Tag Archives: Hotel

Hospitality Industry Technology Update: “The Hotel Booking App That Will Change Everything!”

“Also, unlike most apps, Roomlia has no ties to a user’s credit card information. It passes the credit card data on to the hotel securely,Roomlia which means that the user can handle booking changes directly with his or her hotel of choice, making it much easier on the traveler and the hotel.”

I am an avid hotel-booking-app user. I regularly toggle between Hotel Tonight, Expedia, Travelocity, and Orbitz to hunt for rooms and deals when I travel. Sometimes I use them even when I don’t have travel plans as a way to decide where I want to go. I’m cheap!

I like to search Gogobot to browse by destination. I think Hipmunk offers a stellar user experience. I am not altogether unhappy with the app landscape right now, so I’m not necessarily in the market for a new hotel booking app, but I am always willing to try something new.

For more: http://yhoo.it/1qKUGuJ

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Filed under Hotel Industry, Management And Ownership, Technology

Hospitality Industry Conference Update” Southern California Hotel and Lodging Conference”

Hospitality Industry Conference Update” Southern California Hotel and Lodging Conference”

We just wanted to remind everyone to come check out Petra’s own Director of Risk Management, Todd Seiders, and Loss Control Manager, Marco Johnson, at the Southern California Hotel and Lodging Conference. We hope to see you there!

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Filed under Conferences, Hotel Industry, Management And Ownership, Risk Management

Hospitality Industry Legal Update: “Lawsuits to Recover Unpaid Wages and Damages For 89 Workers at Five Hotels Filed by US Labor Department”

“…Investigators from the division’s Columbus District Office found violations of the FLSA’s minimum wage, overtime and record keeping provisions for 61 workers jointly employed by Darpan Management and Fantastic Cleaning. Fantastic Cleaning, which provided housekeepers, attendants and laundry DOL staff for the hotels owned and operated by Darpan Management, misclassified the housekeepers, who were employees, as independent contractors. These employees were paid by the room and frequently did not earn enough to make the federal minimum wage…”

The U.S. Department of Labor has filed two lawsuits in the federal district court in Columbus against Darpan Management Inc.; five hotels the company owns and manages; and its owners, Darshan Shah, Vibhakar Shah and Prakash Patel.

One of the lawsuits addresses violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act’s minimum wage and overtime provisions for the hotel staff directly working for Darpan Management, and the other addresses similar violations for workers jointly employed by Fantastic Cleaning Ltd., a company that provided hotel staff to Darpan Management. The two lawsuits seek back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages for 89 workers.

For more: http://www.norwalkreflector.com/article/4378786

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Filed under Claims, Employment Practices Liability, Hotel Employees, Hotel Industry, Labor Issues, Management And Ownership

Hospitality Industry Legal Update: “Recent Hotel Incidents Serve as Cautionary Tales of Carbon Monoxide Health and Legal Risks”

“…Should a hotel have to contend with the unthinkable, a catastrophic incident, such as carbon monoxide poisoning, it is advisable to immediately conduct a detailed and thorough investigation. Preferably, counsel should be retained at the outset to shepherd the investigation, retain appropriate experts Image and serve as a liaison between the hotel and the investigating authorities. The benefit of counsel conducting the investigation is that everything learned during the course of the investigation falls under attorney client privilege in the likely event that a lawsuit is initiated…”

Recently media exposure regarding the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning in hotels, motels, and resorts has seemed to increase. The issue has garnered attention among such major media outlets as ABC News’ 20/20, USA Today, and CNN. With good reason – a 2013 USA Today Investigation showed that, “eight people have died and at least 170 others have been treated for carbon monoxide poisoning in the past three years in hotels.” A concerning statistic given that according to the United States Consumer Product Safety Comission, approximately 170 people die each year from carbon monoxide produced by non-automotive consumer products overall.

Carbon monoxide, also known as CO, is a colorless, odorless, gas with toxic consequences for people and animals. Carbon monoxide poisoning is a risk that hotel, motel, and resort operators must take seriously, most importantly to ensure the safety and well-being of guests. But also because of the potential legal exposure carbon monoxide poisoning poses, both to business entities and individual owners, should the unthinkable happen in their hotel.

For more: http://hlconverge.com/index.php/component/k2/item/815-recent-hotel-incidents-serve-as-cautionary-tales-of-carbon-monoxide-health-and-legal-risks

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Filed under Claims, Guest Issues, Health, Hotel Industry, Liability, Management And Ownership, Pool And Spa, Risk Management

Hospitality Industry Insurance Update: “Insurance Recovery for Business Interruption & Slowdown”

“…When claims arise, insurance companies will often look for ways to deny coverage or diminish their exposure to the loss. After charging you premiums based on the entirety of your business operations, these insurance companies should not be so quick to deny coverage to you on the grounds that Image you merely suffered a slowdown or partial interruption. If your insurance company is not fully cooperating, you should engage the services of an insurance recovery attorney who can assist you in getting the insurance company to honor its obligations under the policy…”

What happens when a hotel suffers property damage, whether by natural disaster or man-made accident, and is forced to close some or all of its rooms, amenities or services? It is important to understand how insurance can protect you from the resulting financial loss. In addition to potential recovery for property damage from your property/casualty policy, you may be able to recover lost revenue from your business interruption coverage. If your operations are disrupted, whether completely or partially, the language of your policy will determine if, and for how long, your insurance company will cover such loss.

For more: http://hlconverge.com/index.php/component/k2/item/825-insurance-recovery-for-business-interruption-slowdown

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Filed under Business Interruption Insurance, Insurance, Management And Ownership

Hospitality Industry Technology Update: “Tiered Wi-Fi Emerges as New Industry Model”

“…major hotel companies that have offered free Wi-Fi for several years at limited- and select-service brands have recognized that free basic Wi-Fi is indeed now a consumer expectation. Wifi In response, they have begun developing tiered offerings that satisfy customer demands while also leaving open the possibility of revenue for premium service….” 

After seeing complimentary Wi-Fi service become ubiquitous at limited- and select-service hotels, owner-operators of full-service properties are now facing growing pressures from consumers and brands to provide a tiered program that features free, property-wide basic service while charging for premium broadband access.

 “What we’re seeing now is more brands responding to consumer demand, because there has been a clear indication from consumers that basic connectivity is something they now expect us to provide (at no cost),” said Bill DeForrest, president and CEO of Chicago-based Spire Hospitality, which manages 22 properties including two full-service hotels under the Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand.

For more: https://www.hotelnewsnow.com/Article/13509/Tiered-Wi-Fi-emerges-as-new-industry-model

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Filed under Guest Issues, Hotel Industry, Management And Ownership, Technology

Hospitality Industry Security Update: “Hotel Security for the Traveler”

“…There are three questions to ask for selecting a secure hotel: Are there electronic door locks? Is there good key control? And is there a fire alarm and water sprinkler system? Image Generally, the only way to find this out is calling the hotel directly. The number one security issue is controlling who has access to a guest’s hotel room…

The sad truth is that criminals target travelers, especially in and around hotels. The abundance of literature on the topic of hotel security does not seem to have deterred criminals from using hotels as a target of their trade. An informal survey of hotel security staff reveals old patterns of crime repeated and new tricks (or new variations of old tricks) continue as before. There are, however, some practices which can reduce your risk of being the target of crime or other hazards in a hotel.

For more: http://businessdayonline.com/2014/04/hotel-security-for-the-traveler/#.U0v56q1dXnw

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Filed under Crime, Guest Issues, Hotel Industry, Management And Ownership, Risk Management

Hospitality Industry Conference Update” Southern California Hotel and Lodging Conference”

Hospitality Industry Conference Update

Come check out Petra’s own Director of Risk Management, Todd Seiders, and Loss Control Manager, Marco Johnson, at the Southern California Hotel and Lodging Conference.

For more: http://www.calodging.com/events/2014-southern-california-hotel-lodging-conference/

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by | April 11, 2014 · 8:33 am

Hospitality Industry Risk Management Update: “Two Arrested at Flagstaff Hotel on Prostitution Charges”

“…When the officer asked where the woman got the money, she said it came from the men she sleeps with. The woman, who said she had just moved to Arizona from California, Image told the officer she became a prostitute a few weeks earlier because a friend told her it was a good way to make money. She said she placed an ad on Craigslist and charged the men who responded to it between $100 and $150 to have sex with her…”

An 18-year-old woman and a 60-year-old man were arrested on prostitution charges at a Flagstaff hotel this week.

According to the police reports, two officers responded to the Quality Inn at 2500 E. Lucky Lane around 7 p.m. Monday after someone called Crimestop to report that several different men had been coming and going from a young woman’s room.

Officers knocked on the woman’s hotel room door and a man with disheveled and partially unbuttoned clothing walked out. He shouted, “It’s the cops” as he tried to walk away but was stopped by one of the officers.

For more: http://azdailysun.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/two-arrested-at-flagstaff-hotel-on-prostitution-charges/article_c972d69c-c073-11e3-bbe6-0019bb2963f4.html

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Filed under Crime, Hotel Industry, Management And Ownership, Risk Management

Hospitality Industry Legal Risks: “Boone Hotel Executive Charged in Best Western Deaths “

“…Investigators have determined that carbon monoxide from the swimming pool water heater seeped up from a corroded exhaust pipe into the room, Imagekilling Daryl and Shirley Jenkins of Washington state in April and 11-year-old Jeffrey Williams of York County in June. Jeffrey’s mother, Jeannie, suffered serious injuries…”

“…“It doesn’t require evil intent,” said John Barylick, a lawyer in the Rhode Island case. ‘It just requires that you were stunningly careless.’…”

A business executive who managed the Best Western was indicted Wednesday on charges of involuntary manslaughter in the deaths last year of three hotel guests poisoned by carbon monoxide.A grand jury returned the three counts against Damon Mallatere, president of Appalachian Hospitality Management. The jury also indicted Mallatere on one additional count of assault inflicting serious bodily injury on another hotel guest who was poisoned.Police and prosecutors ended a news briefing without discussing the indictments, leaving many unanswered questions. Though Mallatere is the only person charged, an Observer investigation uncovered multiple missteps that contributed to the tragedies in the hotel’s Room 225.

For more: http://www.thestate.com/2014/01/08/3196549/boone-hotel-executive-charged.html

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/2014/01/08/3196549/boone-hotel-executive-charged.html#storylink=cpy
Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/2014/01/08/3196549/boone-hotel-executive-charged.html#storylink=cpyImage

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Filed under Guest Issues, Liability, Maintenance, Pool And Spa, Risk Management