Small Inn and Bed and Breakfast Industry Articles

The growth that the hotel industry experienced in 2011 will likely continue in 2012 as rising travel spending and a drop in unemployment promise strong business this year, several hotel executives said during a panel discussion at the Americas Lodging Investment Summit.

After the 29 March article “Options limited for owners facing renovations," few lenders opened their floodgates throughout 2011. And brands are knocking even harder on the door with required capital improvements.

The hotel industry will experience slower growth in revenue per available room over 2012, increasing by about 5% compared with about 8% this year, several industry analysts predict.

Nov. 28, 2011 By Steve Van What! Did Mr. Hotel Default say that? Absolutely. The fundamentals for hotel asset appreciation during the next five years ...

As independents and hotel chains continue to push the evolution of the boutique-hotel concept, hotels are attracting style-conscious guests through offers such as exclusive membership programs and luxurious amenities at competitive prices. A number of boutique hotels are also partnering with famous bartenders and chefs to boost revenue at their food and beverage facilities, or offering services for ecoconscious guests.

A panel of prognosticators outlined their latest forecasts among other insights during a general-session panel at the AH&LA’s 2011 Hospitality Leadership Forum.

Money is hard to come by for any hotel, let alone brandless boutiques. Fortunately, there exist tax credits and cost reliefs for adaptive reuse projects.

Hotels' revenue per available room will grow by 7.2% this year, boosted by demand from affluent travelers, PKF Hospitality Research says.

As hotel buyers and REITs step up hotel property acquisitions, the lodging industry is seeing more rooms being renovated than constructed.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner acknowledged this week that small businesses have yet to benefit from a $30 billion loan fund established by Congress nine months ago. Geithner said regulators are checking the financial health of 869 community banks that have applied to administer the loans, and "we're close to being able to unleash that capital."

Lending by big banks dropped 4.9 percent in the first quarter of 2011, according to a new report.

The consolidation of companies involved in marketing and management of vacation rental properties is expected to dramatically boost growth in this specialized market, industry leaders say.

STR senior VP Bobby Bowers discussed eight trends that are shaping the road to recovery in the U.S. hotel industry.

As technology, resources and analytics continue to evolve, they will undoubtedly provide us with greater insights and strengthen the position of individuals tasked with answering this million-dollar question.

The U.S. hotel industry's performance improved during the post-Easter week, with five of the seven chain-scale segments gaining double-digit RevPAR increases, an STR report showed.

For hotelier Sant Chatwal, the decision to align one of his boutique hotels with lodgings giant Starwood Hotels & Resorts (HOT.N) was not an easy one. The hotel in question, the luxury Chatwal New York, is an Art Deco theater district landmark with suede-covered walls and heated terraces. But would becoming a link in a chain dilute the Chatwal's carefully crafted personality?

The SBA 7(a) and USDA B&I programs continue to be one of the best, if not only, ways for smaller owner-operators and hoteliers in secondary and tertiary markets to access debt.

The U.S. Small Business Administration will offer guaranteed loans to small businesses to refinance commercial real estate debt with impending balloon payments.

Editor-In-Chief Glenn Haussman examines why industry stats and your hotel’s bottom line don’t add up. And then what you can do about it.

With Success of the Trendy W Chain, More 'Boutique' and 'Lifestyle' Brands Come on to the Scene

Startups are sexy these days, but not everyone can launch the next Groupon or Mint, Susan Payton writes. Unexpected costs, steep learning curves, personality conflicts and bad timing are among the common challenges entrepreneurs face, but Payton offers strategies for overcoming each obstacle.

Independent hotels are no longer the forgotten stepchild of the global hotel industry. The segment is leveraging its unique guest experiences with the power of online distribution channels to compete with the major chains--or in some cases, teaming up withe them.

It’s enough to strike fear in the hearts of OTAs worldwide—if Google enters the hotel booking game, what will the resulting merchant landscape look like?

Industry experts are already seeing increases in 2011 hotel valuations, particularly at the upper end of the market in major metro areas.

Many entrepreneurs are on a roller coaster of hope and fear, writes Michael H. Felberbaum, but the best way to steady yourself is to be realistic. He advises taking a hard look at your financial data and turning to a practical friend for real advice, as well as giving up on the self-help illusions of optimism in favor of straight up honesty.

In the fourth quarter of 2010, the hotel industry reported increases in occupancy rates, average daily rates and revenue per available room, according to STR data. "The U.S. hotel industry continued its steady climb toward full recovery in the fourth quarter of 2010," said Bobby Bowers, senior vice president at STR.

Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels predicts as much as a 25% increase in hotel sales and acquisitions in the Americas this year as foreign investors and real estate investment trusts aim to deploy cash. London-based Jones Lang says transactions could total $13 billion in 2011, up from about $10.5 billion last year. "Due to additional capital raises, REITs are expected to continue to be dominant buyers in 2011, and private equity groups and institutional investors will increasingly join the mix as leverage levels and terms improve," says Arthur Adler, managing director and Americas CEO at Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels.

Select upscale hotels are borrowing a page from tour operators by offering their top guests tough-to-get tickets to major events, VIP tables at the hottest nightclubs or other exclusive perks. A free spa treatment or a free night's stay is not always enough to sway some high-end customers, hoteliers say. Instead, luxury hotels have had to ramp up their game and go beyond their property lines.

Shelley D'Angelo says she was traveling with friends in Europe when she first stayed in a bed and breakfast that offered cooking lessons with the evening meal. D'Angelo says she did a "back-of-the-napkin business plan" and launched Contessa Vacations, a company that rents out a rustic estate in Italy, then fills it with guests seeking cooking lessons from a master Sicilian chef. Charging about $1,700 per guest -- and offering courses only in the spring and fall -- D'Angelo says the 3-year-old company already is profitable.

New brands are a dime a dozen, OTAs have rendered hotel rooms commodities, and consumers shop primarily on price. So do brands still matter? HotelNewsNow.com explores that question and more in this special report.

How accurate are STR’s forecasts? Here’s a report card for the past five years.

The price-driven peddling of online travel agencies like Expedia, Priceline and Travelocity made the booking process all about rate. Guests are less likely to seek out specific brand and hotel chains than ever before, favoring instead basement-bottom bargains and deals.

Demand is back.

Preferred Hotel Group finds that with retirement looming, an iconic generation plans to see the world

For two years, big investors watched the implosion of the lodging industry as hotel values plummeted more than 50 percent. Now as private equity giants like the Blackstone Group and entrepreneurs like Richard Branson are diving into the sector, others are starting to think it has finally hit bottom and may be bouncing back.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Wells Fargo & Co. are seeking to increase financing for hotels as lenders recover more money from loans backed by lodging than from debt secured by other types of commercial real estate.

The Asian American Hotel Owners Association can expect an uphill climb when it takes on the online travel agencies at their own game.

Stop being your own worst enemy in regards to your bottom line and get the confidence to boost those rates now.

What does it really take to run a startup?

An Interview with Hotel Indigo's VP of Global Brand Management

A new report, ‘Hotels 2020: Beyond Segmentation,’ developed by Fast Future Research and commissioned by Amadeus, has revealed the emerging behaviors and demands of the future hotel guest and what kinds of hotels maybe emerge in the industry's near future.

Christine Meyer is a senior in Hospitality Management at the University of New Hampshire Whittemore School of Business and Economics. She is an honors student working on a thesis which investigates the marketing techniques used by bed and breakfasts across the country. She is looking to analyze and compile the results to see what is done in these smaller hospitality properties. The link below is access to a secure online survey Christine has created on the topic of marketing in bed and breakfasts. Any responses would be help her in completing her thesis and the results will be shared with the innkeeping community.

As product and service innovations are more readily copied and commoditized, staff service is increasingly where guest satisfaction, loyalty and profitability will be won and lost.

Before you start a business based on your favorite hobby, ask yourself these 9 questions.

More than two-thirds of U.S. entrepreneurs say independence was one of their primary goals in starting their own business, while Brazilian entrepreneurs want to contribute to society and Chinese entrepreneurs want something to give to their children. For Mark Henricks, the takeaway is this: There's no "right" reason for starting your own company. "Essentially, whatever reason you have is as good as any other," he writes.

After Hurricane Katrina in 2005 destroyed so many historic bed-and-breakfast establishments, some have been replaced and new inns are now open to serve vacationers and business travelers who prefer the home-away-from-home concept to hotels.

The 2010 Small Business Jobs Act addresses the general business credits by allowing a five year carryback and having the credit exempt from AMT for 2010.

Columnist Enda Larkin explains how the ability to respond to changes is critical for hoteliers, particularly in the current environment.

One-on-one welcomes or check-ins through kiosks or mobile devices catching on

The company signed 20 hotel management and franchise contracts representing approximately 4,500 rooms, and opened 17 hotels and resorts with approximately 3,300 rooms in Q3.

Travelers who tend to stay at boutique hotels enjoy their distinct experiences, while those who lean toward chain hotels appreciate the consistency.

Even after you pique the interest of an investor, you have to convince him of the value of investing in your entrepreneurial efforts. That means having the characteristics an angel investor is looking for as well as a great business model.

Government figures show that spending on hotel rooms, rental cars, airline tickets and other travel-related products and services increased 3% in the second quarter. The broader economy grew 1.6%. The figures show that Americans have caught the travel bug once again, helping the industry bounce back from the downturn more quickly than other sectors.

Fundamentals have been solidifying all year, now people are feeling good about 2011 and downright giddy in 2012.

Two years ago, the credit markets seized, causing trading to hotel assets to stop. The hotel industry has been anxiously awaiting the day when the market would return. A flurry of activity has helped the industry, albeit not in a traditional form.

According to Ypartnership's 2010 Portrait Of American Travelers, the U.S. leisure travel market has finally stabilized. In fact, the data suggest the industry can expect a modest increase in demand in the year ahead.

As if spiraling operating fundamentals weren’t enough to deal with, hoteliers need also to contend with outside influences on the industry.

Changes to SBA loan limits could mean more money to fix up a distressed property, or better options when it comes to finding good properties to buy.

William R. Carlson has been named executive director of Select Registry™, Distinguished Inns of North America. In his new role, Carlson will oversee strategic planning and marketing initiatives that build upon the organization's 40-year history as the premier association of critically acclaimed inns, B&Bs and small boutique hotels across the U.S. and Canada.

Commercial card volumes last year declined for the first time in history as organizations implemented across-the-board spending cuts

When travelers were asked by the California Association of Bed & Breakfast Inns if they had ever stayed at a bed and breakfast, some of their answers led to the discovery of interesting myths surrounding B&Bs.

BEDandBREAKFAST.COM survey shows travelers plan as many or more trips this summer and are twice as likely to stay at B&Bs. Three out of four travelers say they’ll take as many or more trips between now and September 30, and eight out of 10 say they’ll stay at B&Bs.

The tough economy may mean stronger pricing power for business travelers, but for hoteliers, anxiety levels are rising as rates drop.

Forget doctors' appointments and hospital stays: Fabulous New Yorkers are getting physicals and facelifts­—not to mention sex therapy—at swanky hotels instead.

Celebrities are discovering that hotel investments are not just fun to own, but profitable too.

Reservation and Customer Care employees are staying at home while working for Hilton Hotels Corporation, and the company wouldn’t have it any other way.

Despite a big slowdown in the number of hotel sales transactions this year, smaller hotels appear to be faring better.

STR released its revised 2008 and 2009 forecasts and its projections for the U.S. hotel industry’s performance in 2010.

An analysis of STR data finds that while more hotels decreased their rates in the first half of 2008 than in 2007, over 70 percent of U.S. hotels continue to raise their rates.

Under the pressure of slumping occupancy, hoteliers might feel the urge to drop rates to chase demand. The experts warn against it, however, saying the move will likely hurt hoteliers--and their competitors.

Newly launched website Tripr.tv encourages hotel guests to video tape their hotel rooms and post them online for the world to see.

It’s no secret—the hotel industry is slow to adopt new technology. Guestrooms are just beginning to include things we’ve had in our own homes for years.

Rate and RevPAR continue to increase globally in July

The U.S. hotel industry posted increases in the key performance measurements of average daily rate and revenue per available room during the month of July.

And Many ‘Home-Based’ Vacations Include Hotel Stays and Travel-Related Activities

Boutique hotels have evolved from novelty properties opened by the likes of Bill Kimpton and Ian Schrager to a staple that is a must-have for most large chains. One hotelier described his mission for boutique hotels as providing not just five-star service, but a fun version of five-star service.

Airlines are reducing the number of flights they operate as fuel costs soar, leading to an impact on the hotel industry. One analyst predicted that RevPAR could drop by 3% to 4% in 2009. Investors are advised to "reduce their exposure" in hotels in the meantime.

Join AH&LA's Women In Lodging for a networking luncheon held in conjunction with the HD Expo in Las Vegas. Vail Brown from Smith Travel Research will divulge insight on trends and the impact of design on profitability, and you'll have the chance to exchange perspectives with the women who shape our industry.

PowerofTravel.org presents all of the available travel industry economic impact data in an easy-to-navigate format that enables the user to see the benefits of travel from the international level down to individual congressional districts.

Ritz-Carlton has a formula of 20 basic customer service policies that make the chain truly stand out from the rest in terms of service, says sales and customer service trainer Hal Becker. The policies range from making customer satisfaction the highest priority to doing everything possible to never lose a guest.

The popularity of social networking on the Internet is creating the need for hotel operators to monitor what is being said about their properties.

Most companies assume that their customers are highly price-sensitive. They design their marketing programs with this idea in mind. When they have sales, more people buy. When their products or services are not on sale, less people buy. Capture a glimpse of the important differences in transaction and relationship buyers and how you can make each type a long-time customer.

With high profile openings from Versace, Armani, Missoni and Moschino expected in 2008, Deloitte examines the emergence of the fashion hotel sector.

This year, sexy meets sophisticated luxury in these sumptuous spots

A recent survey conducted on behalf of AIG Travel Guard found that Americans are still planning to travel in 2008, but may be altering their trips to cut costs.

As the economy cools, companies are starting to shrink their travel budgets -- a move likely to put further strain on struggling airlines. Hotels, car-rental agencies and restaurants, which along with airlines employ roughly 4 percent of U.S. workers, will also feel the pinch.

Time is up for the way hotels have been traditionally rated. A new stay paradigm has emerged and antiquated rating systems are no longer relevant.

As if the sagging dollar and soaring oil costs weren't enough to dent travel budgets, hotel room rates are expected to surge in the coming year. From New York to Asia, and just about every desirable destination in between, the prices of rooms - especially at hotels and resorts favored by luxury and business travelers - are expected to rise significantly, sometimes in the double digits, analysts say.

Research conducted by Marriott indicates one third of all travelers are "experience driven" and would therefore gravitate to a boutique or lifestyle hotel. But all boutique/lifestyle hotel rooms combined represent only 3% of available hotel rooms today. So there is a major gap that many hotel chains are beginning to exploit with new brands like Hyatt Place, Indigo and W Hotels.

For hotels of every size and destination, the hotel Web site is an increasingly critical source of profits. In 2007, Web-direct bookings climbed to over 34 percent of total reservations for major hotel chains, while independent hotels achieved an annual growth of 20 percent for direct bookings. Despite these trends, however, a large part of the hospitality industry is still missing out on the highly profitable opportunity to maximize their Web site’s potential.

In a trend that now seems irreversible, consumers and businesses that had been booking their hotel reservations through call centers, GDS-equipped travel agents, and even third-party Internet reservations providers are doing their own booking, directly through individual hotel Web sites. In some cases, these customers go directly to the hotel site, even bypassing the corporate site of their hotel's flag.

"With the evolution online communities and the advent of sophisticated internet marketing resources and tools, it is critical to be aware of emerging trends and opportunities."

Lawmakers in Arizona are working to expand the number of businesses that qualify as bed and breakfasts so that more businesses can take advantage of a property-tax break. Under current laws, inns with more than four rooms are taxed as hotels, but the new bill allows for properties with up to six rooms to be considered B&Bs.

The camera crews have packed up and left and a new sign hangs above Fallbrook, California’s Chateau La Rue, newly renamed the Oak Creek Manor. The bed and breakfast made famous by actress Tori Spelling and husband Dean McDermott has returned to its owners Patricia and Christopher King and is on the market for $2.3 -$2.675 million.

Not long ago, historic hotels were often a little frayed at the edges, spurned for fresher alternatives like the trendy boutique hotels. But many hotels with a past have been fixed up in recent years, their marble staircases polished, their thick carpets cleaned or replaced.

Sam Nazarian, owner of the ultra-trendy Los Angeles nightclub Hyde, is entering the hospitality field with two new boutique hotels. Nazarian has two new properties in the works -- the SLS in Los Angeles, due to open in August, and a remodeling of the Ritz Plaza in Miami Beach, due to open early next year.

Jubilance regarding the overall state of the lodging industry is quickly fading. It’s getting overtaken by a swelling sense of pessimism.

The credit crunch, a weak U.S. dollar, new construction, green building, globalization and rapidly shifting US demographics are all factors that will shape the U.S. hospitality sector in 2008, according to a report released today at the Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS) by Ernst & Young.

When we think of our guests who eat, sleep, celebrate, and do business in our hotels, it is natural to assume they are coming from far away.

Suppliers are focusing on implementing tailored web strategies for their loyal members, offering a number of personalization tools and features distinctive for each member based on their membership profile. As the race for influencing and retaining consumer evolves, what does "loyalty" stand for online travel agencies?