Expedia finally reveal to us a hotel etiquette study they have done several weeks ago to find out which kind of behaviors from the guest that we never like. 

This is one scenario that have occurred to all of us at some point: you booked a hotel and expect a relaxing times and peaceful experience but you're meet at every corner some other guest who seem wanted to ruin your day. 

Expedia asked more than 1000 fellow Americans to rank the most frustrate and quirky behavior from their beloved hotel guests and as the result roll out, it was almost no suprise for any frequent traveler.

In first place, we got inattentive parents with 67 percent of vote: anyone who let their kids running around the hotel without supervision will become other guest enemy. If you admire that kid's strength for running around and think it is adorable, another hotel guest might give you a side eye. 

In a close second, 64 percent are frustrated with “Hallway Hellraisers,” a.k.a the people who insist on using their loudest voices right outside of your hotel room for something.

The last on on top three, 54 percent of guests get annoyed with “The Complainers,” otherwise known as the guests who berate and belittle the hotel staff over minor inconveniences.  

Check out the full list of hotel etiquette violations, from most to least annoying. Then tell us which hotel guest annoys you the most in the comments part.

1. Inattentive Parents – 67%

2. The Hallway Hellraisers – 64%

3. The Complainers – 54%

4. The In-Room Revelers (noisemakers nearby) – 52%

5. The Bickerers – 26%

6. The Poolside Partiers – 22%

7. The Loudly Amorous (indiscreet lovemakers) – 21%

8. The Hot Tub Canoodlers (amorous couples in a public hot tub) – 20%

9. The Business Bar Boozer (sloshed business travelers) – 12%

10. The Elevator Chatterbox – 6%

Một người quản lý khách sạn phải chịu trách nhiệm cho hoạt động hằng ngày của khách sạn. Họ chịu trách nhiệm cho tất cả các việc từ  kinh doanh, quản lý tài chính, lên kế hoạch, tổ chức và chỉ đạo các dịch vụ, bao gồm từ bộ phận lễ tân, nhà hàng cho đến buồng phòng.

Người quản lý vừa phải có một cái nhìn chiến lược tổng quát, vừa có khả năng lên kế hoạch để tối đa hóa lợi nhuận, đồng thời cũng phải chú ý đến các chi tiết, làm hình mẫu cho nhân viên để cung cấp và thể hiện một dịch vụ đúng chuẩn, đáp ứng đầy đủ nhu cầu và mong đợi của khách hàng. Quản lý việc kinh doanh và con người có tầm quan trọng ngang nhau.

Trách nhiệm chính của một người quản lý và setup khách sạn khác nhau tùy thuộc vào quy mô và loại khách sạn, bao gồm:

Quản lý tài chính: họ chịu trách nhiệm lên kế hoạch kinh doanh, tổ chức hoạt động dịch vụ phù hợp với tình hình tài chính của Khách sạn, thúc đẩy giới thiệu khách sạn ra thị trường, kiểm soát chi tiêu, và quản lý ngân sách. Người Quản lý phải duy trì hồ sơ thống kê và tài chính cho khách sạn, chịu trách nhiệm thiết lập và đạt doanh số bán hàng cùng mục tiêu lợi nhuận.

Điều hành nhân sự: Hoạt động của nhân viên trong tất cả các bộ phận bao gồm tiền sảnh, đặt phòng, ẩm thực, buồng phòng đều chịu sự giám sát của Quản lý khách sạn.  Khi nhân viên có khiếu nại công ty, Người quản lý sẽ đóng vai trò là cầu nối để giải quyết vấn đề. Việc tuyển dụng, đào tạo nhân viên, và kế hoạch nhân sự đều sẽ được thông qua quản lý của khách sạn. Giữ nhân viên làm việc trong một chế độ tốt và hài lòng là nhiệm vụ của người Quản lý.

Giám sát dịch vụ chăm sóc khách hàng: Quản lý Khách sạn cũng có trách nhiệm gặp gỡ, chào hỏi khách hàng, giải quyết bất kỳ khiếu nại, ý kiến, hoặc khó khăn từ khách hàng để đảm bảo khách luôn được cung cấp dịch vụ tốt, khiến họ hài lòng. Người quản lý cũng phải đảm bảo các sự kiện, hội nghị thực hiện suôn sẻ, khiến khách hàng quay lại và bổ sung thêm khách hàng mới.

Thủ tục pháp lý: tất cả các thủ tục bao gồm giấy phép kinh doanh, bảo hiểm, chứng nhận an toàn, hay bất kỳ thủ tục nào khác sẽ thuộc sự giám sát của Quản lý khách sạn. Mọi thứ cần được đảm bảo được thực hiện và lưu trữ hợp pháp. Thông thường sẽ có người được ủy quyền chịu trách nhiệm các loại giấy tờ pháp lý, nhưng người Quản lý vẫn phải chịu trách nhiệm giám sát và sắp xếp mọi thứ.

Điều phối hoạt động chung: Trong khi vừa chịu trách nhiệm với khách hàng, nhà Quản lý vừa phải đảm bảo các bộ phận khác hoạt động hiệu quả. Việc giám sát bộ phận bảo trì là một ví dụ cho việc đảm bảo rằng các phòng khách được duy trì trong điều kiện tốt. Nhiệm vụ của người quản lý là đảm bảo rằng lúc nào cũng có sẵn nhân viên xuất hiện ngay tức khắc trong những lúc khẩn cấp. Nhu cầu bảo trì hệ thống điện nước luôn được chú ý và đòi hỏi phải có một đội ngũ nhân viên bảo trì làm việc thường xuyên.

Quản lý an ninh: Hệ thống an ninh cần được lập và hoạt động hiệu quả, hệ thống báo cháy luôn được kiểm tra và sẵn sàng hoạt động. Sự an toàn còn được thể hiện ở việc khách sạn sẵn sàng nhận cất giữ những vật quý giá của khách hàng trong một két sắt an toàn mà không sợ bị đánh cắp. Việc đảm bảo an toàn cho khách là yêu cầu tiên quyết, và người quản lý khách sạn phải chịu trách nhiệm để đảm bảo mọi thứ được an toàn.

Social media has changed our industry. One tweet, photo or online review can have a lasting impact on your hotel and brand. You may feel helpless to negative reviews as they live on for eternity in cyberspace. But, with a strong training program, you mitigate those issues before guests even turn to their favorite travel review site.

It all starts before your employee even puts on his or her uniform—during the interview. In our industry, we literally receive thousands of applications a year. Selecting the right candidates from this large labor pool is essential to the success of your organization. At The Broadmoor, we like to say we hire for attitude and train for skill.

Tip #1—Hire candidates that fit best with your organizational culture.
Training is part reinforcing organizational culture and part molding behaviors to best fulfill your service mission. It helps to gain buy-in to shared values, develop skills that match expectations and build expertise for the employee to work within your structure. Exceptional service begins with exceptional people. The continual reinforcement of your organization’s culture and policies breeds success—and customer satisfaction.

Tip #2—Training doesn’t end after new employee orientation.
Done correctly, proper training builds confidence and instinct. For example, when posed with a question, the newbie on your staff might be inclined to respond, “I don’t know.” With proper training, the response turns into, “Let me find out for you.” With experience, confidence and adoption of your culture, the response can morph into, “I’ll take care of that for you right away.”

Encouraging employees to take ownership of a guest’s problem can help to ensure that the problem is resolved quickly and that the guest is satisfied. We always encourage our team members to take a problem to HEART:
- Hear what guests have to say.
- Empathize with them.
- Apologize for the situation.
- Respond to their needs.
- Take ownership and follow up.

Proper training gives employees the confidence to find solutions and offer alternatives. It helps to eliminate negative responses and shift the focus on the guest, making them feel whole again and allowing them to enjoy the rest of their stay.

Tip #3—Empower your employees.
There is nothing worse than a guest who walks away from an issue that still feels unresolved. The last thing you want is for the guest to take to the message boards to express his or her frustration—potentially discouraging others from visiting your property because of a poor experience.

Proper and continual training helps ensure your employees do everything in their power to make sure that every guest walks away with nothing but glowing reviews.

Exclusive Travel Feature: Luxury experiences know no limits, when it comes to travel, we search for it on airplanes, crave it during long car rides and seek it out among the best of the best hotels. So, where are the best of the best?

We used to spend a lot of time in this column talking about how hotels can increase their brand value via social media, but when it comes right down to it: guests still want luxury amenities, above all else, when it comes to staying in luxury hotels. Your Pinterest boards may be beautiful and your Facebook page might be full of fan photos, but it's the unique customer experiences that happens at your hotels that make all the difference.

And that's just what the readers of Travel + Leisure took into consideration when they chose the world's best hotels.

Last year, Asia led the pack with the most hotels on the list, and the U.S. didn't even get a spot. This year, the U.S. made the top 10 with three hotels on the list, and joined the ranks of the best-of-the-best along with veterans like Singita Sabi Sand in South Africa and Oberoi Udaivilas.

Here's are the top 10 hotels picked by Travel + Leisure readers:

1. Triple Creek Ranch, Montana

2. Nayara Springs, Costa Rica

3. Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace, Budapest

4. Southern Ocean Lodge, Kangaroo Island, Australia

5. Ocean House, Watch Hill, Rhode Island

6. The Langham, Chicago

7. Singita Sabi Sand, Kruger National Park area, South Africa

8. Londolozi Game Reserve, Kruger National Park area, South Africa

9. Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur, India

10. Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur, India

Wouldn’t it be great if your airline and hotel automatically knew you were a window-seat lover who never checks bags, prefers a firm mattress, and Earl Grey over coffee? 

According to Skift, personalization in travel is quickly becoming something customers expect, they want unique experiences tailored to their priorities and preferences and control over their itineraries.

As travelers use an ever-growing number of sites, social media, and transactional tools to research, book, and review their trips online, they’re creating tons of data. Recently, we’ve heard a lot about how technology companies are starting to use this “Big Data” to help businesses in the travel space create personalized experiences for guests.

Businesses that are able to provide more personalized experiences for guests are seeing an increase in conversion rates, revenue, and loyalty. So, let’s see what this personalization craze is all about....

Being a data detective

By tracking consumers digital data you can begin to understand their travel habits. Look for patterns: Is there a certain region of the world they seem to favor? How long do their trips typically last? How much do they spend on average per night at a hotel? What times of year do they travel? How many are they booking for? Is it a romantic getaway for two, a business trip, a solo reflective retreat or a family vacation? Do they lean towards adventure, relaxation, or extreme luxury?

Having access to this data will allow you to cater to guests’ needs like never before. GDS Amadeus and Big Data SaaS company Boxever are just two companies compiling data from every corner of the travel industry to help hospitality and travel businesses to get to know their guests more intimately. (Not like that.)

Knowing your guests’ demographics, how they came to your site, and personal preferences can also help you market to them like the individuals they are. Would you market to a Brooklyn hipster the same way you would a Sarasota snowbird?  Nope. Knowing how to alter your messages when targeting different demographics is crucial.

According to an Amadeus study, costumers don’t mind sharing some info about themselves to get more personal service—four out of 10 travelers are willing to share data in the interest of personalization. If you’re not already, try emailing your guests a follow-up survey after their stay, along with a link to your listing on TripAdvisor so they can rate and review you. Always include a picture of whomever is sending the email in the signature line.  This helps to reinforce your relationship with the guest.

Buuteeq customers have access to robust analytics in the BackOffice of our cloud-based software. Viewing guest behaviors such as which pages brought them to a hotel’s website, where they were browsing before they booked, and what devices they’re browsing on can also help hoteliers develop a deeper understanding of how your guests shopping habits and what they’re looking for in a hotel.

Get personal

Big Data not in the budget?  Try lurking in dark corners to eavesdrop on your guest’s thread-count choice. Just kidding. Unless you’re that creepy.

You can start with small touches such as knowing your guest’s preference between coffee and tea. Customized amenities are a key element to personalizing your guest’s stay.

Do you see your guests frequently reading a certain magazine, or newspaper? Take notice of  what kind of drinks they’re ordering at the bar. If Ms. Davis is often seen sipping prosecco and reading AFAR in your lounge, have those waiting in her room upon her check in.

According to a Skift news report, select hotels are making strong efforts to customize guests stays towards their preferences. The Four Seasons has their guests choose their preference between three mattresses of varying levels of firmness, then this preference is noted for their future stays.

Umm, yeah ... I would go back to a hotel if I got to choose the firmness of my mattress.

What about offering guests the ability to select the color of lighting in their room, genre of music, scent, entertainment settings, choose their towels and toiletries, and other such delights? Hotels are doing this.

If you’re a smaller property, maybe you have time to spy on what your guests are saying on TripAdvisor and social media so you can make notes for their future stays. If they write that it was a great hotel for their business trip and they will definitely be back in the future, you could offer to press their clothes when they arrive to the hotel, like the The Langham Place in New York does. These thoughtful gestures create lasting relationships. Seeing digital is inherently connected to content - creating it, making it easy to find, sharing it and making it easy to share. In my opinion, something qualifies as "digital" if it exists electronically and has its own web address. That can be pictures, papers, videos, articles, blog posts, infographics, webcasts, internet memes and so on.

And while it's a good start to pay attention to content, I think that's just the beginning. It goes beyond that because even with all the new digital ways to reach our customers, the traditional forms of marketing are still important.

I recently viewed a brief video featuring Brian Solis - the speaker, author and digital anthropologist - that has me thinking more about the idea of digital. He got me thinking that it's as if all those forms of content are really just the means to get at what we really should be focused on - people. It's the people who want to read our papers and watch our webinars that matter, and they have values, experiences and emotions that influence their state of mind when they come across our content. And Brian believes that's why we should focus on people for mapping our way to success in the digital economy.

Gaining insights into those values, experiences and emotions with marketing analytics are what enable us to know when and how to engage them, as well as what they really care about. From how I see it, that's precisely at the core of using keywords and optimizing our pages and doing other things that come with being more digital.

Source: 4hoteliers.com

Hilton Worldwide announced the opening of the newly-built Hilton Panama, a 347-room Hilton property in Panama City, Panama and with a location in the heart of this booming city that offers panoramic ocean views, this newest hotel in Panama City opens its doors just in time to celebrate the Panama Canal's Centennial.  

To commemorate the occasion, Hilton Panama welcomes guests with special introductory rates starting at $129* per night.

Forming part of a 70-story mixed-use complex with offices, shopping and entertainment, the 16-story Hilton Panama boasts one of the most desired locations in the city on a prominent intersection on the Panama Bay.  Just 20 minutes from Tocumen International Airport and minutes from Casco Viejo - the historic city, Hilton Panama is within walking distance of the financial district and many of the city's finest restaurants, cafés and hotspots.  Guests can go for stroll or bicycle ride along the Cinta Costera, along the bay right outside the hotel.

Designed by BA-HAUS / KNF, guests are introduced to a décor inspired by the spectacular views that serve as an effortless backdrop.  A pleasant and upscale atmosphere combined with chic furnishings, intricate patterns and local elements create the perfect setting for fast-paced urban executives and global travelers.  All aspects of this new hotel were carefully designed to ensure guests enjoy a world-class experience throughout their stay. This includes everything from upscale accommodations and delectable dining to flexible meeting space and the indulgent eforea: Spa at Hilton.

For those seeking pampering relaxation after a busy day, Hilton Panama introduces the first eforea: Spa at Hilton in Latin America.  Featuring 5,000 square feet, eforea: Spa at Hilton offers an exclusive treatment menu, innovative design features and carefully selected product partners that appeal to today's global travelers.  As the spa experience becomes more important to business and leisure guests, the new eforea: Spa at Hilton located at Hilton Panama enhances the travel experience. A 24-hour, 5,000 square foot fitness center and an outdoor terrace swimming pool complete the facilities.

Source: 4hoteliers.com