June, 2015 - HospitalityLawyer.com®

The JOBS Act: Potential Impact on the Sale of Hotel Condominium Units

by Bruce Czachor in Hotel Development, Legal, Lodging. Posted June 28, 2015

Co-authored by Brian L. Belt Changes in federal securities laws—namely, the loosening of rules on solicitation and advertising—may have opened up a new vista for investors and speculators, such that the sale of hotel condominium units could become both more profitable and more common. What follows are details of these changes and their expected impact. ...

Passing Credit Card Swipe Fees to Employees and Guests

by Kara Maciel in Food & Beverage, Legal, Lodging, Technology. Posted June 28, 2015

Our national hospitality practice frequently advises restaurant owners and operators on whether it is legal for employers to pass credit card swipe fees onto employees or even to guests, and the short answer is, yes, in most states. But whether an employer wants to actually pass along this charge and risk alienating their staff or ...

Reasons for Hoteliers to Act Now

by Russ Rivard in Hotel Development, Lodging. Posted June 28, 2015

At the recent 26th Annual Hunter Hotel Conference in Atlanta, Russ Rivard served alongside other hotel buyers, lenders, appraisers, and advisors on a panel discussion of “Hotel Values in a Rising Market.” While we shared insights from our various perspectives on the U.S. hotel industry as of early 2014, it became very apparent that there is a surge ...

How Music Establishes Mood and Drives Restaurant Profits

by BMI in Food & Beverage. Posted June 26, 2015

Will Bridges, co-founder of Lamberts Downtown Barbecue in Austin, Texas, sees on a daily basis the impact music has on diners. “The interplay between music and dining is crucial,” he observes. “You really can’t separate the two. Lamberts wouldn’t be what it is today without the music component.” Indeed, whether a restaurant is seeking to ...

Suction Entrapment in Hotel Swimming Pools

by Thomas Cate in Insurance & Loss Prevention, Legal, Lodging, Safety & Security. Posted June 26, 2015

Background In June of 2002, 7-year old Virginia Graeme Baker drowned when she became stuck to the suction drain outlet of a hot tub. Baker, who had been swimming without assistance since age 3, was trapped underwater against the drain by the suction force of the water flowing into the drain. She was unable to ...

A Hotelier’s Guide to Serious Wi-Fi

by admin in Lodging, Technology. Posted June 26, 2015

Major online hospitality outlets like Hotel Industry Magazine and Travel Daily UK are announcing the results of a NETGEAR study in which two-thirds of business travelers reported they would not return to a hotel that offers inadequate wireless service. Now, we can’t find a direct link to that survey, and the findings do encourage the purchase of the technology ...

4 Best Practices for Hotels to Win Chargeback Disputes over Smoking Violation Fees

by admin in Lodging. Posted June 26, 2015

Recently, the hotel industry has been wrestling with a growing trend. A guest whom the hotel suspects violated smoking policies by smoking in his room or inside the hotel itself has his credit card charged for the violation fee after leaving the hotel. The guest either promptly or eventually disputes this charge, denying the alleged ...

Licensing the Music Used in Select-Service Hotels

by BMI in Legal, Lodging. Posted June 26, 2015

Although the music played in hotel guest rooms does not require a music license, a license might be needed when music is played in the public areas of hotels, such as lobbies, bars, fitness centers, etc. This is because under U.S. copyright law, songwriters, composers and music publishers own the music they create and must ...

Don’t Let your Guests Walk into a Silent Lobby…

by BMI in Legal, Lodging. Posted June 26, 2015

In today’s world, a hotel or lodging establishment is more than just a place to sleep while on vacation. People select hotels based on amenities and value, and if searching the web for one, many people can just look at photos of a hotel and almost hear and feel what it would be like to ...

Top 5 Trends in Hospitality for 2014

by admin in Food & Beverage, Lodging. Posted June 25, 2015

The Infographic outlines the top 5 trends in the hospitality industry for 2014. Originally published by: by Kendall College – Chicago. Originally published on Tuesday, October 14,20141723 views at time of republishing

Monthly Archives: June 2015