Gestión Hotelera

🏠 Kike Sarasola's Room Mate Hotels inaugurated the Mia Room Mate Collection in Rome, a 4-star superior boutique hotel located five minutes from the Colosseum and Roman Forum (Vía Capo d’Africa, 54). Designer Luis García Fraile crafted the 65-room establishment, featuring a vintage Italian style with classical elegance, modernity, eco-friendly solutions, and "silent luxury." The rooftop terrace offers panoramic views and serves breakfast until noon and dinner until 11:00 PM, with a bistro restaurant specializing in zero-kilometer fresh fish. Event spaces include Sala Querceti, Terraza Santi Coronatti, Sala Navicella, and Sala Coronati. Room Mate Hotels now has seven properties in Italy, strengthening its market presence.

💸 Hospitality workers in Las Palmas province will receive a €650 bonus in May and a 9% salary increase over 12 months, amounting to €1,500 annually on average, preventing a strike planned for Easter. The agreement, involving the Las Palmas Hospitality and Tourism Business Federation (FEHT) and unions, represents a €100 million commitment. A new collective agreement, 13% better than the national average, will be discussed starting September, including improvements for housekeepers. The current agreement includes an immediate 2.75% raise from April, with a further 4% increase from January 2026. The Canary Islands government mediated the settlement, to be ratified on Monday by the regional Tourism and Employment counselor.

🛫 A Ryanair Boeing 737 Max returned to Barcelona airport shortly after takeoff due to a bird strike. The incident, which did not prompt an emergency declaration, occurred as the aircraft was en route to Malta. The crew opted for a precautionary landing to conduct checks, with Flightradar24 showing the flight path back to Barcelona.

🏨 THB Felip hotel in Porto Cristo (Mallorca) celebrates its 135th anniversary. Key figures involved in the video celebration include Pedro, Miquel, Jaume, José, Guillem, Marien, Sebastià, and the hotel's owner, Francisco Miralles.

🏨 In the evolving hotel industry, "Smart hotel" technology has transitioned from futuristic vision to reality, pushed by rapid technological advances. Key smart hotel features include automated room controls, AI-driven concierge services, keyless entry, and data analytics to meet guest preferences. Mobile integration enables digital check-in/out, room control via apps, and IoT devices, like voice-activated systems, enhance room automation. AI chatbots provide real-time assistance, personalization, and operational efficiency. Security advancements include biometric technology for room access and transactions. Education at institutions like Les Roches is crucial, blending technological innovation with human-centered service for future hospitality leaders.

📈 Benjamin Devisme, CEO of Quicktext, criticizes hoteliers for not innovating and leveraging technology, insisting on a financial plan with ROI to generate revenue. Mario Villar, former Director of Turismo Comunidad Valenciana, echoes innovation's importance at the fourth Data & Revenue Camp at Hotel Cap Negret. Devisme highlights three key digitalization strategies: attitude, responsibility, and understanding technology as a process. Meanwhile, Cindy Johansson from Paraty Tech and Rodrigo Orozco of Class One Group stress data quality and centralization for effective use and innovation.

💳 TPV inteligentes help hotels manage payments, reduce ecological footprint, and enhance customer experience by digitalizing tickets, invoices, and reports, saving paper and offering real-time information for guests. They provide precise inventory management, reducing unnecessary orders and waste, and control energy consumption by adjusting usage patterns. These systems connect various hotel services, from restaurants to spas, allowing for fewer errors and predictive analytics for resource management. Visionary Hospitality offers a dynamic TPV tailored for hotels, promoting operational sustainability and simplified management.

📈 Best Hotels CEO Ramón Vernet, in an interview with Preferente, highlights the growing issue of absenteeism in the hotel sector post-pandemic, noting a concerning increase that can reach up to 30%. Vernet points out absenteeism raises service costs, disrupts operations, and affects service quality due to staffing imbalances in shifts. He identifies fraud in sick leave as a significant cause and calls for better control mechanisms and incentives to reduce absenteeism rather than penalizing employers. The problem exacerbates the ongoing labor shortage, potentially impacting service quality and competitiveness in the upcoming summer season.

🏨 The article discusses the importance of a strong relationship between hotel owners and managers, emphasizing mutual trust and leadership for independent hotels to thrive. The manager must be seen as a strategic ally, not just a subordinate, requiring the owner's full confidence to innovate and align teams for tangible results. Owners should set clear goals, provide resources, and support managers, as distrust can lead to chaos, micro-management, and high turnover, harming the hotel's identity and progress. To succeed, both parties should commit to a shared long-term vision, regular meetings, and transparent communication to not just compete but lead in the industry.

🏖 Coastal and island destinations in Spain saw a significant boost during Semana Santa, with sold nights increasing by 26% and 47% respectively compared to the previous year. Urban destinations also experienced an 18% growth in sales. The average rise in sold nights for Semana Santa was 29%, with the coast of Barcelona (+80%) and Costa Brava (+40%) leading the way. International tourism played a key role in demand growth, with notable increases from France (+109%), the UK (+43%), and the USA (+28%). The average daily rate (ADR) in Spain rose by 8%, with Costa del Sol and Fuerteventura seeing a 26% boost. The average length of stay increased slightly by 2%, while the booking lead time went up, especially in Mallorca and the coast of Barcelona, both by 28%.