For obvious reasons, cost cutting is at the top of every business owner's to-do list. Surprisingly, energy expenses are often overlooked as operating costs are evaluated for their impact on a company's bottom line. Energy expenses can be a controllable cost when consumption behaviors are evaluated. According to ENERGY STARR, typical energy expenses account for more than 6 percent of a hotel's total operating costs. These costs have increased approximately 25 percent from 2004 to 2008. By investigating procurement options, analyzing a history of utility invoices, exploring what rates you should be paying, and implementing green energy practices, operators can drive down utility costs without negatively impacting the comfort of their hotels or quality of the guest accommodations. READ MORE

In the current state of fitness in the hospitality industry it is not enough to offer a bare bones non-staffed fitness center consisting of a select few pieces of exercise equipment. To set themselves apart, hotels must now reinvent the whole concept of the hotel fitness center, shying away from the old concept of creating an environment where the avid fitness enthusiast can supplement their at-home workout and try to draw in a new demographic of guests many of whom are intimidated by the traditional gym setting. READ MORE

The outlook for the coming years show countries such as India, Brazil, China & Russia having the largest impact on the consumer market. China is the largest population in the world and recent statistics indicate that 1 out of every 6 people on earth are living in China. This will have a drastic effect on the travel industry and the luxury market. Analysts also forecast that China will be the world's most important luxury market by 2011. As more products become available to more people, the pressure increases to offer something truly special. READ MORE

From the looks of it, doom and gloom seem to surround us at every turn. We hear and read about the downturn in the economy in the newspapers, on the evening news, from the Sunday morning "talking heads", at cocktail parties and business events, around the water cooler and even in supermarket tabloids. This economic downturn is affecting every industry - including the hospitality industry. More and more hotel owners may begin to find themselves in financial turmoil and may have to turn to bankruptcy as a solution to a very difficult set of circumstances. READ MORE

Some soar 30 stories high. With banks of elevators around the perimeter. Towering palms or pines or lush flowering tropical plants. And "surround-sound" and showcase lighting. Others are much more reserved and sedate. Elegant, with exotic Persian rugs, expensive tapestries and museum quality artifacts. While others tastefully blend accents of marble and onyx with clean, contemporary furnishings. Whether you favor grandiose atrium style lobbies, smaller, club-style lobbies or scaled-down, simplistic but ultra-sleek foyers, one thing is certain: lobbies have the power to charm, dazzle and entice you... luring you in and seducing you to stay. Guests' impressions of what they are about to experience both start and end with the hotel lobby. That's why lobby design - the visual images, the total sensory experience - is so important. READ MORE