Accommodation History and Early Hotel Pioneers

Accommodation History

• Lodging developed to meet traveler needs
• The Industrial Revolution (1700s and early 1500s) increased demand for accommodation due to urban migration
• Spas contributed to hotel industry growth
• 1950s saw English seaside resorts attract tourists
• Early American hotels were seaport inns
• Transportation systems (e.g., trains) fostered lodging development
• Inns served as boarding houses, booking offices, and social hubs
• Hotels grew with railway expansion in the 1820s and 1830s
• Large European hotels were built near train stations
• US hotels developed along railroad lines
• Automobiles led to roadside hotels
• Road construction accommodated motorists
• Motor hotels (motels) emerged
• Post-WWII, air travel increased traveler demand for hotel space
• Business travelers needed more convention and meeting facilities
• Hotel growth occurred in airports, downtowns, and resorts

Early Hotel Pioneers

• Ellsworth Statler (Statler Hotel chain) was a pioneer in the US hotel chain industry, and sold it in 1954
• Conrad Hilton (Hilton Corporation) created a large hotel empire known for high quality accommodation.

Key Hoteliers

• César Ritz, a Swiss hotelier, became Europe's most popular hotelier because of his excellent management skills, at the Grand National Hotel in Lucerne.
• William Waldorf Astor and John Jacob Astor IV created hotels that combined European grand design with comfortable hospitality.

Lodging Industry Founders

• Kemmons Wilson started the Holiday Inn chain in the early 1950s
• J.W. Marriott and J.W. Marriott Jr. founded the Marriott hotel empire in 1957
• Ernest Henderson and Robert Moore started the Sheraton chain in 1937
• Ray Schultz founded the Hampton Inn Hotels-Holiday Inn Corporation

Technological Advancements (Hotels)

• 1846: Central Heating
• 1859: Elevators
• 1881: Electric Lights
• 1907: In-room Telephones
• 1927: In-room Radios
• 1940: Air Conditioning
• 1950: Electric Elevators
• 1958: Free Television
• 1964: Holiday Inn reservation system with centralized computers
• 1965: Message lights on telephones
• 1970s: Electric cash registers, POS systems, and keyless locks.
• 1980s: Property management systems, in-room guest checkouts

Technological Advancements (Hotels(Continued))

• 1983: In-room personal computers, call accounting
• 1990s: OnCommand Video (on-demand movies) and LodgeNet Entertainment (interactive video games)
• Interactive guest room shopping, interactive visitor's guide, fax
• Delivering info about facilities and activities via TV
• Reservations from guest rooms for the same organization, in-room weather reports
• Internet reservations
• Legislation monitoring hotel ownership via REITs

2000s Technological Advancements

• Wireless Technology (VIP Check-In, Housekeeping, and Guestroom Release Status)
• Marketing Guest Profile, Bell Staff, Baggage Handling, "hot spot" centers for wireless emails and information.

Accommodation Types

• Hotels: Can range from small boarding houses to large buildings with thousands of rooms, conventions, meeting spaces, recreational facilities (swimming pools, tennis courts), 24-hour room service, restaurants, and diverse entertainment options
• Motels/Motor Hotels: Primarily focused on rooms and free parking for guests.
• Resort Hotels: Designed for vacation travelers.
• Pensions: Often family-run accommodations, historically referred to as "Gasthaus"
• Paradors: Generally, converted old castles, monasteries, or convents operated by government.
• Condominium Hotels: Hotels with apartments
• Campgrounds: Provide camping areas
• Bed and Breakfasts: European-origin accommodations offering overnight lodging with breakfast.
• Tourist Inns: "Transient" accommodations.
• Apartment Hotels: Buildings with multiple independent furnished or semi-furnished apartments.
• Health Spas: Resorts catering to relaxation and wellness activities at natural springs.
• Private Homes: Traditional overnight accommodations for travelers.
• Hostels: Budget-friendly lodging with basic amenities like bunk beds and shared bathrooms.

Hotel Classification

• Location
• Type of guest
• Price

Hotel Rating System

• 1 star = good, better than average
• 2 stars = very good
• 3 stars = excellent
• 4 stars = outstanding
• 5 stars = one of the best in the country