NATIONAL REPORT—For many businesses, cold storage protection is as critical as power or shelter during a natural disaster. Walk-in coolers and freezers safeguard everything from food and beverages to vaccines and raw materials. A single breakdown can mean thousands of dollars in lost product, extended interruptions to business, and in some cases, a breakdown of supply chains that communities rely on for survival. As hurricanes become more frequent in the Southeast, seismic activity challenges facilities in the West, and snowstorms weigh heavily on the North, disaster-resilient cold storage has become a cornerstone of business continuity planning. Unlike temporary refrigerated trailers...

NATIONAL REPORT—There is a quiet contradiction at the heart of hotel food and beverage operations. The buffet, that celebrated symbol of hospitality, generosity, and guest delight, is also one of the most operationally inefficient formats in the industry. And most of the people running them know it. Ask any experienced F&B director or executive chef, and they will tell you the same thing: they cook from instinct, from years of pattern recognition, from gut feel about what a crowd of 300 corporate guests on a Tuesday night will eat versus what 300 wedding guests will eat on a Saturday. They...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and the AHLA Foundation announced that two of the hospitality industry’s most prestigious national recognition programs—the General Managers of the Year Awards and the Stars of the Industry Awards—are now accepting nominations. The General Managers of the Year Awards recognize property-level general managers whose leadership drives excellence across every aspect of hotel operations. This awards program is the industry’s premier national recognition vehicle exclusively honoring general managers and their properties. Winners will be announced November 2 at AHLA’s The Hospitality Show in Miami Beach, Fla. Nominations are Welcome in the Following Categories: General Manager of...

OLD SAYBROOK, CONN.—Saybrook Point Resort & Marina, a family-owned boutique resort, announced the ongoing transformation of all accommodations at the Main Inn, marking the latest investment in the luxury property’s continued commitment to thoughtful reinvestment, environmental stewardship and a refined coastal experience. The $8.5 million room renovation, part of a broader $14 million investment over the past three years, encompasses more than 82 rooms and reinforces Saybrook Point’s ongoing commitment to enhancing the guest experience. “This has never been about simply updating rooms—it’s about caring for something we’ve built over generations,” said Stephen Tagliatela, owner of Saybrook Point Resort & Marina....

NEW YORK—Starwood Hotels, the hotel brand management company behind 1 Hotels, Baccarat Hotels, and Treehouse Hotels, announce that 1 Hotel South Beach, 1 Hotel San Francisco, 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay, and Baccarat Hotel New York have been named Condé Nast Traveler Triple Crown Winners. The designation recognizes a select group of hotels that have earned placement on all three of the publication's flagship awards: the Hot List, Gold List, and Readers’ Choice Awards. Spanning New York City, Miami, San Francisco, and Kauaʻi, the honored properties highlight the continued success of the Starwood Hotels portfolio, with each offering a distinct guest...

MONTEREY, CALIF.—Portola Hotel & Spa announced that it has earned LEED Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, one of the most widely recognized designations in sustainable building and operations worldwide. The certification affirms what Portola has long believed: that genuine hospitality and environmental responsibility go hand in hand. LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, evaluates buildings across a rigorous set of criteria including energy efficiency, water conservation, materials selection, indoor environmental quality, and sustainable site development. Earning Gold certification places Portola Hotel & Spa among a distinguished class of properties that have demonstrated measurable, verifiable commitment to...

LAS VEGAS—Las Vegas Sands has been recognized on the Dow Jones Best-in-Class World and North America 2026 indices, maintaining its position on both lists since 2020. Sands China Ltd., the company’s Asian subsidiary, was named to the Dow Jones Best-in-Class World and Asia Pacific 2026 indices, continuing its inclusion on both lists since 2022. Out of 16 companies invited to participate in the Casino and Gaming category, Sands and Sands China are the only two companies included on the Dow Jones Best-in-Class World index this year. Sands is the only company in the Casino and Gaming category listed on the North America index, and...

BANGKOK, THAILAND—Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand’s leading hotel operator, has been recognized among the country’s leading brands for sustainability perceptions in the latest Brand Finance Sustainability Perceptions Index 2026. The recognition reinforces Centara’s growing reputation as a hospitality leader that integrates environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles into both its operations and guest experience. The report highlights organizations that are perceived to manage sustainability effectively, reflecting not only corporate commitments but also how these efforts are understood and valued by consumers. For Centara, this recognition signals a meaningful alignment between long-term ESG strategy and evolving guest expectations. This year, Centara nets strong...

NATIONAL REPORT—In hospitality, technology only matters when it improves human connection. When it comes to tipping, that is especially true. As hotels and service businesses continue adapting to a cashless world, operators are increasingly faced with a deceptively simple question: Implement QR code tipping or NFC tipping? At first glance, both solutions appear to accomplish the same goal. Both are contactless. Both remove the friction of cash. Both allow guests to reward exceptional service digitally. But the guest and employee experience behind each technology is dramatically different, and in 2026, that difference matters more than ever. QR code tipping helped introduce...

CANCUN, MEXICO—With a firm focus on the conservation of biodiversity in the Mexican Caribbean, the Sunset Royal hotel, part of the Sunset World Group, is preparing for the 2026 sea turtle nesting season through comprehensive training provided by the General Management of Ecology of the Municipality of Benito Juárez, in Cancun. As part of the National Sea Turtle Conservation Program, the Security team actively participates in theoretical and practical training sessions, with the goal of ensuring the proper protection of these species during one of the most important moments of their life cycle. During the training, the team acquires key knowledge...