‘Unexpected Strength’ Marks 2012 Performance according to HotelNewsNow.com

Another great article from HotelNewsNow.com as part of their 2012 Year in Review.  From the article:

In a year marked by fiscal and political uncertainties, with black swans threatening to land throughout the world, the U.S. hotel industry quietly continued to churn along with strong performance.

Persisting negative headlines seem to corroborate those instincts, but Smith said that simply hasn’t been the case.

“Unexpected strength has kind of been the theme lately,” he said.

HotelNewsNow.com says that several prominent themes emerged during 2012 including:

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Product Review: Simmons EverNU Mattress

Simmons has introduced a new mattress that lets you zip off the top layers of the mattress and replace them.  By doing this, you can extend the life of your hotel’s mattresses.  A mattress can now last up to 14 years according to Simmons.

Check out the full details, including a video on Simmons’s website by clicking here.

Our take:  It seems like a solid idea.  The replacement tops cost about $120.  It seems like a good solution to replace soiled mattresses for about 1/5th of the cost.  We really like any idea that improves the cleanliness of the beds in hotel rooms.  Hotel beds have really come a long way in recent years.  We really believe that the triple sheet system that replaced the disgusting comforters is one of the biggest improvements for hotels in decades.

Hat tip:  We originally were tipped off about this mattress in the Hotel Check-In Blog.

USA Today Article About Guests Noticing Hotel Cutbacks

USA Today posted a pretty good article titled ‘As Hotels Struggle For Business, Some Guests Find An Upside’. Click on the link to read the entire article on their website.

The article talks about how guests are finding much better deals on hotel rooms now than ever before, especially at luxury hotels.  But the most important part of the article is the section titled ‘Guests Notice Cutbacks’.  From the article: Hotels cannot hide all the cutbacks. Some frequent travelers say they’re starting to notice little things.  From the article:

usatodaySome amenities — such as a bottle of water in the room or a newspaper delivered to the door — are gone. The quality of complimentary food and beverages has diminished in some club rooms or lobbies, or at hotel managers’ guest receptions, they say.

Because many hotels have cut their staffs, frequent travelers say they’re waiting longer to check in and out, have rooms made up and have cars retrieved by valets.

“There are fewer people to provide basic services, answer questions and make suggestions for restaurants and activities,” says Howard Knoff, an education consultant in Little Rock.

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