By Jordan Lawson: When planning your next vacation, consider giving back to those less fortunate while you’re getting away from it all. Several luxury hotels, and even a fabulous vacation club, are offering assistance in charitable ways—some have packages that allow travelers to volunteer their time, others you’ll help just by booking a room. Here are five great ways for you to do your part without sacrificing comfort.

By Nancy Trejos: Fast food has gone glam at hotel restaurants. Hotels are moving away from traditional, sit-down restaurants and serving comfort food with an upscale twist.

By feature writers Jean-Pierre van der Rest and Bjorn Arenoe: Since its introduction in the early 1990s Revenue Management has made important contributions to growth in hotel financial performance. Nowadays, major hotel chains apply revenue management in a fairly advanced, mathematical and automated manner. Nonetheless, pricing decisions, that form the key input for a Revenue Management System, are often made in a more or less experience-based way. For example, take the BAR rate, which is the unrestricted and non-qualified best available public room rate.

A new consumer survey focused on travel for the upcoming summer season unveils some surprising trends, from a renewed interest in planning ahead to a primary focus on value rather than strict budget considerations. Results from the March 2013 study conducted by Destination Hotels & Resorts also revealed that more than half of travellers are planning at least one trip without the kids.

By Bruna Martinuzzi: You don't know this, but there are some serious blind spots in your leadership skills. These 8 tips will help you see them clearly, and conquer them for good.

By Qin Xie: Egypt's first 'dry' hotel has been unveiled in the popular Red Sea city of Hurghada, according to news site Al Bawaba. Les Rois, a 183-room three-star hotel, has been voluntarily alcohol-free since Saturday when it held an official ceremony that involved pouring alcohol away and smashing bottles.

By Saloni: With the summer just round the corner as we're about to enter May, London's boutique hotel scene is hotting up for another bumper season and it's time to take a look at the latest goings on.

By Gary Stoller: Business travellers may not pick a historic hotel, instead selecting a site near work, with amenities and frequent-stay points. For those who want to experience history, USA TODAY researched historic hotels and sought recommendations from historians, a publisher of books on historic hotels, and frequent travellers.

By Anthony Paletta: In 1984, the two nightclub impresarios who had run Studio 54 opened a new chapter in the lodging industry with Morgans, a boutique hotel known for its sparse décor, lack of outdoor signage and popularity among the young and the cool. Today, there are dozens of boutique hotels in New York, with new ones are opening all the time. But their designs, décor and overall vibe are quite different from those developed by Ian Schrager, the late Steve Rubell and other pioneers.