Nov 03
Ashley ChalmersPlaces to Stay affinia hotels, guest-friendly hotel tips
Affinia hotels have been working hard this summer to beef up their customer service skills in an unusual way – with body language training.
USA Today reports that staff members at these hotels learned to better ‘sense’ guests needs without having to ask!
For example, a guest frequently touching their face may be anxious from traveling or work. The staff member can then provide a higher level of service by offering the guest an extra pillow or a yoga treatment.
Affinia staffers were also instructed to pay attention to where a guest’s eyes are focusing and the tempo and level of excitement in their speech. It is important to match the level of excitement in a person’s speech to make them most comfortable. If the individual is avoiding eye contact, they may be too busy to engage.
These are helpful tips for all of us to remember when communicating with others!
Have you stayed with Affinia lately? Did you notice a higher level of customer care? What does good customer service mean to you as a guest?
May 17
Ashley ChalmersPlaces to Stay economy, guest-friendly hotel tips, hotels, meeting ideas, meeting planner feedback
Room rates are creeping back up – or are they?
Smith Travel Research data from January shows that urban hotels at 66% occupancy while suburban hotels are at 58%.
As a result, urban hotels are offering fewer discounts for rooms – but suburban property rates are still lower than 2009 levels…which is shifting the demand.
Are you booking more meetings in the suburbs to secure lower rates? Have you experienced higher rates in urban areas?
Jan 20
Ashley ChalmersPlaces to Stay, Tips for Meeting Planners economy, guest-friendly hotel tips, Hilton, Marriott, sheraton
With the New Year underway and the holidays behind us, we return to our normal routines (and perhaps also to the gym) and start planning meetings!
Many ConventionPlanit.com member facilities and destinations offer special meeting discounts for meeting planners.
Here are a few of the best early 2011 deals:
Bay Point Marriott Resort & Spa – Panama City Beach, FL
“Perk” up your meeting at the only Marriott Resort in NW Florida.
Sign up for 100 room nights or more by January 31, 2011 for meetings held on or before December 31, 2011 and choose from the following:
100– 199 total room nights: Choose ONE perk
200– 299 total room nights: Choose TWO perks
300+ total room nights: Choose THREE perks
Perks Include:
•1 hour welcome reception (chef’s choice) 15% savings on banquet pricing
•A one year Marriott Platinum membership for meeting planner or designee
•3 complimentary room upgrades to Bay view rooms or one bedroom Golf Villas
•1 complimentary foursome on the Meadows or Nicklaus Design Course
•1/35 comp policy
•10% savings on individual spa services
•25% allowable attrition
•Complimentary continental breakfast on opening day of scheduled event
•Complimentary use of the fitness center at Serenity Spa
Hilton Minneapolis St. Paul Airport Mall of America – Bloomington, MN
Events booked to take place between now and March 31, 2011 receive special rewards:
10-50 room nights: pick one
51-100 room nights: pick two
100-200 room nights: pick three
Rewards Include:
•Complimentary Wireless internet in guest rooms and meeting space
•Complimentary 1 hour Cocktail Reception
•25% off Audio Visual
•500 Hilton Honors Points per guestroom utilized
•Complimentary Company Logo Waterfall Display
•Complimentary Afternoon Refreshment Specialty Break
•Fast Track to Gold or Diamond Hilton HHonors Status
Sheraton Bucks County Hotel – Langhorne, PA
Meetings that book and are consumed in January – February 2011 will be eligible for the following:
Book $50k: 42″ Flat Screen TV
Book $25K: Apple iPad
Book $15K: Welcome Reception
Book $5K: $250 Amex Gift Card
Some minimum requirements and apply for the above offers. To learn more about these special offerings and other great deals visit Divine Deals on ConventionPlanit.com!
Aug 11
Ashley ChalmersMember News, Places to Stay guest-friendly hotel tips, hotels, Kimpton, unique activities
Here’s a fun summertime offer from our good friends at Kimpton:
Get uncorked at Kimpton Restaurants and byow (bring your own wine)!
There’s no doubt that you’re stashing some stellar bottles of wine at home. So now through Labor Day, feel free to bring a bottle of wine, or two, to share with friends at any Kimpton Restaurant. Corkage is complimentary all summer long.
Learn more about planing a meeting at a Kimpton hotel or restaurant.
Oct 19
Ashley ChalmersMember News, Places to Stay guest-friendly hotel tips, hotels, Kimpton, unique activities
If you have a soft spot for pets, like us, you’ll appreciate ABC News’ list of America’s most adorable hotel pets.
Kimpton Hotels surely wins for the most pet friendly hotels – several of their properties made this list for friendly animal mascots, including the Hotel Monaco Alexandria and The Muse.
What’s your favorite animal on the list? Have you encountered a personal favorite that didn’t make the list?
Oct 07
Ashley ChalmersNews best travel practices, guest-friendly hotel tips, hotels, travel tips
With Erin Andrews peeping tom causing a stir throughout the country and raising security issues among hotels, we can’t help but think of a few ways for the hotel guest to take safety into their own hands.
Even though many of the large hotel chains are reviewing and investigating their privacy policies, we see no harm in putting a few tips into practice now.
1. Keep your room number private: Be aware that at check in, it’s standard for the clerk to write your room number down on the key card instead of saying it out loud.
2. Stop a Peeping Tom: smear Vaseline on the inside of the peephole lens or place a piece of duct tape over the peephole, as Peter Greenberg recommends, to prevent anyone from seeing inside.
3. Inspect your room: Look under the bed, in the closet, bathroom and shower upon entering your room for anything (or anyone) suspicious.
4. Deadbolt your door: Be sure to deadbolt your door after entering the room – prevents any unwanted parties from entering without your permission; whether it be a housekeeper, maintenance crew, intruder, or a guest assigned mistakenly to the same room.
What are some other safety precautions you practice when traveling? What do you think of the press this situation is receiving? In general, do you feel safe when you stay at a hotel?
Jan 29
Ashley ChalmersMember News, News, Places to Stay, RFP, Tips, Tips for Meeting Planners guest-friendly hotel tips, hotel reviews, hotels, hotels in miami, meeting ideas, RFP
Mid-Beach Miami is becoming South Beach’s newest party spot -
in part thanks to The Gansevoort South Hotel‘s chic lounges, enourmous guestrooms, and 42,000 square foot gym.
Check out the rave review from the New York Times…or visit the Gansevoort on ConventionPlanit.com for more information.
Jan 27
Ashley ChalmersMember News, News, Places to Stay, RFP, Tips, Tips for Meeting Planners guest-friendly hotel tips, Hotel Rennovations, Hotel Spa, meeting industry, meeting planning services, sheraton, Starwood Hotels
Sheraton Hotels & Resorts announced a new worldwide spa partnership with Nectar Spa LLC. Beginning this year, the Nectar Spa brand will be available at Sheraton properties…
…to bring business and leisure guests an approachable yet upscale spa experience. Available treatments include:
-signature massages
-body treatments
-facials
-manicures
-pedicures
-plus features designed specifically for the Sheraton brand
Sheraton also plans to upgrade nearly half of their U.S. hotels with new lobbies, renovating guestrooms, and new health and fitness programs.
Find the Sheraton location for your meeting on ConventionPlanit.com!
Dec 22
Ashley ChalmersNews, Places to Stay guest-friendly hotel tips, hotels, Inauguration, meeting industry
With the inauguration only a few weeks away and hotels in the Washington DC area at full capacity, the hospitality industry will experience a boom, despite the economic downturn.
Hotels are scrambling to hire extra workers to assist with the increased functions, guest number, security…
…and since the four days are either considered holiday or weekend, workers will receive ample compensation for their efforts – $28 to $50 an hour, overtime, holiday pay and tips!
Check out the full article from the Washington Post to see how your favorite area hotel is preparing.
Dec 04
Ashley ChalmersMember News, News, Places to Stay, Tips Atlanta Meetings, Awards, guest-friendly hotel tips, Starwood Hotels
Congrats to the Sheraton Atlanta – for receiving the “Award of Excellence” from Corporate & Incentive Travel magazine…
…for the third consecutive year!
Award winners are selected by Corporate & Incentive Travel magazine’s subscribers, who voted for the best hotels or resorts that hosted their corporate meetings in 2008.
Have you stayed at the Sheraton Atlanta before? What did you like the best?
Older Entries
Current Discussions