Tag Archives: Hotels

by | June 13, 2013 · 6:16 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Texas Hotel Fire Starts In Air Conditioning Unit, Resulting In Extensive Damage And Death Of Elderly Guest From Smoke Inhalation

“…occupants of the actual room where the fire started…woke up in the night to their fire alarm going off and could see fire coming out of the air Hotel Fire and Smoke Damageconditioning unit in their room…the death of hotel guest  Rena Goodson, 74, of Holly Lake Ranch, was attributed to smoke inhalation…she was carried from the burning building by firefighters and transferred to a Dallas hospital, where she died over the weekend…”

Fire investigators said Wednesday that the fire that claimed the life of a Holly Lake Ranch woman and destroyed a large part of the Best Western Trail Dust Inn started in an air conditioning unit.  Assistant Fire Marshall Eric Hill said fire investigators Aaron Kager and David James interviewed hotel guests and combed through the burned out section of the hotel before making the ruling.

The fatal fire broke out sometime before 2 a.m. Saturday in the west wing of the hotel. The assistant fire marshall said the motel was booked to capacity when the fire broke out and forced evacuation of 58 people staying in that section of the hotel. Another 150 people were evacuated from adjoining buildings, which were threatened by the fire that stretched firefighting resources.

For more:  http://www.myssnews.com/news-telegram/news/22372-fatal-hotel-fire-started-in-ac-unit-ruled-accidental.html

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by | June 12, 2013 · 7:24 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Virginia Motel Suffers “Water Damage” To 24 Of 34 Rooms After Torrential Rainfall; Flood Insurance Will Cover Drywall, Paint And Carpeting Repairs

“…the motel owner said she faced a similar situation just 18 months ago. The flooding in September 2011 was even worse, she said, when the Hotel and Motel Flood Risksmotel rooms got more than three-feet of water. Patel said it was more like 2.5 feet this time…  Fortunately, she and her husband – who purchased the motel in 1978 – have flood insurance as 2011 damages totaled $120,000 including new carpet, paint, linens, drywall and more…”

The town of Culpeper continued to dry out Tuesday following torrential rainfall that dumped 5.5 inches of rain in four hours early Monday, sparking flash floods that displaced some 50 residents from an area motel.

Over at Sleepy Hollow Motel on Bus. 29, owner Urmila Patel, of Culpeper, frowned deeply at the massive clean-up ahead of her to 24 of the 34 motel rooms that sustained water damage when the banks of nearby Mountain Run ran over after midnight Monday.

Furniture, TVs, and mattresses from the rooms sat neatly stacked in the parking lot of the motel Tuesday as she waited for the insurance adjuster to arrive to assess damages. Piles of clothes left behind included a toddler’s shirt while discarded food items consisted of bags of bread, pizza boxes, soda cans and milk, evidence of recent occupancy.

For more:  http://www.dailyprogress.com/starexponent/news/local_news/sleepy-hollow-motel-dries-out-owner-says-she-will-reopen/article_3cf4c25a-d2cd-11e2-8196-0019bb30f31a.html

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by | June 11, 2013 · 5:55 am

Hospitality Industry Health Risks: Tennessee Hotel Guest Dies From “Carbon Monoxide Poisoning”; Room Directly Above Natural Gas Pool Heater

“…Health Department inspectors found deficiencies at the Best Western’s indoor swimming pool earlier this hotel Carbon Monoxide Poisoningyear…the bottom-floor pool is below the second-floor room where the deaths occurred. Room 225 is directly above a room with a natural gas heater for the pool, police said…a March 6 inspection showed the pool’s pump was not approved by an industry standards group. The report also found the pool’s chemical and equipment room needed better ventilation…”

Police on Monday said elevated carbon monoxide levels were found in a hotel room where an 11-year-old boy died over the weekend, two months after the poisonous gas killed an elderly couple in the same room. Authorities said an autopsy of Jeffrey Lee Williams of Rock Hill indicated he died from asphyxia, though blood tests were not complete. Jeffrey was found Saturday in a room at Best Western Plus Blue Ridge Plaza, where he was staying with his mother, Jeannie Williams.

Williams, 49, remained hospitalized Monday at Watauga Medical Center. At a Monday news conference, Boone police Sgt. Shane Robbins said newly obtained blood test results show carbon monoxide killed Daryl Dean Jenkins, 73, and Shirley Mae Jenkins, 72, both of Longview, Wash. They were found April 16, also in Room 225.

The revelations raised new questions about the death investigations, including why blood test results in the Jenkins’ deaths took two months to complete.

A spokesman for the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the state’s medical examiner’s office, refused to release death reports in the three cases, saying they were incomplete.

The Observer requested an interview with N.C. Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Deborah Radisch, but spokesman Ricky Diaz said she would not be available.

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/06/10/4097181/report-carbon-monoxide-found-at.html#storylink=cpy

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by | June 7, 2013 · 5:51 am

Hospitality Industry Legal Risks: Hotel Management Must Evaluate And Prepare For Potential “Punitive Damage Claims” In Lawsuits Arising From Privacy, Over Service Of Alcohol And Criminal Actions Of Employees

“…the No. 1 priority is effective case evaluation and resolution. Early factual investigation is critical in determining what happened, why it happened and who was involved. Knowing and preserving the correct version of facts and events with effective reporting mechanisms is essential Hospitality Industry Lawsuitto knowing what kind of claim possibly can be presented and what kind of exposure exists…”

“…it is critical to evaluate the potential punitive exposure early and assess the potential for a punitive claim to get to a jury. Always consider the risk that punitive damages may get to a jury, how a jury will receive the evidence and whether your hotel could be punished by a jury that is attempting to make a statement that these incidents will not be tolerated…”

Hoteliers may face the problematic public-relations case that contains a punitive damages claim. These claims include: invasion of privacy, inappropriate surveillance, over service of alcohol, and criminal actions of employees and third parties. These cases are difficult for members of the hospitality industry who pride themselves on showing customers a positive experience, want good feedback and want customers to return to their hotel.

Securing and preserving evidence, which includes photographs, videos, an accident report, incident statement and/or witness statements must be undertaken to document what the incident involves. If photographs and videos are not preserved once a hotel has notice of a claim, a court could instruct the jury that they can infer the hotel destroyed the evidence for a reason. It is critical to use technology to best find and preserve evidence. No potential accident can be overlooked as a hospitality group never knows what accidents can turn into a possible lawsuit.

For more:  http://www.hotelnewsnow.com/Articles.aspx/10625/How-to-respond-to-punitive-damages-claims

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by | June 4, 2013 · 6:04 am

Hospitality Industry Risk Solutions: “3rd Global Congress On Travel Risk Management” To Be Hosted By HospitalityLawyer.com On Sept. 30 – Oct 1 In Houston, TX (Video)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ij1BHdG4N-8&feature=player_embedded]

HospitalityLawyer.com Education Partner II

HospitalityLawyer.com

HospitalityLawyer.com, in coordination with the Greater Houston Convention & Visitors Bureau, will host the 3rd Global Congress on Travel Risk Management, September 30 to October 1, 2013, in Houston, Texas, at the Galleria Omni Hotel. The Global Congress focuses on  solutions enabling businesses and governments to meet their Duty of Care to mobile employees and protecting mobile data.

The travel, tourism and hospitality industries are a $3.5 trillion global economic powerhouse encompassing transportation, lodging, and venues and events. Governments around the world spend trillions on infrastructure and travel support systems. Disruptions are costly, both financially and in customer goodwill. The Global Congress’s objective is to facilitate the delivery of safe, secure and uninterrupted travel via an all-encompassing public-private dialogue dedicated to the sharing of best practices for issues faced by the global travel, tourism and hospitality industries.

For more:  http://www.hospitalitylawyer.com/?post_type=gc&p=565

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by | June 3, 2013 · 6:26 am

Hospitality Industry Technology Solutions: Hotels Increasingly Targeting “Millennials” With Free Wi-Fi, “Coffeehouse-Like Workspaces” And Unique, Local Food & Amenities

“…Hoteliers and researchers say Millennials, those generally born in the 1980s to the early 2000s, are unique travelers because they want to stay Hotel Technology Solutionsconstantly connected through social media, they want coffeehouse-like spaces where they can work and play, and they want unique and local amenities. They also want it all instantly and in a comfortable, modern setting…”

A survey last year by Boston Consulting Group of 4,000 Millennials ages 16 to 34 and 1,000 non-Millennials ages 35 to 74 found key differences between consumers in both age groups. Millennials value speed and convenience, are more likely to trust advice from peers than people with professional credentials and use technology to connect with more people in real time, the study found.

King says AC Hotels will appeal to those travelers who appreciate design, technology, good lighting and quick, efficient service.  An AC Lounge will have a menu of small plates, cocktails, wines and craft beers. Visitors will be able to book spaces for meetings from their smartphones using Marriott’s Workspace on Demand app. And Wi-Fi will be free throughout the property.

Commune’s Tommie, which will launch in New York in 2015, is unabashedly going after Millennials. Public lounges called Reading Rooms will promote socializing. Guests will be able to check themselves in and dine from a gourmet grab-and-go marketplace. Rates will stay in the mid-$200 range because of the limited services.

For more:  http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/hotels/2013/06/03/marriott-hotel-brand-millennials/2382003/

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by | June 2, 2013 · 6:50 am

Hospitality Industry Safety Risks: Alabama Hotel Guests Hospitalized By “Excessive Pool Chlorine Exposure”; Employee Failed To Turn Pump On

Hotel Pool Chlorine Health Issues“…employees of the hotel were putting chlorine in the pool without the pump on.  When the pump was turned back on, chlorine came out too fast instead of gradually…”

Nine people were sickened Sunday after coming into contact with too much chlorine at the Renaissance Birmingham Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa in Hoover.

Hoover Fire and Rescue were called out Sunday afternoon to the hotel pool where nine people had become ill.

Five people were treated on the scene. Two adults and two children were transported to local hospitals.
The pool was closed down for a short time but has since been reopened.

For more:  http://www.myfoxal.com/story/22427405/nine-people-sick-after-coming-into-contact-with-chlorine-at-a-hoover-hotel-pool

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by | June 1, 2013 · 6:41 am

Hospitality Industry Safety Risks: Hawaii Hotel Fined $48,000 By OSHA For 14 “Workplace Safety And Health Violations”; Lack Of Employee Training

According to the OSHA release, the serious violations at Kauai Beach Resort involved storage, handling and labeling of propane tanks, electrical wiring, electrical work practices by untrained maintenance personnel, and training and use of personal respiratory and Hospitality Industry OSHA Safety And Health It's The Lawelectrical protective equipment.

A popular Kauai hotel received 14 workplace safety and health standards violations on Thursday, and nine of them were serious enough for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration to take action. Kauai Beach Resort in Lihue faces a total of $48,000 in proposed fines. Kai Management Services of Lihue, the management company for Kauai Beach Resort, received the violations following a routine inspection conducted on Feb. 14 by the OSHA Honolulu Area Office.

  • Workers mixing chlorine for swimming pools do not present a hazard to swimmers. Failing to follow proper safety precautions puts the workers health in jeopardy and it is the responsibility of the employer to train them, he said.
  • The maid service handles chemicals and it is the responsibility of management to ensure they are trained and using safety equipment, he said.
  • Untrained workers altering the wiring of an electrical panel in performing day-to-day maintenance is a serious violation. Management must ensure that only qualified personnel work on energized circuits, he said.
  • Another violation included the incorrect use of flexible cords as substitutes for fixed wiring. In some instances this occurs from daisy-chaining several electrical strips in an industrial kitchen, where an overload from high amperage appliances could cause melting and a fire hazard, Lemke said.

For more:  http://thegardenisland.com/news/local/kauai-beach-resort-faces-k-in-fines-for-safety-violations/article_a38a085c-c9b5-11e2-828f-0019bb2963f4.html

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by | May 30, 2013 · 5:58 am

Hospitality Industry Crime Risks: New York Hotel Rooms Burglarized By Man Who Stole Housekeeping Master Key

“…An investigation found the housekeeping master key had been stolen. Maintenance personnel reported an individual had been seen using a card to enter a room other than his own, and more guests reported thefts and observations of someone entering rooms without authorization…A hotel thefthotel guest on the second floor claimed that when he returned to his room at 7 p.m. he found his suitcases unzipped, marks on a locked briefcase, two watches and other personal items missing, as well as the dresser from the room…”

After allegedly stealing the master key from the Super 8 Hotel on Route 17, a Hillburn, N.Y., man was arrested on charges of burglary, theft, and drug possession, according to Police Chief James Batelli. Frank Hadley, 40, who was a registered guest in a room on the third floor of the hotel from May 14-21, was arrested Monday, May 20, after an investigation by the Mahwah Police Department found he had stolen the master key and broke into hotel rooms.

Another guest, who was also staying on the second floor, reported that he was wakened by a knock at his door followed by the sound of the key card accessing the room. The guest went to grab the door and confronted the perpetuator who “rambled about having problems with satellite reception on the third floor,” Batelli said. The customer didn’t get a good look of the man at his door because of poor lighting, he said.

For more:  http://www.northjersey.com/news/209458021_Alleged_Mahwah_hotel_theif_stole_master_key.html

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by | May 26, 2013 · 6:38 am

Hospitality Industry Theft Risks: Indiana Hotel “Human Resources Employee” Fired After Issuing “Fraudulent Paychecks” To Himself

“…the HR director was solely responsible for issuing the paychecks for all employees at the hotel…Police were told that more than $7,045 was hospitality industry employee theftpaid to the employee beyond his regular earnings for his job, beginning in December…his boss told police that an internal investigation turned up evidence of the bogus extra paychecks, prompting the worker’s firing…”

A hotel executive has been fired after the hotel’s manager told police that he had been writing extra paychecks to himself. Airport police were called this week to the Radisson Indianapolis Airport, where the general manager handed officers copies of fraudulent paychecks that had been written to the hotel’s director of human resources.

General Manager Nitin Talati declined to comment in his hotel’s lobby on Thursday. His staff could be heard telling phone callers that the hotel was entirely booked for this week’s Indianapolis 500.

Police said Talati told them he had called the employee in when the checks were discovered and the worker admitted to writing himself the extra paychecks. The worker then signed a promissory note on April 12 agreeing to repay the money. Talati reported to police that none of the money had been repaid, so his company now wants to press charges.

For more:  http://www.theindychannel.com/news/call-6-investigators/former-hotel-executive-at-radisson-indianapolis-airport-accused-of-writing-himself-extra-paychecks

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