[Really? no, Really? Podcast] The Billion Dollar Nap: The Rise of Sleep Tourism
In this episode of “Really? no, Really?” hosts Jason Alexander and Peter Tilden delve into the intriguing world of “Sleep Tourism” with Kaushik Vardharajan, an Associate Professor of the Practice and Director of the Real Estate and Innovation and Entrepreneurship Programs at Boston University’s School of Hospitality Administration. With millions of Americans struggling with insomnia, […]
[BISNOW] Investors Want To Buy Into Boston’s Improving Hotel Market, But Deals Are Still Scarce
As the weather warms, Boston is drawing not only flocks of tourists but also a host of hotel investors. Boston was ranked the fifth-most-attractive hotel investment market in the nation for 2024, behind New York City, Miami, San Francisco and Charleston, South Carolina, according to CBRE’s Global Hotel Investor Intentions Survey. However, high interest rates and a […]
[AFAR] Michelin Unveils New Hotel Ratings, Michelin “Keys”
Only 11 hotels in the United States were awarded Michelin’s highest distinction as part of the company’s newly announced hotel rating system. The system is similar to Michelin’s restaurant guide but instead of stars, hotels are given “keys”: three denoting the top honor, or an “extraordinary stay”; two marking hotels that are deemed “exceptional”; and […]
[Wall Street Journal] Should You Trust a Hotel’s Star Rating? Depends Where You Look.
In a sea of hotel reviews and star ratings, it’s hard to know who to rely upon. Here’s how to get a vetted measure of what you’re in for before a trip. For a five-day trip to Mexico with her college-age daughter, Arlana Keller of Calgary, Alberta, insisted they book a hotel rated four stars or […]
[New York Times] $1,780 to Spend the Night in a ‘Cocoon’? Hotels Are Betting on Sleep Tourism.
To sleep, perchance to dream. Or if not dream, at least to feel vaguely rested the next day, especially on vacation. Is that too much to ask? For many people, yes. The United States is tired, according to the National Sleep Foundation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health, and there is a […]
[NPR Marketplace] 2023 was a big year for the hotel industry. Has its recovery peaked?
InterContinental Hotels Group — which owns Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza and others — reported on Tuesday that it had good earnings in 2023. The company made more money per room last year and increased its profits to over $1 billion for the first time. 2023 was a big recovery year for a lot of hotels, but is […]
[WalletHub] Best Travel Credit Cards of December 2023
With big bonuses and good rewards throughout the year, the top travel credit cards can help you get free flights, hotel stays, and other travel benefits. When picking a travel credit card, think about how you usually travel. Having the right card can save you more than $1,000 in the first two years. Check out […]
BU Today – Building a Better City with Hospitality
Building, buying, and selling hotels, resorts, and restaurants is a challenging business to begin with, even more so when you’re trying to support a diverse local community. On Wednesday, November 8, the School of Hospitality Administration hosts the 2023 Hospitality Real Estate Symposium to explore “the transformative power of real estate.” “I will always believe that hospitality […]
Hotel brands give club-floor lounges a rethink — for owners and guests
Hotels Magazine (October 27, 2023) Since the pandemic, three factors have had an impact on lounges, according to associate professor of the practice at SHA, Kaushik Vardharajan. One is guest loyalty, as the spaces became more crowded like their airport counterparts because they were open to guests holding co-branded credit cards and others not staying […]
RISE OF THE MANAGEMENT COMPANY: THIRD-PARTY HOTEL OPERATORS COME TO THE FORE
Multi-branded lodging companies, from Marriott International and Hilton to Hyatt Hotels Corp. and InterContinental Hotels Group, are leaning hard into asset-light strategies that favor franchising, an approach that generates fees with a lower cost base. The void, then, of operating assets has fallen more and more to third-party management companies (TPMCs), which hire, fire, oversee […]