Embarking on a major hotel renovation can be an exciting endeavor. When we began formulating our renewed vision for the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront in 2014, we were mindful of a dual responsibility: projecting the image of the regency brand while also infusing into the plan the personality and flavor of a unique surrounding region and its people. Now that the project is complete, others in the industry may benefit from learning about how we achieved those objectives. In all, the year-long renovation included a floor-to-ceiling overhaul of all 951 guest rooms, corridors, the roof-top fitness center, select meeting spaces and more. READ MORE

A hotel is not the same as a house or a warehouse or an apartment or office building, and assessors often don't understand why. The hospitality sector is frequently the most challenging part of a jurisdiction's property tax base. The only way to derive a hotel's real property value from a purchase price is for an assessor to spend time and energy understanding the adjustments needed to accurately determine what part of that purchase price relates to real property and whether or not it can be used as a sales comparable for other hotels in that jurisdiction. READ MORE

Hilton released a survey that asked meeting attendees in the United States, United Kingdom and Germany about their productivity, exercise and diet habits while at hotel meetings. We found that business indeed takes a dive around 2 p.m., and in addition to the afternoon slump, there's a number of other issues that detract from meeting productivity and attendee satisfaction. More than half of meeting attendees pay attention to what they eat and how they exercise in their daily lives, but most were unsatisfied with the ability to maintain this lifestyle while attending meetings at hotels. These meetings aren't just unproductive, they're draining an organization's bottom line. READ MORE

The hospitality industry is repeated history! Every time an issue surfaces no one takes notice and the episode is repeated over and over like a “broken record”. Renard International has been in hospitality search for almost 50 years (yes- FIFTY) and so we have experienced the recessions of the 70's,80's, & 90's, we know when a recession occurs, the last measure companies take is to hire anyone! We also have seen generations of hoteliers leave or never join our business, Why? READ MORE

Renovations at hotel properties promise significant rewards. From higher guest loyalty scores to additional revenue streams and new business from trusted partners, revitalizing a property constitutes a win for both brands and owners - but only when done right. As the Global Head of Embassy Suites by Hilton, I've witnessed many major renovation projects firsthand. The successful ones have three important factors in common: owners who think bigger than just their financials; careful planning with guests' needs kept top-of-mind; and a strong collaboration between the brand and ownership to prioritize renovation areas and create cost-effective strategies that align with individual budgets. READ MORE