When we review the previous year, it is always fun to see which of our blog posts have captured the imagination of readers, so here are the top 5 posts from 2019.

5) 10 Best Movies Featuring the Hotel and Hospitality Industry…
We all love a good movie but watching one that involves hotels and hospitality adds that little bit more interest when you live and breathe it daily in your work life. Whether you are cringing in the corner from the unbelievable portrayal of life in hospitality or squirming in your seat since it is far too close to the truth to be fiction, there is much to enjoy about Hollywood’s portrayal of hotel and restaurant life. So what are the best movies that feature hotels, restaurants and our industry?

4) Hotels made Famous by Celebrity Deaths…
Given the nature of the hotel business it is only normal to expect that we might have the discomforting experience to occasionally come into contact with death. Deaths in hotels occur for a variety of reasons and largely go unnoticed, but once in a while a celebrity is involved, it hits the headlines and forever that hotel is associated with that person and how they met their maker… So, in no particular order, here are some the most infamous celebrity deaths and the hotels made famous as a result.

3) Hipster Culture is Killing the Hospitality Industry!
Hipster culture, as it translates to hospitality, was once confined to a few restaurants and coffee shops in rejuvenated parts of the inner city in large metropolitan areas. Easy to make fun of, easy to avoid… However, the worse aspects of these hipster joints seem to be permeating into hotels, bars and restaurants of all types, styles and standards throughout the world. This trend manifests itself in a few significant ways – the food, the menu descriptions and the tableware!

2) New Life for Abandoned Hotels?
Continuing our series of articles about abandoned hotel and resorts (see our earlier posts – “The Incongruous Idea of Abandoned Hotels”… and “Abandoned Hotels – Part 2”), some hotels that were abandoned are now showing signs of life, either as new attempts to get the properties up and running or re-purposed as apartments, museums or film sets.

And the top post of 2019 was… (drum roll please…)

1) The Restaurant and Hotel Guests from Hell!!
This was actually a post from 2018, but it seems it has really captured readers interest and was the most read blog post in 2019…
The internet loves a horror story and is full of stories about our industry and the problems encountered on a seemingly hourly basis! However, like everything there are two sides to every story and a few brave souls that are fighting back, with stories about the weird and sometimes appalling treatment received at the hands of guests and diners. Here are a few of our favourite websites and articles from the hotel staff or restaurant server’s perspective to add a little balance to the discussion.