Evening star., 1948-09-20

pdlaC6S clCCLcu dIIu AL 1hioAsSa Ava
18th Century kings.
Hotel men have been studying the
tastes of their customers. Tney
have come to the conclusion that
the hotel of the future will play
down shere elegance and emphasize
convenience.
This has been disclosed in con-
nection with the American Hotel
Association 37th annual conven-
ton at the Hotel Statler and the
Mayfower Hotel. It got under way
Yesterday and will continue through
Wednesday. afternoon.
The hotel men have problems
which no longer come from too
many customers. The lush wartime
DAYS are over. No more can an un-
busted room and the previous
guests used towels be dismissed
lightly with talk about the dif1lculty
of getting help.
Occupancy Rate Declining.
In l944-46 occupancy was at a
peak of about "a per cent. In the
depression years of 1928 1t was
down to about 81 per cent, and most
of the hotels were in the hands OF
receivers.
Now the occupancy rate Is little
under SO per cent and may go
lower. Back in 1899 a hotel could
break even with a rate OF IS: Now
the break k-even point is nearer 86,
because of higher costs of labor,
material, food and other items.
That's making the hotel men
worry when the potential customer
passes the door and doesn't turn in.
Or-what the hotel men are par
iticularly concerned about-the GUS
toner who doesn't come to town at
all but stays at motel on the
highway.
The city hotel men are giving
particular attention to those motels.
One solution of the motel problem
is the conventional one of mot
fighting 'em but joining EN-
I MUtSl TIdCtlCGS fAuOpbCu.
For example, instead of building a
costly wing to the downtown hotel
it has been suggested that the
money be used to build a combina-
ton hotel-motel on highway near
town.
Some hotels have adopted motel
practices One in San Antonio and
another in Phoenix have automobile
lobbies where motorists may register
without leaving their cars.
This is appreciated by family
groups In shorts and 5 o'clock
shadows and with juniors face
smeared by his last chocolate bar.
They want to go directly to their
rooms. '
New Arrangements Seen.
The survey of what guests want
hotel men say. is likely to result
In these provisions: A combination
room which can be a living room Or
office by day and bedroom by
night. Telephone outlets which
permit the instrument to be placed
where the guests finds 1t most con-
venient. Air conditioning that can
be controlled by the occupant OF
the room. A public adress system
for paging. to eliminate the rau-
cuaus-voiced bellhop. Toning down
| the over -plushness of the lobbies
and installing convenient shops
Baby sitters. voice recorders anc
television already are some of thu
new facilities provided
Hotelmen now are facing a con.
sumers' market according to Howard
F. Dugan of New York, executiv,
vice president of the Statler chair
and president of the association. H.
added, however:
Providing we continue to i'm.
prove our services and make ,oul
properties as convenient and at.
tractive as possible, I see no sigr
of serious hotel business recession
within the next two years"
Happy Employees Urged.
A happy employe will help make
a happy customer, the hotelmer
were told in a luncheon address
today by Fred j. Walters, vice presi-
dent Of Hotpoint, Inc.
Mr. Walters, comparing employe
relations in his business with those
of the hotels, told Of program tc
achieve job and leadership i'm
procement and economic re-educa-
ton
The research indicated quite