LODGING LEADERS
226 | It’s a Long Story: Historic hotels gain new appreciation among travelers, brands
LODGING LEADERS
Hotel developers and investors seeking new ideas might do well to remember history.
More travelers today want an immersive experience not just in the places they visit but in the hotels in which they stay. And they’re willing to pay more for it.
Historic hotels often give guests what they crave – a sense of place, a connection to something meaningful, a story to tell, a time to remember.
Historic hotels also give owners and operators what they desire – a significant return on investment.
CBRE Hotels America’s Research reports that the more than 300 hotels that are members of Historic Hotels of America generate greater occupancy and command higher rate than their contemporary counterparts.
In today’s episode we talk with Lawrence Horwitz, executive director of Historic Hotels of America, about the growth in preservation of historic lodging accommodations as well as buildings that have been restored and transformed into hotels. Also featured are Kevin Hellmich, director of sales and marketing at the Grand Hotel in Point Clear, Alabama; Susan Stein, Grand Hotel historian; and Guido Piccinni, managing director of the Georgian Terrace in midtown Atlanta.
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LODGING LEADERS
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277 | Contagious Ideas: Hospitality brand and design experts search for creative solutions in the age of COVID-19
In the introduction of his book, “Hotel, an American History,” A.K. Sandoval-Strausz writes: “The hotel as we know it today did not evolve randomly or naturally, nor did it develop as some sort of automatic response to structural needs. Rather, it was the deliberate creation of an identifiable group of people who lived in a read more
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276 | A Measured Response: Hotel industry hires for diversity but fails with inclusion
Many companies in the hotel industry claim they practice diversity in their hiring practices. When questioned about how many Black people they employ, most companies can back up their hiring outcomes with data. That’s all well and good, but what’s missing in most employment demographics is a measurement of how inclusive the company is not read more