Category Archives: Maintenance

by | March 10, 2011 · 7:33 pm

Hospitality Industry Information Security Risks: "Electronic Pickpocketing" Allows Criminals To Steal Credit And Debit Cards Containing RFID Technology

“…criminals can steal credit cards, debit cards, passports and other valuable information…This crime is referred to as “electronic pickpocketing”.  The technology used to perform this type of theft is called radio frequency identification or “RFID”….

Hundreds of millions of credit cards, debit cards and all passports issued since 2006 are embedded with a radio frequency identification chip—or RFID.  RFID chips are also commonly used in hotel keys, cards that raise gates in parking garages and unlock doors at businesses.  Government, military and port of entry ID cards are also vulnerable to this type of theft.  You need only swipe the card in front of a reader.  The RFID chip is always on, making consumers more susceptible to identity theft. 

Thieves can steal this information by using a frequency reader.  These readers are inexpensive and easy to obtain.  The thief can simply walk next to you and acquire your credit card number and expiration date without any physical contact. While these cards are in your wallet or purse they can transmit your card or passport number and in some states, your digital drivers’ license information when placed near a reader.  The information almost immediately appears on a computer screen without you ever knowing about it.  Apparently U.S. passports are more difficult to read than cards with RFID chips because they require a password.  However, hackers with enough knowledge can see everything on the passport’s front page.   A thief can be long gone before the consumer ever realizes his information has been stolen.  This is “electronic pickpocketing”.

For more: http://www.ktnv.com/story/14225766/consumers-beware-of-electronic-pickpocketing

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by | February 16, 2011 · 4:18 am

Hospitality Industry Legal Risks: The 2012 "Americans With Disabilities Act" (ADA) Update Will Impact Hotel Ballrooms, Gyms, Spas And Employee Areas

“…the changes that are most significant to the hotel industry will affect public spaces, such as ballrooms and assembly areas, gyms, spas and employee areas…”

“…the current standards mandate that if you have six toilet compartments in a restroom, not only does one have to be a large ADA stall, but you have to have a second ADA stall that’s designed for people who have mobility issues. The second stall must be narrower and have rails on both sides…”

The new requirements take effect on 15 March 2012. Because the new rules will not be requirements for more than a year, any new development or remodeling completed before the new law goes into effect will be considered compliant.

The new standard is triggered by six fixtures, not compartments, in any combination of toilets or urinals. If the bathroom has only two stalls, one has to be the big ADA stall and the other has to be for those with mobility problems.

Other changes, according to sources:

  • The amount of counter space provided in the bathrooms of accessible rooms must be equivalent to the space provided in non-accessible rooms.
  • There is more explicit information about the acceptable depth of counters, which would apply to registration counters and counters in retail areas.
  • Swimming areas and spas are subject to expanded rules on accessible routes. Depending on the size of the pool, there may be a requirement for more than one access route into the pool, such as a ramp and stairs with handrails.
  • If there are multiple elevators that respond to the same call button, all elevators must be compliant instead of just one so that someone in a wheelchair doesn’t have to wait for the accessible one.
  • The disabled must be able to make reservations for guestrooms in the same manner as anyone else; if a hotel has an online system, they have to be able to reserve an accessible room online.
  • There are increased requirements for accessible routes within buildings.

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Filed under Guest Issues, Insurance, Labor Issues, Liability, Maintenance, Management And Ownership, Risk Management

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by | February 8, 2011 · 10:29 am

Hotel Industry Pool And Spa Risks: Michigan Hotel Faces Legal Issues After Guests Develop Skin Rashes From Bacterial “Accumulation Of Growth” After Pool And Spa Not Properly Backwashed And Chlorinated

A hockey team and parents from Illinois stayed at the hotel Jan. 18 and 19, and all 11 boys who went in the water developed a rash within 24 hours, said …a mother of one of the boys.

“…the health department inspected the pool Jan. 20 and told hotel managers that the pool and spa had to be backwashed. Managers were told to change the method used to chlorinate the water…”

“…she is retaining an attorney to compel the hotel to reimburse the traveling party for its rooms and medical bills…”

The hot tub at Holiday Inn-Southgate Banquet & Conference Center was closed for one day recently after several 7- and 8-year-old boys got bumpy, red rashes. According to Wayne County Department of Public Health documents, the tub and pool were inspected after a parent’s complaint and health officials told hotel management to close the tub for maintenance.

The investigation found a bacterial “accumulation of growth” on the hot tub and pool filter, and the hotel also had to sanitize those. The hot tub also was drained.

According to the health department, the hotel followed all of the changes and recommendations, and the hot tub was reopened the next day.

LoPresti said the hockey group received a gift certificate for one night’s stay free at the hotel for its inconvenience, but she doesn’t find that acceptable. “We wanted answers, (and) corporate and (the) local manager will not return the team’s calls,” she said. LoPresti said she did receive an e-mail from hotel management explaining its cleaning procedures and apologizing for any discomfort.

LoPresti said she is retaining an attorney to compel the hotel to reimburse the traveling party for its rooms and medical bills.

For more:  http://thenewsherald.com/articles/2011/02/08/news/doc4d4c7aeb6802b829841452.txt?viewmode=fullstory

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by | February 7, 2011 · 7:29 pm

Hotel Industry Security Risks: Importance Of Security Cameras And Securely-Locked Doors Seen In Robbery And Assault Of Louisiana Hotel Guests

It’s believed the two men by-passed the front desk and slipped into the hotel through the back door as someone else was leaving. Security cameras show they went directly to the elevator and proceeded to the 6th floor.

The Sleep Inn Hotel in Kenner is where police say three guests were terrorized inside their 6th floor hotel room. Security cameras are posted in all public areas of the hotel.

That’s how detectives obtained pictures of the men they say robbed the victims at gunpoint and took off. “We know there was some property taken but we don’t have a whole lot of information about that right now,” says McInnis.

WGNO Reporter, Darian Trotter says, “The fact that there were other guests on the 6th floor, but no other robberies reported, leads investigators to believe the victims may have been targeted.”

Lt. McInnis says he showed the victims pictures from security cameras. “They said these are the two individuals who burst into the room carrying firearms and robbed us,” McInnis says. He says the victims had never seen the gunmen before, and therefore did not know their names or any information that might help police identify them.

For more:  http://www.neworleans.com/news/local-news/559140.html

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by | February 5, 2011 · 9:43 am

Hospitality Industry Fire Risks: Canadian Hotel Health Club Sauna Fire Caused By "Short-Circuited Ceiling Light"

An almost full Chateau Laurier was evacuated Thursday night after a fire broke out in the sauna room, and while the investigation was still ongoing Friday morning, early indications were that a ceiling light may have short-circuited.

The fire was contained to the sauna, which is encased in thick masonry, said fire department spokesman Marc Messier. Perrin added that while it is a heritage building, the hotel’s electrical systems have been updated and are regularly checked to make sure they’re up to code.

The historic, 99-year-old hotel was at 91-per-cent capacity, firefighters said. The blaze broke out at about 11:40 p.m. in the sauna ceiling on the main floor and it was brought under control by midnight. No injuries were reported, and damage was estimated at about $12,000. Hotel guests gathered in the lobby where blankets, hot chocolate and more were passed around, said hotel spokeswoman Deneen Perrin. Staff were also on hand to provide regular updates during the 20 minutes that guests needed to be out of their rooms.

The fire was initially reported by overnight cleaning staff who were working in the pool area, which was closed, and saw some smoke. While the nearby health club is open 24 hours a day, no one was using it at the time, Perrin said.

Read more: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Chateau+Laurier+sauna+fire+forces+evacuation+near+capacity+hotel/4228769/story.html#ixzz1D6g2fkOB

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by | February 4, 2011 · 2:58 pm

Hospitality Industry Risk Solutions: New York Hotel Introduces "iPads" Into Guestrooms For Room Service, Concierge Communications, And Room Controls As Technology Delivers Instantaneous Quality Control Throughout Property

[vimeo http://vimeo.com/19170938]

 At the touch of a screen, guests are able to order room service, make restaurant reservations, communicate directly with the concierge, request wake-up calls, explore NYC destination guides, and even check airline schedules and print boarding passes (which are promptly delivered to their room). Guests can even use the iPad to control the lights in their room as well as the heat and air conditioning systems.

New York’s Plaza Hotel is offering iPads in each of its guest rooms and suites. The program, which launched in January, makes the landmark hotel on Central Park South the first hotel in the world to provide guests services and room controls using iPads and Intelity’s ICE (Interactive Customer Experience) software to all of its guests.

“We chose the iPad because it is a great piece of equipment that is here to stay and won’t disappear tomorrow,” adds Krige. “It brings another five star element to the hotel.”

The iPads will not replace the human element at The Plaza.

“They are not meant to replace our concierge service and the personal touch we are known for,” Krige says. “It is to provide more choice. At a five star hotel you should have choices—if you want to use the iPad, you can do so. If you want a butler service, that is available, too. If you want to be left alone, that is a choice, as well. By putting the iPads in the guest rooms, we are bringing a new technology to everyone’s fingertips.”

In addition to providing a service to guests, the system helps the hotel track how it responds to requests made by guests, such as how long it takes to deliver a requested toothbrush. “If you order a pair of slippers, the request will go directly to the slipper department with no intermediary,” says Krige. “The requests go directly to the end producer, so that they can be very efficient.

For more:  http://www.luxist.com/2011/02/03/the-plaza-in-new-york-offers-ipads-in-all-guest-rooms-and-suites/

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by | February 1, 2011 · 5:16 pm

Hotel Industry Liability Risks: 2-Year Old Falls Down Elevator Shaft At New York Hotel After Child Opens Door That Should Have Required A Key

 The toddler then fell through a 16-inch gap. Inspectors say the switch should have required a key to operate or should have been in a locked panel.

Newer elevators are designed so there is no gap between the door and wall. Building owners have until 2015 to have older elevators retrofitted.

The chief building inspector in Joliet says a code violation played a role in an elevator accident which injured a 2-year-old boy last week. The child fell down an elevator shaft at the plaza hotel.

Inspectors tell the Joliet Herald News that the boy probably flipped a switch which stopped the elevator between floors and opened the doors. The toddler then fell through a 16-inch gap. Inspectors say the switch should have required a key to operate or should have been in a locked panel.

Newer elevators are designed so there is no gap between the door and wall. Building owners have until 2015 to have older elevators retrofitted.

The state fire marshal’s office has temporarily suspended the licenses of two inspectors who certified that elevator in October.

For more:  http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=7932805

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by | January 30, 2011 · 12:05 pm

Florida Hotel Threatens "TripAdvisor.com" With Lawsuit Over "Inaccurate Reviews" Of Cleanliness Of Hotel; Website Does Not Perform "Onsite Inspections"

A Volusia County hotel is threatening legal action after a website listed the hotel as one of the dirtiest in the country.

According to state officials the report by TripAdvisor.com paints an inaccurate picture of conditions at The Desert Inn Resort.

The owner Dennis Devlin showed WFTV his hotel which is located on Atlantic Avenue in Daytona Beach. Devlin said he’s furious at the travel website, which advertises reviews from travelers.

“When they put someone on a list you think they’d at least do an onsite inspection to verify what they’re saying is true,” said Devlin.

Some of the reviews said the Desert Inn Resort has roaches; however, the hotel just passed a state inspection which looks for sanitation and safety violations. Devlin claims that a majority of the reviews are bogus. “One person can write two negative reviews a month just by having different email addresses, different IP addresses.”

A spokesperson from TripAdvisor.com told WFTV that the reviews are based on cleanliness ratings from travelers who said they’ve stayed at The Desert Inn Resort.

They said out of hundreds of reviews, 80 percent wouldn’t recommend the hotel. WFTV asked if they check hotel confirmation numbers or receipts to prove its travelers stayed at the hotel. A spokesperson said they don’t ask for that information. Delvin said it’s unfair and that’s why he plans to sue TripAdvisor.com.

For more: http://www.wftv.com/news/26665059/detail.html

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by | December 20, 2010 · 6:24 am

Hospitality Industry Guest Room Security: Hotels Are Deploying New Technology For In-Room Guest Security And Satisfaction (Video)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0s1EOY8P__4&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL]

David Heckaman, VP of Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, walks us through some of the cool features built into their new Hotel in Las Vegas. the technology is by Control4, Guestlink, Saflok and Axxess. The system adds security, huge Energy savings and provides Guests with the best in-Room experience they can possibly have.

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by | December 18, 2010 · 3:22 am

Hospitality Technology: New Hotel Sensors Reduce Energy Consumption While Increasing Guest Safety And Comfort

The Westin Resort & Spa Whistler is continuing their quest to become one of Whistler’s most sustainable properties with the recent addition of new environmentally sustainable operations and programs.

  • The Westin Resort & Spa is the first resort in Whistler to install the Energex sensors, greatly increasing the green options for guests during their stay. The infrared-based technology can detect the presence of a guest in a suite, and when vacant, automatically adjust the temperature to a more moderate, energy-efficient level.
  • A centralized building automation system also allows real time control of the temperature of every suite simultaneously to conserve energy during periods of lower occupancy.  The system is expected to reduce the property’s carbon footprint by more than 54 tons of greenhouse gasses annually.
  • Housekeeping and engineering staff can detect when a suite is occupied before having to knock. Service to a suite can be discretely scheduled without ever disturbing a guest. 
  • The system also aids in guest safety by providing important information to expedite a building evacuation.
  • Guests can decline housekeeping service for stays over one night to conserve laundry, energy and cleaning chemicals, and in return carbon-offset credits are purchased on their behalf.

For more:  http://www.hotelnewsresource.com/article50999.html

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