Cover Story
Taking Her Ownership
In Family Businesses, the Next Generation of Women Hoteliers Is Ready to Lead By Cathleen Draper Dhruti Patel was born into the world of hospitality. She grew up in an independent property, one of several hotels her parents owned. Her family lived behind the hotel, and Dhruti and her brother frequently helped their mother, Tina Patel, turn over rooms, make beds, and clean. When Dhruti was in middle school, her parents built a Comfort Suites. Then, the recession hit. “There was no occupancy,” Tina said.…
Featured
Standing Out
How to Build a Personal Brand That Sets You Apart By A.D. Thompson “I think, as just personality, I am like Tomahawk,” said Yulia Houghtaling, in an accent best described as tellme-you’re-from-Russia-without-telling-me-you’re-from-Russia. Whether she was referencing the Indigenous axe, or the missile that references the Indigenous axe, either way, it worked. She speaks sharply, decisively, but with…
Going Green
Sustainability Is a Win-Win for Hotel Owners and the Planet By Elsbeth Russell Across the globe, sustainability has moved from a buzzword to a benchmark of business excellence. The hospitality industry, long known for its high resource consumption and waste production, is now at the forefront of this transformation. Hotels are increasingly embracing eco-conscious strategies that not…
Women to Women
Women in Hospitality Offer Advice and Insights for Success By AAHOA Staff Every woman in hospitality has a unique journey, shaped by experiences, lessons, and the people who inspired them along the way. In this special feature, we asked women in the industry to share the advice that’s stuck with them, the strategies that have helped them…
Columns
Building A Workplace That Works for Her
Employee benefits are a piece of the empowerment puzzle for women in hospitality By Cheri Wheeler Stunning numbers from a recent report reveal that only 28 percent of women feel their company’s culture actively supports them. On top of that, more than half of women are ready to leave their jobs because they feel overlooked…
Heating Up
Upgrading to modern systems can solve hotel heating woes By Victor S. Reichstein Picture this: You’re staying in a hotel in the dead of winter in a city where daytime temperatures barely reach 15° degrees F. Your room has a package terminal air conditioner (PTAC) unite below the window. Despite its best efforts, it can’t…