Tag: Hotel Trends
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What’s Out, What’s In: Working In Instead of Out
We've started a series of what’s trending in hotels these days: What’s Out, What’s In. Do we like what we see? Think it's a dud? You be the judge!
What's Out: Trekking to the hotel gym
What's In: In-room workouts that rival a personal training session
The hotel gym. We know people use ‘em, but sometimes it’s hard to find that last bit of energy needed to drag yourself out of your room after a busy day of sightseeing or making deals. Or maybe you’re just jet-lagged and are up at 3 a.m. thinking, “Man – I could really go for a workout right now.” At these hotels, the gym comes to you.
Dorchester Collection’s new contemporary hotel 45 Park Lane in London offers you an exclusive in-room workout with fitness guru and trainer to the stars, Matt Roberts, through a bespoke and full-body in-room video program. The hotel committed to get fit during the London Olympics and got Matt to create five workouts, each video focusing on a different area of the body using the furniture at hand. (We’re not suggesting they’re copying us here at HC, but sort of like our Sweat-Worthy Hotel Room Exercises series we brought you about a month or so ago.)
When you leave you’ll also get a freebie Matt at 45 Park Lane Fitness Pack which includes step-by-step training techniques for beginners through pros, a healthy eating plan, and “in the know” tips from the trainer -- things only Matt Roberts and Naomi Campbell knew till now.
At Raffles Praslin Seychelles space is your friend if you want to have an in-room workout. In the privacy of your own 410 sq ft (minimum) villa, with a vast outdoor terrace looking out over the ocean, you can do as many Sun Salutations as you want without bumping into the furniture. All villas already include a yoga mat and, at your mere request, the resort will deliver a fitness kit consisting of a dumbbell set, skipping rope, stability ball, resistance band and a selection of exercise DVDs. If that’s not enough to get you going you can arrange for an in-room personal trainer to take you through your paces with a customized exercise program.
And don't forget, HotelChatter's Sweat-Worthy Workouts: Can't afford to hire a personal trainer to come to your room? Or more likely, are you staying in a property that doesn't have a gym or in-room fitness videos? We've got you covered with our five sweat-worthy workouts, all of which you can do in your hotel room. Watch the videos for instructions on the different body parts to work out. You're very welcome!
Two more fitness-crazed hotels below!
Airbnb / Hotel News / Hotel Trends / → All Tags
AirBnB Flexes Its Muscles: Is the Hotel Industry Scared?
Although it's been around for a couple years now, the chatter surrounding Airbnb has picked up in the last few months due to its now undeniable presence within the lodging industry. According to Yahoo News, Airbnb listings -- aka rooms for rent -- have risen from 10,000 at the end of 2009 to 300,000 across 192 countries today. At the end of last year, the numbers suggested Airbnb would surpass Hilton in number of rooms booked. That's a serious growth spurt!
Clearly, Airbnb's rise in popularity shows it is no longer an option only for hippies and free spirits, a fact that has caught the attention of some within the hotel industry. The big question becomes: Can Airbnb really pose a threat to hotel revenue and occupancy? Well, given that both business and leisure travelers are using the service, hell yes it can!
Price, variety, and the idea of having an authentic experience seem to be driving Airbnb's success as travelers look to not only save money but to immerse themselves locally while on the road.
OpenThread / Self-Service Hotels / Hotel Trends / → All Tags
Does Anyone Use the Hotel Check-Out Process Anymore?
We saw earlier this year that hotels' self service/automated check-in is gaining popularity in an effort to keep pace with time-crunched, no-nonsense guests. We get it, you just want to get to your room, to hell with the pleasantries and to hell with the front desk. Fair enough. But while opinions vary about the value of interaction upon check-in, one thing that's not being discussed is the automation on the other end.
Seriously, does anyone use the check-out process at hotels anymore?
We admit we rarely stop at the desk on the way out. Most times the receipt is under the door, and when it's not, we give the hotel the benefit of the doubt (but check our credit card statement a few days later just to be sure). Some hotels let you call down or check out via your television. And when you're in a hurry to get going, nothing is worse than standing in a line to say all was well with your room..and "please come again". Uh, yeah. We gotta get going.
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What’s Out, What’s In: The Takeaway
We've started a series of what’s trending in hotels these days: What’s Out, What’s In. Do we like what we see? Think it's a dud? You be the judge!
What’s Out: Hotel-branded pens and notepads as keepsakes
What’s In: Souvenirs inspired by the history and culture of the hotel
Fess up: The last time you stayed in a hotel, did you take the little pad of paper and pen with the hotel’s name on it? Everyone takes the toiletries, but if you’re a serious hotel geek, that cheap pen disappeared too. We get it. And so do hotels.
If you want a more lasting or glam souvenir though, these hotels have what you need.
The Washington School House hotel in Park City, Utah was a former school built in 1889 that even has its own motto: "Where old school is the new cool". As a playful nod and a wink to their educational roots, guests will find a notebook and pencil set waiting when they check in.
The Hyatt Regency Atlanta Downtown recently completed a $65 million transformation that included the opening of Market – a self-serve, around-the-clock stop for all your snacking needs (including a fancy-dancy touch-screen soda fountain that dispenses 126 different drinks). Food in Georgia trends towards down-home goodness, and the Executive Chef’s homemade BBQ rub, at $5 a pop in Market, lets you experience that Southern comfort all over again.
The sleek Yabu Pushelberg-designed Modern Honolulu likes to serve a little quirk with its chic. The hotel leaves complimentary sarongs and ukuleles in each guest room for you to use during your stay. But if you like them so much you can’t live without them, the sarongs and ukuleles are available for purchase so you can strum away ‘til your heart’s content.
Hotel Trends / Hotel News / Dual-Brand Hotels / Colorado Hotels / Denver Hotels / → All Tags
New Trend? Dual Hotel Brands Under One Roof
Last month, we talked about how Marriott decided to stuff three of its hotel brands into one building in Houston, the most extreme example of a multi-brand property trend that has been gaining steam within the hotel industry. Hilton Worldwide, for example, has 12 dual-branded properties in North America. Most recently, a Hampton Inn & Suites and Homewood Suites combo opened in Denver this week, marking the first dual-branded hotel to operate in the Mile High City.
First off, good for Denver - it really shows how much they've grown as a metropolitan area over the past decade. The property will have 302 rooms combined and will split its lobby between the two brands, but retain separate front desks, lodging and dining areas that each cater to its respective guests.
On a larger note, it's now time to officially acknowledge and analyze this new movement. Parent companies are forcing their children to share a bedroom... what's the deal with that? Apparently, bunking up has its benefits.
Hotel Trends / Hotel Restaurants / Lungarno Collection / Marriott Hotels / Utah Hotels / Italy Hotels / Tuscany Hotels / Florida Hotels / Colorado Hotels / → All Tags
What’s Out, What’s In: Hotel Restaurants Get In the Game
Now that's what we call a hearty piece of meat!
We've started a series of what’s trending in hotels these days: What’s Out, What’s In. Do we like what we see? Think it's a dud? You be the judge!
What's Out: Grass-fed beef and local poultry
What's In: Local wild game dishes
With the meteoric rise of culinary tourism and the fact that pretty much everyone wants a good meal, hotel restaurants have had to increase their game (we’re so funny...) and look for new ways to impress you gourmands out there.
Sorrel River Ranch near Moab, UT, is wedged between Arches and Canyonlands National Parks on the banks of the Colorado River. The ranch has a – get this -- Garden Manager who tends to two acres of organic produce (fantastic!) which finds its way into the hands of the chef, along with local wild game. The chef’s newest creation? Rabbit and Rattlesnake Sausage with Utah Peach Preserves and Baby Greens.
For more gamey goodness, read on!
Hotel Design / Hotel News / Future Hotels / Hotel Trends / → All Tags
How Will Hotel Rooms of the Future Change?
We've talked a lot about the hotel room of the future in terms of technology -- such as walls that talk and bathrooms that double as spas -- but let's put aside the gadgets that may or may not become mainstream and focus on design decisions being made and incorporated on a daily basis.
While individual preferences and personal differences still exist, the way we utilize hotel room space and amenities, in general, has changed over the past few decades. It's something you might easily overlook until you step back and analyze your behavior. When was the last time you set the alarm on the clock radio? Or listened to the radio? Or threw your jacket on the desk chair instead of hanging it in the closet? Has there ever been a time when you've needed more electrical outlets? Do you work at the desk, or on your bed?
Though we may be oblivious to our new tendencies, hotel corporations have been analyzing us likes rats in a lab. Believe it or not, they even have prototype rooms in the bowels of their headquarters where they test new ideas, including placement/inclusion of furniture, room layouts, outlet placement, furniture mobility, and the appearance/usefulness of amenities like throw pillows and sheets.
Hotel Trends / Hotel Spas / Spa Hotels / London Hotels / UK Hotels / Zurich Hotels / Switzerland Hotels / New York Hotels / Phuket Hotels / Thailand Hotels / Dorchester Collection / Leading Hotels of the World / Tablet Hotels / Design Hotels / → All Tags
What's Out, What's In: Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend
We've started a series of what’s trending in hotels these days: What’s Out, What’s In. Do we like what we see? Think it's a dud? You be the judge!
What’s Out: Seaweed facials
What's In: Facials with gold, diamonds and other sparkly things
Diamonds and other precious metals and gems are sparkly and luminous; why shouldn’t your skin be the same? See what the hotel spas below are doing to make your skin radiate with good health.
The Dorchester Hotel in London offers the Carol Joy London Diamond Facial. Following ten years of research and three years of development, Carol Joy London products are created with some of the most precious beauty ingredients around (who knew that Golden Millet Oil was like pure gold?).
This intensive facial includes exfoliation with a diamond-head contraption that is said to be gentler than the traditional crystal ablater (we just like that word –- it sounds kind of bad-ass). While that’s going on, you’re being blasted with an Oxyjet machine that produces 95% pure oxygen to cool and soothe your skin and stimulate collagen production. The result? A firmer, clearer and more glowing you. The price for beauty, in this case, is £205 ($279).
Hotel News / Hotel Trends / Luxury Hotels / → All Tags
Is the Five Star Property Era Burning Out in the United States?
Bloomberg News put out an extremely interesting report last week that discussed the fading five-star trend in the U.S. hotel industry. Developers are beginning to pass on five-star property projects, it said, focusing instead on lower-tier hotels.
The numbers are quite shocking. Three years ago, 23 five-star hotels opened in the United States. This year? Six. Last year? Six. Bruce Ford, senior vice president of sales at Lodging Econometrics, said that 90% of luxury (five-star) hotels are being developed outside of the United States, and analysts say the trend will continue given the financial and consumer-related conditions.
"It's nearly impossible to do a new five-star built in the U.S. that makes economic sense today," said Steven Goldberg of Robert W. Baird wealth management. "The total number of luxury hotel rooms is very likely going to be less in five years from now as compared to today."
Hotel Trends / Hotel Minibars / Boston Hotels / Fairmont Hotels / Pittsburgh Hotels / Shanghai Hotels / Shangri-La Hotels / Arizona Hotels / Paris Hotels / Raffles Hotels / → All Tags
What’s Out, What’s In: Raiding the Minibar
We've started a series of what’s trending in hotels these days: What’s Out, What’s In. Do we like what we see? Think it's a dud? You be the judge!
What’s Out: Cheetos and johnnie Walker
What’s In: Locally-made or healthy alternatives
Sometimes it’s late in the day, dinner was hours ago and you’ve got the munchies bad, or it’s early and you just want to grab something before you rush out the door to your meeting. Your eyes drift over to the minibar, but that ubiquitous, teensy can of Pringles isn’t going to keep you fuelled, never mind toned. What’s a road warrior to do?
Fifteen Beacon goes beyond the standard M&M's and sodas to include local faves like Boston Baked Beans and Cape Cod all-natural potato chips, plus healthy alternatives including coconut water, protein bars and Emergen-C. To top it off, they even offer pampering products like cucumber eye-cream and Sprayology -- a holistic product for your travel-stressed immune system.
Local products abound at the Fairmont Pittsburgh including Betsy Ann Chocolates, Torn Ranch snacks, Naturally Yours trail mixes and local beers (Penn Pilsner and Yuengling). And here’s the best part: in keeping with the idea of “be good to your body, be good to the earth” they also offer complimentary, refillable glass bottles for you to fill with filtered water from dispensers located on each floor.
For you appreciative craft beer lovers, the minibar at Enchantment Resort in Sedona has swapped out mass-produced beer brands for locally-made Grand Canyon Pilsner. They also keep full bottles of local Arizona wines, chocolates, snacks and full-size bath products atop cabinets and vanities to really tempt you to indulge yourself.
Hotel Trends / Hotel Beaches / Hotel Health / Tablet Hotels / Raffles Hotels / Westin Hotels / Starwood Hotels / Fairmont Hotels / Thailand Hotels / Hawaii Hotels / Las Vegas Hotels / Cayman Island Hotels / Caribbean Hotels / → All Tags
What’s Out, What’s In: What’s SUP? Wet Workouts.
We've started a series of what’s trending in hotels these days: What’s Out, What’s In. Do we like what we see? Think it's a dud? You be the judge!
What’s Out: Windsurfing and jet skis
What’s In: Stand up paddle boarding (SUP)
As synchronized swimming fell out of favor after the 1950s and windsurfing mania waned in the 1990s, another wet trend has emerged: Paddle boarding. And with so many hotels getting in on the action and upping the game (yoga paddle boarding, anyone?), we think it may just be here for awhile.
For the luxury crowd, Raffles Praslin Seychelles offers complimentary stand up paddle boarding so guests can take in the stunning Indian Ocean scenery. If your main goal is to simply enjoy the Seychelles' waters aboveboard and not below, the resort also launched hourly lessons for new users, with an expert teaching you the proper way to stand on the board, keep balance and paddle (what -- all at the same time??).
Another luxe resort, the Paresa Resort in Phuket, Thailand offers straight-up SUP, but then raises the challenge level by combining stand up paddle boarding with yoga. Their “Yoga on the Ocean” program begins at sunrise or sunset when you paddle your board out on the indigo Andaman Sea and enjoy a yoga class floating on your watery yoga mat.
Pet-Friendly Hotels / Hotel Trends / Mandarin Oriental Hotels / Paris Hotels / Luxury Hotels / → All Tags
Posh Dogs Dine on $51 Meals at Mandarin Oriental Paris
You know we are a pretty opinionated bunch here at HC when it comes to hotels, and one topic that got some serious debate recently is hotels and dogs, or, as one of us put it: what’s up with all this dog sh*t?
Leafing through the room service menu at Mandarin Oriental Paris last week, we came across the above page between the human-focused evening menu and late-night snacks: the posh dog’s choices! We were so not expecting to see this that we actually asked room service whether it was for real, and it sure was. A veterinarian consulted on the ingredients and making sure it’s being cooked to a canine’s liking.
