Food, glorious food...

Hi folks,

An entourage of Michelin inspectors (mostly French, plus two Asian counterparts) spent the whole of this year in Hong Kong visiting and evaluating several restaurants, eventually releasing the Michelin Guide to Hong Kong and Macau last week. I had the opportunity of checking out a restaurant that was awarded two stars, Bo Innovation, last night.

During dinner, I noticed a couple of things during the meal that seem to be becoming popular.

1. Small plates, no more big portions
In this health conscious society today, people are looking for balanced diets. It's all about offering a variety of different foods, kicking with flavor, and screaming "This is good for you!" Creative appetizers are coming to the forefront, offering each diner a taste of everything. Say goodbye to those 32 oz steaks, and your arteries will say thanks.

2. Willingness to try new things
It's fine to go with comfort foods, like a dish of mashed potatoes or a plate of fish and chips, but chefs are beginning to experiment with different foods and ingredients to create intense flavors that are pleasing to the palate. You can probably say, chefs are becoming artists in their own right. How about a xiaolong bao (a Shanghainese soup dumpling) that actually looks like an egg yolk, a souffle that is stuffed full of delicious crab meat, or laap-cheung (Chinese sausage) flavored ice cream?

Xiaolong bao + laap-cheung ice cream

Crab souffle

As you indulge in the holiday festivities, look out for these trends in the world of gastronomy.

Wishing all of you happy holidays! Thanks for checking in, and I look forward to seeing you again soon.

The Devil's In the Details

Hi folks,

I apologize for being MIA for the past few days. Yours truly has been having final exams and has been diligently preparing for them. As I was preparing for my economics and geography finals, I was annotating my maps and graphs to the very last detail, making sure that I didn't miss anything.

We're talking about being detailed today.

I did a short summer internship with the Four Seasons a couple of years ago. Ever since then, I've realized how important the little things are. Learning to inspect rooms before the guest arrived was actually a pretty difficult job, perhaps because I was only there for such a short period of time. The list of requirements for a perfect room were endless: making sure that the towel labels were perfectly aligned, that the glassware had no fingerprints, that there were exactly six pieces of writing paper in the drawer, that the pen was angled at exactly 45 degrees. I was really intrigued with the level of detail that was necessary for hotel housekeeping.

There are actually a significant number of things that the hotel can do to create a delightful experience for the guest. Believe it or not, guests often send out little signals as they go about their life in the hotel. Notice that the guest is only drinking the Ginger Ale in the minibar? Let housekeeping know and have them stock more of the same drink in the bar. If the guest is a frequent patron at the hotel, be sure to note this in the guest profile. In the event that he or she dines at a hotel outlet, the maître d' can immediately ask if the guest would like a Ginger Ale to start with. It's not a huge task to take on, but it is a nice touch.

Another example of paying attention to detail is knowing the guests' names. I've found that there are a good number of housekeeping staff who fail to address the guest by name. Sir or Madam is fine, but it's taking the experience to another level when you say, "Good morning, Mr. Jones. Is it convenient for me to clean your room now?" Again, perhaps it's not a huge deal to some people, but it sure is nice to hear your name sometimes, so you're not just Guest Number 234. I've realized that airline staff, especially those catering to business class and first class passengers, are extremely adept at passenger recognition. Creating an experience for the guest lies solely in the details.

Thanks for checking in, and I hope to see you again soon.

Is it safe anywhere in the world?

Good afternoon folks,

The economic downturn has already reduced the amount of business and leisure travel being done globally. With the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, I daresay Indian tourism will be drastically affected. My condolences go out to the family of the sole Singaporean hostage, Ms. Lo Hwei Yen, killed in the attack last week.

We're talking about hotel security today.

In recent years, governments have stepped up security at key locations such as airports and embassies. Hotels, with their relatively lax security, have instead become prime targets for terrorists. Be it in Pakistan or Indonesia, if terrorists are looking for foreigners, all they have to do is go to the nearest luxury hotel. This poses a massive problem for the tourism industry. The question is, should hotels compensate for atmosphere and step up the security presence in their establishments?

Short of deploying armed guards and metal detectors in hotel lobbies, I think it is crucial that hotels re-evaluate their security protocols. A recent CNN report stated that travelers should stay at 3 star hotels as opposed to 5 star hotels if they want a safer environment. This is not the right mindset. It is on the onus of the hotel to provide good security without detracting from the luxurious atmosphere. Travelers staying in luxury hotels are not only paying for the room, they're paying for service and experience; implicitly included in that experience is safety. Being safe is tantamount to good security.

Hotels often have many entrances and exits for staff, guests, and suppliers. There should be a constant security presence at the key entrances of the hotel, like at the lobby entrance, or the receiving dock. In other areas not accessed as much, like a fire escape, there should at least be security personnel patrolling there around the clock. Hotels should also work closely with local law enforcement and emergency services to ensure quick response times in the event of a disaster. No more sleeping on the job for the parking attendant or valet, the entire staff should be wary of any suspicious activities going on around the hotel. Only then can we possibly improve security and the guest experience.

Thanks for checking in, I look forward to seeing you again soon.

If it's not Boeing, I'm not going!

Hello friends,

I visited the Future of Flight Aviation Center at the Boeing campus in Everett, Washington this morning. Sure, the planes were cool, especially the three partially completed 787 Dreamliners I noticed parked in one of the hangars, but what made the trip memorable for me was the attention of the staff.

Of course, I realized that the following points are especially applicable to employees in the hotel industry. Follow me, please.

1. The staff smiled constantly and maintained eye contact when they were talking to a guest. From Roger the bus driver, to Toni the tour guide, and Christina the receptionist, everyone had a smile on their face, all the time. This is great because it shows they are welcoming and care a lot about their guests. Besides, a smile is also contagious!

2. The staff had knowledge of their product. For the museum staff, they had to be familiar with everything about Boeing in case a guest asked a question from left field. Christina mentioned that the Boeing Dreamlifter (the cargo plane that takes Boeing parts to and from the campus) was taking off that morning. One look outside, and we saw one of the coolest planes lift off from the runway. An amazing sight. Toni could talk knowledgeably about why the 787 wasn't being delivered on schedule. It's important that the staff knows their product in and out, even if they have to discuss negative issues. Coming clean with the guest is better than leaving hidden charges.

3. The staff were courteous. Being polite and attentive to the guest doubles their enjoyment of the product the company is offering; in this case, a tour of the Boeing plant. A simple, "Please mind the steps," "Please watch out for the door," "Thank you for coming," "Is there anything else I can do for you?" goes very, very far. Christina even gave my brother a stuffed Boeing plane as we were leaving. It's the little things that count.

These points seem like simple things to accomplish, but they're definitely easier said than done!

Thanks for checking in, and I look forward to seeing y'all again soon.

From The Farm to The Emerald City

Good evening folks,

I'm going to be based out of the chilly Seattle area for the next few days, a far cry from warm Palo Alto, as I'm up here visiting family for Thanksgiving. I just wanted to share a little about the best check-in I've ever had at SFO.

The queue at the Alaska Airlines counters was short, with only a couple of people in front of me. There was no one in the first class line so the ground staff attending to the counter waved me over.

"Hi, how are you today?" "Great, and yourself?" "Wonderful, where are you going this morning?" "Seattle." "Last name?" "Lo." "Ah, Andrew. How many bags?" "Just one." "Bring 'er up. You're all set." Quick, efficient, and friendly. After a horrible airport shuttle experience, where the driver didn't know where he was going, this was just what I needed.

I had booked my flight on American, a partner of my home airline, Cathay Pacific, but I was on a codeshare flight with Alaska. I inquired if I could get mileage for the flight, and the ground staff said no. However, after a couple of quick taps on the computer, they verified that Alaska had a mileage partnership with Cathay. My miles for the trip were added quickly and I was on my way.

I thought I was going to be late for my flight, but I was walking to the gate with plenty of time to pick up an issue of Esquire, the Journal, the FT, and have an omelet for breakfast.

Time to the airport: 1 hr 15 mins (normally a 30 minute drive)
Check-in with Alaska: 1 min 30 secs!
Flight from SFO to SEA: 2 hrs (I was asleep for most of it)
The feeling of a great travel experience: Priceless

Thanks for checking in, I'll see you guys in a bit.

Working from the bottom up

Here's an inspirational story from Eric A. Danziger, a 30-year veteran hotelier, who was just named president and CEO of the Wyndham Hotel Group.

Danziger started out in the hospitality industry as a bellman at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, and moved into more senior roles in general and regional management. He's been with Doubletree (now under the Hilton umbrella), Starwood (these guys control Sheraton and Westin) and Carlson (the parent company of the Regent hotels) , the latter two as president and CEO of the respective hotel companies. He then took a break from the hospitality industry to run two online companies, and he's back again. Excited and ready.

In his words, "I wanted to get back in the hotel industry for years. It was always who I was. It's in my blood. It's who I am."

That's the story. You gotta have passion to be in hospitality. You gotta love people. I really enjoy hearing about the career paths of different people in the industry, especially those who work from the bottom up. Another two inspirational figures are Ed Fuller, President of International Lodging at Marriott, who began as a night watchman, and Robert McCarthy, President of North American Lodging Operations at Marriott, who started as a waiter. It just goes to show, folks, if you love your job, you'll go far in your career, no matter where you begin.

Thanks for checking in, and I hope to see you again sometime.

The world of Bond extends to hotels

Good evening folks,

About to go on vacation soon? Looking for a place to stay?

Skip the Ritz Carlton and the Four Seasons, guys. Forbes.com just released an article letting viewers peek "Inside the World's Coolest Hotels." It usually happens that well-known luxury brands never make appearances on these lists. We're talking indie hotels today.

One destination that caught my eye was the "Goldeneye Resort" in Oracabessa, Jamaica. Goldeneye is a relatively new resort, having just been opened in 2006. Funnily enough, it's where Ian Fleming wrote 17 of the Bond books! Besides the opulent Fleming House, there are a handful of smaller huts, cleverly named after certain Bond girls (that's right, there's even one called Vesper). Room rates start at a sky high $660 a night, so maybe save a little bit first, eh?

Since we're on the topic of hotels, I'm going to be in Singapore over the winter vacation, and I'm looking for places to stay. I'd really like to do some hotel hopping. Not going to be staying in any as cool as Goldeneye, but there are definitely some boutique ones I want to check out. Among them, Naumi. Small, luxurious, perfect. Take a look.

Let me know what you guys think about the list of coolest hotels. Go see "Quantum of Solace." Thanks for checking in, and I hope to see you again soon.

Open For Business

Hi guys,

So, I never thought I'd venture into the world of blogging. I've read many blogs over the past few years, and finally realized that blogging is a great place to throw around ideas, write about your day, or even muse about your life. I'll try and update this as often as possible, but being a busy college student, I definitely foresee infrequent blogging. The name of the blog is indicative of my strong interest in hospitality. I hope to write about the industry and the wonderful world of hospitality as it applies to our daily lives. However, if I ever get an urge to blog about something random, I probably will as well. At any rate, thanks for checking in, and I hope you enjoy your vist!

Best,
Andrew Lo