With hoteliers' attention split between the boomer generations' affinity for luxury and the younger guest's preference for high technology and social interaction, David Ashen, principal and founder of interior design and brand consulting firm dash design, explores how hoteliers are catering to each group, separately-including trendy rooftop bars and combination bar/lobby areas for the younger set and refined restaurants and luxurious amenities for boomer guests-and the importance of flexible design elements to balance guest wants and needs across generations. READ MORE

In the hotel industry, a key amenity at many properties is the service of alcohol beverages in the restaurant or bar. This necessitates some type of license issued by a state local alcohol beverage licensing authority. Many hotels in smaller cities, rural areas, or suburbs, however, share a common predicament of not getting a license for a bar or restaurant at their premises. This article explores options available to a hotel that elects not to serve alcohol beverages in a bar or restaurant. These options include the "mini bar," a self-service dispensing system, or a complimentary service. READ MORE

President Trump made immigration reform a central issue of his presidential campaign, promising to remove all undocumented immigrants from the United States and to build a physical wall along our southern border. While these large-scale plans have yet to be fully realized, the Trump Administration has begun to construct an "invisible wall" through several smaller immigration policy changes that have already had the effect of restricting and slowing legal immigration in our country. These changes have created new challenges for hospitality companies that rely on foreign workers to meet their staffing needs. READ MORE

The hospitality industry has always been responsible for the safety of its guests. The industry is now grappling with its obligation to maintain a safe data environment. Hotel owners, brands and operators face significant challenges as bad actors become more sophisticated and as hotel systems become more complex. Recent legal developments in Europe and in America have created a new set of issues, requiring hotel companies to reevaluate how they collect process and protect information. The hospitality industry must, therefore, reconsider its approach to data security and privacy. READ MORE

High profile events and trends in the last year have made customers planning future events at hotels nervous. Things like the "#MeToo" movement, the Las Vegas shootings, and political and economic volatility have led meeting planners to request new terms in their event contracts. Many of these new clauses, some of which are being recommended by meeting industry groups, are poorly drafted, don't solve the problem that they seek to address, and put the hotel at risk for claims or lost business. READ MORE