Serving liquor is risky business. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were 88,000 alcohol-related deaths each year from 2006 to 2010, and MADD reports 28 people die each day as a result of drunk driving accidents. Like all businesses that serve alcohol, the hospitality industry must be concerned about these trends and their liquor liability exposure. READ MORE

As with most industries, there are myriad competing interests in the hospitality sector: developer vs. lender; franchisor vs. franchisee; operator vs. guest; owner vs. management company. The list, cynical as it may be, goes on. But there is one thing on which nearly all business people agree, and that unifies even the most divided of parties: lawyers kill deals. As a profession, we may have earned that reputation through negative comments about proposed transactions; advice based on theory and not practice; and a failure to put our clients ahead of ourselves. A good lawyer in the hands of a smart client, however, not only avoids killing deals but can be one of your best sales tools. READ MORE

A continued positive economy, with the 2008-2009 recession firmly in the rear view mirror; excellent levels of business travel; and consumer confidence have all contributed to a sustained strong hospitality marketplace. At the same time, a number of factors, including the ability to acquire existing hotels for below replacement cost, the preference of private and public entities to purchase existing properties with in-place cash flow and the difficulty to finance new hotel construction have, so far, constrained overall growth in supply. With that said, it is important to note that strong recent sales prices have helped encourage some additional supply, especially in strong markets. This is a trend that bears watching. READ MORE

I recently overheard my team prioritize “mobile” hospitality over every other guest communication method. I realized that through our association to a physical phone, we had limited our reach and would eventually become irrelevant in the industry. Using the term “mobile” is comparable to using the word “laptop” when attributing benefits of wireless capabilities. The real value lies in what “mobile” can do - the empowerment and choices the technology behind the device offers. Hotels should whole-heartedly actualize mobile technology, but stop picturing the concept as simply investing in a mobile application. What you should be thinking about is, “How do I truly communicate and connect with my guest?” READ MORE

In today's fast-paced world of the hotel industry, guests are demanding that they have the ability to engage on property with their smartphones. What if you knew when a particular guest was arriving as he or she walked in? What if guests had the option to skip the check-in line and go right to their rooms? And what if you could send personalized messages to guests based on their loyalty program data and previous behavior? Beacon technology can now make all of this possible, and it will enable the next generation of guest engagement and a much deeper level of personalized interaction with guests than ever before. With a blend of Bluetooth® Smart and Wi-Fi indoor locationing technologies, hoteliers can provide every guest with the ultimate in personalized service from the moment they walk into the hotel to the moment they walk out. READ MORE