Smartphone Room Key Just The Begining

by Chris Owen on

Smartphone technology has become an integral part of travel, bringing GEO tagging applications, instant photo uploading to share with the world, and more. Now, smartphones are set to allow hotel guests to bypass check-in and unlock their guest room door simply by touching the handle.

“We’re able to have the hotel guest download our app, put their username and password in, and then it links the reservation to their mobile devices,” said Ben Robertson, CEO of y!kes in a Hotel Management interview.

The process is simple. On the day of the reservation, connected guests will get a notification saying their room is ready. Step into the hotel’s lobby and the system checks them in. Upon arriving at their assigned hotel room, users simply touch the door handle, which recognizes them automatically and allows entrance.The mobile app works with most smartphones, but for guests with out one, the lock system can also work with a traditional key card. In the future, the Y!kes plans to add capabilities to control the temperature, room lighting and TV preferences.

“We’re making it so that the mobile device really makes things easy for that guest throughout their stay … We can service their needs according to their proximity throughout the hotel,” Robertson said.

[Photo Credit: Flickr user bimurch]

Hotel 101: So You Want To Build A Hotel? (Part Two)

by McLean Robbins on

Last week, we introduced you to “The Birth of a Hotel” series, where we announced plans to dissect and discuss all aspects of a hotel’s build – from developing and financing to building, marketing, opening and everything in between.

We talked all about the first four steps in the process (location, funding, hotel class and ownership / management structure) in “Hotel 101: So You Want To Build A Hotel (Part One).”

Now we’re back with Part Two, where we’ll go over the basics of marketing, development, branding and legal concerns – many of the items that can make or break the choices made in Part One’s discussion.

Step Five: So … Do You Have A Marketing Plan?
As in any business, a good marketing plan can make or break your success. Much of the data behind the plan is done at the point of due diligence, where hotel owners and management companies make decisions regarding location, brand, service level, number and quality of rooms and other on-property amenities.

“In some instances [hotels are] more complex than other businesses because [they have] a real estate component that sits separate from the operating component,” says John Hughes, director of hospitality management and associate professor of hospitality at the York College of Pennsylvania.

A year to six months from opening, the hotel makes its first major staff hires – a general manager and a director of sales and marketing. The general manager helps govern many of the major management-level hires of the hotel, and will, in many cases, serve as the face of the property.

The director of sales and marketing also will serve to help decide the hotel’s fate.
The pair work together to make many of the key marketing and branding decisions for the hotel, all while working to “pre-sell” group space and make critical plans to drive revenue in the year after opening.

Industry experts agree that relationships formed at this stage – both with vendors and area businesses – are critical. Here, experience is key.

Sandy Kunkel, partner and chief operating officer of Z/K Hospitality, which owns New York’s The Bowery House, says that drawing from past experience at this step is key.

His business partner, Alessandro Zampedri, put it this way. “You have to know who is most similar to you, what they charge and what they offer. It is also essential to market each property based on the set of limitations each property possesses. After an asset analysis you begin to determine who would be most likely to be attracted to what you are offering and then you build a targeted campaign to reach those particular consumers.”

Location is also a key driver as well as marketing through website photographs, PR and social media campaigns.

[Image courtesy of Capella Washington D.C., Georgetown’s Facebook page]Step Six: Let’s Hire Some Staff

If the hotel being built is branded, like Capella, key staffers are often adopted from other properties in the portfolio. Capella Washington D.C., Georgetown’s general manager came from the brand’s Dusseldorf, Germany property, while their director of sales and marketing had extensive Washington area experience at other luxury hotels.

Nick Gregory, general manager at boutique brand Kimpton’s new Hotel Monaco in Philadelphia, says that “the secret sauce” in hiring the correct staff is using a combination of people who are “torch-bearers for culture and shiny new faces.”

The hospitality industry is a small one. Staffers often spend their whole careers working in an industry, and moving from brand to brand or property to property is not uncommon.
“It’s nice to be the shiny new toy,” Gregory says with a wry laugh.

Step Seven: How’s That Construction Coming?

Hotels, like any large building, can often suffer costly construction setbacks – weather, zoning laws and delayed materials or structural issues are just some of the many reasons that can delay a property’s opening.

Delays, of course, can be costly.

Capella Washington D.C. will push to meet their public opening, currently scheduled for the second week in January, in order to be fully operational in time for the 2013 presidential inauguration. Thus far, the hotel is on schedule.

Step Eight: Sell, Baby, Sell

From marketing phase to opening day, hotel sales staff work to pre-sell reservations for the hotel’s function spaces and room blocks. Weddings, corporate events, and business travel partnerships can make up more than half of many hotels’ business, particularly during the week.

Step Nine: Training Is Key

Training is essential. Several weeks before opening, hotels conduct a “move in,” where staffers enter the property for the first time and begin learning to properly do their jobs and work with the new team. Here again, branded properties may have an advantage – a culture and training mantra to learn from.

Hank Fried of The Impulsive Group, which owns a number of New York City hotels, says that many of his staff have been with him upwards of two decades. He lacks a formal structured on-boarding program, instead preferring one-on-one interaction with his key staffers to get on the same page regarding corporate culture.

Capella Washington D.C.’s will begin with a daylong welcome initiation, helmed by none other than Capella CEO Horst Schulze. From housekeeping to the hotel concierge, no detail will be overlooked in the quest to have everything in tip-top shape for a grand opening.

And you won’t miss a beat – we’ll bring you along, every step of the way.

“The Birth of a Hotel” is a Gadling-exclusive series that details what happens as a hotel prepares to open. Follow along with the articles and updates at “The Birth Of A Hotel” page, here. We’d also love to hear from you, our readers. If you have a topic about hotel development or trends that you’d love to see explored, email us or leave a comment below.

US Hotels Offering Halloween Packages And Programming

by Jessica Festa on

Want to celebrate Halloween on the road this holiday? Stay at one of these U.S. hotels offering festive packages and programming.

The Sanctuary Hotel
New York, NY

Located in the heart of Manhattan, The Sanctuary Hotel is offering a “Haunted Hotel” package this Halloween. Along with luxurious accommodations, guests staying from October 29 to November 4 will receive:

  • A tour of the city in a hearse, highlighting everything from haunted buildings to where famous mobsters got whacked
  • A basket of sweet treats from Dylan’s Candy Bar in your room
  • A classic horror film screening in the hotel lobby on Halloween Eve, complete with popcorn and candy
  • Breakfast buffet each morning
  • Wi-Fi

Rates start at $554 per night based on double occupancy. Click here to book. Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa
Sonoma, California

The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa is home to many eerie legends. For example, in the evening when the fog rolls in from the bay, people have claimed to see a hauntingly beautiful woman named Victoria strolling the hallways of the inn in period dress, sipping a Sonoma Pinot. Her heritage can be traced back to the founding fathers of Sonoma Valley, and she is said to have celebrated her wedding and many anniversaries at the resort. Additionally, the property was once a sacred healing ground for Native Americans, and guests have commented on the otherworldly presence at the inn. To help celebrate their ghostly past, the property will feature ghoulish offerings during September. Halloween-themed cocktails like the “Bloody-Tini” and the “Twilight Cocktail,” pumpkin-inspired spa treatments, a spirited seasonal wine and dinner pairing and tours of nearby haunted sites, like the Sebastiani Theatre, The Blue Wing Inn and the former Sonoma Asylum will all be available.

Rates start at $229 per night based on double occupancy. Click here to book.

Hotel ZaZa Houston
Houston, Texas

At Hotel ZaZa Houston, guests can enjoy a full weekend of tricks and treats this Halloween. From now through October 27, guests can enjoy:

  • One night of luxury accommodations
  • Admission for two to Bone-Appetit Pumpkin Sculpting on October 27th from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. with Executive Chef Jonathan Jones
  • Two complimentary drinks from the Witches Cauldron
  • Admission for two to Monarch’s Dancing in Dark Halloween Party on October 27, from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., featuring nationally acclaimed DJ Lady Bunny
  • Parking
  • Wi-Fi

Rates start at $299 per night based on double occupancy. Click here to book.

Congress Hall Hotel
Cape May, New Jersey

To help get you in the mood for Halloween, Congress Hall Hotel is offering a “Phantom Ball” package. From October 26 to 28, participating guests will receive:

  • Two nights of accommodation
  • A $20 breakfast voucher for two each morning at the Blue Pig Tavern
  • Two tickets to Congress Hall’s “Phantom Ball” on Friday night
  • Two tickets to a Cape May ghost tour on the Victorian streets of Cape May on Saturday

Rates start at $284.28 per night based on double occupancy. Call 888.944.1816 to book.

The Stanley Hotel
Estes Park, Colorado

If this hotel could scare horror writer Stephen King, it must be terrifying. The Stanley Hotel is said to be a hot spot for ghosts, especially in room 217, the very room that served as the inspiration for King’s novel, “The Shining.” The property has also been featured in several episodes of “Ghost Hunters.” As if this is not enough, the property is featuring themed events, including:

  • Accommodations
  • Two tickets to the Shining Ball (October 27)
  • The chance to go on a five-hour ghost hunt with on-staff paranormal investigators and learn how to use ghost hunting tools and test their new skills in some of the property’s most haunted locations that are inaccessible to the general public

Rates start at $299 per night based on double occupancy. Click here to book.

The Ranch at Rock Creek
Philipsburg, Montana

This holiday, The Ranch at Rock Creek is offering a festive “Halloween at the Ranch” package for guests staying between October 31 through November 3. The promotion includes:

  • Three nights of accommodation in a Western-style luxury lodge
  • Non-stop festive activities, like trick-or-treating, pumpkin carving, a costume contest, bonfires with spooky ghost stories, a photo scavenger hunt, and trips to the Granite County Ghost Hall of Fame and famous Sweet Palace Candy Shop for Halloween treats
  • Free accommodations for children under 17
  • A fall-inspired pumpkin scrub treatment for two at their onsite Granite Spa

Guests can also take part in the ranch’s usual fare, like carriage rides, horseback riding, sporting clay shooting, archery, fly-fishing, hiking, mountain biking, bowling and more.

All-inclusive rates for this package start at $850 per person, per night (aside for children under 17). Rates include all activities, luxury lodge accommodations, gourmet dining, premium beverages, two pumpkin scrub spa treatments and airport transfers. Email welcome@theranchatrockcreek.com or call 406.859.6027 to book.

Harbor Beach Marriott Resort & Spa
Fort Lauderdale, Florida

At Harbor Beach Marriott Resort & Spa there is fun to be had for kids and kids at heart throughout Halloween week with its “No Tricks Just Treats” package. From October 26 to November 3, guests will receive deluxe accommodations and a special trick-or-treating experience throughout the common rooms. Additionally, from October 27 to 28 and on the 31, themed activities will be held, including:

  • A Halloween obstacle course
  • Halloween mask/costume making
  • Themed arts & crafts
  • Traditional Halloween games
  • Themed cookie decorating
  • A family-friendly Halloween dive-in film on Halloween day

Rates start at $319 per night based on double occupancy. Click here to book.

Hershey Lodge
Hershey, Pennsylvania

Halloween is all about candy, so what better place to send it than the country’s chocolate hub, Hershey, Pennsylvania? The Hershey Lodge is offering a “Holiday in Hershey” package, which includes:

  • Deluxe accommodations
  • Breakfast with the Hershey’s product characters
  • One-day admission to Hersheypark in the Dark, their family-friendly Halloween alternative at Hersheypark
  • Admission to Hershey Gardens and The Hershey Story’s Museum Experience

There will also be Halloween-themed activities for kids, like a “Witches Brewed Children’s Tea” on Saturdays at 12:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. where children can come in costume to sample hot chocolate, orange and white chocolate teas and a variety of finger foods. The tea also includes pumpkin decorating, Halloween-themed storytelling and a kid-size apron. The cost is $40 for an adult and child, and $18 for each additional person.

The package is available Fridays and Saturdays from October 19 through November 3, with prices starting at $399 per person. Click here to book.

The White House Inn
Wilmington, Vermont

Ghosts and legends are a big part of Vermont’s culture, and have been for hundreds of years. To help celebrate the state’s heritage, The White House Inn will be hosting an eerie event on October 27. With the help of the inn’s own ghost, a baroness who haunts the halls, a séance and haunted tour will be held along with a three-course dinner. There will be two seatings, one at 7 p.m. and one at 9 p.m. The event will be led by a member of the New England Ghost Project, the area’s leading paranormal investigation team.

Rates start at $349 per night based on double occupancy. The dinner and séance event is $100. Click here to book.

Kalahari Resort
Sandusky, OH

If you’re looking to get wet this Halloween, Kalahari Resort boasts being home to the largest indoor waterpark in the country. Not only that, but this holiday, they’ll also be hosting a “Halloween Happenings” weekend from October 26 to 28. Festivities include Halloween coloring contests, arts and crafts, trick-or-treat bag designing, pumpkin painting at Safari Adventures, creepy cookie decorating, pumpkin bean bag toss, candy corn bingo, hula hoop competitions, costume parties, limbo competitions, Trick-or-Treating around the resort and more. With the package, guests will receive:

  • Admission to Kalahari’s indoor waterpark
  • Four black-light mini golf passes
  • Four Safari Adventures Animal Park passes

For a two-night package for up to four guests, prices range from $499.98 for a Hut Room to $579.98 for a Nomad Room or Lodge Suite. Click here to book.

VIP Perks At Your Favorite Hotels: Want Me Get Me Promises Just That

by McLean Robbins on

Let’s just say we like the good life, and new members-only hotel booking site Want Me Get Me, is promising something that seems right up our alley. Launching today, the website promises “perks and amenities usually reserved for celebrities, rock stars, and platinum rewards status priority guests at the world’s best hotels.”

It’s not like a flash sale model – members pay standard “best available” rates – but, in turn, are added on the hotel GM’s VIP List, a room upgrade when available, and complimentary Wi-Fi.

Usually, a VIP list is reserved for high-profile guests, but the program with Want Me Get Me ensures that members will enjoy these gratis add-ons. The amenities offered are entirely left to the discretion of each hotel but can include anything from the splurge (champagne upon arrival and cocktails for two) to the more practical (free valet parking and late check-out).

“Want Me Get Me provides a way for these brands to engage an important demographic using social media and technology that is a real first for hotels and encourages loyalty and drives bookings,” said Melanie Brandman, chief curator officer, in a release.

It’s an exciting concept, and the site’s interface is fairly simple to use. Just pick your city (currently New York, Los Angeles, Miami and San Francisco are supported), your dates of check-in, and choose up to three “guaranteed perks” to narrow down the room list. On a hypothetical weekend in New York with guaranteed room upgrade, we ended up at The Chatwal, one of our favorite luxury properties.

Want Me Get Me has secured agreements with more than 200 boutique and luxury hotels including properties from Ace Hotel, Baglioni Hotels, Denihan Hospitality Group, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Firmdale Hotels, Gansevoort Hotel Group, Hampshire Hotels & Resorts, Kempinski Hotels, L’Ermitage, Luxe Worldwide Hotels, Montage Hotels & Resorts, Morgans Hotel Group, The NoMad Hotel, Oberoi Hotels & Resorts, Orient-Express Hotels, The Peninsula Hotels, Raffles Hotels and Resorts, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, The Standard, Thompson Hotels, and Trump Hotel Collection.

Want Me Get Me plans to add extra amenities, double the number of hotels on the platform and be available in all major U.S. cities by year’s end.

The bottom line? If our favorite luxury property isn’t available on Jetsetter or Sniqueaway, we’re sure to use this site on an upcoming vacation or business trip.

The Birth Of A Hotel: The Beginning

by McLean Robbins on




Welcome to “The Birth of a Hotel,” Gadling’s first-ever series on what it takes to build a hotel from the ground up. For the next four months, we’ll be discussing how a hotel is developed and opened, from the initial stages of financing to the economic impact of a new hotel on a community.

We’ll go inside to learn about how staffers are trained, how a hotel’s brand is chosen, where those fancy bath amenities and crazy shower heads are selected, speaking with people ranging from the concierge to the executive chef and everyone in between.

It’s an exciting series for Gadling, and we’ll be giving readers the first glimpse of the soon-to-open Capella Washington hotel, the luxury brand Capella’s new flagship property. Many thanks to Capella for allowing us insider access so we can photograph, tweet and talk about a real-life example in the series.

Expect to see an article just about every week on some aspect of the hotel development process, all tagged with the handy “Birth of a Hotel” label. We welcome what interests you about the hotel world too, so please feel free to email or leave comments on topics you’d like covered in the series.

We look forward to keeping you entertained and informed over the coming months! Remember, you can always bookmark this link to follow along with the series.