5 Steps to Make Your Omelet Station The Most Memorable Part of a Guest Stay

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Let’s face it, hotel breakfast buffets are often the best part of staying at a hotel for many guests.  In fact, lots of research has suggested that the service during breakfast is often the key to a successful overall hotel satisfaction survey score.  Today, we are going to focus on improving buffet service by re-training your Omelet Chef.

Decades ago, someone came up with the idea to add a Chef to the buffet so guests could get eggs and omelets prepared to their liking.  Eggs and omelet creations are typically low-cost, very filling, and loved by guests.  Unfortunately, over time, the Omelet Chefs began being replaced by employees who spoke very little English and did little more than just stand there and wait for you to point at the ingredients you would like in your omelet.  For some reason, we all started hiring people who rarely smiled, said very little, and always seemed very bothered to have to make an omelet for a guest.  Nothing makes that 3-minute wait for your omelet more uncomfortable than knowing the person cooking the omelet does not want to be there.  Also, good luck if you need someone other than an omelet.  I can’t tell you how many my request to have a buffet item refilled was just met with a shrug.

Omelet Chefs are in a key position when it comes to guest interaction and they should be held accountable to the same service standards as a Guest Service Agent.  At a minimum, a good Omelet Chef does the following: Continue reading →

Ask TrueGuest: The Importance of Watching Every Ounce of Liquor in Your Hotel Bar

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Dear TrueGuest,

I just finished your online guide to ‘Getting Your Beverage Cost Under Budget‘ and I am working on getting all of the internal controls in place.  However, I really feel like I am now spending all of my time chasing pennies and trying to control every single drop of liquor we use.  Should I really care how much alcohol is wasted?  A little bit of extra vodka here and there shouldn’t make a big difference, right? – Javier

Javier, thank you for such a great question!  We often hear this exact question when we are teaching our liquor control class in person or giving a lecture on liquor controls at an HFTP meeting.  You are absolutely right, even an ounce of a really good vodka only costs about 50 cents.  Why worry so much?  Surely, that can’t impact the bottom line that much, right?  Wrong!

First, we have to start looking at the potential of that ounce of vodka, not the cost.  In many cities such as Los Angeles and New York City, an ounce of premium vodka at a high-end bar can easily sell for $15.  So, for every extra ounce of vodka your bartender over-pours, you could be out $15 in potential revenue.  Most guests have a pretty small limit of how much alcohol they can consume in one night.  Let’s pretend a customer orders a vodka cranberry but your bartender pours 2 ounces of vodka instead of 1 ounce.  That customer has now had twice as much as she expected to drink and may not come back for a second one.  If that customer typically likes to drink two drinks, your hotel will be out $15 in revenue and $14.50 in profit.  Over-pouring is definitely a profit killer in hotel bars.  If you have just 50 customers a night and just 10 of them have one less drink because of the over-pour, you could be out over $140 in profit.  If you serve a few hundred guests, you can easily see how quickly the numbers add up.

I hope that helps.  Once you get your liquor controls in line, be sure to check out our post on maximizing bar revenues.

Ask TrueGuest: Improving In Room Dining

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Dear TrueGuest,

I am the In-Room Dining Manager of a large hotel.  Our In-Room Dining sales have really dropped over the last year.  Our service scores are also suffering.  Where do a start?

Great question!  Many hotels are reporting a drastic decrease in F&B sales per occupied room.  The In-Room Dining sales have taken the biggest hit during these tough times.  Guests are really cutting back on the more expensive amenities of the hotels and room service is usually at the top.  Here are our recommendations:

1.  Revisit your menu and specifically your menu prices.  Many hotels dramatically increased their room service menu prices over the restaurant prices.  We recommend that the prices are similar, especially if your hotel is near many other restaurants…  especially if they are within walking distance.  Guests typically look at the room service prices and assume they are the same as in the restaurant.  If a guest feels they are too high, you have lost them as a customer in both room service and the restaurant.  Guests will grab breakfast from a quick mart and eat dinner at the restaurant next door.

2.  Review the basics of room service selling with your Room Service Operators.  Now more than ever, they need to maximize the revenue on every call they receive.  Check out this article on how to increase your room service sales by as much as 50 percent!

3.  For help on improving your service, check out this article on how to deliver room service orders the right way!

Have any tips of your own?  Post them below!  Have a question that you would like answered?  Post it below or send it to us via the contact page.

The Benefits of Mystery Shopping

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Many managers usually ask us, “Why do we need mystery shopping?” or “How will mystery shopping benefit our hotel?”We are here today to answer these questions for you and more. Let’s start with the most basic, but very important question of, “What is Mystery Shopping?”To TrueGuest, mystery shopping is a training and observation tool for managers. With shoppers acting as normal customers writing detailed reports about the service they experienced, managers are able to get a rare glimpse of the service from a guest’s perspective. Mystery shopping provides a great look at the service a hotel provides that you, as a manager cannot personally see. By using these reports, a service improvement training program can be implemented with the proper accountability. How often do you train and train on service standards only to get poor “official” scores on guest service? How do you know where to begin to find out what went wrong? Mystery shopping reports provide that accountability tool for managers. They can find out exactly what is or is not happening that creates poor service.

There are many hotels that tell us, “We are doing well in our guest service scores, so we do not need any mystery shopping!”To those hotels, we say, “Congratulations!”But think of it this way; who fills out those comment cards that you regularly base your success on? The guests that take the time to fill out the comment cards are almost always either the guests that had a wonderful visit or the guests that had a completely terrible visit. This probably accounts for only 1% of your total guests. What you are essentially saying is that you do not care about how any of the guests in between feel; a good 99% of them. You are risking the loyalty of the guests that you provided below-average service to, who did not feel like filling out your comment cards. How would your corporate office respond to that? Comment cards are like a crapshoot; you hope that you get “good” guests this month and that they give favorable scores. Why not turn that crapshoot into a sure thing? Mystery shopping provides an unbiased, objective look at your service at any given time. Managers are then able to focus on keeping service consistently high by pinpointing and correcting any service deficiencies instead of waiting for a guest to comment on them. Unfortunately, they probably will have chosen another hotel by then.

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Forbes Travel Guide Releases 2024 Five-Star Award Winners

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Forbes has been traveling the globe to certify more hotels for 2024. They have added an additional 21 international 5-Star Hotels and only 1 additional US Hotel. The 66th annual list features 340 Five-Star, 600 Four-Star, and 503 Recommended hotels; 78 Five-Star, 121 Four-Star, and 59 Recommended restaurants; and 126 Five-Star and 201 Four-Star spas worldwide.

From the Forbes Press Release:

FTG compiles its ratings using an objective, independent and data-driven process. Incognito inspectors pose as everyday guests and stay at hotels, board cruises, receive spa services and dine at fine restaurants around the world. They test some 900 exacting standards—such as whether a room is designed to promote sleep quality or whether the food-and-beverage choices support a guest’s well-being—emphasizing exceptional service, which accounts for 70 percent of a property’s rating. Newer standards focus on the guest experience, such as ensuring “cocktails are dynamically interesting and photogenic” and even asking if the inspector would “readily recommend this property to others.” The remaining 30 percent comes from the quality and condition of the facilities. Finally, inspectors are now required to reflect on whether there was great value in the experience.

The full list of 2024 Five Star winners is as follows:

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Forbes Travel Guide Releases 2022 Five-Star Award Winners

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Forbes seems to be pushing hard again to certify 5 Star Hotels as the pandemic slows.  There are now 323 Five Star Hotels, up from just 76 a few years ago and just 283 last year!  From the press release:

The 64th annual list features 323 Five-Star, 558 Four-Star, and 401 Recommended hotels; 74 Five-Star, 112 Four-Star, and 67 Recommended restaurants; and 102 Five-Star and 193 Four-Star spas worldwide.

To find the best of the best, Forbes Travel Guide’s incognito inspectors stay at each hotel for three days and two nights, posing as ordinary guests. They test up to 900 objective, rigorous standards, from modern-day luxuries—such as whether a room is set up to enhance sleep or whether the food-and-beverage choices are health-conscious—to more traditional amenities, such as the quality of the décor and the courtesy of the staff. Seventy-five percent of a hotel’s rating relies on service, while the remaining 25 percent is determined by the quality of its facilities.

The full list of 2022 Five Star winners is as follows:

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Forbes Travel Guide Releases 2021 Five-Star Award Winners

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Forbes has continued to inspect and add hotels to their last at a rapid speed.  They have added 15 new Five-Star hotels this year, despite the pandamic! There are now 283 Five Star Hotels, up from just 76 a few years ago!  From the press release:

The 63rd annual list features 283 Five-Star, 576 Four-Star and 438 Recommended hotels; 73 Five-Star, 136 Four-Star and 77 Recommended restaurants; and 90 Five-Star and 200 Four-Star spas worldwide. (The winners were surveyed both before the pandemic and once regional restrictions allowed FTG’s incognito evaluators to visit.)

To rate properties, Forbes Travel Guide inspectors stay at each hotel for three days and two nights, posing as regular guests and paying their own way. They test up to 900 objective, stringent standards, from modern-day luxuries—such as whether a room is set up to enhance sleep, and the food-and-beverage choices are health-conscious—to more traditional luxuries, like the quality of the interior décor and design of the staff’s uniforms.

Even in the midst of a global pandemic, service remains paramount. It’s more important than ever before that properties demonstrate the utmost regard for their guests’ wellbeing: 75% of a hotel’s rating is based on its service and genuine care and concern shown by the staff, while 25% is determined by the quality of its facilities.

There were 5 new cities in North America who welcomed their first Five-Star Hotel. They are:

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AAA Adds 6 Hotels to Exclusive Five Diamond List for 2020

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AAA has published their new list of approved Five Diamond Hotels for 2020.  AAA has added 3 new US hotels and 3 international hotels.  The new hotels added are the following:

  • Boston Harbor Hotel (Boston, MA) – Gracious hospitality is prevalent at this luxury hotel, which merges modernity and classic décor. The guest rooms offer a supremely luxurious experience with a view of marina activity and local marine life from Boston Harbor’s Rowes Wharf. (Upgraded from Four Diamonds)
  • Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North (Scottsdale, AZ) – Well-designed landscaping seamlessly blends with the desert surroundings, allowing for striking views from the territorial-style casitas, each with a fireplace and terrace. (Upgraded from Four Diamonds)
  • Hotel Bel Air (Los Angeles, CA) – This classical establishment was brought into the 21st century with contemporary, elegant and high-quality décor. The location is the perfect backdrop in which to enjoy the meticulously manicured gardens and the lovely pond, home to graceful swans. (Upgraded from Four Diamonds)
  • Hotel Xcaret Mexico (Playa del Carmen, Mexico) – This all-inclusive resort is packed with activities, including eight theme parks, many pools, three exercise rooms, and a private island. Many of the modern rooms open up to pools or the river. (New listing)
  • Mandarin Oriental, Canouan (Canouan, St. Vincent and the Grenadines) – This world-class property, unique for its remote location, offers just 26 large suites and 13 villas, as well as a private beach, impressive marble work throughout, and leading-edge technology enhancements. (New listing)
  • UNICO 20°N 87°W Hotel Riviera Maya (Akumal, Mexico) – This unique property features guest rooms with spacious balconies offering an oversize seating area and large oval-shaped hot tubs. Each guest room is assigned a local host who is tasked with ensuring that guests have a pleasurable stay to maximize their valuable vacation time. (Upgraded from Four Diamonds)

Congratulations to the new award-winning hotels and restaurants!  From the AAA press release:

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Forbes Travel Guide Releases 2020 Five-Star Award Winners

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Forbes has continued to inspect and add hotels to their last at a rapid speed.  They have added 107 new Five-Star hotels this year! There are now 268 Five Star Hotels, up from just 76 a few years ago!  From the press release:

The inspectors of Forbes Travel Guide journeyed from Santa Barbara to the Seychelles to find its 2020 Star Award winners, an elite group of the world’s most luxurious hotels, restaurants and spas.

A record-breaking 107 new Five-Star honorees landed on the 62nd annual list, the result of an ambitious expansion. Forbes Travel Guide ventured to 16 countries—including The Bahamas, Cambodia, Egypt, Fiji, French Polynesia, India, Jordan, the Maldives, New Zealand, Scotland and South Africa—for the first time.

To uncover the most outstanding properties, Forbes Travel Guide’s incognito inspectors check into a hotel for a minimum of two nights, posing as ordinary guests and paying their own way. Then they test up to 900 objective, exacting standards—including whether a staff member greets them curbside within 30 seconds of arrival, whether clothing left around a room is folded neatly or draped and placed within immediate view after turndown service, and whether the staff uniforms demonstrated exceptional design. The ratings tabulate 75 percent of a hotel’s score based on its service, while the remaining 25 percent is determined by the quality of its facilities. 

Here is the full list of all of the Five-Star Hotels:

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AAA Adds 10 Hotels to Exclusive Five Diamond List for 2019

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AAA has published their new list of approved Five Diamond Hotels for 2019.  AAA has added 4 new US hotels and 6 international hotels.  The new hotels added are the following:


Baccarat Hotel New York (New York, New York) – Crystal chandeliers sparkle as they chime overhead and exquisite stemware overflows with champagne in the lounges, creating rich pleasures for the senses at this storybook destination from the fabled French glass company.
Banyan Tree Mayakoba (Playa del Carmen, Mexico) – The unique mixture of Asian and Mexican architecture is stunning throughout. This gated resort, located on the famed Riviera Maya coast, blends untouched nature in a carefully maintained ecosystem.
Fairmont Pacific Rim (Vancouver, Canada) – Guests are pampered at this luxury tower, which has a beautiful, innovative design. Gorgeous rooms with spectacular views feature an enhanced Pacific Northwest feel.
Hotel Emma (San Antonio, Texas) – Guests will be stunned by this chic hotel, the site of the former Pearl’s Brewhouse, built in 1894, including its upscale, beautifully crafted lobby, library and rooftop pool areas.
Montage Los Cabos (Cabo San Lucas, Mexico) – This upscale property features several infinity-edge pools that blend in with the ocean and overlook the secluded beach. The impressive guest bathrooms feature indoor and outdoor showers.
NIZUC Resort & Spa (Cancun, Mexico) – This beautiful and expansive resort features rustic and elegant Mayan-inspired décor. The guest rooms are spacious with many custom furnishings and luxurious features.
Rosewood San Miguel de Allende (San Miguel de Allende, Mexico) – This colonial-style hacienda has gorgeous public areas and meticulously maintained gardens. The spacious guest rooms feature a refined colonial décor with a fireplace and terrace.
The Dominick Hotel (New York, New York) – With stellar views of the city, this bastion of contemporary luxury features swanky modern Italian furnishings, impressive artworks and marble bathrooms. The SoHo location puts you at the very heart of Manhattan’s fashion culture.
The Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston (Houston, Texas) – Houston’s premier property offers its guests impeccable service and highest quality amenities. This contemporary hotel is a crown jewel among the city’s accommodations.
The St. Regis Mexico City (Mexico City, Mexico) – This gleaming hotel tower offers large rooms complete with high-tech conveniences and a butler. The views are stunning, with many overlooking iconic symbols of Mexico.

Congratulations to the new award-winning hotels and restaurants!  From the AAA press release:

Many of this year’s new Five Diamond honorees have received top marks in the past for their physical attributes that, although impressive, were not paired with AAA’s exceptionally high Five Diamond service expectations, until now. After demonstrating notable service enhancements, San Antonio’s first Five Diamond establishment, Hotel Emma, as well as Banyan Tree Mayakoba, NIZUC Resort & Spa, Rosewood San Miguel de Allende, and The St. Regis Mexico City, received the coveted fifth Diamond for the first time.

Others, like Baccarat Hotel, The Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston and Montage Los Cabos, attained the AAA Five Diamond Rating shortly after opening within the past 12 months. 

Hotel trends observed by AAA inspectors, often appearing first at high-end properties, include continued developments in the use of technology to enhance service. Responding to this trend, AAA recently updated its hotel Approval Requirements & Diamond Rating Guidelines, which reflect the importance of connective technologies such as availability of in-room tablets, mobile apps, interactive kiosks, mobile key technology and digital messaging services.

Those at the Four Diamond level, just 6.3 percent of AAA Inspected & Approved hotels, are also an exclusive group. They must be refined and stylish with upscale physical attributes, extensive amenities and a high degree of hospitality, service and attention to detail. This year, there are 1,722 Four Diamond hotels.

To see the complete lists of 2019 AAA Four and Five Diamond Hotels, visit AAA.com/DiamondAwards. To see which cities and states have the most award winners, see AAA Four and Five Diamond Hotel Facts. Also of note among the new additions to the list is the first Five Diamond Rated property in Grenada, Spice Island Beach Resort. The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs remains the only hotel that has maintained the Five Diamond Rating for 41 consecutive years – since 1976 when AAA first introduced the Diamond Ratings for accommodations. The Inn at Little Washington Dining Room in Virginia remains the longest tenured Five Diamond restaurant, the only one to maintain the coveted status for 29 consecutive years, since 1988.

“These leading edge properties are well-positioned to meet the needs of discerning travelers. Their noted attributes include contemporary design trends and the highest quality food and amenities. Personalized, attentive service is foremost, delivered in ways that offer guests inspiring and memorable local experiences,” said Petrone.

Candidates for the Five Diamond Rating undergo multiple unannounced evaluations and a final decision by a panel of experts. Using guidelines weighted by member priorities, inspectors meticulously evaluate guest services and physical attributes to assess the level of competence, refinement and hospitality and assign a corresponding rating of One to Five Diamonds.

For more information about Diamond Ratings and the complete lists of Four and Five Diamond hotels and restaurants, visit AAA.com/DiamondAwards.

Currently, only .3% of all AAA-rated hotels achieved the Five Diamond Rating.  AAA rated 59,000 hotels for 2019.

Here is the full list of 2019 AAA Five Diamond Rated Hotels:

Continue reading →

AAA Adds 7 Hotels to Exclusive Five Diamond List for 2017

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AAA has published their new list of approved Five Diamond Hotels for 2017.  After years of shrinking the list, AAA has finally increased the total 5 Diamond hotel list to 120 hotels.  The new hotels added are the following:

  • THE MODERN – NEW YORK CITY
  • FOUR SEASONS RESORT LANA’I – LANAI CITY, HAWAII
  • THE ST. REGIS NEW YORK – NEW YORK CITY
  • SPICE ISLAND BEACH RESORT – ST. GEORGE’S, GRENADA
  • FOUR SEASONS HOTEL MEXICO D.F. – MEXICO CITY
  • DORADO BEACH, A RITZ-CARLTON RESERVE – DORADO, PUERTO RICO
  • THE JEFFERSON HOTEL – RICHMOND, VIRGINIA

Congratulations to the new award-winning hotels and restaurants!  From the AAA press release:

“Five Diamond establishments represent the upper echelon of hospitality, redefining personalized service, using creativity to enhance guest comfort and providing memorable experiences,” said Michael Petrone, director, AAA Inspections and Diamond Ratings. “Attaining the Five Diamond Rating is an impressive accomplishment and is a point of great pride for these top hotels and restaurants.”

Also of note among the new additions to the list is the first Five Diamond Rated property in Grenada, Spice Island Beach Resort. The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs remains the only hotel that has maintained the Five Diamond Rating for 41 consecutive years – since 1976 when AAA first introduced the Diamond Ratings for accommodations. The Inn at Little Washington Dining Room in Virginia remains the longest tenured Five Diamond restaurant, the only one to maintain the coveted status for 29 consecutive years, since 1988.

“These leading edge properties are well-positioned to meet the needs of discerning travelers. Their noted attributes include contemporary design trends and the highest quality food and amenities. Personalized, attentive service is foremost, delivered in ways that offer guests inspiring and memorable local experiences,” said Petrone.

Candidates for the Five Diamond Rating undergo multiple unannounced evaluations and a final decision by a panel of experts. Using guidelines weighted by member priorities, inspectors meticulously evaluate guest services and physical attributes to assess the level of competence, refinement and hospitality and assign a corresponding rating of One to Five Diamonds.

For more information about Diamond Ratings and the complete lists of Four and Five Diamond hotels and restaurants, visit AAA.com/DiamondAwards.

Currently, only .3% of all AAA-rated hotels achieved the Five Diamond Rating.  AAA rated 59,000 hotels for 2017.

Here is the full list of 2017 AAA Five Diamond Rated Hotels: Continue reading →

Five Diamond Hospitality is now TrueGuest

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Los Angeles, CA, July 12th, 2016 – Five Diamond Hospitality, a leading company for quality assurance audits, is preparing for the future with a new name, logo, and website.  Under the new name, TrueGuest, Five Diamond Hospitality will continue to serve their clients with the same high-quality service audits they have provided for the past decade.

 

About TrueGuest

TrueGuest, formerly known as Five Diamond Hospitality, is the premier Service Experience Audit company for the hospitality business.  The company provides service audits to many of the top brands in the United States.  Founded in 2006, TrueGuest is celebrating 10 years of service.

 

Contacts

TrueGuest

TrueGuest.com

(818) 301-5655

AAA Adds 6 Hotels to Exclusive Five Diamond List for 2016

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aaa-five-diamond-awardAAA has published their new list of approved Five Diamond Hotels for 2016.  Continuing the recent trend, the number of approved hotels has dropped again this year, from 121 to only 118.  AAA added 6 new or returning hotels this year, and removed 9 hotels that were approved in 2015.  The new hotels added are the following:

  • Hotel Mousai – Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
  • Park Hyatt New York – New York, N.Y.
  • St. Regis Deer Valley – Park City, Utah
  • The Cloister – Sea Island, Ga.
  • The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain – Marana, Ariz.
  • Trump International Hotel and Tower Toronto – Toronto, Ontario

Congratulations to the new award-winning hotels!  For a full list of 5 Diamond award winners, click here.