By Gay Lynn Grigas: Bullies are a small population of guest demographics, but without trained front-of-house staff, they can leave a trail of stressed out people in their path.

By Steve Curtin: Automated responses are used to improve customer response time, but are they counter-productive to good, personalised customer service? There are ways to mitigate the impersonal effect of an automated response.

Deals with AEG, Universal Music Group and CAA designed to inspire hotel guests and locals to discover new music, art, design and culinary experiences at each of its 155 hotels around the world.

Accor's Pullman hotel group is basing its brand positioning around the concept of "blurring", the increasingly fuzzy line between professional and private lives. Plenty of people are already "blurring", they just don't know they are.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts has announced plans to open more than 60 new hotels and resorts across Europe by 2020, increasing its current European hotel portfolio by nearly 40%.

By Kevin Boudreaux: Are you having trouble inspiring certain team members? You'll be up against tough odds if you haven't hired someone with an innate, genuine passion for service in the first place.

By Rochelle Castillejos: Advance Purchase Rate setups should be based on how your guests are buying your Best Available Rate (or BAR), since it is a discount off of this rate in the first place.

From monogrammed chocolates and dog towels, to directors' make-up chairs and full-length mirrors in their rooms, the red carpet gets rolled out for Hollywood royalty.

After surveying travellers to determine the secrets to a good night's sleep, Four Seasons has launched its own customisable bed, so guest can personalise it to their own preferences.

Hotel prices increased by 3 percent in 2013, with one region ahead of its pre-economic crisis rates for the first time, according to the latest Hotels.com Hotel Price Index.