Editor's Note: Some linked articles may be behind subscription paywalls.
1. French citizens find respite from heat in hotels
To find some relief during the current heatwave, many French citizens are leaving their homes to stay in air-conditioned hotel rooms, Reuters reports. Temperatures in Paris hit a June record of 105.62 degrees Fahrenheit last week.
"It is a quite extraordinary phenomenon. Every day, I have between five and ten people contacting me personally through various connections to get rooms in our hotels," said Matthieu Evrard, CEO of hotel group Les Hotels (tres) Particuliers. "With the heatwave, everything has filled up in just two weeks."
2. Bed-and-breakfast inns push to distinguish themselves
To contend with the popularity of short-term vacation rental platforms like Airbnb and VRBO, the owners and operators of traditional bed-and-breakfast inns are making a push to show what they have to offer to set them apart, the New York Times reports.
Matthew Robinson, who runs the Swift House Inn in Middlebury, Vermont, said his approach is "old-school hospitality" in which his property offers free yoga classes, concierge service for restaurant and golf course reservations and access to places normally closed to the public, such as a local whiskey distillery.
“In a world where you scan your own groceries and QR codes for menus, I think people want to be taken care of,” Robinson said.
3. Marriott's Dana Jacobsohn talks true luxury experiences
There's more to a luxury stay than a fancy-looking hotel or a reservation at a stuffy restaurant with white tablecloths, said Dana Jacobsohn, chief development officer, North America luxury brands and global mixed-use at Marriott International, in a video interview. Luxury is about how it makes the guests feel.
“What experience can I have that I can't get anywhere else, and how do I feel about that experience?” she said.
To hear more from Jacobsohn about what luxury guests are looking for and Marriott's development in the luxury space, click the link above.
4. Survey reports on AI reliance in corporate hotel programs
A survey conducted by the Global Business Travel Association found that 32% of corporate hotel programs used AI during their most recent request-for-proposal cycle, Business Travel Executive reports. Sixty-nine percent said they intend to use it in the next cycle.
While respondents said human oversight was essential for certain qualitative factors, such as traveler preferences and brand fit, there was a high level of comfort with using AI for decision support (70%) and automation (56%).
"We see a clear picture emerging of travel managers striving to balance increasing costs against managing risk and enhancing the traveler experience, while also actively leveraging AI to simplify and drive smarter, more efficient programs,” GBTA CEO Suzanne Neufang said.
5. Airlines fly with empty luxury reclining seats
Several major airlines have moved forward with installing new luxury seating options on their long-haul jets, but they remain empty until they receive their required safety certifications, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Some of the new high-end offerings include lie-flat seats, privacy doors, ottomans and extra storage space.
"When seats are installed at an angle, like the herringbone configuration airlines have used to fit more flatbed seats, passengers can experience different types of injuries in a crash, compared with the forward-facing seats that have populated coach cabins for decades," the newspaper reports. "Roomier pods and other spacious premium seats allow bodies to go flailing in unusual ways."