By Alan Campbell: In doing research for my articles that I write, I decided to write down the different definitions that we in the hospitality industry use on a daily basis, even though we may not be aware of them. These definitions are important because they define our industry. They also define who we are. If we worked by these definitions could we all accomplish what we set out to do?

By John Hendrie: You just cannot make these stories up.  What a case study for all hoteliers. Here is the gist of the story.  Guests at the Cecil Hotel in downtown Las Angeles had been complaining about the strength of the water flow in their rooms.  A member of the Maintenance Department at some point went up to the roof to look at their four water cisterns and resolve the water flow problem.  The body of a Canadian woman was discovered in one of the cisterns.

By Vickie Elmer: Butlers today work at private homes, resorts, and in consulting roles that look only a little like those portrayed in television shows like Downton Abbey.

TripAdvisor^®  has announced the winners of its 2013 Travelers' Choice Awards for Hotels for Families. This year's awards recognize a total of 231 family-friendly properties, and top accommodations were identified in 26 regions and countries across the globe, including dedicated lists for Africa, Asia, Australia, Canada, Caribbean, China, Europe, Japan, Mexico, Middle East, South America, South Pacific, and the U.S.

An overwhelming majority (83%) of hotel investors are optimistic about the mid-term future of the hospitality industry. That’s according to a survey of top hotel sector investors and operators polled at an Ernst & Young hospitality sector workshop held in London recently.

The JW Marriott Marquis Dubai, which opened this week, may hold the new record for the world's tallest hotel building, but there are several other hotels that have breached the 400 metre mark.

By Gaby Feile: When people ask me for ideas what to post on Facebook, I usually tell them the following: “It’s not important what you post on Facebook. It’s more important what you do in the “real world” that inspires people so much that they want to post it on Facebook.”

By Alan Campbell: Every businessman, every hotelier every restaurateur, every person that ever wanted to establish a business has wrestled with “What do I name it” The idea is that the brand should say it all, so when the brand name is mentioned a visual image should come to mind. Ferrari, gorgeous car, Macdonald’s fast food. In the hotel business that means appearance, ambiance, and attention to detail.

By Jim Hartigan: A Google search of the term “training evaluation” returns over 223 MILLION results!  With so many different choices, it’s all-too-easy for a Learning and Development Professional to get lost in the dreaded Labyrinth of Perpetual Learning Objective Confusion (beware the deadly Instructional Designer Minotaur!)  Well fear not! We’re here to equip you with a map and enchanted sack full of magical tips to help you navigate your way to safety – and successful measurement of learning objectives!

By Devon Antonetti: Sometimes our hotels just get us. They know how we like the sheets, take our coffee, and want to wake up to a newspaper at our door. But with so many hotels across the globe to choose from, it can be hard to find just the right one. Luckily we’ve got everyone covered, from financiers to fashionistas. Here are our choices for the best hotels for every (well, almost) profession.