Skip to main content

Coming Soon: Possible Upgrades of Extended Stay, $1 Drink by McDonald’s, and 4G Mobile Networks

Yesterday’s Wall Street Journal (MarketPlace) reported several pieces of hospitality and technology news that caught my attention. I feel these issues might have great impact to the hospitality industry.

1. Starwood and Extended Stay Chain were negotiating a deal. I used W Hotels by Starwood as an example for hotel design trend. I would like to see how Starwood may help Extended Stay turn around its business. Regarding the extended-stay segment, I tweeted an article by Inc.com about four great extended-stay hotel examples (http://bit.ly/bXWzUO). From the pictures of a guestroom in Vdara Hotel & Spa, Las Vegas, NV and a kitchen in Element by Westin, Lexington, MA, we can see the design trend for extended-stay hotels --- contemporary, light color, chic decors, etc. I feel it is time for the “old” extended-stay hotels to update their images. I will pay a close attention to the changes of this segment.

2. McDonald’s is going to offer $1 soft drinks for all sizes. Even though $1 seems a big cut, it still offers the restaurants good profit margin. More importantly, if consumers stop by McDonald’s for a drink, they may order a snack or even a meal. Other fast food brands and even soft drink companies will possibly feel the pressure. Will everyone follow McDonald’s move?

3. 3G brought us smart phones with a variety of apps and already have great impacts to consumers and operations. Sprint is introducing 4G service in selected markets. I have a Sprint cell phone. I look forward to the 4G experience and want to see what influences it will bring to us.

What are your thoughts?

References:
Inc.com (pictures were also copied from this site): http://tinyurl.com/linchikwok03192010-1
The Wall Street Journal (March 18, 2010): Extended Stay chain switches bedfellows (B1 & B2); Spring wagers on 4G phones (B1); McDonald’s bets pricing drinks at $1 will heat up summer sales (B6).

Comments

  1. Today, Extended Stay accepted Starwood's offer.

    http://dealbook.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/19/extended-stay-accepts-starwood-offer/

    ReplyDelete
  2. Update on 04/06/2010:
    Extended Stay Battle Escalates; Centerbridge Matches Rival Bid

    http://on.wsj.com/9JlNq1

    ReplyDelete
  3. WSJ.com (May 29):

    Centerbridge Snares Extended Stay --- Hotel chain fatches nearly $4 billion; Competitive auction illustrates hunger for distressed assets (http://on.wsj.com/bvcSMw)

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Luxury vs. Millennials and Their Technology: The Ritz-Carlton (By Julia Shorr)

Embodying the finest luxury experience, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, LLC has been established since 1983. In 1998, Marriott International purchased the brand offering it more opportunity for growth while being independently owned and operated. They are known for their enhanced service level as the motto states, “Ladies and Gentlemen serving Ladies and Gentlemen”. The luxury brand now carries 97 hotels and resorts internationally and is attempting to keep the aspects of luxury while keeping up with the trends of the technologically improving generations. The Varying Demographics of the Target Market The Ritz-Carlton’s typical target market includes: business executives, corporate, leisure travelers, typically middle-aged persons and elders, and families from the upper and upper-middle class section of society .   This infers a large range of types of travelers in which all are similar in that they are not opposed to spending extra for the luxurious ambiance. However, with

Is It OK for Hotel Staff to Wear Piercings and Tattoos?

Time has changed. I see more and more college students wearing piercings and tattoos nowadays, but is it OK for hotel staff to wear piercings and tattoos? The answer is “no, no, no.” According a report at USAToday.com, customers across the board do not want to see any hotel workers with pierced eyebrow, pierced tongue, tattooed arm, or nose ring. Some may argue that tattooed and pierced workers may seem more acceptable in edgy boutique hotels as compared to the big franchised hotels, but the survey results did not find any differences among a variety of lodging products. Many respondents believe people who wear visible tattoos and piercings are taking a high risk of their professional lives. If you stay in a hotel, do you mind being served by tattooed and/or pierced staff? What if you are the one who makes the hiring decision? References: USAToday.com: http://tinyurl.com/linchikwok08042010 Picture was downloaded from http://tinyurl.com/linchikwok08042010P

How Covid-19 will change the HR department? (by Vivian Tan)

With the current pandemic happening, many businesses are having a hard time. It is hard for them to maintain to pay all their employees, and many things have changed on how companies are running during Covid-19. Because of this virus, employees work from home and might lack the motivation to finish their tasks. Many businesses shut their doors infinitely and file for bankruptcy because it is hard to pay their employees, and there are not many businesses coming in. In the hospitality industry, the HR department must create policies and answer questions from the outbreak. It is also essential that they communicate with workers for any updates and make sure that it does not affect their daily operations.     When it comes to covid-19 concerns, the HR department should communicate with the employees for any updates on the virus, such as informing employees about policies, personal hygiene, posting signs around the workplace about symptoms of the virus, and wear masks. Also, asking employee