Hilton Garden Inn’s Post

We're happy that California is leading the way with a new “Honest Pricing Law” that goes into effect on July 1! Read about it here: https://buff.ly/3RIoO0d "Meeting professionals will appreciate the law’s effect on how hotel pricing is displayed. Sometimes called resort fees, amenity fees, destination fees, urban fees, or facility fees, many hotels currently tack on per-night charges—typically ranging from $25 to $60—that aren’t part of the room rate." We spoke about this very issue at our user conference in May. Meetingmax's room block management software allows you to disclose all additional fees so attendees know exactly what their final hotel costs will be. We also recommend highlighting all amenities that are included with resort fees, either through 'additional hotel information' or 'custom amenities icons'. 💡 Learn about other current hotel contracting trends here: https://buff.ly/3RJMD82

MARRIOTT 6TH HUNGER STRIKE (inc MINOR INT and EY): DAY 260 "Marriott doesn’t appear to be complying with its legal settlement on resort fees" Now there's a surprise! Some extracts from my own 2022 article, written before the ruling: Marriott is being sued over "allegedly deceptive drip pricing practices". Deceptive pricing (aka resort/destination fees) is but one of the weapons in Marriott's hospitality armoury. Used to wage war against public enemy number one, the hotel guest, it is a sure sign that Marriott is not the "company of integrity" it claims to be Some highlights from recent media reports: * Newly unsealed documents (that attorneys fought unsuccessfully to keep sealed) reveal that Marriott collected hundreds of millions of dollars in resort fees going back to 2012 * [Marriott] advertises room prices… without any intent to sell them for the price advertised * 'Bait-and-switch' advertising and deceptive pricing practices... are generally illegal * Marriott strenuously denies that it misleads customers and disputed the Attorney General’s claims that the disclosures were... intentionally ambiguous * "Marriott is taking advantage of consumers by purposely misleading them about the price of rooms just to increase the company’s bottom line" * Marriott also pushed back against claims that the only goal of the resort fee program was to boost profits, saying it also enhanced guest satisfaction and the resort experience * Marriott’s definition of resort fees has evolved and imposed more broadly across its portfolio * Marriott properties also began charging extra fees for a bundle of services that had previously been included in the room rental, such as parking, water or use of the fitness centre * Marriott instructed its employees and franchisors that “the resort fee is mandatory” and “should not be considered optional" * MARRIOTT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BEHAVIOUR OF ITS FRANCHISEES * Guests frustrated with lack of transparency * "...through the thoughtful execution of resort fees... we wanted to have profit" ex VP Jeffrey Wolff said in one document * The lawsuit filings shed a light on how lucrative resort fees can be, since they typically aren’t broken out in companies' filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission * The FTC has issued several warnings about deceiving consumers. However, neither the FTC nor Congress has taken much action to combat the lodging and tourism industry, which spends millions of dollars a year lobbying Washington * “Resort fees tend to be a hot topic because I think you’ve probably seen there’s been some chatter out there from the (state) attorneys general about the way they are displayed,” Leeny Oberg, Marriott’s chief financial officer said in 2019. “And I’ll remind everybody that we always make sure they are very clearly displayed before you actually book a room” LOL! John Shepherd (Marriott victim and hunger striker)

MARRIOTT 6TH HUNGER STRIKE: DAY 362 "A hotel chain’s value is its brand and customer loyalty. When hotels are allowed to benefit from that loyalty without delivering on brand promises, the long-term brand of the chain erodes and they no longer have value left... Ultimately the challenge is a mismatch of incentives created by the asset light model of major hotel chains - The chain has a reputation, and customer loyalty, and has set expectations through the loyalty program - Individual hotels aren’t owned by the chains. They benefit from the loyalty, which is created when all hotel properties honor program benefits. But the incentive of an individual property is not to make that investment – especially during a peak of peak event when they get less compensation for a free room from the chain than they would selling that room to a cash guest - This all works when brands enforce their standards vigorously, fining non-compliant properties more than they can benefit from defecting from the chain’s standards. But chains don’t want to be too tough on owners or owners won’t sign up with them, paying them fees" (Gary Leff) John Shepherd (Marriott victim and hunger striker) #marriott #marriottinternational #marriottbonvoy #brand #integrity

Attention Brokers! Did you know that CHES has your Hospitality clients covered? From charming B&Bs to licensed hotels and sprawling resort properties, we've got tailor-made CGL policies to ensure their peace of mind. Let's talk protection and elevate your client's coverage game! #HospitalityInsurance #CHESspecialrisk #RiskManagement

Did you know the average stay of a Residence Inn is approximately 28 days? Gems of knowledge are known by guys like this man here. He’s an absolute icon in the hospitality industry. Dinesh Rama of NewGen Advisory is easily the most knowledgeable hospitality expert I know. He’s way too humble to admit that, though. We’re building something great, just keep your eyes peeled. #ParkRise #motelstoapartments #Advisors #getitdone

It’s time for another video in our series on Reclaiming Power in Hotel Website Management 🎥 Edward St.Onge, President of Flip.to, explained how the marketing landscape has become a challenge for hotels and why now is more important than ever for hoteliers to have a say in how they’re executing their marketing campaigns. Check out the full video below ⬇️ Any guesses on who our next guest will be? The countdown to Wednesday is on. See you then! #OwnYourHotelWebsite

California Drops the Hammer on Hidden Fees "While Congress works on passing the Junk Fee Prevention Act for the whole country, California isn’t waiting around. The Golden State’s “Honest Pricing Law” or “Hidden Fees Statute,” SB 478, goes into effect July 1, making it illegal for businesses to advertise or list a price for goods or services that doesn’t include all mandatory fees or charges. Meeting professionals will appreciate the law’s effect on how hotel pricing is displayed. Sometimes called resort fees, amenity fees, destination fees, urban fees, or facility fees, many hotels currently tack on per-night charges—typically ranging from $25 to $60—that aren’t part of the room rate" Read more: https://ow.ly/wMHI50SqcYa via MeetingsNet #Hospitality #HospitalityIndustry #Hotels #HotelIndustry #HotelOperations #JunkFees #Meetings #MeetingsandEvents

In addressing retention in your hospitality community, what strategies have you tried? Here are a few suggestions… Have you tried any of these? Let us know in the comments 💬 #bitacevents #hospitality

**Marriott and Hilton Unveiled: A Peek into the Future of Hospitality** Ever wondered what the titans of hospitality are up to? Marriott and Hilton have just laid their cards on the table with their annual reports for FY23, and let me tell you, the future of travel looks more exciting than ever! 🌟 Marriott is putting a gourmet spin on their luxury hotel dining experiences and giving their Homes and Villas a fresh zest. Meanwhile, Hilton is not just growing their loyalty program Hilton Honors at warp speed, but is also going green with ambitious climate goals. 🌱 But here's the real scoop for the consumer: both are looking to tighten up their operations. And that's where the magic of digital marketing strategies comes in. Imagine a world where every interaction is tailored to your taste, where your digital experience is so seamless, you feel like royalty. That's the kind of innovation we're talking about! So, what's the takeaway? Whether it's a focus on personal wellness, a commitment to sustainability, or a drive for operational excellence, these hospitality giants are setting the stage for a revolution in travel. And I'm all here for it, ready to embrace, experience and enable these trends that are reshaping our industry. Let's chat about the future of travel – where do you see it heading? Drop your thoughts below! ✈️ #HospitalityTrends #DigitalMarketing #TravelInnovation #Marriott #Hilton #FutureOfTravel #GuestExperience #SustainabilityInTravel #hospitality

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