Hospitality Property School

RevPAR is an essential metric for hoteliers and innkeepers as it is used to measure a property’s financial performance. A higher RevPAR means a hospitality property is generating more revenue per available room, and I’m going to explain how it works.Revenue per Available Room, commonly referred to as RevPAR, is a vital metric used in the hospitality industry to measure the financial performance of a hotel. This metric is used by hoteliers and innkeepers to evaluate their hotel’s performance and to compare it to other properties in the market. In this article, I will explain what RevPAR is, how it is calculated, and why it is an essential metric for hoteliers and innkeepers.What is RevPAR?RevPAR is a key metric used in the hospitality industry to evaluate a hotel, resort, bed and breakfasts revenue generation and room occupancy performance. It measures a property’s average daily room rate (ADR) multiplied by its occupancy rate. The metric shows the total revenue generated per available room, and it is used to

Today I’m very happy to be able to chat with Mark Ross-Smith, CEO & Co-founder at Loyalty Data Co, the parent brand of StatusMatch.com, and our topic is loyalty programs and how they can work for you.As I mentioned, Mark is the CEO & Co-founder at Loyalty Data Co, the parent brand of StatusMatch.com, he is also the editor of travel data daily, was the head of loyalty at Malaysian Airlines.If you have ever wondered if loyalty programs work, how they work, and how to start one, you’re in the right place.All that being said, let’s jump into this…⇒ TO WATCH, READ OR LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE ON KEYSTONE HOSPITALITY PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT:https://keystonehpd.com/interview-with-mark-ross-smith-ceo-co-founder-at-loyalty-data-co-331“The Guide to Owning & Operating a Hospitality Property – Successfully” course. https://KeystoneHPD.com/CourseGet your copy of the “How to Improve Your Hospitality Properties Success” e-book? https://keystonehpd.com/how-to-improve-your-hospitality-propertys-successGet Your INNsider

In today's fast-paced world, convenience is key, and that holds true for the hotel industry as well.In this episode, I will explain the benefits and features of a hotel booking app.As I mentioned, I’ll explore the benefits and features of hotel booking applications and how they can help hotels increase bookings and revenue. I’ll also delve into the future of hotel bookings and how technology is shaping the way we travel.Hotel app featuresWith the rise of mobile technology and the increasing demand for on-the-go booking options, hotels have had to adapt and offer a seamless booking experience for their guests.One of the most effective ways to do this is through the use of a hotel booking application. These apps provide guests with the ability to search for and book rooms directly from their mobile devices, making the process quick and easy. Additionally, many booking apps now offer real-time availability and room rates, so guests can see up-to-date information and make an informed decision when booking their s

Hotel evaluations are an important aspect of the hospitality industry, as they determine the rating and ranking of a property.So, what do hotel evaluators look for.Hotel evaluators, also known as mystery shoppers or inspectors, are responsible for assessing a wide range of factors that determine the overall quality and guest experience of a hotel. From the cleanliness of the guest rooms to the efficiency of the front desk staff, hotel evaluators look at every detail to ensure a hotel is meeting industry standards.In this episode, I’ll dive into the world of hotel evaluations and explore the key factors that evaluators look for when assessing a hotel property.What is a hospitality property evaluator or mystery shopper?A hospitality property evaluator or mystery shopper is a person or people that are commonly used by hoteliers and retailers etc. to measure the quality of customer service, their products, and service delivery in their physical presence.Hospitality property mystery shopper assignments are done at

Excellent customer service is essential for any business, but it is particularly crucial for hotels.In this episode, I’ll share ways for you to improve your hotel customer service.Guests come to hotels not just for a place to sleep, but for a memorable experience.Whether it's a family on vacation or a business traveller, customers have high expectations when it comes to their hotel stay. Your goal when it comes to hotel customer service techniques is to make your property stand out and create loyal guests.From establishing a customer-focused culture to using technology to enhance communication, the tips I share will show you how to deliver exceptionally service that will leave a lasting impression.Continue reading, watching or listening and I will share ways you can improve your hotel customer service …⇒ TO WATCH, READ OR LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE ON KEYSTONE HOSPITALITY PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT:https://keystonehpd.com/creating-a-culture-of-hotel-customer-service-how-to-stand-out-328“The Guide to Owning & Operat

A well-crafted hotel business plan is a comprehensive road map for your property’s growth and development, that can increase visibility, drive bookings, and ultimately improve your bottom line.In this episode, I will provide the key elements that should be included in your hotel business plan.Why create a hotel business planEvery new company should really think about writing a business plan, and this is especially true for hotels. If you want to take out a loan to start your business, or raise money from other investors, you will need one.Many get nervous about the thought of starting a business plan or don’t know where to start. You don’t have to get bogged down in the process. By following the guideline, I am laying out for you is an excellent way to get your thought juices flowing.If you don’t need to seek funding, it is still a good idea to write a hotel business plan, as it can be used as a tool to strategically manage your business as it gets up and running and starts to grow.Continue reading, watching,

Pre-opening hotel strategies are crucial for the success of a property because they help to establish the foundation for operations and set the tone for the customer experience.Here’s what you need to consider.Starting a new hotel can be an exciting and challenging endeavour. There is a lot to consider, from choosing the right location and designing the perfect guest experience, to building a strong marketing plan and assembling a talented team.One key element that is often overlooked, however, is the importance of pre-opening hotel strategies.These strategies are essential for setting your hotel up for success from the very beginning, and can make all the difference in the long run.In this episode, I'll explore the various pre-opening hotel strategies that owners and operators should consider as they prepare to launch their new property… ⇒ TO WATCH, READ OR LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE ON KEYSTONE HOSPITALITY PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT:https://keystonehpd.com/pre-opening-hotel-strategies-to-ensure-a-successful-launch-32

Due to the fact, things have been so topsy-turvy the last couple of years, hoteliers, and innkeepers need to stay on track with upcoming trends.Here is our take on the top 12 hospitality property trends for 2023.It is natural that trends can be fickle. Just because something is trendy today doesn’t mean it will be tomorrow, but staying on top of the trends can help keep your hotel, resort, inn, bed and breakfast, vacation rental relevant.Here are our top 12 hospitality property trends for 2023.⇒ TO WATCH, READ OR LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE ON KEYSTONE HOSPITALITY PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT:https://keystonehpd.com/top-12-hospitality-property-trends-for-2023-325“The Guide to Owning & Operating a Hospitality Property – Successfully” course. https://KeystoneHPD.com/CourseGet your copy of the “How to Improve Your Hospitality Properties Success” e-book? https://keystonehpd.com/how-to-improve-your-hospitality-propertys-successGet Your INNsider Tipshttps://KeystoneHPD.com/INNsider-TipsJoin one of your private groupshttps:/

With the threat of inflation, viruses, wars, and some regions of the world seeing a huge increase in the hospitality property business, this has been another in a series of peculiar years for our industry. With this in mind, I am going to share with you the top 10 most popular episodes of 2022.During the last year, I have noticed that many followers are searching for ways to prepare or even start a hospitality property business.This is a theme I noticed in our top 10 episodes.Now it’s time for our annual look back at the Hospitality Property Schools' 10 most popular episodes of 2022.I will be counting down from 10 to 1, and I will give you a snippet from each episode to remind you of why they were popular.If you go to KeystoneHPD.com/10MostPopularEpisodesof2022-324 you will find the show notes with all the links to the top ten episodes.So, without further ado, let’s dive into the top ten most popular episodes of 2022, starting with #10…⇒ TO WATCH, READ OR LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE ON KEYSTONE HOSPITALITY PROPERT

Hotel restaurants and bars are a couple of the most important departments that can support a property’s overall sales and popularity but mistakes can be made.Here are 11 Useful Tips to Open a Wonderful Hotel Restaurant and Bar.If you have developed your restaurants correctly, focusing on providing the best possible dining experience, you want to ensure your guests visit them during their stay.Hotel restaurants are important for several reasons.Foremost, they provide guests with a convenient place to eat while they are staying at a property. This is especially significant for travellers who may not be familiar with the local area and may not know where to find good restaurants nearby.Secondly, hotel restaurants can often offer a wide range of menu options, making it easy for guests to find something that they will enjoy.And third, restaurants can be a great source of revenue for the hotel, helping to offset the costs of operating a property and providing guests with a high-quality experience.I will share 11 Us

How to fire an employee professionally, gracefully and safely is easier said than done.In this episode, I will share procedures to make this task straightforward.For a lot of us, knowing when and how to fire an employee can cause stress and even some sleepless nights. For members of the Hospitality Property School Group, I’m going to give you 11 reasons to fire an employee. How to Fire an EmployeeIf you're an independent hotel, resort, inn or bed and breakfast owner or manager and you're having a problem with an employee, you have two choices:• You can try to work with them, and help them improve their performance or,• Fire them Firing someone is not a decision you can take lightly. The cost of turning over an employee can be high; it could cause your employee emotional and financial stress; it could cause distress with your other employees; depending on what country you are in, it could open you up to lawsuits, but unfortunately, there are times when this is your only option.Now, I will share how to fire an

The hospitality property industry is highly competitive, and having an edge in the future will be imperative to be competitive.In this episode, I will describe all the courses at Keystone HPD to help you gain that edge.Organizing your property, providing your guests with an excellent experience, employee development, and planning for the future are things that are highly pursued in hotels, resorts, inns, bed & breakfasts, vacation rentals management.The lessons you will find in our courses are concise and informative, with a certificate available upon completion for a number of them.Let me tell you about our courses.⇒ TO WATCH, READ OR LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE ON KEYSTONE HOSPITALITY PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT:https://keystonehpd.com/courses-to-elevate-your-hospitality-property-skills-321“The Guide to Owning & Operating a Hospitality Property – Successfully” course. https://KeystoneHPD.com/CourseGet your copy of the “How to Improve Your Hospitality Properties Success” e-book? https://keystonehpd.com/how-to-im

Many hospitality properties forgo proper employee training due to associated costs, but studies have shown that the return on investment (ROI) from training and development of employees is a no-brainer. I'll explain why hotel employee training is important.Training can improve employee morale, business performance, help increase your profits and if you have a properly organized system, you can find the time and I don’t mean just when they are hired, it has to be ongoing.Let me ask you something. “Do you have a small property, just a couple of employees, but you seem to be doing most of the work?” or “Do you have a property running on a shoestring budget, with limited employees that are overworked?” or “Are you so busy that you cannot find the time to think about additional training for your employees?” or “Do you have high turnover?” If you have answered “yes” to any of these questions, there is no doubt in my mind you’re throwing money out the window and over the years have probably lost some excellent emp

The last two of years, hotel employee retention has been a nightmare.In this episode, I’ll explain how to improve your employee experience while elevating your guest's satisfaction.In the last couple of episodes, I have discussed the cost of employee turnover and hiring great employees. Now that you have the right employees, how do you keep them?Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, Hilton, Hyatt, and Marriott International have all listed in the top 50 best hospitality companies to work. Many employees have said they are dream places to work. Why do so many people want to work there? • Is it because of high wages? • Opportunity for career advancement? • A great business philosophy? The reason expressed by most employees is the experience. It is a pleasure to work there because it is like a second home, and they feel like they have an opportunity to grow. They don’t feel like employees, but instead a part of a movement.In a recent study, 83% of Human Resource leaders said that they believe the employee experience

The Great Resignation. The Big Quit.Whatever you want to call it, it’s here, it’s real, and the hospitality industry has been hit harder than just about any other industry.I’m going to share 6 Strategies for Dealing with Staff Shortages in Hotels.When it comes to a turnover crisis, one would be hard-pressed to find a sector in more trouble than the hospitality industry, so finding strategies for dealing with staff shortages in hotels is imperative.With COVID-19 as the spur, and other factors adding energy — like relief funding, additional virtual training opportunities, and uncertainty for employees, the hospitality industry is facing extraordinary labour shortages. In the early days of the pandemic, lay-offs and furloughs became commonplace as stay at home orders were in effect and government’s restricted travel. However, as the world begins to reopen and travel is top-of-mind, the industry is struggling to re-hire or even retain the employees they have. In May 2022, the American Hotel & Lodging Associat

How do you find great employees? Employees, that share your philosophy, will care about your guests, and have excellent attention to detail? I will explain how to make recruiting the right hotel employees easier.Recruiting the correct hotel employees to help you achieve your vision is one of the most crucial steps to making your entire hotel business run by design.It is now time to consider the kind of organizational culture you want in your hotel because you must not recruit staff until you are clear about what type of people you want running it.You can always train, but finding the right people with the appropriate characteristics to build a profitable business with the right culture is not always easy.Just as your ideal guest, so you should also know your ideal employee, so you know exactly what to look for.In a perfect world, you would clone yourself, so you know that everything is done to your satisfaction. Unfortunately, we do not live in a perfect world, and you will need help. Depending on the size o

Employee turnover in the last couple of years has been chaotic, and if it has been happening to you, you are losing money. Here’s why hotel employees quit and how to turn things around.Turnover rates in the hospitality industry have grown in past years, in some sectors up to 70% and this includes the hospitality property sector.Turnover can impact everything from staff morale to a property’s ability to deliver consistent guest experiences, to budget and overall profit margins. While there are many factors that contribute to an employee’s decision to leave, it’s up to property owners and managers to take corrective action. Research has shown that owners, managers, and executives polled believe an improved employee experience is important, only 22% reported that their properties excel in making this a priority.There are hospitality property owners and managers out there who are doing things the way it has always been done because that is the way it has always been done. Over the years, these owners, or managers

Every hotel can have a different style, some traditional others more modern.In this episode, I will share 20 websites to get furniture ideas for your hotel.This episode is going to be short but full of useful information.Whether you are an aspiring or current hotel owner and regardless of the type of property you wish to operate, finding high-quality, sturdy, comfortable, and affordable furniture is imperative and a lot of this can be done online.This would include commercial furniture, outdoor furniture, restaurant furniture, leather sectional sofas, accent chairs, and ottomans, beds or bedroom sets, even reproductions of classic designs.When choosing a supplier, it is important to pick one that focuses on designing furniture collections for the hospitality industry.Continue reading, watching, and listening and I will share a couple of things to keep in mind before you start buying furniture...⇒ TO WATCH, READ OR LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE ON KEYSTONE HOSPITALITY PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT:https://keystonehpd.com/furn

First impressions are everything when it comes to your hotel and creating a charming, comfortable and classy environment can go a long way to generating a great first impression.Here’s what you need to consider when buying hotel furniture.Here are 12 things to consider when buying hotel furniture1. Does the furniture echo your hotel's identityThe identity of your hotel is what sets it apart from your competitors. It helps your business to grow and the furniture you choose will echo this. Your choice of furniture should depend on the style and aesthetics you are aiming for.Determining a theme and sticking to it helps you keep your choices simple but keep in mind, you don’t want to clash with the existing décor and colour scheme so make sure they all complement each other. You’ll be surprised what mixing and matching can do.Be creative and try to use unusual designs. Make sure to prioritize comfort over style.Continue reading, watching, and listening and I will share 11 more things to consider when buying hotel

If you have decided you want to become a hotelier, you have to think about what type of hotel or resort you want.Here are four key elements you need to consider.In this step of your research, you’ll need to determine the type of hotel business you would like. You need to visualize what it will be like.You need to write down your visualization on paper. This will make it feel real. For example:What type of hotel will you be?How many rooms would you like?What will be your focus?Continue reading, watching, and listening and I will share four key elements you need to consider when opening a hotel...⇒ TO WATCH, READ OR LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE ON KEYSTONE HOSPITALITY PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT:https://keystonehpd.com/what-type-of-hotel-or-resort-do-you-want-313“The Guide to Owning & Operating a Hospitality Property – Successfully” course. https://KeystoneHPD.com/CourseGet your copy of the “How to Improve Your Hospitality Properties Success” ebook? https://keystonehpd.com/how-to-improve-your-hospitality-propertys-succe