I’m not going to say that I’ve ever helped myself to a hotel hand towel, but I’ve heard they could be used to wrap souvenirs when packing. It’s a good thing I’m not this sort of linen thief, as some hotels are using tiny, wash-safe trackers to crack down on guests’ sticky fingers. [More]
hotels
People Are Fine With Airbnb, Until It Comes To Their Neighborhood
By 2.5.15
There are currently two distinct groups who have problems with Airbnb and similar home-sharing services. There are hotel owners who believe that Airbnb operators get away with running de facto hotels without facing the requisite taxes and regulation. Then there are people annoyed by the constant turnover of visitors at rental properties in their neighborhood. A new survey seems to indicate that many of us would fall into that latter category if our neighbors decided to open their doors to short-term renters. [More]
Hotel Rates Predicted To Go Up Again This Year After A Pricy 2014
By 2.2.15
That sting you felt in your wallet after staying at a hotel wasn’t a phantom pain: Room rates at hotels in the United States were at their highest level in 2014, with experts predicting that the price surge isn’t going to settle down this year. [More]
After Refusing A Room On Christmas Night, Hotel Decides Homeless Group Can Stay There For Free
By 1.9.15
A Delaware hotel that caught heat yesterday after reports that it had canceled room reservation booked for a group of homeless people on Christmas night, the hotel has now apologized and reversed course, saying that it will provide lodging for the group through the weekend. [More]
This Year Will Bring Plenty Of Free Hotel WiFi, But Beware New Cancellation Policies
By 1.2.15
Because you can never totally have it all, 2015 will be a mixed bag for travelers looking for good deals and great perks at hotels: While many larger chains will be touting free WiFi in the new year, many hotels will also be a lot stricter about guests who cancel their reservations. [More]
Swedish Hotel Offering Free 7-Night Stays For People With More Than 2,000 Facebook Friends
By 11.24.14
We already know the value companies place on attracting new fans on social media, which is part of the reason using sites like Facebook and Instagram is free: Advertisers want your attention and they want the attention of your friends. So in order to harness the power of social media, one Swedish hotel is offering up a tasty bit of bait in the form of free stays for the big hitters on Facebook and Instagram. [More]
Hotel To Refund $157 Fine To Couple Who Posted Negative Review
By 11.20.14
A couple visiting the English seaside town of Blackpool only paid about $57 for their one-night hotel stay, but when they slammed the place with a TripAdvisor review that called it a “rotten, stinking hovel,” the hotel hit back with a $157 fine. [More]
Marriott, Hilton Revise Policies To Add Penalty Fee For Last-Minute Reservation Cancellations
By 11.18.14
Consumers used to having the ability to make hotel cancellations the day of arrival for free had better get their wallets out next time they try to do so at Hilton or Marriott hotels. The two chains are apparently taking a lesson from the airline industry and implementing a fee for last-minute reservation cancellations. [More]
388 People Hop Between The Sheets To Score Breakfast In Bed World Record
By 11.12.14
Perhaps the greatest luxury we can give ourselves is eating where we sleep, making an event where 388 people dined on breakfast in bed in one big hotel room pretty darn luxurious. [More]
You Can Now Reserve A Hotel Room Through Yelp
By 10.21.14
In an effort to keep travelers who might be checking out the reviews for hotels on Yelp’s website or in its mobile apps instead of going elsewhere when it comes time to book lodging, Yelp announced today that it’s teamed up with travel site Hipmunk to offer hotel reservations directly to users. [More]
Hilton Selling NYC’s Waldorf Astoria Hotel For $1.95 Billion
By 10.6.14
How valuable is an old respected name in the world of business? While we’re used to tech companies selling for a few billion here and there, a single hotel building doesn’t seem like it should be worth much. But when you’re the Waldorf-Astoria, with roots in New York City dating back to the 19th century, you can command a pretty hefty price tag — $1.95 billion to be exact, which is what a Chinese insurance company is willing to pay to own a piece of hotel history. [More]
Marriott Fined $600K Because It’s Illegal To Block WiFi Hotspots
By 10.3.14
When a major hotel chain makes money by charging a fee for in-room Internet service, it might be tempted to do something that makes it difficult for visitors to use their own WiFi hotspots so that they have little choice but to pay up for the hotel’s Web access. Thing is, that’s against the law. [More]
At Marriott, Going To Hawaii Means Standing In A Warm, Misty Booth Wearing Goggles
By 9.19.14
You know how when you go to Hawaii, you sort of stand very still one, warm spot wearing weird goggles while the ocean breeze mists your face? That’s what it’s like, right? At least, at certain Marriott hotels, where guests can stand inside a phonebooth wearing virtual reality glasses and “travel” to Hawaii or London.
[More]
Hyatt Sells 38 Hotels For $590 Million, Plans To Franchise Them As Lower-Cost Brands
By 9.19.14
The Hyatt Hotels Corp. just got a bit smaller. The Chicago-based company plans to sell off some of its select-service hotels as franchises. The first sale includes 38 hotels for the nice price of $590 million. [More]
L.A. Warning Airbnb Hosts About Their Tax-Collecting Obligations
By 9.10.14
Subletting one’s home or renting out space on your own property has long been a way for some Los Angeles residents to earn some extra income without telling the taxman. And the rise of home-sharing services like Airbnb and VRBO has only encouraged more people to make money off their unused rooms. But the city of Los Angeles is now sending stern reminders to people who list properties on these sites that they have to pay taxes similar to those paid by hotel operators. [More]
The Only Thing College-Like In These College Themed Hotels Is A Painting Of A Red Solo Cup
By 8.29.14
Have you ever wanted to go back to college – you know, to relive the glory days when you received your first taste of freedom? We’ve all through about it at least once, right? Well, a new hotel brand aims to take consumers back, but their approach seems to be lacking – a lot in our humble opinions. [More]
Hotels Taking Cue From Airlines, Making Mountains Of Money From Add-On Fees
By 8.25.14
Airlines have long since discovered that they can make billions by charging consumers for everything, from daring to have luggage to calling customer service. Now, it seems, their travel partners up the line are joining them in the bold new future, as hotels find ever more creative ways of adding to your bill. [More]
Forgot Your Toothbrush? No Problem, Aloft Hotel’s Robotic Bellhop’s Got You Covered
By 8.12.14
In a day and age where just about everything is controlled by technology – opening hotel room doors, ordering pizza – why shouldn’t menial tasks be assigned to robots? Oh, robot uprising? Okay, you might have a point, but that’s not stopping one boutique hotel from taking its love for all things tech-savvy to another level by testing a robotic bellhop. [More]
