By Jay Landfair Sep 25, 2024

The hospitality industry is a dynamic sector characterized by fluctuating demands and a diverse customer base.  Hospitality Case Study: Highly Seasonal Hotel...

By Stewart Kiely Sep 18, 2024

Master Planning, a 99 Ha large-scale estate in Indonesia, is a complex and ambitious undertaking requiring careful consideration, planning and financial backing....

By Jim Lopolito Sep 11, 2024

Fundamentals in Accident Training Shaping how well we execute service to our guests is a primary function of hotel and restaurant training. ...

By Mandy Murry Sep 4, 2024

The news is bleeding with travel gloom and discouraging numbers for the hospitality market. Headlines tout softening and consumer spending coming to...

By Jon Peck Aug 29, 2024

Most owners and prospective buyers try to reduce their hotel’s Capex spend associated with PIP or Renovation work and with good reason-...

By Haydn Kramer Aug 21, 2024

From Dylan Thomas, I quote:  “Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.” You...

By Rick Blackburn Aug 15, 2024

As we begin to ask questions specific to the hotel sales team – their strategy, tactics, sales initiatives, business development, client engagement,...

By Chuck Simikian Aug 7, 2024

“Can I have the day off without pay?”, asked the manager. Amanda was the new Sales Manager. She wanted a few days...

By Don Farrell Jul 18, 2024

Who wouldn’t want to make a few hundred thousand more in immediate room revenue and see most of that go to the...

By Sean Flakelar Jul 10, 2024

We have all heard of the Wow Factor. We see it in architecture, the view, the interiors of a resort or in...

By Perry Smith Jul 2, 2024

As a consultant in the restaurant and hospitality sector, I am seeing some dynamic changes – especially post-covid that are having a...

By Jim Lopolito Jun 26, 2024

When industry people get together to talk about hospitality there is never any shortage of enthusiasm. Topics of discussion often include new...

By Thomas Cleary Jun 19, 2024

Parametric insurance dates back several decades. There was a need for more efficient and timely risk transfer mechanisms.  A suitable parameter or...

By cayuga Jun 12, 2024

Effective pricing strategies are the cornerstone of spa revenue management. While price controls are still largely a manual endeavor in the spa...

By Connor Vanderholm Jun 5, 2024

The Duel of Perspectives Picture this: Marketing campaigns are in full swing, beautifully crafted, and meticulously executed to entice guests. Meanwhile, the...

By Dan Voellm May 30, 2024

Part 1: Two pitfalls for full-service hotel development Hotel development is a complex undertaking. It requires little of the skills to operate...

By Larry Spelts May 15, 2024

Small properties (one hundred rooms or less), especially upper-upscale and luxury boutique hotels in destination markets that are principally leisure with higher...

By Debbie Miller May 8, 2024

In the age of social media dominance, providing an experience that’s not only memorable but also shareable is crucial for attracting and...

By Mandy Murry May 1, 2024

“IFYKYK” is the unspoken acronym for quiet luxury. It has sprawled beyond HBO’s ‘Succession’ fashion and is now very much the center...

By Charis Atwood Apr 24, 2024

Embarking on a hotel renovation? Armed with a Property Improvement Plan (PIP) but unsure where to start? We’ve got you covered with...

By Sean Skellie Apr 17, 2024

Our clients typically want to understand the current and past trends of the lodging industry and how it may impact their project...

By Charles Oswald Apr 11, 2024

During his recent conversation with Ryan Embree for the Hospitality Trailblazers series on the Suite Spot podcast, President and CEO Charles E....

By Fred Neuville Apr 4, 2024

The restaurant business is a juggling act: exciting, social, you learn new things every day and you get instant gratification daily. Proper...

By Cory Falter Mar 20, 2024

Forget everything you thought you knew about branding. Unfortunately, there is a common misconception about what branding actually means. While a logo...

By Charles Oswald Mar 13, 2024

The Americas Lodging Investment Symposium has just concluded, and Aperture Hotels CEO Charles Oswald is back with key takeaways from this year’s...

By Walter O'Connell Mar 6, 2024

As Sophisticated Lodging Professionals, you know the Tax Savings strategy and benefits of a Quality Cost Segregation Study. You know, and understand,...

By Sean Skellie Feb 28, 2024

#1 Stability   Travel demand is likely to stabilize in 2024 benchmarking record occupancy and rate. Current trends indicate that the industry is...

By Stephanie Smith Feb 20, 2024

During the Cayuga Hospitality Consultants Annual Conference 2023 in Dallas, a panel discussion was hosted around “Evolving Technology and Revenue Strategy”. Moderator: Stephanie Smith,...

By Susan Barry Feb 7, 2024

Robin Zeidel spent four years in book publishing before following in her father’s footsteps by getting a law degree.  When a Wall...

By Jon Peck Feb 1, 2024

In recent weeks, I had the unique opportunity to delve into current dynamics in the world of hotel operations and investments through...

By Mandy Murry Jan 24, 2024

RevPar is no longer only tied to room revenue at your property- it’s the total square footage. This is not groundbreaking news,...

By Debbie Miller Jan 17, 2024

In the fast-paced world of hospitality, staying ahead of the curve is crucial for success. As we step into 2024, the landscape...

By Eric Rubino Jan 11, 2024

In the world of real estate, hotel acquisitions stand apart, blending the intricacies of property deals with the dynamics of the hospitality...

By Charis Atwood Dec 14, 2023

Having managed the model room process for hotel projects for over two decades, imagine my appreciation for a whole show dedicated to...

By Jim Lopolito Nov 15, 2023

Setting the Stage A 363 room hotel and conference center was purchased early in 2021, but one year later, there remained significant...

By Connor Vanderholm Nov 8, 2023

The Temptation of Hidden Fees Rate Manipulation Let’s face it; we’ve all been tempted to play with rates to boost revenue. It’s...

By Stewart Kiely Nov 1, 2023

Juggling maintenance and sustainability in a property is a balancing act between deciding what level of maintenance we want to achieve and...

By Cory Falter Oct 24, 2023

Navigating the intricacies of the hospitality industry can be daunting, especially for startups looking to make their mark. Hotel vendors and suppliers...

By Perry Smith Oct 17, 2023

“A Professional Bartender is someone who can do his or her best work when he or she doesn’t feel like it.” —...

By Jon Peck Oct 12, 2023

Hotel supply grew a meager 0.5% in 2022 and is forecasted to grow just 1% on average for the next three years,...

By Walter O'Connell Oct 4, 2023

As the saying goes, especially in this competitive market, ‘you need to make money and save money’ in order to survive! As a golf...

By Thomas Cleary Sep 27, 2023

A common question for hotel and restaurant operators is: How do I get insurance that effectively covers my operation for the lowest...

By Cara Federici Sep 19, 2023

In today’s rapidly evolving world of technology, there’s often a palpable fear of the unknown that can overshadow the excitement of human...

By Kevin Doyle Sep 12, 2023

In today’s rapidly evolving and positive COVID business landscape, the specter of fraud, corporate malfeasance, and unethical behavior looms large. In response...

By cayuga Sep 6, 2023

In the dynamic landscape of the hospitality industry, the pursuit of excellence and innovation is not merely a goal, but an imperative....

By Susan Barry Aug 31, 2023

As a B2B marketing consultant to hospitality companies, LinkedIn is one of my most important tools.  Companies can post content on the...

By Cory Falter Aug 17, 2023

Two of our Cayuga Hospitality Consultants, Cory Falter and Perry Smith, got together to discuss the potential opportunities to leverage AI in...

By Cory Falter Aug 8, 2023

As the business world continues to evolve, hotel sales teams are presented with an opportunity to capture direct group business. From understanding...

By Dan Voellm Aug 3, 2023

This guide is the most established publication in the industry in Asia Pacific to guide investors and owners in understanding the scale,...

By Charles Oswald Jul 27, 2023

The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine is a tragic reminder of how quickly things can spiral out of control when leaders...

By cayuga Jul 12, 2023

The Challenge of Residential Concierge Services in Luxury Multi-Unit Buildings Living in a luxury multi-unit building has its perks: some are more...

By Alan Someck Jul 6, 2023

Restaurant Industry Challenges and Opportunities The future of the restaurant industry has so many compelling challenges and opportunities facing it.   Our team...

By Chuck Kelley May 29, 2023

Challenge: Newly Acquired Hotels A private equity firm had recently acquired a hotel management company and three hotels in El Paso – Holiday...

By Joseph Cozza May 24, 2023

SARASOTA, FLA. MAY 20, 2023  Cayuga Hospitality Consultants is excited to announce that Joseph Cozza, based in Farmingdale, NJ, has joined the team...

By Bill Carroll, Ph. D. May 24, 2023

An article published by Phocuswright suggested that the evolution DID/SSI, Decentralized Identifiers and Self Sovereign Identity, would transform a fragmented travel experiences market...

By Susan Barry May 22, 2023

The Challenge: Sharing a TrevPAR Success Story This mid-sized hotel operating company had outperformed other similar businesses during the pandemic in total...

By Cory Falter May 16, 2023

The full-service resort located in the rolling hills of Appalachian Mountain region has been struggling with generating sufficient quality leads. The resort’s...

By Juliette Gust May 9, 2023

A Collaboration of Cayuga Hospitality Consultants Experts report on the hospitality industry’s “sacred cows” and the need to conduct a careful evaluation...

By Frank Schuetzendorf May 2, 2023

It does seem that there is a shift towards a new definition of luxury, particularly among the younger generation of consumers who...

By cayuga Apr 17, 2023

Put aside the Nuances of Corporate World Transitioning from the corporate way of doing things to the realities of the consulting world...

By Stephanie Smith Apr 10, 2023

In November 2022, Cayuga Hospitality Consultants led a panel about rethinking technology. Stephanie Smith, Partner at Cayuga Hospitality Consultants and CEO of...

By Dr. Chekitan Dev Apr 2, 2023

Hotels have always been a high-touch low-tech business. Today, and into the foreseeable future, hotels are moving away from the pure ‘people...

By cayuga Mar 28, 2023

With Gen Y and Gen Z now representing more than half of hotel guests, their lifestyle choices drive their hotel selections and are...

By Chuck Kelley Mar 18, 2023

Whether you are an industry professional, an experienced, or a casual traveler you have probably noticed a lot of things missing in...

By Joseph Cozza Mar 12, 2023

In person, live events and meetings are coming back fast but they better be better! By better I mean more engaging, creative,...

By cayuga Mar 5, 2023

It’s Time To Reset Your Online Applicant Tracking System Filters NEVER COMPROMISE HIRING RIGHT THE FIRST TIME Spending on marketing to fund budgets...

By Preston Rideout Mar 3, 2023

A Florida jury awards $5.6 million for a spinal cord injury sustained during an alcohol-fueled pool party at the Retreat in Gainesville....

By Walter O'Connell Mar 2, 2023

Personal Property Appraisal & Cost Segregation Studies – Powerful Tools! Congratulations!  You have acquired your #hotel, #motel or #resort. Now it is...

By Alan Someck Mar 1, 2023

The past several years have not been kind to the restaurant industry.  Covid certainly was traumatic on many so levels and with...

By Connor Vanderholm Feb 23, 2023

Time machine with me back to 2018 and 2019 when the revenue tap continued to loosen up and 5% YoY growth was...

By cayuga Feb 13, 2023

How do you describe someone that has spent their life giving all that they have for others particularly when no-one is watching? This type...

By Jon Peck Feb 6, 2023

The U.S. hotel transaction market looked to be downshifting as we closed out 2022. The first part of 2022 had 3 times...

By Walter O'Connell Feb 6, 2023

Congratulations! You have acquired a new Lodging Property. After months, or years, of due diligence, you have finally closed on your newly...

By Susan Barry Aug 22, 2022

Cayuga Hospitality Consultants got together with other members to talk about their area of expertise, projects, and work as well as current...

By Walter O'Connell Aug 21, 2022

Bonus Depreciation is fading away over the next 5 years. With the help of the IRS Section 179 Deduction and still powerful...

By cayuga Aug 20, 2022

Just Our Normal Routine Our Tuesday started at the only full service hotel in downtown Brooklyn, Sam Ibrahim the General Manager and...

By cayuga Jul 24, 2022

When Alice, of Alice in Wonderland, in Lewis Carol’s second book, Alice Through the Looking Glass, began to wonder what the world...

By Steve Heitzner Jun 15, 2022

When COVID 19 broke out it disrupted travel patterns like never before. For the first time in a very long time consumers...

By Dan Voellm Jun 1, 2022

Signing up a hotel operator can be a daunting task to some, while others consider it almost trivial. We believe a careful...

By cayuga May 21, 2022

Previously, we tied together how employee culture and the employee links in the service profit chain.  The total employee experience drives customer...

By Shirley Whelan May 1, 2022

The unprecedented exodus of hospitality workers in the Great Resignation has created gaping holes in the daily schedules of hotel restaurants across...

By cayuga Mar 31, 2022

Imagine, 50 years ago, walking in to your manager’s office asking them whether you can work from home for a week? Or during an annual review (if any) you raise some concerns about your work-life balance and that your personal life is affected by the workload on your shoulders. Or as a customer,  you ask your supplier about their "Go Green" policy, or charity and social responsibility. activities?

By Frank Schuetzendorf Mar 27, 2022

What the travelling majority wants today when staying at a hotel is, simply put, an effective way to order what they want and when they want. Today’s hotel customers have already highly adopted to the mobile world.

By cayuga Mar 27, 2022

Pivoting into the new hospitality normal is something that never in my thirty plus year hospitality career would I have envisioned where...

By cayuga Feb 27, 2022

The entire employee service-profit chain rests on how we take care of our employees, which is part of an employee culture vibrating through everything we engage with our workforce.  That whole ethos is the culture we create to lead others - based on how our employee’s experience is -v- how we think we care for and guide them.

By Alan Someck Feb 15, 2022

Restaurants and bar owners face a precarious balancing act when it comes to serving alcohol. Balancing Alcohol Sales vs Responsibility On one...

By cayuga Feb 8, 2022

Jens Busch has vast experience in the luxury service sector over the past two decades. As he reflects on the changes observed...

By Sean Skellie Jan 30, 2022

Its January 2022, cold in most of the U.S., and we are all dreaming of our next vacation. Spring break? Can we...

By cayuga Jan 25, 2022

When buying or selling a hotel, there are many steps to conducting a hotel appraisal.  Previously, we highlighted the needed market research...

By Frank Schuetzendorf Jan 9, 2022

Opening a restaurant, especially in the current pandemic context, can be a very daunting task. Not only does it become more difficult...

By cayuga Jan 6, 2022

During COVID-19, ownership groups and management companies took organizational decisions that impacted the effectiveness of Revenue Management. As business ramps up and...

By Katherine Moulton Dec 19, 2021

Mediation is becoming a “must” in many states prior to a judge hearing a case. Coming prepared for mediation will limit anxiety, expedites the negotiations, and has been proven to result in a higher chance of a resolution of the dispute.

By Juliette Gust Dec 10, 2021

When it comes to responding to allegations of wrongdoing, few hospitality managers are adequately trained on how to respond. Hospitality Fraud &...

By cayuga Dec 9, 2021

As hotel lodging performance continues to recover from the effects of Covid-19, there have been increasing signs that investors are again buying,...

By cayuga Nov 15, 2021

Our industry, like many others, has experienced a very rough past 20 months (to say the least) and is now on a...

By cayuga Sep 17, 2021

A recent task force assignment sent me to a high end resort in Florida as Food & Beverage Manager.  While there still...

By cayuga Sep 15, 2021

But all to often there is a long hallway in between for the “hotel world”… Where it all Began One never knows...

By cayuga Aug 18, 2021

As we come out of the pandemic, the conundrum of finding and retaining hotel employees has reached new levels. Prior to the...

By Chuck Kelley Aug 16, 2021

Many of us are starting to get back on the road and experience travel again while trying to figure out the new...

By Kevin Doyle Jul 26, 2021

In the mid-sixties the movie ®The Good, the Bad and the Ugly starring Clint Eastwood was released. The movie is about a...

By cayuga Jul 16, 2021

The top factors influencing a guest’s choice in hotel  accommodation according to STR Research in May 2021 are: location, price & value...

By Cara Federici Jun 28, 2021

As the lights begin to brighten on a dimmed world of the post-COVID era, the hospitality and tourism sectors have started to...

By cayuga Jun 1, 2021

“The First Thirty Days” There is a lot of movement in hospitality leadership positions today. You need to seize the moment when...

By Sean Skellie May 18, 2021

Remember this grim tale…. The lodging industry is estimated to report a 50 percent, nearly $125 billion-dollar loss in 2020 making this...

By cayuga Apr 30, 2021

Each economic crisis, in 1990, 2009 and now 2020, has forced changed in the hotel revenue management discipline. The most recent disruption,...

By Thomas Cleary Apr 30, 2021

Hospitality businesses need to understand how claims under Covid-19 will impact their business and their peer group.  Any claims paid out will...

By Haydn Kramer Apr 26, 2021

Harsh words, Matey. Yet, as a Hotel Sales Professional, best to heed them. Beyond the ravages of a global pandemic, is the...

By Stacy Moore Apr 25, 2021

The idea of putting idle kitchens to better use is not a new one. People have been sharing their kitchens in off...

By cayuga Apr 2, 2021

It has been one year since the historical COVID-19 pandemic made its debut, affecting the entire population and economies around the world....

By Jim Lopolito Mar 29, 2021

When we compare satisfied employees with good pay the hospitality industry has been in a condition of instability even before the pandemic....

By cayuga Mar 27, 2021

We’ve all heard the sayings “Look at the Glass Half Full” and “Turn Lemon into Lemonade”.  Given the uniqueness of the past...

By Thomas Cleary Mar 12, 2021

ALL hospitality operations have been adversely impacted.  Insurance is something we don’t think about, until we have to. Step 1: File an...

By Stacy Moore Feb 27, 2021

Think that breaking a mirror is bad luck? If you want to build a really strong team in your foodservice operation, you...

By Susan Barry Feb 27, 2021

The pandemic has created challenges for hotel owners like none they have ever seen.  STR reports that U.S. hotel profits fell almost...

By David Adler Feb 22, 2021

Hybrid is the New Meeting Standard As the event industry progresses, there will be an emergence of new technology. This will allow...

By Cara Federici Feb 13, 2021

Let’s face it, the world is technology centric – there is no going back. As we move past the setbacks of 2020,...

By Susan Barry Feb 12, 2021

For better or worse, the decimation of the hospitality industry as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic has piqued the interest of...

By Stacy Moore Feb 6, 2021

There are silver linings in the restaurant industry even though the industry was decimated by the pandemic. From Labor to controllable expenses, here is how to change your mindset.

By Alan Someck Jan 24, 2021

Every year industry professionals and thought leaders and every food related newsletter puts out their list of trends.  It’s important to pay...

By Susan Barry Jan 18, 2021

Cayuga Hospitality Consultants don’t always agree, but when asked to predict the future of hospitality, everyone felt the same: Don’t expect recovery...

By cayuga Jan 10, 2021

We have all had jobs that make us better leaders in our industry.  Earning the respect from your team members doesn’t just happen, you need to work for it each and every day.  This has never been more real than when you work in a diverse union labor market.

By Katherine Moulton Dec 18, 2020

In dispute resolution it is important to recognize that emotions among and between the parties will run the gamut…from anger, fear, grief,...

By Kevin Doyle Dec 6, 2020

Pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath and sloth are commonly referred to as “The Seven Deadly Sins”. In the world of forensic...

By Ken Edwards Nov 18, 2020

During crisis times, the hospitality industry becomes fragile as demand is driven by guests. Conditions that affect guests also affect the business....

By cayuga Nov 12, 2020

Be bold in repurposing your hotel's assets - from rooms to meeting space to kitchens - to keep your hotel in survival mode until post pandemic levels of demand for hotels and events return.

By cayuga Nov 9, 2020

There is a reason why professional athletes practice so often. It isn’t that they don’t know how to play the sport they...

By cayuga Nov 2, 2020

What we have learned, is that we are all looking at the way hotels are staffed differently. Differently from both perspectives, the employer and the employee.

By Bill Carroll, Ph. D. Nov 1, 2020

In conjunction with The Hotel School at Cornell University, William Carroll published this white paper on October 1, 2020. As a consulting...

By Chuck Kelley Sep 30, 2020

The buffet has been an integral part of many restaurant and other hotel food operations. For now, the buffet is just taking...

By Sean Skellie Sep 29, 2020

Why is Congress dragging their feet? This is the reality… the lodging industry is estimated to report a “50 percent, nearly $125...

By Jon Peck Sep 13, 2020

As liquidity pressure mounts on current owners, quality hotel opportunities are certainly going to come on the market (or off-market) at deep discounts, but the window of opportunity is likely to be brief.

By cayuga Sep 1, 2020

The absolute best Hotel Strategy Meetings are many things – engaging, animated, results–oriented, productive, decisive, relevant, and maybe even enjoyable. We like...

By Susan Barry Aug 7, 2020

Hotels are seeing an uptick in negative reviews during Covid. The dynamics and the traveler are different now. Here are some strategies to managing your online reputation now.

By Alan Someck Aug 5, 2020

When combined on a daily basis, these 3 forms of activity (Maintenance Routines, Growth Routines, Creative Thinking) can lead to developing a dynamic and highly productive operating system.

By Cara Federici Jul 26, 2020

Hospitality marketing teams have a tough job to do these days.  Pivot, pivot – and pivot again.   As we all know, the...

By cayuga Jul 19, 2020

Swiss hospitality leverages short time working arrangements to avoid huge layoffs. It worked before in times of crisis and seems to be paying off in 2020. 

By Dr. Chekitan Dev May 27, 2020

A few months ago, travel forecasts were optimistic, growing, carefree. Consider the following developments: New brands were being introduced at a never...

By Jim Lopolito May 26, 2020

The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester is a national historic landmark built in 1926. This 15,000 square foot building seated 1800 people....

By Chuck Kelley May 16, 2020

We all crave good leadership and/or want to be that “person”. Especially in times of crisis when chaos seems to be swirling...

By Chuck Kelley May 9, 2020

What Makes for Successful Crisis Management? Whether you are responding to a potential pandemic, a natural catastrophe or a terrorist threat the...

By Stephanie Smith May 9, 2020

With hopes of transient drive market visiting hotels first, it is time to get creative to stimulate travelers that have been stuck at home.

By Kevin Doyle Apr 21, 2020

When I decided to write this article, I picked up my laptop and headed to a neighborhood café to start my draft…...

By Alan Someck Apr 21, 2020

The restaurant industry is not dead.  It just became a temporary tragic victim within a global traumatic condition that threatens its very...

By Peter Yesawich Apr 17, 2020

When, and how quickly, people get back to vacationing and traveling on a regular basis will most likely be determined by how safe they feel doing so. It’s the perceived safety that will be the ultimate determinant of when that travel recovery begins and also how robust it will be.

By Jim Lopolito Apr 16, 2020

The damaging impact of COVID-19 upon the food industry is here and the aftermath may be a long road of corrections. There could...

By Sean Skellie Apr 15, 2020

There is no doubt that in March and April of 2020 presented some of the toughest times for the hospitality industry- EVER-...

By Haydn Kramer Apr 5, 2020

Today, someone asked me, “So, how does this compare to 9/11?” “This,” I offered “is much worse.” Much worse. Like most all...

By cayuga Mar 31, 2020

No doubt that today's situation brings a lot of anxiety and uncertainty, but if we are able to take a more holistic approach to this whole new reality, soon enough we would realize that it's a new beginning physically, mentally and spiritually for all of us.

By cayuga Mar 28, 2020

Over the years I have lived and worked through numerous crisis’s that have led to economic downturns – Gulf War (early 90’s),...

By Stephanie Smith Mar 25, 2020

The Lodging Stream Conference is the first virtual hospitality conference of its kind to come out of the Covid-19 pandemic. On April...

By Jim Lopolito Mar 19, 2020

Are You Managing Effectively During COVID-19? If you are a manager of a private club, restaurant, or other foodservice business, you may...

By Juliette Gust Feb 25, 2020

These restaurant fraud prevention techniques, if properly and consistently implemented, can be most effective in preventing and detecting employee misconduct. They can also help reduce the risk of other misconduct, such as harassment.

By Bill Carroll, Ph. D. Feb 14, 2020

William Carroll partnered with Phocuswright to conduct an extensive, qualitative study on the evolution of revenue management across the hotel landscape through roundtable discussions and phone interviews with revenue management professionals.

By Jon Peck Feb 13, 2020

Boutique hotel supply and demand is growing at a much faster pace than traditional branded hotels. According to the 2019 Boutique Hotel...

By Frank Schuetzendorf Jan 27, 2020

Originally published at HOTEL ONLINE on Feb. 2018. Published here with updates and permission from author. Food and beverage has witnessed health...

By Peter Van Allen Nov 15, 2019

Originally published at eHotelier in Oct. 2018. Published here with updates and permission from author. Giving your customers the option to find...

By Chuck Kelley Nov 8, 2019

Over the years and in various roles I found myself in serious disagreements with a brand’s development and hospitality feasibility group.  Sure,...

By Cara Federici Oct 29, 2019

Imagine a hotel is a doll house. Go ahead. Pick it up, shake it around and turn it upside down. What happens?...

By Chuck Kelley Sep 26, 2019

A story about firing a bartender who was great for profits, but not at following policies. Back in the day, when I...

By Kevin Doyle Sep 23, 2019

Nearly $4,000,000,000,000 (trillion) dollars were lost from businesses around the world due to fraud in 2016. The typical organization loses 5 percent...

By cayuga Aug 29, 2019

Disasters are inevitable. So, do you know what reports you will need to determine lost revenue after a disaster?  From a hotel...

By cayuga Aug 15, 2019

A hotel Owner faces many obstacles as revenues decline. As the economy slows and new supply enters the market, cash flows deteriorate, and tensions rise. Ensure you are aligned with the brand, lender and management company sooner than later.

By cayuga Jul 31, 2019

There are two prominent styles for helping companies fill the gap:  Retained and Contingency executive search. Each has its own pros and cons so educate yourself before entering into a relationship with a recruiter, consultant or firm.

By Jim Lopolito Jul 26, 2019

Do not make these 5 mistakes when determining the menu pricing strategy for your restaurant. Marketing efforts on social media along with front of house training can be easily overlooked.

By Chuck Kelley Jun 4, 2019

Have you thought about the next travel recession or are you just enjoying the good times? Get Your Contingency Plan Ready For...

By cayuga May 31, 2019

For the love of incremental revenue, please say goodbye to the 4’s and 9’s with your hotel pricing strategy. Why do hotel...

By Peter Van Allen Apr 30, 2019

Would you like to transform your hotel’s parking to become a highly profitable part of your hotel that attracts additional customers and revenue and improves your customer satisfaction? Expanding your valet parking can help you increase your hotel’s parking revenue, profit and customer satisfaction.

By Stephanie Smith Apr 12, 2019

Just like a winning football team, hospitality owners need a winning digital services playbook, great coaches and a quarterback to execute the plan.

By Stephanie Smith Mar 17, 2019

You don’t have to be a digital marketing expert to look at high level reports and find trends for your hotel.  Briefly review monthly reports and start asking better questions of your vendors, partners and team.  If you don’t have someone on your team with the skill set to dive deeper, find someone who does. Here are 10 high level KPIs to analyze when you are not a digital marketing expert good for a General Manager or Director of Sales to keep handy.

By Frank Schuetzendorf Jan 30, 2019

Defining luxury in today’s world can be misleading. What is the true meaning of luxury and a luxury experience and how do we create it in today’s hospitality industry?

By Alan Someck Dec 15, 2018

In looking at all the factors affecting the business, a strong case can be made that highly effective leadership is the primary determiner of restaurant success.  This article proposes a path of transformational leadership for restaurant entrepreneurs to adopt as a way to maximize their chance for success.

By Cara Federici Dec 1, 2018

Seems easy, right?  Pick a cool name, design a stellar logo, and you’re good to go.  Wouldn’t it be nice if it...

By Alan Someck Nov 19, 2018

When it comes to restaurant and hotel safety, hospitality owners must be proactive in addressing the threats to their business. In terms of preventing and managing accidents and incidents, this means developing and implementing a system of safeguards that minimize exposure. This article will focus on accidents and incidents due to slips and falls, cuts and burns and foreign objects found in food.

By Stephanie Smith Nov 10, 2018

A new hotel opening or changing of flags has so many moving parts. As an owner or manager overseeing this transition, you are...

By Jim Lopolito Oct 25, 2018

Surprise Lake Camp Case Study A Unique Foodservice Consulting Assignment Surprise Lake Camp (SLC) in Putnam County New York desired improved food...

By Alan Someck Oct 25, 2018

This past year has seen a flood of allegations and admissions of sexual harassment in the restaurant industry.  It’s been clear to...

By Alan Someck Aug 21, 2018

The transformation of the foodservice business model to incorporate restaurant sustainable practices is not simple, but momentum is making it easier and more important than ever. Using carefully established strategies have proven to both produce a profit bonus and enhance community image to operators who use them intelligently.

By Jim Lopolito Aug 20, 2018

Restaurant expense loss controls and regular management can be the difference between restaurant success and failure. Bringing in a third-party to review all expense categories, purchase and receiving processes and policies, maintenance and operating procedures will result in increased profits.

By cayuga Jun 30, 2018

Hotel sales training must be seen as an investment and not an expense. Done properly it can increase the revenue that your hotel is currently seeing. Consulting firms can help establish effective hotel sales training techniques to improve productivity and profitability.

By Jim Lopolito Jun 27, 2018

Regardless of the number of years a restaurant and/or bar has been operating, having a check-up can bring efficiencies into line, improve guest experiences, restaurant profitability and employee performance.

By Haydn Kramer Apr 11, 2018

How to gain loyal millennial hotel guests - or guests of any generation? It's about genuine humility in service, impeccable cleanliness, creative thoughtful design, authentic knowledge of your neighborhood, and the guest, who is the purpose of our enterprise, our livelihood, and why we love hotels.

By cayuga Mar 30, 2018

How can we as hoteliers drive more guests to book direct which is our most profitable booking channel? The relationship between OTAs and hoteliers isn't a perfect marriage but there are ways to make the best of it and put more money back in our pockets!

By Jim Lopolito Mar 30, 2018

Obstacles can be a significant constraint on restaurant performance, Eliminating obstacles that directly affect employee performance can result in better service, gratified staff, and reduced turnover.

By Chuck Kelley Mar 12, 2018

Engaging an experienced hospitality professional to perform a hotel quality assurance audit takes a property review a step further by not only providing the analysis, but also defining sustainable solutions.

By cayuga Mar 5, 2018

Hospitality consultant Scott Brush presents his monthly industry update. Find the latest on hotel business trends, hot topics and interesting analyst and industry expert opinions and projections.

By Katie Moulton Mar 1, 2018

Cayuga Hospitality Consultant's Hotel Quality Assurance findings and Hotel Operations Analysis reports and recommendations include strategies to assist our clients in developing next steps for sustainable improvement.

By Bill Carroll, Ph. D. Nov 21, 2017

OTA's may in fact have an effect on EBITDA, but how much might it cost to replace foregone OTA room nights with non-OTA room nights to sustain occupancy?

By Katie Moulton Nov 15, 2017

Cayuga Custom Solutions for the Hospitality Industry has been developed to meet the need for assistance in managing complex business challenges.

By Chuck Kelley Aug 22, 2017

Hotel service excellence is an integral part of your success and it can be the differentiating factor. The point is that you can’t win with service alone; you have to get the other parts right as well. To be successful, the operator must understand his or her customer expectations, and consistently meet and exceed those expectations.

By cayuga Aug 16, 2017

Understanding how useful life affects hospitality property CapEx costs and decisions will help owners achieve highest and best use of their capital dollars.

By cayuga Aug 8, 2017

The goal of this paper is to highlight those actions that can change the experience of the customer during their stay by the design in the guestroom. Emotional design is one such tool.

By Chuck Kelley Jun 15, 2017

A lodging industry consultant must show the client how you can have a positive impact on his/her business and put it in dollar terms to greatly improve your chances of getting hired.

By Preston Rideout Jun 5, 2017

Achieving, maximizing and sustaining cocktail profitability requires a foundation in fact, not conjecture. Bar math, production cost and recipe deviation rates dictate cocktail profitability.

By cayuga May 31, 2017

Owners and management companies have a very murky legal environment where hotel management agreements are accompanied by contradictory and uncertain principles of common law.

By Haydn Kramer Apr 14, 2017

The current state of affairs in the hotel sales world, and specifically the DOSM, is bad, and in jeopardy of relevance. Here are 11 ideas to combat complacency.

By Bill Carroll, Ph. D. Apr 7, 2017

The Colombian hotel market is currently in a price war with ADR falling, occupancy flat, room supply growth exceeding demand growth and OTAs are thriving in this environment. How then does a hotel achieve sustainable profitability?

By cayuga Mar 5, 2017

The major US hotel brands (e.g., Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, InterContinental…) have become truly global in the past 20 years and many of...

By Bill Carroll, Ph. D. Feb 20, 2017

When the OTAs, hotel managers and asset owners focus on growing total market and/or specific destination demand, long run profits for all can be sustained.

By cayuga Feb 9, 2017

By: Shirin Heidary and Albert Pucciarelli of McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter, LLP Hyatt, InterContinental, Hilton, Sheraton – these United States hotel brands...

By Thomas Cleary Jan 1, 2017

Making hotel insurance simple, and saving you money in the process. You may be aware of this recent judgment, maybe not. Either...

By Chuck Kelley Jan 1, 2017

Your positioning should be reflected in everything you say and do, your service standards, enhancements, resource allocation, capital decisions, sales and marketing approach, human resource policy and budgeting.

By cayuga Dec 20, 2016

As a lawyer involved for over 30 years in the drafting and negotiation of contracts for the hospitality industry, I can assure...

By Thomas Cleary Dec 20, 2016

A common question for hotel and restaurant operators is: How do I get insurance that effectively covers my operation for the lowest...

By cayuga Dec 19, 2016

No stars…we need everyone! In the hospitality industry more so than any other, knowing how to replace the individual excellence model in...

By cayuga Dec 18, 2016

If I have learned anything after twenty years of managing engineering departments it’s this: the most successful engineers thrive in an environment...

By cayuga Dec 18, 2016

When we think about alternative dispute resolutions, our first thoughts are likely go to mediation and arbitration. For these situations, a neutral...

By Thomas Cleary Dec 18, 2016

Hospitality operators borrow money from lenders in various manners. Whether you borrow from a local community bank or complete a commercial mortgage...

By Gary Henkin Dec 18, 2016

The operation of a successful spa demands a combination of operational skills, systems and creative promotion. No longer is it possible to...

By cayuga Dec 18, 2016

It is readily apparent that terrorist and active shooter events around the world have experienced s dramatic increase of late. Up until...

By cayuga Dec 18, 2016

 Click here to download a PDF version of this case study, complete with graphic analyses. PROJECT SUMMARY The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company embarked...

By cayuga Dec 18, 2016

Before I started my own business, I was heavily entrenched in the Marriott International corporate brass, where group meetings business accounts for...

By Bill Carroll, Ph. D. Dec 18, 2016

‘Book direct’ is the war cry of hotel owners, management company executives, chain CEOs and many marketing consulting groups. Like real war,...

By cayuga Dec 18, 2016

On a daily basis, I have the opportunity to interact with dozens of salespeople in a wide variety of locations. Over the...

By cayuga Dec 18, 2016

As a veteran hospitality consultant working out of Vancouver, British Columbia, I’m privy to some very interesting cases and projects throughout the...

By Stacy Moore Dec 18, 2016

Work-life planning is a perennial stressor. Not only are we overbooked, but we’re also trying to eat healthier than in past decades,...

By Chuck Kelley Dec 18, 2016

Recently I was asked to address a group of hospitality school students on the topic of career success. My career started as...

By cayuga Dec 18, 2016

Start discussing a technical topic and watch as people’s eyes glaze over, even if those people are fully aware that it’s something...

By cayuga Dec 17, 2016

In arbitration, a neutral third party, or, more commonly, a panel of three parties, the "arbitrators", are called upon to resolve the issue, to render a binding decision, as a judge might render, after a process that is similar to a court proceeding.

By Dr. Chekitan Dev Dec 16, 2016

In hotel brand conversions, two factors seem to drive the financial results for converted hotels—the relative strength of the brand and the fit between the brand and the property.

By cayuga Dec 16, 2016

Dealing with Hotel Management Agreement key provisions at the LOI stage is essential to knowing whether or not you have a deal. It is better to know this prior to all the sturm and drang among the lawyers over the definitive agreements. No point in kicking the can down the road only to find out that in addition to the loss of time and incurring of legal fees from the negotiation of the definitive agreements, there is no deal.

By Thomas Cleary Dec 15, 2016

Buying hotel property insurance is already a complicated process even before you factor in all the divergent stakeholder demands. It is your fiduciary responsibility as the manager who lives and breathes your hotel on a daily basis to protect all the underlying assets.

By cayuga Dec 15, 2016

For a great hotel sales effort, hoteliers need to be reminded of basic principles. They also need to be reminded that sales is a ‘group’ process that requires the engagement of the broader hotel team.

By cayuga Dec 15, 2016

With years of experience helping owners and operators with their hotel energy savings goals, I’ve developed a list of ten observations on various products and services that together form a broad guideline to follow when getting planning underway.

By cayuga Dec 14, 2016

Tourism is an ideal target for terrorists, as the impact is felt globally. Local government, hotel groups and related industries must find ways to protect their investments and clientele. Immediate action is necessary to deal with the current situation.

By Chuck Kelley Dec 12, 2016

How do you define service excellence in your company? Here’s how you can judge if you have the right corporate culture in...

By cayuga Dec 6, 2016

No Risk Solution To Lowering Credit Card Processing Fees How did I reduce the credit card processing fees for one of my...

By cayuga Dec 5, 2016

Now that the gaming industry has experienced its first round of loan defaults, it is time to revisit fundamental investment decision criteria....

By cayuga Dec 4, 2016

The American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (EI) interviews Ralph Miller, CPA, CA, CBV, CHA, CHAE, vice chairman of the Financial Management...

By cayuga Dec 3, 2016

The TIX Group is composed of former high-level officials from Israel’s security community. The TIX mission is to share Israeli experience in...

By cayuga Dec 2, 2016

Hotel management agreements among the large branded management companies follow what by now has become the standard formulation for fees, at least...

By Dr. Chekitan Dev Dec 1, 2016

The hotel industry has become a complex, fragmented, global, competitive brand business. There is an urgent need to fill “gaps” in our knowledge of brand management to help the industry improve brand performance.

By cayuga Jan 22, 2016

Managing your social media buzz can take 30 minutes to an hour a day, tops. While this may seem like a lot, many customers are making their choice based on what they see and read. Chat with your team; seek and enlist someone that is passionate about this, and let them go at it. Use these tips, and you will see fruitful rewards!

By cayuga Jan 14, 2016

Kermit the frog gets quoted quite often for this famous line. And although there really is no other way than being green,...

By cayuga Jan 14, 2016

Film buffs will remember that in The Graduate, the one word of advice Mr. McGuire offers to Benjamin is ‘plastics’. If there...

By cayuga Jan 14, 2016

The concept and practice of leadership as it applies to management carries a fascination and attraction for most people. We all like...

By cayuga Jan 14, 2016

‘Book direct’ is the war cry of hotel owners, management company executives, chain CEOs and many marketing consulting groups. Like real war,...

By cayuga Jan 14, 2016

A Silver Lining in the Dark Clouds of the Great Recession? While it takes an accomplished clairvoyant to predict where RevPar 1,...

By cayuga Jan 14, 2016

Four Seasons Uses an Arbitration Clause to Defeat an Owner’s Request for an Injunction to Terminate its Management Agreement This Stroock Hospitality...

By cayuga Jan 14, 2016

As you may know, there is considerable discussion in the literature and at various forums about factors that distinguish a “Leader” from...

By cayuga Jan 14, 2016

The country’s largest commercial real estate organizations credit commercial mortgage backed securities (“CMBS”) with leading the United States out of the nationwide...

By cayuga Jan 14, 2016

Dramatic changes in availability and cost of financing and the economic slowdown brought about by the financial market crisis have extended the...

By cayuga Jan 14, 2016

The hospitality industry is under increasing pressure from a dramatic shift in US government strategy to enforce existing illegal immigration law. While...

By cayuga Jan 14, 2016

Earlier articles in this series have reported on precedential judicial decisions affecting those involved in commercial real estate: a court decision that...

By cayuga Jan 14, 2016

The SEC recently released a proposal that could lead to required use of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) by U.S. publicly traded...

By cayuga Jan 14, 2016

Most hoteliers intrinsically understand the concept of a sense of arrival. Broadly defined, this is that glorious moment (or what’s intended to...

By cayuga Jan 14, 2016

I once met with a hotel owner, not long after taking over management of his group of hotels, to tell him how...

By cayuga Jan 14, 2016

As a long-time hospitality executive I did not even know what ‘task force’ was until I was in the job! It sounded...

By cayuga Jan 14, 2016

The “guest experience” is possibly the most talked about aspect of the industry. Delivering a great (memorable, unique, motivating, etc.) experience is...