May 2011

What’s it take to start a hotel brand from scratch. Veteran hotel designer Dodd Mitchell and The Sonesta Collection are teaming up to launch KEPT Hotels & Resorts. In this issue, Mitchell discusses his vision for the new brand and talks about why and how he came up with the concept. Rooftop bars and restaurants are also becoming a hot trend in the hotel industry. In addition, we examine renovating through soft goods, such as bedding and linens. As hotels try to distinguish themselves during the economic recovery, many are replacing their soft goods with upgrade. Also, new avenues for marketing combined with technological advancements such as QR codes have changed the way hotels market themselves. We tell how the landscape of marketing is changing.