A system that was originally created to set some standardized expectations for the hospitality industry and inform and educate the consumer has now mutated into one that does exactly the opposite. While Mobil will proffer its Star system and AAA will offer the comfort of the Diamonds, the truth of the matter is that it's the wild, wild west out there. Any property with an overeager public relations firm and an on-call poolside perspiration valet can stake a claim to star-driven fabulousness. READ MORE

As the definition of "green" intersects with "sustainable" and both mature in the marketplace, and it becomes abundantly clear that a "green" hotel needn't detract from the guest experience, it will behoove hospitality professionals to a) Get on the bus, as sustainable practices will be a required "cost of entry" practice in the future, not a marketing initiative; and b) Figure out how "green" can actually enhance the guest experience. READ MORE

To begin with, please excuse my mangling of the time-honored maxim "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again" in the headline. I fear I have taken what once were innocent words of encouragement to 19th-Century schoolchildren and turned them into some vague threat. The potential menace in my message, however, pales in comparison to that posed by disregarding it. Ignore the first "touch" you have with your customers at your own peril. As those who have regularly read my articles know, my roots (and those of my business) are firmly in the hospitality industry. Of late, those roots have extended to other sectors where the concept of "customer experience" has proven intriguing. READ MORE

Recently released unemployment figures indicate a continued rise in that cheery metric to 8.5-percent, a 25-year high. Even in light of some modest signs of life, the credit and housing markets continue to limp along as well. And despite the OK from President Obama to pursue business travel and corporate meetings, the damage may have already been done and those markets remained strained. Human beings, however, must travel and, in fact, are traveling. READ MORE

Oh no, not another article on innovation, your brain is screaming from every synapse. Please don't subject me to another rapturous ode to Southwest Airlines, Ritz Carlton or - gasp - Disney. Innovation doesn't have to be a tired refrain, a four-letter word or an abstract, intimidating concept. It does ultimately have to bring value to the customer... without compromising the value that customer was seeking from you to begin with. READ MORE