Tag Archives: Hotels

by | May 11, 2010 · 6:17 am

Hospitality Industry Theft Risks: Hotel Surveillance Cameras And Guest “Identification” Procedures Are Best Deterrent To Property Theft

Gordon called the April 3 thefts at the Hampton Inns “very brazen, and quite frankly stupid,” given that the hotel lobbies have surveillance cameras.

In both cases, Gordon said, Cole checked in using a fake ID and paid in cash. Then he and Harrington left with flat-screens worth more than $1,000 each, Gordon said.

(From an AJC.com article)   Jonathan Cole and Brooke Harrington have been arrested by the Atlanta Police Department, Alpharetta police spokesman George Gordon said Friday.

Police were looking for Cole and Harrington after they hit two Hampton Inns in Alpharetta on a single Saturday. They also are wanted for similar thefts in Gwinnett County and the city of Norcross, Gordon told the AJC.

“We had been looking for them for a while … They hid out really well,” Gordon said. “This was a prolific crew traveling all over metro Atlanta area.”

http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/atlanta-police-nab-flat-522306.html

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by | May 8, 2010 · 5:42 am

Hotel Flood Insurance: Gaylord Opryland Resort (Nashville, TN) Purchased Maximum $50 Million Flood Insurance And Is Unsure If Coverage Will Be Sufficient

The $1 billion-plus hotel on the banks of the Cumberland River had $50 million in flood insurance. Asked whether that amount would be enough to cover the damages, Reed said: “Maybe, but we just don’t know.”

That amount was the maximum level of flood insurance Gaylord could buy from any insurer “because we sit next to the Cumberland River,” Reed said. The company had tried to buy more, but couldn’t find any insurer willing to go above $50 million of coverage.

(From a Tennessean.com article)   It could be up to six months before the flooded Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center reopens, and the full extent of damage is still being assessed, Gaylord CEO and Chairman Colin Reed told The Tennessean today.

“We have water in the tunnels; we have no understanding of the damage to the power plant. It could take three months, four months, five months or six months. The fact of the matter is that until we get the water out, we just don’t know,” Reed said.

He also said the hotel’s staff will remain on the payroll for at least the next six weeks and will play a role in helping the vast facility rebound. It’s unclear what happens with people’s pay after that initial period.

A flagship of Nashville’s tourism industry, the Opryland Resort & Convention Center was evacuated Sunday night as floodwaters spilled over the Cumberland River, filling parts of the hotel with 10 feet of water. Electronics systems and other high-tech equipment are at risk.

It will take a week to get floodwater pumped out, Reed said, and by then the company may have a better understanding of the full extent of damages. “Until we’re able to get to the technology, we just don’t know.”

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20100506/BUSINESS01/100506076/-1/nsitemapXML/Opryland-hotel-may-be-closed-for-six-months

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by | April 20, 2010 · 8:36 am

Hospitality Industry Risk: Cybercrime Is Targeting Smaller Companies Who Need To Employ Security Packages

“We are in an arms race with sophisticated, high tech enemies who are now concentrating on smaller business bank accounts in addition to their continued efforts to steal from large corporations.” To combat the risk, Conner suggests that small businesses employ a “triple threat” security package that would include

• Authentication 

• Fraud detection  

• “Out-of-band transaction verification and signing for high-risk transactions”

(From a USAToday.com article)    Authentication and fraud detection intuitively make sense – these sorts of products look at your transaction, and transaction history, and check for suspicious activity. Conner explained that while Entrust already offers the first two types of protection, to better serve its customers, it is adding that third, necessary layer, of protection with a new product being launched this week.

 “IdentityGuard Mobile” is an app for your smartphone. When a potentially suspicious activity begins to hit your account, this product sends you a text of the transaction details and asks you to authenticate and approve it before the bank can approve it.

 With the challenges to small business coming from all sides – decreased lending, tighter budgets, wary consumers – the last thing we need is to take a financial hit due to cybercrime, so we must be vigilant. Keep your security patches up to date. Make sure you have a robust antivirus suite. Change your pass codes frequently. Use the triple threat.

  http://www.usatoday.com/money/smallbusiness/columnist/strauss/2010-04-18-cyber-threats_N.htm

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by | April 13, 2010 · 5:17 am

Hotel Industry Theft: Criminals Target Small Hotel Flat-Screen TV’s To Steal

Alpharetta police said the thieves, a man and a woman, will rent a room to steal the televisions. They pay with cash and use a fraudulent driver’s license for identification.

(From a CBSAtlanta.com article)   A couple is stealing flat screen televisions from Alpharetta hotels, police said Thursday.

“It’s very frustrating because we put a lot of money and energy into the hotel, and somebody just checks in and decides to take it,” said Tracey Cox.

Cox is the manager of a Hampton Inn in Alpharetta that had two flat screens stolen this past weekend.

Alpharetta police said the thieves, a man and a woman, will rent a room to steal the televisions. They pay with cash and use a fraudulent driver’s license for identification.

Just hours before Cox’s hotel was hit, the thieves targeted another Hampton Inn in Alpharetta stealing three televisions. Alpharetta police said they’re also investigating if the couple is responsible for similar burglaries in other area cities.

The man and woman’s images were clearly captured on hotel surveillance cameras. Police have identified the woman and are looking for her. However, they’re asking for the public’s help identifying and locating the man.

“We want to prevent this from happening at other hotels, and we want to get the bad guy, because that’s a crime,” said Cox.

http://www.cbsatlanta.com/news/23090169/detail.html

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by | April 6, 2010 · 10:12 am

Hotel Industry Sexual Harassment: Smaller Hotel Operators Have Minimal “Workplace Hostility” Procedures In Place And Managers Are Often “Friends” Of Senior Management

The situation was difficult to report internally, as the hotel had no clear-cut method of filing such a form of workplace hostility, according to Tsamis. Calls by Windy City Times to the human resources department at the hotel were not returned.

The matter grew more complicated because the manager is friends with the son of the general manager and the human resources manager, according to Kosman.

“Because there was not a policy of reporting in place, I wrote a letter to Bricton Group,” Tsamis said.

(From a WindyCityMediaGroup.com article)   When Hernan Cortes began working for Holiday Inn in 2006, he was pleased with the job.

“It was an excellent work environment,” said Cortes.

Things changed radically in August 2009, when, according to Cortes, his new male supervising manager began sexually harassing him and, ironically, discriminating against him due to his sexual orientation.

Sexual harassment and discrimination based on sexual orientation, two forms of workplace hostility, have intersected in a case involving employees of a Holiday Inn franchise in Elmhurst, Ill. The hotel is run by The Bricton Group, which is based in Park Ridge, Ill.

Two employees of the hotel have sought legal advice due to the alleged incidents.

Dan Kosman, the second employee seeking legal assistance, began working for the hotel in June 2009. Around August, his supervising manager—the same manager who also supervised over Cortes—allegedly began sexual harassing him as well.

“I’d walk by and he’d pinch my butt,” Kosman said. “I’d be by the filing cabinet, bending over, and he’d come over and bump me purposely.

Kosman added that the manager also committed more lewd actions, such as exposing his penis to him. Cortes reportedly faced similar harassment.

Discrimination based on sexual orientation also came into play, when other employees were present, said Kosman and Cortes.

“He called me ‘F squared,’ which mean ‘f’ing faggot,'” Cortes said.

“As the harassment went on, he was obviously a closeted gay,” Kosman said. “When there were other people around, he was definitely throwing [ homophobic words ] around to whomever he was talking to. I would be somewhere on the sidelines … and he’d say, ‘Oh, that guy’s a fag.'”

Kosman sought the advice of Lambda Legal, an organization that offers legal assistance to the LGBT community, in December. Lambda referred Kosman to his current lawyer, Betty Tsamis.

http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=25872

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by | March 31, 2010 · 6:03 am

Hospitality Industry Cybercrime: The 10 Riskiest Cities For Cybercrime Include Major Hotel Destinations Such As #1 Seattle, San Francisco And Boston

The 10 Riskiest Cities for Cyber-Crime identified in the The Norton Top 10 Riskiest Online Cities report make up a laundry list of the most famous places in the country.

The top 10 listed are:

  1. Seattle
  2. Boston
  3. Washington, D.C.
  4. San Francisco
  5. Raleigh, N.C.
  6. Atlanta
  7. Minneapolis
  8. Denver
  9. Austin, Texas
  10. Portland, Ore.

(From a GovTech.com article)   Other notable cities in the remaining 40 include Honolulu (11), Las Vegas (13), San Diego (14), New York (24), Los Angeles (30), Houston (32), Phoenix (34) and Chicago (35). Rankings were determined from Symantec data on cyber-crime, third-party data on online behavior and demographic data from Sperling.

These cities have been ranked based on the numbers of malicious attacks received; potential malware infections; spam zombies; bot-infected machines; and places that offer free Wi-Fi, per capita. They were also ranked based on the prevalence of Internet use; computer use, based on consumer expenditures for hardware and software; and risky online activity, like purchasing via the Internet, e-mail and accessing financial information.

Seattle ranked in the top 10 of all categories, which is how it wound up as No.1 riskiest city in the survey.

“When you look at the data, they are way ahead on all these measures, so you’ve got a concentration of heavy usage of technology engaging in the kinds of activities that we know increase your risk of being a victim of cyber-crime,” said Marian Merritt, Norton Internet Safety Advocate.

http://www.govtech.com/gt/articles/750409

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by | March 23, 2010 · 5:35 am

Hotel Health And Safety Issues: Education On The “Risks For Infestation” Of Bed Bugs May Help Keep Treatment And Legal Costs Down

“Based on the traveling behavior of bed bugs, any industry or travel destination with a high visitor turn over is particularly at-risk for infestation,” said White. “It will be especially important for the hospitality industry to be educated on this matter so they can respond competently to a situation where treatment and legal costs can spike quickly.”

(From a PCTOnline.com article)   Pennsylvania’s hospitality sector has recognized the risks bed bugs pose to their industry and will gather March 25 to attend a bed bug seminar hosted by the Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association (GPHA) to learn how to combat this emerging issue.

GPHA is an association that represents the interests of the hospitality industry throughout Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey. Their activities include civic representation, community partnerships and industry education.

The association’s statewide seminar titled, “Bed Bugs and the Hospitality Industry: Little Bugs, Big Problem” will be held at the downtown Marriott Hotel in Philadelphia, PA, March 25 at 8:30 a.m. The event will address the latest information on bed bugs and the most recent treatment breakthroughs to minimize cost. The seminar will also tackle the problems this pest represents that are unique to the hospitality industry.

Suzanne Geyer, an associate director with GPHA acknowledged that the bed bug seminar would present important information to industry management regarding the correct procedures needed to effectively approach dealing with bed bugs.

“This seminar will be especially important for practitioners because the information provided here is specific to hospitality and will provide a deeper understanding of bed bugs and some of the strategies needed to minimize the operational impact these pests can inflict,” said Geyer.

http://www.pctonline.com/Philadelphia-bed-bug-seminar.aspx

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by | March 20, 2010 · 7:01 am

Hospitality Industry Risk: Smaller Hotels Reporting An “Epidemic” In Theft Of Flat Screen TV’s From Rooms Prompting Many Operators To Install Camera Systems

The theft prompted him to take action, investing in a $1,500 camera system to monitor the walkways outside rooms and, hopefully, he said, act as a deterrent to other would-be thieves.

(From a ReporterNews.com article)   Theft is “frequent enough we have to make a large order every month for linens and supplies we shouldn’t have to,” said Jo Ann Schibi, manager of the MCM Elegante Hotel. “It’s the hotel business. It’s been like this forever.”

Perhaps, but missing televisions have upped the ante for some victimized hotels in Abilene.

Dasi Reddy, owner of the Knights Inn Civic Plaza Hotel downtown, said he’s had six or seven televisions taken from rooms in the past 14 months.

At Motel 6 just west of town and near Interstate 20, eight flat-screen televisions were reported stolen March 7 from an unoccupied room, just two days after a 32-inch television had been reported stolen from a hotel room.

Local staff at the Motel 6 declined to comment, and police were unavailable Friday to discuss the case.

But TV thefts were described as “a new epidemic for us” by Laura Rojo-Eddy, director of corporate communications for Accor North America, the parent company of Motel 6.

The chain began renovations in the second-half of 2008 that included the addition of flat-screen televisions to rooms. With the flat-screen televisions, however, more thefts have followed, said Rojo-Eddy.

“I guess they’re smaller and easier to carry,” said Rojo-Eddy. “The industry kind of has had a problem to take care of them.”

For hotel operators, the losses hurt the bottom line during an economic recession that has included a sharp decrease in travel spending.

With an insurance deductible that doesn’t cover a $200 loss, Reddy said he mainly has paid for the replacement televisions himself.

Several items — including a television, microwave and ice machine — turned up missing March 12 after the departure of guests staying through a church outreach program, Reddy said.

“We want to help them,” said Reddy, who charges churches a reduced rate when they are helping house homeless or other displaced people. The church sponsoring the stay has been able to return some of the missing items to the hotel, he noted.

http://www.reporternews.com/news/2010/mar/19/stolen-tvs-trouble-hotels/

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by | March 15, 2010 · 6:43 am

Hotel Theft Prevention: Flat Screen TV Theft From Hotel Rooms Can Be Minimized By Simple Inventory And Anti-Theft Procedures

We are getting reports of more and more flat panel television thefts from hotels. Here is some theft prevention suggestions that I have found that are working for various hotels.

The majority of flat screen thefts are from in-hotel gyms and workout rooms. The gyms have larger screen TVs than the guestrooms, and they are often unoccupied. It appears that these thefts are probably “inside jobs” by current or former hotel employees, or by outsiders that have colluded with current employees. Employees know the staffing levels, how to sneak in and out of the hotel, and what the security cameras cover. So don’t overlook employees when you investigate these thefts.

Other TV thefts are stolen from common areas of the hotel, such as function rooms, breakfast rooms, etc. There are thefts of TVs from guestrooms, but they are minimal at the time of this writing.

So, what can you do to prevent these thefts? Consider these four simple steps:

  1. Inventory ALL of your flat screen televisions and write down their serial numbers. Prepare a spreadsheet of all the televisions’ serial number, make, screen size and exact location inside the hotel. If the TV is stolen, you will have the exact serial number of that television to report to the Police.
           
  2. Report all thefts to the Police, including the serial number. Take the time to report the theft. Once it is “officially” reported as stolen, it now becomes a felony crime to sell the TV or to be in possession of it. These TVs show up in police raids, pawn shops, and even at other hotels. Courts and District Attorneys often do not file charges against someone found with a TV, if it was never reported stolen in the first place. Protect your right to prosecute the thief, who may turn out to be an employee.
           
  3. Write or paint your hotel name on the back of each TV. Thieves hate this, as they have to clean it off before they can sell them, and it often looks like they altered or removed something from the TV; so people buying the TV get nervous about the purchase. You can buy felt tip pens that contain and write in paint, not regular ink. It is an easy way to inscribe your hotel’s name on each television. Guests won’t see the writing on the back of the television. This also leads Police back to your hotel if someone is stopped and has the TV in their back seat.
           
  4. Install an anti-theft alarm to each high risk flat panel televisions. These alarm boxes are typically glued with epoxy onto the back of the TVs. If someone removes the TV, a loud audible alarm is triggered and can run for hours on a small battery. The alarm can be deactivated by Management using a special key when there is a need to move or service the television. Many hotels have used this device and have had good luck with it. It is a reasonably priced anti-theft device for your high risk flat panel TVs.

 One such anti-theft alarm that many hotels use is Sonic Shock. It can be used to safeguard televisions, computers, laptops, LCD projectors, and other high-value theft prone equipment. Audible alarms are widely by colleges, universities, and businesses worldwide who wish to keep high-value electronic assts in the open and accessible without the worry of them “walking off”. Designed to emit an ear-piercing audible noise if the equipment is moved, the devices rob thieves of stealth and anonymity. They either have to spend time trying to deal with the alarm, take the alarm with them, or leave empty handed. It is sort of like the red-dye packets that bank insert into the bags of money they are forced to hand over to bank robbers, making it pretty easy to ascertain when a theft occurs. As always, please evaluate the product for yourself, as The Rooms Chronicle® and Petra does not guarantee this product, its use or reliability. Neither TRC nor Petra makes money from the sales or recommendation of this product.

(Todd Seiders, CLSD, is a regular contributing author for The Rooms Chronicle® and director of risk management for Petra Risk Solutions, which provides a full-range of risk management and insurance services for hospitality owners and operators. Their website is: www.petrarisksolutions.com. Todd can be reached at 800-466-8951 or via e-mail at: todds@petrarisksolutions.com.)  

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by | March 11, 2010 · 8:45 am

Hotel Industry Risk: Cybercrime Has Targeted Hotel Wireless Networks To Steal Credit Card Information

Travelers staying in hotels might want to carefully check their credit card statements for fraudulent charges in the months following the stay. According to recent reports, cybercriminals across the globe have a new favorite target: the wireless networks of hotels.

(From a CreditCardGuide.com article)  While financial services companies used to receive the bulk of hacker attacks, last year hotels emerged as the new choice target among hackers-out of 218 breaches in a total of 24 countries, 70 of those breaches took place through hotel networks, according to a report by security firm Trustwave SpiderLabs.

Internet security experts believe that hotel hacking attacks started to catch on at the end of 2008, when a sophisticated cybercrime organization broke into a hotel network to steal information and discovered just how easy it was to do. Even larger hotel chains are often poorly protected against cybercrime dangers, making it very easy for hackers to gain access to one computer and then use it as a doorway into the hotel’s central computer system, from where they can lift the credit card data of guests staying at the hotel along with other sensitive information.

Once hackers have retrieved the data they need, the cybercriminals waste no time turning the lifted credit card information into profit. Using high-tech equipment, hackers can easily clone credit cards, complete with a magnetic strip containing the stolen data. The cards are indistinguishable from the real thing and can be used in physical stores leaving behind few traces that can be used to track down the fraudsters.

It often takes hotels months before they notice the hack-last year, the average time between a security breach and discovery was over five months. In many cases, it is credit card companies, as opposed to the hotel chain, who first notice the unauthorized activity. Long after hackers make off with their bounty, credit card companies triangulating fraud reports discover that multiple individuals affected by fraud stayed at a specific hotel just prior to the credit card theft.

As awareness of hotel data breaches rises, many of the larger chains are stepping in to step up security. However, consumers should remain on alert: hacker’s aren’t about to give up this new lucrative target. Just this week, Wyndman Hotels, which operates chains including Days Inn, Ramada, and Howard Johnson reported its third breach in the past 12 months.

If you travel often or frequent hotels, make sure to monitor your credit card accounts. If strange activity shows up, contact your card issuer immediately. While credit card companies, ultimately, are on the hook for fraudulent charges, you do have to report unauthorized activity, and catching credit card fraud early can save much time and hassle down the road.

http://www.creditcardguide.com/creditcards/travel/staying-hotel-watch-credit-cards-231/

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