Now that online guest reviews are an established feature of both brand.com and OTA booking sites – led by TripAdvisor, Google and Expedia – successful hoteliers are taking a more strategic approach to guest opinions. They understand that crafting appropriate responses to reviews is a high-level responsibility that should not be automated or delegated to junior staff members without proper guidance. These hoteliers subscribe to the opinion that standard responses should be banished. READ MORE

Online reputation has a direct effect on hotel bookings and revenue. Many hoteliers have discovered that promptly responding to reviews has a positive impact on a hotel's online reputation. Online guest reviews cannot be modified or changed once they are written, nevertheless, responding to them is still very important and impacts the perception of your brand and ultimately reservations. This article will look at how to create an effective response strategy, so you can leverage the power of reviews and boost your conversion rates. We will also provide insight into the approach taken by two well-known hotel brands when responding to reviews. READ MORE

The hospitality industry is changing in ways we never saw coming. Thanks to Millennials who don't travel like their predecessors coupled with growing competition from disruptors in the sharing economy, all players in the travel arena need to up their game with new concepts and innovation in order to not just stay relevant, but profitable, too. Hotel sales departments need to completely change the way they've done business previously in order to have success selling to this new generation of traveler. Technology and experiences are key, but we also can't risk losing sight of compassion and creating relationships. READ MORE

Embedded in the travel-buying decision making process is consideration of online reviews. Led by the mother of all travel review sites - TripAdvisor - these resources provide a platform for individuals to post direct comments about their experiences in specific hotels and resorts. Smart owners and operators are embracing the major review sites, gleaning information that gives them an understanding of the guest experience - good, bad or indifferent - and serves as a barometer for answering the question: "How are we doing?" This article provides an overview of the main review sites and their influence, offering recommendations for responding to reviews. READ MORE

What are the hotels of the future? Will all the newest technology implications harm or hurt us? Jackson Thilenius of Retail Design Collaborative highlights what the future of the hotel looks like, how technology is rapidly changing our lives for the better and for the worst, and how hotels can help fill a need in the marketplace as a safe haven for consumers to “tap back in” to our true selves, senses and the wonder of life and our humanity. READ MORE