Hraba Hospitality Consulting

LEED compliancy is often an expensive, and frustrating, process.   Many hoteliers feel it just means a sterile, ugly building; others think it is imperative – not for the good of the earth – but the marketability of their brand. Whatever reason people use, one thing is for certain – it is relevant, it is part of the standardization of the green movement, and it is something that is here to stay.  In what form, I am not too sure, but the need to abide environmentally aware construction and renovation is paramount in our eco-hungry clients’ eyes.  The Green Movement isn’t a movement anymore, it’s just the way business should be done.  This isn’t just about guests, nor industry trends.   This is just about smart business.

After two decades of slowly getting there, the practice of being ecological in the hotel industry has gripped us at every angle.  One of the reasons green has finally been benchmarked into the hotel industry is that people caught on that “green” can often mean “saving money”.  Many aspects of being green are really just about being conscious about how you use your resources, and how you conserve.  That is what a good GM is doing all the time! Many of these things significantly increase savings, and general managers seem to be (more…)

If I had to carry a torch for an environmental issue (and I am sure I do), it would have to be getting people to see the problem of plastic water bottles. Or more directly, helping hoteliers and the ENTIRE travel and hospitality industry rid of this needlessly expensive problem.

SO!

My one, isolated, professional recommendation to EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THE ENTIRETY OF HOSPITALITY – all hoteliers, general managers, managing groups, executive committees, DOS, DOM, Banquets and more – needs to say *NO MORE* to water bottles at property level. If you don’t think you can, breathe deep and just figure it out. Sell them in the gift shop if you have to (along side metal or reusable containers), keep some in case of an emergency…

…but get them out of guest rooms, restaurants, bars, and meeting rooms. They are one of the most pervasive and damaging environmental (more…)

Update! Here we have the Cisco Innovator Forum podcast that goes along with the article – How to sell to hotels.  Jess’ article appears *here*.

Also, and interesting article since the publishing of this post: Loew’s to source from local farmers for inventory

—-

As we sit and hope and pray for the economy to be bolstered by these stimulus packages, bailouts, plans, and overwhelming fray… it is always good to realize that some of the best times to start or grow your business is during a recession. One way to grow is to (more…)