Ewaso Nyiro River (you can hike from one to the other).

7- Adrère Amellal Desert Ecolodge (Siwa Oasis, Egypt)
Adrère Amellal, built of mud and salt crystals, sits at the foot of a flat-topped white mountain considered holy by the local people. The lodge uses no power except for the generator that runs the kitchen. Outdoor beds are set up on the roof or out in the desert, south of the Siwa Oasis. In an immense “ballroom” (a bowl between tall dunes), dinner is served at magnificent tables set with crystal and argenterie. Later, Siwan staff in turbans and tunics escort you into the desert. They don’t use flashlights; you walk up a dune in the pitch black. On the other side are real beds made of palm reeds, with proper quilts and pillows and Egyptian cotton sheets. But if you fall asleep, you’ll miss the magic of absolute silence (20-2-2736-7879; Desert Rooms, $800; open Sept.–July).

8- Killa Bhawan (Jaisalmer, Rajasthan)
In Jaisalmer, a living fortress high above the surrounding small city of the same name, a Killa Bhawan guest might follow local custom and sleep out on the roof, in a well-made colonial bed. Jaisalmer’s magic is magnified by its isolation in the middle of the Indian desert. Known as the Golden City, it was built in the twelfth century of yellow limestone marble and is famous for its palace, which you can see from the terrace, as well as its exquisite havelis (mansions) and seven Jain temples. Night brings a little wind, a clear desert sky, and the sounds of the city bedding down. Three thousand people live in the fort; in the temples, the worshippers sing and drum, then motorbikes head home, and by ten all becomes quiet. Life begins again around six with the bells of the temples and first prayers (91-2992-251204; doubles, $120–$200).

9- Ol Donyo Wuas (Kenya)

At Ol Donyo Wuas, there’s a permanent bower on the roof deck above every suite that can be done up with fresh soft cotton linens, blankets, and hot water bottles. By moonlight, the savanna below is visible, as is Mount Kilimanjaro in the distance. The lodge, which sits on a ridge 50 feet above the plains, is surrounded by three water holes, and at night you can hear elephants sloshing around. When the moon is new, the sky is black and the heavens are so close that satellites and shooting stars seem to careen overhead like fireflies (254-20-600-0457; doubles, $1,220–$1,620).

So, after reading this article with great hotel suites and views,… who wants to join me ?… )

Susana

Interviewing – a form of art or plain talent?

Posted on August 21, 2012 by Therese

This past week I did my first interview in 7 months, yes, I know it sounds little compared to most people but from a person just graduated from Les Roches and a few internships, it is a long time. And I was light struck; I am so out of my interview shape.

During the last few weeks in Les Roches last winter, interviewing at least 3 times a week was as normal as pasta in Market Place 6 times a week and I felt that I was really good at it back then. I was always well prepared, not only because I am a control freak, but also because I like to be on top of things.

This time it was a plain disaster. I was literally thrown into the interview for a management position in my current property and I got a 10 minutes heads up, thanks. 10 minutes to prepare for my dream job? No, just not enough time. As I said, I am a complete control freak and not being in control of my future is really frustrating me now afterwards.

Interviewing can almost been seen as a sport nowadays, with practice comes greatness and yes, all of us will fall down at some point, but if we are well trained it will be so much easier to get up and get going again.

As many of you out there, I have applied and interviewed with several of the great hotel companies out there and I am so amazed of how similar all of these interviews are. Believe me when I say that I used to have a prepared answer for all of their problem solving, support your team and what do you do when someone is treated unfairly questions. It somewhat makes me think if all the human resources associates out there took the same class or at least read the same book. This cannot be a coincidence, can it?

And don’t let me forget all the examples, examples and examples. Prove that you are like this or like that. Les Roches provided me with great examples, especially with teamwork questions and problem solving. Two weeks into IP and everyone will know what I am talking about. I think it is important to keep in mind that these examples don’t only have to come from work experience. Why not give examples from your student life? Most of us have spent more than 15 years in school, university or collage compared to 3-4 years in the working world. And Les Roches has provided us with some of the greatest learning and developing opportunities that we will not find anywhere else.

I will leave my latest interviewing experience up to faith and get myself prepared for the next one. After all, I got a lot of interview training the last few years and it wont take me long to stand up and get going again.

A few tips from a fellow Les Rocheian when it comes to interviewing:

Know the company you are applying for and your interviewer, do your research and be well prepared.
Search yourself and ask yourself the questions; Why do I want this job? Why am I the perfect candidate? Keep the answers close by.
Find your strengths ahead of time and find examples to prove this.
Conduct the interview in a quiet place and allow nothing or no one to distract you.
Smile; be positive and believe in yourself!

Good Luck!

Therese

Welcome to the Divorce Hotel

Posted on June 27, 2012 by Susana

What would you say about the new concept?, Do you think it is the future in the hotel industry? Can they achieve the same profit as any other hotels? Is it a trend or just a crazy idea? …..

Welcome To The Divorce Hotel

The 5* Hotel Karel V in Utrecht looks ideal for a weekend getaway. In the bustling lobby, there’s no shortage of advertisements for kissing couples hoping for a romantic retreat.

But Jim Halfens looks at the hotel and sees something else — a nice place to get divorced. He is not a lawyer, he runs a company that specializes in offering a quick, lower-cost alternative to divorce.

About half a year ago, he was interviewing divorcees, doing some market research:

“…They told us — divorce is very critical, I’m getting into a roller coaster,” Halfens said. “I’m not able to work anymore. My boss is complaining. Sometimes it takes three months. We have examples where it takes three years. And people were wondering — is there no other solution?…”

That’s when Jim Halfens got the idea for the Divorce Hotel. Let’s be clear — it’s not one hotel filled with a bunch of unhappy couples. It’s a legal service in Dutch luxury hotels.

Interview “Swift and Cheap Divorce Hotel” Feb 2012

It’s a divorce in 3 days, mediators and other specialists – notaries, even psychologists – are on hand to help the couple. Couples thinking about going through the Divorce Hotel process have to start with a set of extensive interviews. If they decide they can settle their differences quickly, with a mediator instead of lawyers, then they choose a four or five star hotel.

Marie-Louise Van As is the lawyer who works as a mediator at the Divorce Hotel she says that “If the marriage can be saved, we always tell people they are at the wrong address at the divorce hotel” and she notes that the three-day hotel stays are not a vacation. There are checklists, homework she calls it, that the couples have to do ahead of time.

Traditional Divorce: Legal costs up to 50000€ and 10 years!
Divorce Hotel: Costs 3500€ and 3 days Full Board.

But, Van As says, it’s worth it for many couples. “…In Holland to get divorced usually lasts six to nine months,” . “A bad divorce, a fighting divorce, can last five to 10 years. And cost 50,000 Euros or more…”

Jim Halfens gets emails every day from people in places like Brazil, Britain, Taiwan, Italy and Germany asking whether they can try the Divorce Hotel. Those countries have different divorce laws, so for now the Divorce Hotel is only for Dutch couples. And he is willing to find partners in the coming months to help him start the service in neighboring Germany, Belgium, etc…

The Divorce Hotel
The Luxury Hub
Travelocafe Luxury
The World Org.
News – Sky Feb 2012

I hope you liked my last post and I would like to read your comments and answers to my questions , is it a trend? Does it have future? And what about profits?

Susana

Loyalty

Posted on June 7, 2012 by Therese

The importance of loyalty is growing stronger and stronger and the competition for the guests is fierce. As important as guest loyalty is to our company, it is even more important that we are loyal to our guests and keep on delivering the exceptional service that they are expecting.

So what are some of the factors that make you loyal to a company or a brand? Personally, I am a big fan of recognition. I will keep on coming back to the clothing store where everyone knows my name and they know what I like. I will keep on coming back to the club where the bouncer knows me on a first name basis and the bartender makes my favorite drink before I even have to ask. And I will keep on purchasing all my electronics from the same company since they always live-up to and go beyond the promise of their products.

During my short, but eventful career within hospitality, I have had the blessing of travelling and experiencing the different cultures of our world and loyalty looks very different across our continents. In the Middle East there is no Front Desk employee without his or her cellphone in the desk at all time. Why? Because your loyal customers will have your personal number on speed dial and will call you at anytime for a reservation, and they trust only you. They know that you will take good care of them and that you will give them the recognition they know they deserve. The guest will call you day or night, on your days off and even during your vacation and the most amazing thing is that it doesn’t compromise the service they will receive when they arrive at the hotel. The employee will call the hotel, make a reservation and personally organize the amenities through the phone and then contact the guest with a confirmation number and wishes of a fantastic stay. This is a level of loyalty and personalized service that I have never experienced anywhere else.
I can’t even imagine bringing my cellphone to the desk in the United States, it would either be frowned upon or even taken from me.

Loyalty comes in a different shape in the States. Yes, repeat guests are recognized but the complete focus on loyalty programs is absurd. I can agree that loyalty programs are a fantastic way of keeping the guests coming back. But that is nothing compared to a guest that comes back over and over again because your hotel is the only place where everyone knows their name and is providing them with exceptional service. That is a property where I would be proud to work and it is definitely the goal I have set for my hotel.

Therese

Beijing Hutong Inn Courtyard

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Michael

In 1982, the first joint-venture hotel opened in Beijing. In 2008, there were more than 130 3-star and upper range hotels in Beijing. Now, almost all the world class hotel groups have their projects in leading brands here in Beijing, or they will enter this market in the coming 3 years. When I was thinking about what to write for our Alumni blog, I got an idea to visit those hosts or inns with traditional Beijing characteristic, to see what their difference is from the tremendous change in the industry. Last weekend I visited one of the Beijing Hutong Inn’s courtyards.

“Hutong” are types of narrow streets and tiny lanes, formed by the lines of courtyards. It was the lowest level of administrative geographical divisions in ancient China. From the mid-20th century, the numbers of hutong in Beijing dropped dramatically as they were demolished to make way for new roads and buildings. Fortunately, at the turn of 20th century, some hutong were designated as protected areas in an attempt to preserve this aspect of Chinese culture and history. Now the hutong have become one of Beijing’s historic and scenic attractions.

This Hutong Inn Courtyard is located in the very heart of downtown Beijing, but it is quite hidden from the main street. The Tiananmen Square and famous Forbidden Imperial Palace are within walking distance. I have seldom been to any hutong or courtyards over the past 20 years, so I was a little surprised by the authentic oriental ancient architecture, red lanterns, songbirds in cages, old pictures of Beijing, and the graceful surroundings. All of this gave me a refreshing feeling. The manager invited me for coffee, we talked for a while and he told me to feel free to look around and take photos.

They have a total of 12 rooms with double or twin beds, equipped with air-conditioning, TV, private bathrooms, Wifi, and 24-hour hot water. The breakfast and laundry service are offered too. Normally the rooms are fully booked or occupied, except in winter time. Most of their guests are coming from overseas, reserving by e-booking. There are also some from domestic China. Compare with those conventional hotels, airport hotels, and leisure or resort hotels, the Hutong Inn Courtyard, from my point of view, is an ideal place for foreign individual travelers to stay to gain a better understanding and appreciation of the classical Beijing culture through a nice authentic experience. However, if you chose to stay in a courtyard inn, you have to be prepared to give up the 4 or 5 star hotel’s luxuries, the same as in other countries. Finally, according to my opinion for hotel marketing strategy, the Beijing Hutong Inn Courtyard may be positioned as a “Theme Inn”.

Would you stay at a hotel like the Hutong Inn Courtyard if you have an opportunity to visit Beijing? I am not sure whether I should recommend it to you, it really depends on your idea, but I believe your trip to Beijing would be a fantastic one.

Michael

Creating Truly Memorable Experiences – Hotel Management.

Posted on April 30, 2012 by Susana

If there is something I have learnt in my 20 years in the hospitality industry, is that every “x” years the trend changes. When I studied in Les Roches it was important for us to understand that the best in hotels where the Americans with their American style like Hilton, Marriot, etc…. hotels with lots of rooms, most of them in the big cities, hundreds of clients, buffet style, etc… but now the trend is changing, the hotelier has to understand the employee & client and try to find out what it is that the client needs and wants……

I hope you like my post and please feel free to comment, thank you.
What can you do to create a hotel experience based on service at the level of Creating Truly Memorable Experiences (CTME)?

Experience

It is inevitable that more and more hotels will try to upgrade their service to the level of creating truly memorable experiences. Some will succeed better than others. In my opinion, the hotels or hotel groups which succeed the most will be those that focus on ALL four of the following areas, and not just on the first two, and do so the quickest:

1. Experience Creating Technology

This is the easiest area and unfortunately, I think it will become the main battleground on which hotels and hotel groups will compete in order to create memorable experiences.

Technology can turn emotionless aspects of a guest’s stay into a memorableexperience. For example, take the limousine journey from the airport to the hotel. If you’re lucky, the car driver has a small choice of CDs for you to listen to, though you may not like any of them. However, one hotel in Singapore has karaoke screens in one limousine while the Conrad Bangkok has an I-Pod station in its limousines. This will no doubt evolve into virtual reality headsets becoming a standard feature of a hotel limousine.
I’d like to see imaginative use of different colours and types of lighting to create different feelings; more use / availability of aromatherapy oil burners to stimulate the senses; and creative use of music and the sounds of nature to touch people’s hearts.
Technology and physical items can help to create memorable experiences, but to me, technology only supports and enhances a hotel experience at the level of CTME. A hotel’s main focus should be on creating memorable experiences by developing the warmth and creativity of the service staff.

2. Actions That Create Memorable Experiences

I think that this will be the other area of focus as hotels try to make a guest’s stay a memorable experience. This is an area of great fun where the staff’s imagination should be allowed to run wild with passionate abandon! There are so many ways to create a memorable experience, but I am sure that many hotels will fail here because of inflexible procedures and because of having to follow sterile and emotionless (corporate?) standards.

Creating memorable experiences requires that staff can make spontaneous decision without having to fill in a request form; or wait for the Supervisor or Manager to become available to approve an action. They should be able to “Just Do It!”, Nike style, without fear of retribution if things go wrong, as they will do sometimes.
Think … how can you get people from different races, religions, nationalities, and backgrounds to laugh together in the sterile and silent atmosphere of a 5-star hotel lift while going from the Lobby even just to the 5th floor?

3. Aligning the Hotel’s Systems and Processes with the Concept of CTME

Now we arrive at the first of the areas where success in CTME becomes a lot of work and requires a lot of change. If you ignore this area, I don’t think you will achieve the level of service and experience involved in CTME.

So … let’s suppose that you want to upgrade your customer service to this level and you want the service to be infused with love, care, warmth, empathy, and creativity. What will you have to do?

Review Your Core Values:

The hotel / Corporate Office will have to review its core values. If you look at the websites of hotels and hotel groups, you will struggle to find any that openly support this kind of service and the core values of love, warmth, care, empathy, and creativity.

Align Your Systems, Processes etc. with the New Level of Service:

I foresee many hotels and hotel groups are ignoring this one because of the amount of work it entails. When you upgrade to CTME, you’re moving the goalposts, and you have to adapt your HR systems, procedures, and such like so that they are aligned with it and support it.

Every HR system may have to be adapted or reconstructed to support the new direction in the service. For example, create a continuous performance appraisal system that also evaluates the staff on each of the core values. Align the rewards & recognition system with the core values. Create new awards, such as “The Most Loving, Caring, and Creative Team of the Month”. You can even adapt the Employee of the Month award accordingly, if you still use that award.

Modernize the HR Department:

You cannot afford to have a traditional Human Resources department that is focusing on its administrative and staff-processing functions. It should be a centre of inspiration for the hotel; the impetus behind the upgrade in service; the water of life for the staff. The HR Manager and Training Manager should not be hiding in their air-con offices, but rather they should be out on the floors, attending briefings and meetings to inspire the staff with stories that exemplify the core values; and praising the staff when they show love, care, etc.

Also, you don’t upgrade to CTME by training people in skills and knowledge alone. You also need to work on the staff’s hearts and develop capacity as well. This goes beyond training and learning, so the name “Training Department” no longer works.

Make “Training” an Emotional Experience:

Colors

I don’t recommend the style of training that works mainly through the rational part of the brain for service at this level. If you want the staff to exude love, care, warmth, and empathy, the materials and activities have got to work through the right side of the brain and touch their hearts.

Use a lot of moving stories and music in your workshops mixed in with the service input and practice activities / role plays. Also experiment with combinations of music and stories for greater effect.

Change the many procedures that stifle creativity

Staff come up with so many ideas for creating experiences, but they often say that they can’t do them because of rules and procedures. The solution here is simple.

Leadership Must be Inspirational:

Apart from exemplifying the core values, team leaders have got to be like a fountain of enthusiasm and passion so that their leadership style supports CTME. They should be the wind beneath the wings of their staff.

4. The Core Spiritual Values of Customer Service.

This may be the hardest area for hotels to develop because you can’t develop people in the core values in the same way as with skills and knowledge. It would take too much more of your time to explain this in detail here.

The hotel experience at this level of service has to become like a handkerchief dipped into water and dripping with water. The handkerchief represents the services and facilities while the water represents the 5 core values. The more the hotel experience is dripping with love, care, warmth, empathy, and creativity, the more successful the hotel will be, and the easier it will be to progress to the higher level of customer service that CTME will evolve into.
The core values of love, care, warmth, empathy, and creativity should be like a golden thread that runs through every interaction, standard, and process so that the hotel experience becomes almost unreal. The intensity of these intangible core values should be almost tangible.

I think that you will know if you are succeeding in creating this level of service when you see it in the eyes, smile, and general body language of your staff; when the core values become a regular topic in the morning senior management meetings; and when the guest feedback refers regularly to the level of warmth.

Leader

If I were the CEO of a hotel group or even the GM of a hotel, I would be asking my leaders and staff every day:

“What did you do to increase the spirit of love, care, warmth, and empathy in your department yesterday?” ….“What truly memorable experiences have you created today?”

These are the sorts of questions that leaders should be asking every day.

I realize that all this may sound very idealistic and hairy fairy, but you really can create a hotel experience like this if you want to. People need and want to experience love, care, warmth, empathy, and creativity when they stay at a hotel, even though they might not write this on their comment card.

Achieving this level of service and guest experience involves an awful lot of work. You have to change the way you are used to training. You also have to align all your systems, job descriptions, procedures, leadership style, etc., with the concept of service. But if you do so, and combine it with relevant technology, aromatherapy oils, lighting, sounds, and music, then you will transform your guests’ hotel experience to something truly memorable.

Susana

Mobile Apps for Hotels.

Posted on April 2, 2012 by Susana

This is my 2nd post and I hope you like it, and please feel free to comment my posts!

The hotel industry is moving at a rapid pace to increase its reach to new and existing customers through social media. The ever-popular Facebook, Twitter and Youtube, to name just a few networks, have created a community for travellers to talk about their likes and dislikes, and smart hoteliers are joining the conversation in order to stay ahead of the competition.

Some hotels are even creating apps – available through social networks and mobile phones – to help clients search and book hotels quickly and easily, speed-up bookings and promote hotel facilities through photos, offers and videos.

These apps have the ability to elevate a hotel brand, improve customer loyalty, gain interest from investors and potential employees, as well as of course, increase revenue.
Here we’ll review some of the most popular applications and examples of social networking which are helping major brands stay on top of their game.

Concierge Insider Guides – Intercontinental Hotels and Resorts
With nine brands operating in 100 countries, Intercontinental Hotels and Resorts has a wide customer base, so in order to reach these customers, as well as future guests, it has created a number of apps for various devices.

The Concierge Insider Guides app, one of several apps made for the iPad, is made up of encyclopedic knowledge about the 120 cities where Intercontinental Hotels can be found.
It gives users information about the best restaurants, shops and nightclubs in each location, as recommended by concierges.
For android users, Intercontinental has a Priority Club Rewards app which allows loyal customers to redeem rewards for their stays at the Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo and Holiday Inn, along with other brands.

Itunes Guides.

Preferred Guest – Starwood

Starwood’s Preferred Guest (SPG) app allows members to view upcoming reservations and book stays at any of Starwood’s 1,000 hotels worldwide from their iPhone, iPod touch or Blackberry.
Users can also access their loyalty points (Starpoints) balance, view upcoming stay information, including a map to the hotel from their current location, access customer support from around the globe and browse TheLobby.com blogs to stay updated on the latest travel trends and insider information.

Itunes Guides

The Perfect Travel Companion – Marriott International
Available for iPhone, Blackberry and Android devices, the Perfect Travel Companion app provides users with a tool to easily reserve stays at any of the 3,600 plus Marriott hotels and find hotels near them using the GPS function.

The app also allows them to view hotel tours, maps and city guides, and to enrol and earn points with the Marriott Rewards account.

Marriott has also tapped into social media gaming to help generate interest from potential employees. At My Marriott Hotel on Facebook, gamers can manage a virtual hotel restaurant before moving onto other hotel operations.

On the go – Omni Hotels

According to a company statement, Omni Hotels was the first hotel company to offer both iPhone and Blackberry mobile applications. Its apps offer mobile check-in, sign-in access to loyalty accounts and mobile reservations.

Future mobile apps enhancements will include mobile room service, mobile concierge services, mobile GPS and location-based services.

Like many other hotel groups, Omni also has a Twitter account, which has thousands of followers and can be accessed from any device.

Omni Hotels Itunes Guides.

These apps have the ability to elevate a hotel brand, improve customer loyalty, and gain interest from investors and potential employees.

Susana.

Say yes, yes…yes!

Posted on March 30, 2012 by Therese

Guest service is the one thing that distinguishes a hotel from a luxury hotel. Service is the most important component in creating loyalty and long lasting memories for our guests. So I am asking myself why the “NO-mentality” has grown so strong in the last couple of years. Is it strictly a financial issue or are we just too comfortable in our “service boxes” these days?

We have all gone through a numerous amount of hotel orientations and university classes explaining the importance of thinking outside the box when providing exceptional guest service. But when trying to apply this to our actual workday, is it only me or is the “NO-mentality” within the management teams out there limiting your creativity and motivation?
I have experienced both, an exceptional management team that supported every little and big effort to WOW a guest and the other side where they are just too comfortable in saying NO.

A great example of a supporting team where everyone strives to create a magical environment for their guests comes from the Ritz-Carlton, Doha in Qatar.
Last year, I spent 6 months in the Front Desk team as my second internship and I have many great memories from there, especially when it comes to guest service.

One afternoon I had two gentlemen from Saudi Arabia checking in with me and since I am a tall, blond, Swedish woman it was no surprise to me that they asked me where I am from. I replied that I am from Sweden and one of the gentlemen started to talk to me about his favorite author, Henning Mankel, who is Swedish. He also informed me that he had trouble finding his books in Saudi Arabia. Immediately this triggered my “opportunity sensor” and the next morning I was discussing with my manager how I could get hold of some of the books for my guest. Without hesitating he supported me to call the different bookstores in town and when I finally found two of them he instantly arranged for a driver to take me over to the store. The guest was totally blown away by my gesture and today he is a very loyal guest to the Ritz-Carlton, thanks to such a small but genuine act on my part and the great support I received from my management team and colleagues.

This memory, I am always carrying it with me to remind me of the importance of a supportive management team to keep the motivation and creativity of a team to a maximum. Also it reminds me that it is the small things that count. You don’t have to spend a great amount of money to WOW your guest; normally it is the personalized service and the genuine care that creates magical memories.

Recently I have been very troubled with how comfortable fellow hoteliers are in saying NO, both to internal and external guests. I have always been under the impression that the first thing you learn in hotel school or when starting your career within the hospitality industry is to say YES. The word NO should not even exist in our vocabulary. I can agree that we should all acknowledge our limitations but not before trying to find a solution first. And there is only one NO that is accepted; there is NO excuse.

So what can we do in our management teams to support our associates in thinking outside the box and give them that extra push to create exceptional guest service?
One important thing is training. Train your associates, give them all the tools they need to be the best they can be. A well trained associate will not only perform at a greater level but s/he will also be more comfortable in making decisions outside their regular field of work. Cross training is another thing that I believe in very strongly. Giving associates a chance to work in another department will increase teamwork and promote a greater understanding of the hotel operations.

Lead by example, how can you expect your associates to think outside the box and deliver exceptional service if you as a manager or supervisor doesn’t? If you’re new in your position, like me, why not tell them about previous experiences you had? Why not share with your team what you have done or witnessed in previous properties? It will both motivate them and build stronger trust and respect between you.

Support, I will say it over and over again. Support every little effort your team makes in trying to do something out of the ordinary to WOW a guest. And show this openly to other managers and members of the team. Recognize their effort and give them the credit and praise that they deserve.

From now on I am not accepting a NO. We all have to make the effort to encourage our teams to say Yes, yes, yes. The competition within our industry is growing stronger and stronger and we have to distinguish ourselves by going that extra step to create loyal guests who come back time and time-again.

Support creativity, lead by example and say Yes, yes yes.

Therese