#hospitality-experience

#hospitality-experience

Luxury hotels are supposed to provide exceptional hospitality, yet many seem to prioritize profit over guest satisfaction, leading to feelings of exploitation during stays.

Marisa Christensen, Holland America's associate vice president of food and beverage operations, directs guests to the line's Dive-In burger. 'It's made fresh to order, incredibly satisfying, and so easy to enjoy right after embarkation when you're settling in.'

Anthony Bourdain became a beloved authority on all things food for many reasons, chief of which was his courage. The man was ready to eat almost anything, leading to some crazy meals featured on his shows.

"Our study confirmed that in an environment of loud noise, our sense of taste is compromised. Interestingly, this was specific to sweet and umami tastes, with sweet taste inhibited and umami taste significantly enhanced," Robin Dando, one of the study's authors, told the Cornell Chronicle after the study came out.

In the midst of all this chaos, I was struck with a deep sense of appreciation for what I was doing. All my anxieties about being too old for the job and my writing business falling apart dissipated, and I kind of fell in love with everything the place was.

In summer 1936, the French government passed a law that mandated paid holiday, a move that kickstarted the exodus of northerners to the Med every August, and it became a true emblem of the French vacances.

CeCe's is pure old-school glamour, bedecked with copper panelling, green velvet banquettes, palms, orb lighting, table lamps, an impressive central bar, and mirrors absolutely everywhere.

Rivaaz Hospitality Group is taking a bold step forward with the launch of its nationwide luxury catering division, aiming to bring the artistry of Indian and Mediterranean cuisine to events across the country.

Protect yourself from the sun with headgear and lots of sunscreen. The sun can be very strong in some destinations, especially on Caribbean trips.

Volumes has quickly become a popular destination, known for its superb coffee and a lunch menu that keeps customers coming back. The atmosphere is vibrant, and the food offerings are diverse, catering to various tastes.

Costa Navarino has established itself in recent years as one of the Mediterranean's leading luxury sustainable destinations for discerning travellers, offering a unique blend of luxury and sustainability.

Christina Veira has earned prestigious recognition including the Roku Industry Icon award and Bartender of the Year honors. Rather than pursuing traditional expansion through multiple locations and pop-up tours, she operates Bar Mordecai in Toronto, featuring karaoke rooms, bingo nights, and innovative cocktails while prioritizing community engagement and advocacy.

'Never ever use these three things in a hotel room,' she warned in a video. Her first tip was to avoid using the 'wall-mounted refillable containers with soap and shampoo' now commonly found in hotel bathrooms.

Amsterdam's strict ban on new hotel developments aims to curb the influx of millions of visitors annually, allowing only existing hotels to be taken over by major brands.

"Storytelling has always been at the heart of the American West, and sharing a classic cowboy poem at turndown brings that heritage into the guest experience in a more personal way."

Our guests continue to tell us they value greater flexibility in how they spend their time on board, and Express Dining was designed with that in mind. The cruise giant says that the new dining experience is designed to offer a freshly prepared multi-course dinner experience in under an hour for groups of six guests or fewer.

Restaurant owners like Panjwani are caught in the middle of a growing battle of new and established reservation platforms vying for their business. The two dominant players for more than a decade, OpenTable and Resy, are now facing a wave of fresh competition from high-end services and even delivery apps all trying to win lucrative bookings at exclusive establishments.

Artificial intelligence is no longer futuristic-it's functional. Hotels are already utilizing AI to integrate siloed systems, such as PMS, accounting, CRM, and forecasting platforms, to drive faster and smarter decisions. Tools like Placer.ai and PredictHQ help identify ideal customers through demographic, behavioral, and geolocation data. As automation expands, the next opportunity lies in strategic human oversight: consultants and managers will interpret AI outputs, guiding capital investments and operational priorities rather than being replaced by algorithms.

When I tell fellow tech executives that every employee at sunday, from our engineers to our finance team, must complete a restaurant shift before they can fully onboard, I usually get confused looks. "You mean like, shadow someone?" they ask. No. I mean they tie on an apron, take orders, run food, and yes, deal with the 15-minute wait for the check that our product was literally built to eliminate.

That is one of several conclusions you're likely to draw after reading an article by Sheila Yasmin Marikar recently published in Air Mail. Marikar takes the reader into the world of small boutique hotels, the sort of establishment that attracts travelers looking for properties with an independent streak and a unique approach to doing business. The challenge here, though, is figuring out where that line exists, as some iconoclastic companies have acquired massive corporate parents over the years.

In the last decade, AI-powered chatbots have taken the realm of customer service by storm.

They operate when students can actually work. Evening shifts end after dinner rush, not at some arbitrary closing time. Weekend mornings pay well because most people want those hours off. Tips during Friday night service can match what other jobs pay for an entire day. Working in food service teaches you things textbooks can't. When five tables need attention at once, you learn to prioritize fast.

On a recent two-week trip to Japan with my fiancé - six cities, six hotels - every stay was gorgeous and perfectly appointed. We wanted for nothing. Except, in most cases, a proper bathroom door. Instead, we spent the better part of two weeks making accidental eye contact through frosted glass and translucent panels while one of us was otherwise occupied. A design choice, apparently. A test of intimacy, definitely.

When Isadore Sharp opened a single hotel in Toronto back in 1961, he couldn't have imagined the global hospitality empire that would emerge six decades later. Today, as Four Seasons celebrates its 65th anniversary, the luxury brand isn't just reflecting on its storied past: it's charting an ambitious course for the future with a strategic expansion that will reshape the landscape of luxury hospitality worldwide.

No doubt a response to the extreme digital connectivity of the world, but small and secret hotels have never felt more appealing than right now. The ultimate antidote to the 'see and be seen' scene. Extreme exclusivity is the name of the game here - where there's no waiting times for check-in, no scrounging around for a sun lounger, and staff greet you like family.