Awesome Escapes » Hotel Rooms

Things to Consider When Hiring a Hotel Photographer

admin — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 09:04:18 +0000

Christine OKelly asked:

Almost everyone owns a digital camera these days and can take pleasing photos. It can be tempting for resort and hotel owners to save money by taking photos themselves or hiring a local photographer that doesn’t necessarily specialize in hotel photography. Pleasing photos and professional photos are not the same thing, however.

Hiring a professional resort and hotel photographer can make a huge impact on a business’s bottom line. Oftentimes a brochure or website is the only opportunity a hotel has to make a first impression. Poor photography can turn potential guests away simply because they judge the quality of the resort based on the photos.

There are certain things to take into consideration when hiring a hotel photographer. By reviewing each of these points carefully with potential candidates, you can feel confident that your choice in the end will be the right one!

The Right Equipment for the Job

Striking hotel photographs start with the right equipment. It is imperative that professional resort and hotel photographers have the specialized lighting required to properly light large spaces such as hotel suites, ballrooms, lobbies and restaurants. Without proper lighting, the outside light may be burned out eliminating details both outside and inside.

Having a wide variety of wide-angle lenses is also required for properly photographing hotels and resorts. A wider lens shows the expanse of the room and can make even the smallest of hotel rooms look comfortable and inviting.

Hotel Photography Experience

Obviously, photography experience in general is a must when hiring a resort and hotel photographer. It is important to ask to see samples of work similar to your hotel as well. If the photographer shows an entire portfolio filled with stunning wedding shots, they may not have the experience necessary to photograph resorts and hotels.

An experienced hotel photographer knows how to stage a room based on the clientele. A business hotel might have a newspaper and laptop on the table versus a tennis racket and romantic dinner in a luxury resort. They will also have a keen eye for pinning back the curtains correctly or making sure the bedspreads are folded down.

Hotel Advertising and Marketing Experience

Beyond experience photographing resorts and hotels, it is important for a photographer to have knowledge of advertising and marketing. Hotel photographs are generally used to market and sell rooms. A photographer with experience in this aspect of photography will be able to choose models of the appropriate age to represent the average guest. They will seek out potential settings with the best views and best representations of the hotel. And the fact that these photos will be used to sell is never far from their mind.

Business Practices

In the end, it all comes down to the photos themselves. Different hotel photographers have different policies about how their photographs are purchased, presented and used. The best scenario when choosing a hotel photographer is to find one that provides clients with all of the digital files so that they can use them in different formats (print, web, etc) Some hotel photographers charge royalty fees, so it is best to choose one who offers unlimited use.

As the photographer what happens if the photographs are not acceptable in the end? Most reputable resort and hotel photographers will offer a guarantee and re-shoot if necessary.

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Are Buy to Let Hotel Rooms a Safer Bet? They Could be.

admin — Thu, 01 May 2008 00:02:54 +0000

anonymous asked:

The recent economic woes and collapse of the housing market is leading some investors to consider non-traditional property investments – specifically buy to let hotel rooms – as safer bets compared to traditional buy to let and renovation projects.

Under normal circumstances the phrase ‘non-traditional investment’ would not be associated with playing it safe, but the investment market at present is far from ‘normal’. The uncertainty in the financial markets and the collapse of both property prices and mortgage lending, have hit property investors hard. For those investors looking for a good place to park their retirement funds, safety and diversification are key factors.

The idea that you can buy hotel rooms might seem like a strange concept but its growing appeal is down to these very same motivators. Experienced hotel and resort development companies invite individual investors to buy hotel rooms within high-end hotel developments. Investors who buy hotel rooms see returns from both capital growth and regular income from rooms let.

Buy to let properties have always offered savvy investors a keen return, but as mortgage rates climb faster than rents can go up, many have been left out of pocket. Moreover any time the property stands empty means hefty monthly mortgage repayments and no income.

Buy to let hotel rooms offset these risks by basing the investors’ income on the performance of the hotel as a whole, not their individual suite, and so provide a regular income level. Even a half full hotel can provide a solid return on investment for private investors who buy hotel rooms.

Of course, having all your eggs in one investment basket is still a risky move, which is one of the reasons why buying hotel rooms is often viewed as a way to diversify an existing portfolio. Buying a hotel room is much more of an investment in tourism than a straight property play.

It’s a fact that particularly appeals to those planning for retirement as, provided you don’t need the free stays on offer, you can even buy hotel rooms via your self-invested personal pension (SIPP) scheme.

Case in point, a recent development in the upmarket tourist town of Sesimbra is offering freehold luxury suites on a buy to let basis.

Keen to attract secure investments the developer is also offering to cover all closing costs and paying cash back to early investors.

Of course, for those not buying via a SIPP, investors also get the perk of free stays in the hotel as well – a little bit of luxury to part the dreary economic clouds.

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The Internet: Helping you Avoid the Loneliness of Travel

admin — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 06:50:13 +0000

andrew.regan.2006@googlemail.com asked:

Most people would acknowledge that travelling is one of life’s most precious joys. While home is certainly where the heart is, being able to visit new places and see new sights is a crucial part of broadening your life experience and opening your eyes to unknown cultures. Thankfully, the last half of the twentieth century has seen technology advance to the stage where nearly everyone can travel with ease and in comfort.

Whether you’re simply taking a weekend away at a country cottage in New England, or planning to go on a long-haul trip to Thailand, your vacation is sure to excite you with wonders untold and joys anew. However, while taking a vacation can unlock some of the wonders of the world, travelling can also be a lonely experience – and not just if you’re travelling alone.

For instance, while many people long to get away from their everyday routine, you might be one of those people who find routines comforting. And if you have a fear of flying, travelling to your destination might turn out to be a heavily stressful experience rather than a peaceful break. What’s more, large hotel rooms can often seem impersonal and invite feelings of restlessness or homesickness in you.

However, if you’re looking for a way to prevent vacation anxiety, you might find your saviour in an unlikely place – the internet. The advent of many travel sites and social networking sites on the web in recent years has meant that more and more people can share their holiday experiences with each other. But travel blogs and holiday sites can do more than just offer you reviews of hotel resorts or ratings of local restaurants – they can offer you real, valuable advice on how best to overcome your fears and apprehensions when you’re on a holiday.

The solution to this can be simpler than you might think: many travellers rely on taking simple home comforts with them – for example, your favourite pair of slippers or your most comfortable pyjamas – no matter how badly they’re falling apart. It’s also a good idea to take some of your favourite hobbies or pastimes with you on holiday to beat any feelings of loneliness that might creep up on you; if you play an instrument, for instance, take it with you. String and woodwind instruments, like guitars, violins or flutes, are fairly convenient to transport – and unless you’re embarking on a backpacking tour of Europe and need to travel light – there’s no excuse not to take them along with you.

If you’re the sort of person who abhors soulless hotel rooms, then why not take some items from your home with you to help brighten up your room: simple things like family photographs or your bedside alarm clock can help make the atmosphere around you more familiar and welcoming, and can do wonders in curing any feeling of homesickness that might arise.

Since we now live in the internet age, many hotels let you share travel advice and tips online. Homewood Hotels, for example, provides a bulletin board, where past guests can share their experiences of their stay – from restaurants to places to visit or avoid – and pass on advice and tips to potential guests, helping them get the most out of their holiday. So, regardless of whether you’re spending Easter weekend in Houston or Hawaii, you’ll find the internet is your friend when it comes to beating travel anxiety.

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