Inside Access to Luxury Hotels, Holiday Reservations, and More
We’re back with your monthly dose of hospitality trends, expert insights, and the latest in food, drink & travel. Plus, keep reading to learn about the launch of our new exclusive The Hospitality Mentor luxury hotel booking service!
In our September issue, we’re covering:
The rise in the role of Hotel Sustainability Directors
A premium pre-batched cocktail mixer
Booking luxury hotels with insider access
Iconic hotels for the holiday season
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This issue is brought to you by Biscayne Coffee, delicious coffee roasted in Miami with the mission of saving Biscayne Bay. Use promo code MENTOR for 10% off your order at checkout. Don’t forget – we always donate 10% of your purchase to Biscayne Bay Foundation to help preserve the bay.
🛎 What's Hot in Hospitality
We often highlight sustainability on The Hospitality Mentor – from the trend of sustainable travel to fully recyclable water bottles, a surplus food app, and even B-Corp certified wines and spirits. We spend a lot of time curating sustainable vendor options for our clients because it’s important to provide eco-friendly offerings for guests who are seeking them out. Hospitality brands are now investing in this area at the leadership level by hiring sustainability teams dedicated to helping make their communities and the planet a better place to live.
There’s been a rise in the role of Hotel Sustainability Directors, and it’s great to see this commitment to environmental responsibility being adopted by hotels. For instance, Hilton recently had an opening listed for a Director of Global Corporate Sustainability, and I’ve seen Sustainability Manager roles with Marriott, COMO Hotels and Resorts, and Rosewood Hotel Group properties.
Implementing sustainable practices is critical for environmental conservation, but hospitality brands understand it will also benefit their bottom line. Sustainability measures like energy-efficient lighting, water-saving technologies and recycling programs lead to cost savings in the long run. While practices like those are a given at most hotels these days, Sustainability Directors can double down on introducing innovative policies and partnerships that fit their properties and local communities. This will ultimately attract travelers and even group business from people looking to prioritize sustainability wherever they stay.
🍸 What I'm Sipping
I’ve discovered a premium pre-batched cocktail mixer that’s perfect for at-home hosts and bartenders alike. Fresh Victor makes high-quality, cold-pressed juice mixers in flavors like Pineapple & Ginger Root or Mexican Lime & Agave that are ready to mix in with your favorite spirit. They’re crafted with fresh, clean ingredients to deliver a consistently balanced flavor that blends with any shot of alcohol for an instant craft cocktail. But they can even be used to make mocktails – simply mix in sparkling water. (I wouldn’t suggest drinking the juice as it comes, as it’s formulated to be mixed with other drinks and that’s when the magic happens!)
Fresh Victor’s founder Ken MacKenzie has a background in the spirits business, building tequila brands and working as a consultant in Mexico to help companies understand the complex spirits regulations in the U.S. He came up with Fresh Victor as a way to make it much faster and easier to whip up craft cocktails with high-quality ingredients. There’s no need for all the time-consuming prep – sourcing ingredients, squeezing fresh juices, making syrups, chopping herbs and muddling.
Fresh Victor is ideal for hotels, restaurants and bars looking for a quick, and most importantly, consistent product. Perhaps your on-premise bartending team isn’t as skilled, or you’re looking to offer craft cocktails on the go. You can use Fresh Victor to stock the bar at banquet events, let golfers out on the driving range make quick cocktails right from their golf carts, or offer it in the mini bar for guests to make their own in-room mixed drinks. The possibilities are endless.
📝 What I'm Working On
I’m excited to announce we’re launching an exclusive hotel booking service with The Hospitality Mentor – booking luxury hotel reservations with the kind of insider access you get when you’re in the hospitality industry. Simply put: When you book with The Hospitality Mentor, you become a VIP.
We know the decision-makers behind the world's most luxurious hotels, and we consider them friends. That’s not something the typical travel agent can say. With our direct connections to hotel leaders across the globe, we ensure you're prioritized and taken care of – like it’s your own friend who works at the hotel, treating you like a VIP.
Whether it's a room with a view or an exclusive welcome amenity, we know the hospitality professionals who make it all happen, and they’ll give you an experience that goes beyond the average guests’ stay. It's this exclusive insider access and personal touch that you get with every booking through The Hospitality Mentor.
We've handpicked the best hotels to bring you insider access to over 4,500 premier properties and have preferred relationships with elite brands. From Four Seasons and Relais & Châteaux to Virtuoso and Leading Hotels of the World, our affiliations are your passport to the extraordinary.
Planning your next trip? Get in touch with our team to book a luxury hotel stay with The Hospitality Mentor and vacation like a VIP.
LEARN MORE
💭What I'm Inspired By
With summer wrapped up, hotels this time of year are already planning their winter holiday festivities. I’m always inspired by what it takes for these hotel teams to put together dazzling holiday decorations, activities and entertainment to provide guests with a memorable holiday celebration. They start creating these experiences so far in advance to ensure everything goes seamlessly for guests. Plus, it allows hotels to start promoting their holiday programming early to attract travelers to book now.
The quintessential Plaza Hotel in New York City, for example – yes, the one in “Home Alone” – is renowned for its opulent holiday decorations, and The Palm Court hosts a storied holiday afternoon tea. You can even book a suite with your own 7-foot Christmas tree or an exclusive Home Alone holiday vacation package with limited availability.
At The Roosevelt New Orleans, the lobby becomes a winter wonderland with a block-long display of twinkling holiday lights (over 100,000!), birch branches and Christmas trees. The hotel also hosts holiday-themed programming, like a popular Teddy Bear Tea for families and Teddy’s Cafe featuring holiday pastries and hot chocolate. Over on the West Coast, the historic beachfront Hotel del Coronado near San Diego is offering a lightshow spectacular with holiday jazz and snow flurries, beachside igloos, and a festive seaside ice skating rink.
These hoteliers work hard to make it all happen and look forward to welcoming guests like you each holiday season to provide you with a memorable experience during the most magical time of year. Just don’t wait too long to make your reservations! Do you know where you’re heading for the holidays yet? Now is the time to book your winter vacation while there’s still availability – especially if you want to stay at one of these iconic hotels known for their holiday celebrations.
Let The Hospitality Mentor help you book your luxury hotel stay!
🎙 Listen: The Podcast
Coming up on The Hospitality Mentor podcast, tune into my conversations with Isabel Porzecanski, President of People Traction, a human resources firm helping organizations achieve their full potential by unlocking what’s possible for your people (episode out this week), and Patrick Fernandes, Executive Managing Director of Carillon Miami Wellness Resort.
You can also read about my recent revitalizing spa experience at Carillon Miami Wellness Resort here.
This issue is brought to you by Biscayne Coffee. Use promo code MENTOR for 10% off your order at checkout.
If you’ve read this far, send me a short reply and let me know what you enjoyed most from this newsletter. See you again in October!
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Cheers,
Steve Turk
Founder and Host of The Hospitality Mentor
