Hotel Impossible - General Discussion

[califred]

Being married to a Marine and hearing that I was wondering how screwed up he was for "failure to adapt" but my husband has had a few young Marines that get out for that reason.  Usually though if you are a somewhat decent person they will get you a normal discharge he was screwed up.  It sounds like he left his family and they didn't follow which says a lot to me too.

 

if they update that hotel it should make money Branson is a huge vacation destination.

[Portia]

Holy cow. I just watched the Branson episode, and I'm flipping out because I've stayed at THAT VERY MOTEL several times!  Back in the '90s, when our kids were little, we stayed at the Colonial Mountain Inn three different times that I can recall. It was modest but just perfect for a budget-conscious family with three young kids. It is actually in Branson West, about three miles from the heart of the Branson strip--but for us that was a selling point because Branson traffic was always terrible. By comparison, the CMI had almost a rural feel to it. But the main reasons we kept coming back were the playground and pool.  I was pleased to see on HI that the curvy water slide is still in use--my kids absolutely LOVED it, and my husband and I loved that it would keep them entertained for hours without our having to plunk down any additional money.  I am crossing my fingers that the current owner/manager will keep it family oriented (as in "no drinking parties by the fire pit") and that they'll have great success. I have a soft place in my heart for the CMI.

Several months ago, I was cleaning out a file drawer and found this old brochure. I scanned it and shared it with my kids on Facebook for "Throwback Thursday." Never thought I'd be sharing it with my PTV buddies!

[HurricaneVal]

Oh wow!  The same, exact guest room we saw--right down to the bedspread...

Thanks for sharing!

[califred]

That is awesome.  We always stayed in cabins when we went to Branson back in the day.  It's cool you still have that brochure.

[Lonesome Rhodes]

This was one of the best HI eps evah.

The best moment, hall-of-fame level best, was when Dan the contractor who was about to lose his job, was seen.  AM took umbrage because a contractor lost his gig and was likely never going to see reimbursement for his sunk costs?  Delusional AM is good TV!  Tremendous.  Blame the victim!  

The housekeepers did a fantastic job given their limitations.  Their reward?  They got laid off!  I genuinely feel for them.  I would think they could find work somewhere, given the excellent jobs they had done.  But, we got another moment of realism in this fakety-fake show.  When things get as bad as we saw, real people get real hurt.

I also loved that they got caught with the headboard debacle.  They had to give an illusion of some sort of tangible and cheap improvement.  This also served to show how clever they all are.  Oops.  Too clever by half, eh?  Those headboards would not work at all with the sleek design otherwise used in that space.  Forget color.  The round shaping against the sharp lines of the walls and the floor would be totally incongruent.

AM's rate management was sound.  But, Branson itself is declining in popularity.  He said they needed near 100% room revenue/weekend and high season, at something north of $90/room.   I have a better chance at scoring a date with Sofia Vergara!

Anyway, the 2nd brother is arguably the best potential GM AM has ever run across on this show.  I noticed instantly that he was not ready to pronounce the headboard scheme a success until he had all the facts.  Wow.  Someone who really does have a great business sense!  And yes, I chuckled when Brittany and AM had no clue how to respond with his less than glowing praise.  Too precious!  Great, great, HI moment.

AM gave them significant value with the new sign, the POS management system, the new front area, and AM's operational handbook.  If hard work and common sense, with a little economic luck can possibly save that place, the new guy will succeed.  I almost never believe this on this show.  Yet and still, I do not likes his chances.  

[MelissaMinion]

I'm watching the Boss's Time Out episode right now, with my jaw hanging open. Holy cow, Anthony just needs to snatch those poor housekeepers up and help them escape to new jobs. There's really nothing more I can say; I think my brain is shutting down.

Bossier City, LA

Edited May 24, 2016 by MelissaMinion
Name of city

[spiderpig]

When it comes to butthead owners*, James and Grace take the cake. The post-credits update said it all.

Poor staff. At least Angie got her wedding ring back.

*I'd like to use harsher language, but I'm trying to be good tonight.

[bluepiano]

What did the post-credits update say? My DVR cut if off.

Angie was so happy when AM told her he might've found a buyer for the hotel. But my thought was, the new owner may not be verbally abusive, but he will no doubt continue to pay the housekeepers minimum wage. That's just the sad reality of America today, especially in the poorer states, where jobs are scarce and employers hold all the cards. (It's why there needs to be an increase in the federal minimum wage. Because a Louisiana or Alabama will never raise the state minimum wage. They'd probably do away with it if they could).

Okay, end of political rant. But I've often thought watching this show that while AM always shows sympathy to hard working, low paid hotel maids and other staff people, the new furniture, linens, computer systems etc. that he gives to the owners are not likely to better the lives of the workers.

When you see how hard some of these people work, and all that they ask is to be treated with a little dignity and respect, it's kind of heart breaking.

Edited May 24, 2016 by bluepiano

[LizDC]

5 hours ago, bluepiano said:

What did the post-credits update say? My DVR cut if off.

It said Grace declined George's offer to buy but she still wants to sell the hotel. And James still acts like co-owner.

I found this interview with Grace about being on the show...

http://www.ktbs.com/story/31094611/a-reality-tv-show-gives-a-bossier-business-a-dose-of-harsh-reality

She sounds a bit delusional.

[califred]

He was so not rude to them.  On tv they didn't say they were married they worded it that at one point they'd been in a relationship and had kids but now we're just partners.  The article said they were married.  He's a horrible man  who needs to get s grip.  

 

I really want to know how the health or fire dept hadn't shut them down.

Oh and does anyone believe that dude actually had 25 million dollars?

[spiderpig]

2 hours ago, LizDC said:

It said Grace declined George's offer to buy but she still wants to sell the hotel. And James still acts like co-owner.

I found this interview with Grace about being on the show...

http://www.ktbs.com/story/31094611/a-reality-tv-show-gives-a-bossier-business-a-dose-of-harsh-reality

She sounds a bit delusional.

It's the following morning and I feel like using bad language.

Grace Chaio is full of s**t.  While James was completely hateful from the outset, Grace tried to appear to be conciliatory (i.e. damage control) in the latter part of the show. All an act. The local TV interview showed what a con artist she is.

She and James accepted the freebies and ignored the advice.  Have you read the recent reviews on Tripadvisor? The place is a dump and gives Bossier a bad name.

And the way the staff was treated was disgusting.  Monkeys??? Really???

I can't find one redeeming quality in these owners at all.

[psychoticstate]

I don't believe those delusional and rude owners had or have any intention of selling and that article just cements my belief.

I have never seen more undeserving owners than these two, especially the man.  I get that he's a major douchebag (I'm not as kind as @spiderpig) and he treats his business partner/kinda-sorta wife like crap but that doesn't excuse her behavior either.  

I wish Anthony and HI had taken the funds that went into the pool clean/pool area reno/bedbug inspection/room reno and given them to the staff.  And maybe called in some resources to help these ladies find jobs where they would be treated like human beings.

[bluepiano]

59 minutes ago, psychoticstate said:

I don't believe those delusional and rude owners had or have any intention of selling and that article just cements my belief.

I have never seen more undeserving owners than these two, especially the man.  I get that he's a major douchebag (I'm not as kind as @spiderpig) and he treats his business partner/kinda-sorta wife like crap but that doesn't excuse her behavior either.  

I wish Anthony and HI had taken the funds that went into the pool clean/pool area reno/bedbug inspection/room reno and given them to the staff.  And maybe called in some resources to help these ladies find jobs where they would be treated like human beings.

Yeah, I was thinking along those lines too. Nice that Anthony got the woman's ring back, but instead of trying to get the hotel sold, I wish he'd helped the maids find jobs at another hotel. But Hotel Impossible is about helping the owners, not the employees.

So many episodes seem to feature owners who are deplorable human beings, and when they promise Anthony that they're going to change their ways you know it's compete BS. (The recent Rhode Island beach motel episode is another example of this). Can they not find more deserving people to help? Or do they intentionally choose these dirt bags because they know there's going to be more drama?

As for Grace being a complete phony, I'm sure that happens all the time. I have personal knowledge of a restaurant that was on "Kitchen Nightmares," and on the show the owner was portrayed as this naïve, sweet lady whose chef and other staff took advantage of. The truth is that she was a tough as nails businesswoman who had problems with staff because she was such a dictator. But who knows whether she fooled the producers, or if they knew the real situation and just came up with this story line. "Reality TV" is usually anything but.

Edited May 24, 2016 by bluepiano

[auntjess]

I'd like to think that Anthony or someone did some follow-up with the staff, because there are laws that James must have been breaking, or with all the people Travel Channel knows, they could find better jobs for all those people.
 

[spiderpig]

For the record, I'm still really pissed off about this property. I keep thinking about the staff who need jobs and are horribly abused by those asshole "owners".

Gah!  I have to go hug my doggy.

[Lonesome Rhodes]

Grace is evocative of so many abused women.  AM thinking he could get her to follow through at all is every bit as delusional as anything James, her wicked partner, ever said or did.  A written above, AM didn't go to the health department?  One of these fine days, something is going to happen to a future guest that otherwise would not had AM acted as he should have.  He, and Travel channel, will get sued.  I want on that jury.

James' voice and manner totally reminded me of Colonel Saito, played by Sessue Hayakawa in Bridge Over the River Kwai!  

The best thing AM and TPTB could have done was to find work for that crew at other properties.  Why they never do that bugs me.   

[psychoticstate]

Did anyone watch last night's epi on the hotel in Hawaii?  

For all the talk about John Wayne staying there, they made NO mention of it?  Say what now?  

And the update is that the owners decided to sell?  I call major shenanigans.  I think they were already intending to sell and used AM and HI to renovate/update/publicity to facilitate the sale.

[DoctorK]

Yeah, the sell decision smells funny. I sort of hope that it was a scam on the show and all parties (including the son and daughter-in-law) got a piece of the profit. Worse would be that the parents sold and kept everything and the son and daughter who invested years of their lives trying to run the hotel while constantly being sabotaged by their parents ended up with nothing to show for it.

[Wings]

1 hour ago, psychoticstate said:

Did anyone watch last night's epi on the hotel in Hawaii?  

For all the talk about John Wayne staying there, they made NO mention of it?  Say what now?  

And the update is that the owners decided to sell?  I call major shenanigans.  I think they were already intending to sell and used AM and HI to renovate/update/publicity to facilitate the sale.

I agree.  And the publicity of TV bringing in buyers.  Thanks, now I don't have to look for the update. 

1 hour ago, DoctorK said:

Yeah, the sell decision smells funny. I sort of hope that it was a scam on the show and all parties (including the son and daughter-in-law) got a piece of the profit. Worse would be that the parents sold and kept everything and the son and daughter who invested years of their lives trying to run the hotel while constantly being sabotaged by their parents ended up with nothing to show for it.

I want to believe they rewarded their son and DIL's 12 year contribution.  Anyone have a link for the update or even the name of the hotel, I deleted.  

[spiderpig]

I agree with both of the previous comments that something strange was going on at the Kauai property.  I wonder who contacted HI in the first place? The absentee owner parents seemed so indifferent.  The son had almost nothing to say, unlike his marketing manager sister who blathered on without a clue. Hard to believe she had never set up a relationship with the outdoor activity business 1500 feet from the property.

I felt bad for Donya who was holding back tears most of the episode.

And could the renovation of the John Wayne room (with exactly the type of bedding AM prefers) be any more obvious?  You knew what was coming in the after-credits update.

[Wings]

The mother in the Hawaiian hotel gave a canned and rehearsed talk to her son and DIL about renting the hotel. It was painful to watch and stupid.  They all knew where this was going and mom could not speak off the cuff.  Jesus.  

[Lonesome Rhodes]

This ep was pretty true to the concept.  The closest in years.  A few things were really wrong, but the potential was very clear.  They had an operating profit, did they not?  I can't remember the last time I saw that on this show.

If AM or production knew about the pending sale and still arranged for the goodies from the various suppliers, they have effectively ruined their relationships with them.  I'd be stunned if this happened.

On a personal  note, the only time I've ever been to Hawaii I stayed in a very high-end and traditional hotel on Waikiki Beach.  The room itself would have fit right in at a clean Motel 6. The rooms I saw in this ep were just as good.  The show got it right when they just went with a basic paint job and reconditioning of the furniture.  A room is just about the last place in which you will spend time while in the islands. 

Whatever becomes of the son and his wife, they have the opportunity to learn through the Cornell classes.  If they could not find good jobs after that, it is not on the parents.

[spiderpig]

"Top 10 Meltdowns" episode 6/6/16.

Well, that was uncomfortable in more ways than one.

[bluepiano]

On ‎5‎/‎29‎/‎2016 at 1:48 AM, Lonesome Rhodes said:

The best thing AM and TPTB could have done was to find work for that crew at other properties.  Why they never do that bugs me.   

Maybe it's because much of what we're shown is faked for the sake of drama, and the employees don't have it as bad as we're shown.

As a frequent traveler, I would enjoy Hotel Impossible more if I felt I was actually learning something about the hotel business. That rarely happens now, as virtually every episode focuses on AM playing amateur therapist to solve some family or interpersonal relationship problem. I guess that's what TPTB think viewers want. Or maybe crazy feuding families are the only ones who apply to be on the show.

The Hawaii episode was slightly different in that the that the hotel wasn't dilapidated and riddled with mold and bed bugs for a change. But it was still about family generational conflict.

I was flabbergasted when AM told the owners they should literally double the room rate, from $200 to $400 a night. I know a little about Kauai, and the main reason people stay in that more developed and congested area around Lihue is that it's considered less desirable and is therefore less expensive. If someone's willing to pay $400 they're going to stay in one of the newer, more luxurious hotels or condo rentals along the south or north coasts. So AM really didn't seem to understand the market. He also told that beach front motel in Rhode Island they if they upgraded their rooms they could charge $500 a night, which seemed really bizarre, since no matter how much they improved the rooms it was still a motel, not a luxury resort.

It reminds me of that loud mouth host on Bar Rescue who goes to some dive bar with a loyal following paying 6 or 7 bucks for a stiff drink and has them start making fancier (but weaker) drinks at double the price. A strategy that would almost certainly be business suicide, because once the TV crew leaves so will the customers. You have to understand your location and your clientele. Not every place can be a chic cocktail lounge or a high end boutique hotel.

Edited June 9, 2016 by bluepiano

[Lonesome Rhodes]

I am so with you, bluepiano!  Jon Taffer on Bar Rescue is more Jon Laugher anymore.

Why can't a host make excellent points, like the hotel rates at that Kauai motel being too low, without going hyperbolic?!  

I grant an inherent issue for these shows is that the fixes can't be labor-intensive and they can't involve massive capital infusions.  So, they are left to some standard tricks e.g. enhanced internet presence, more efficient inventory management, smarter pricing of goods/services.  

One thing they could do very, very inexpensively, is to devote an off-property ep outlining certain things in the industry.  Why not feature some ideas and concepts that have worked to turn around actual properties?  Show us theoretical property valuations, based on current metrics.  Talk about typical financial profiles of single owners of various-level places.  Outline the various levels of cost and investment by the scale of various properties.  What does that do to pricing?  It's an absolutely fascinating industry.  

If these shows want Dr. Phil, pay Dr. Phil to appear.  AM and JT have some skills.  They are being badly used and reduced as things now stand.  

[bluepiano]

1 hour ago, Lonesome Rhodes said:

One thing they could do very, very inexpensively, is to devote an off-property ep outlining certain things in the industry.  Why not feature some ideas and concepts that have worked to turn around actual properties?  Show us theoretical property valuations, based on current metrics.  Talk about typical financial profiles of single owners of various-level places.  Outline the various levels of cost and investment by the scale of various properties.  What does that do to pricing?  It's an absolutely fascinating industry.  

I would certainly find that an interesting episode, but I can't see TPTB having the courage to fly in the face of the conventional reality show wisdom, that viewers want to see confrontation, dysfunction, and people behaving badly.

At least that's what they believe American audiences want. The original Kitchen Nightmares series in the UK really focused on the business of running a restaurant, and Gordon Ramsey worked in a spirt of cooperation with the chefs and restaurant owners. But then they dumbed it down in the American version, and we got GR screaming and insulting people and lots of cheap and probably contrived drama.

1 hour ago, Lonesome Rhodes said:

If these shows want Dr. Phil, pay Dr. Phil to appear.  AM and JT have some skills.  They are being badly used and reduced as things now stand.  

 Ever notice how Anthony says "I'm not Dr. Phil" just before he brings the feuding family members into a room together and then attempts to be Dr. Phil?

Edited June 9, 2016 by bluepiano

[Lonesome Rhodes]

The Maine ep was bizarre.  Wiring like that, on a property which is admittedly designed by an amateur, with innumerable shortcuts taken, and AM doesn't have his contractor going throughout the whole property looking for code issues?  The issues were all exclusive to that one wing?!  Suuuure.

My favorite is the complete ignore of the bathroom on the reno room.  AM showed us the lack of space in his sample room.  No redesign of that space could fix that.  either you take space from the general room area, or you break down walls and eliminate contiguous rooms.  Why did we not see the bathroom fix?  After all, the sink and toilet violated code, right AM?  That's what you said.  You just walked away with a blind eye to code violations?   While I am at it...was there an insulation/energy savings component to the room renos, or any other part of the property?  I didn't hear any.  More of the very same penny wise/pound foolishness the owner was ripped for doing!  

Why on earth didn't AM go after the degreed brother?   Goodness.  Dude went away to one of the very finest hospitality schools in the world and allowed THAT to happen in his own family's property?  Incredibly odd.  Why wasn't HE the designated GM?  What a total disconnect.

Not one mention of finances, aside from the need for better rate management.  Rewiring an entire building and a new fire alarm system?  Big dollars.  There simply haaaad to be some other major capital expenses.

Finally, what happened to the freeloaders?  I'm betting they refused to sign appearance waivers.  They were veritable catnip for AM and his feces-stirring self.  At a minimum, it would have been great TV when Aimee kicked them out while Bob stood there in support.  Unless, of course, they are still there.

[DeepRed]

One wing of the Trade Winds has been gutted and is now being completely rebuilt, probably as timeshares.  Yes, they're selling timeshare condos now too.

I live a few miles away from Rockland and would never recommend that place to out of town visitors.  I could say a lot more about that place but I don't want to risk being sued. Wiring etc. that's not up to code is the least of the problems.

They'll always have business, though, because they're in a fabulous location.

[califred]

The dude from the Poconos episode had the personality and drive of a pillow.   

[psychoticstate]

Surely that "wedding" wasn't legit and was purely drama for the show (and free advertisement).  I'd be pissed to be put on the spot like that and have no say in my own wedding.  Girl did not look happy.

The hotel looked nice and it was a welcome change to not have disgusting, bedbug laden rooms in a hotel that was struggling due to management and economic downturn.  That said, I do miss the earlier seasons.  The show has become formulaic.  AM doesn't need to be a therapist nor do I want to see it.  So much time is spent with him playing doctor that we don't see the designer doing much.  Again, I miss the earlier seasons where we would see Blanche in the design process.

[Wings]

16 minutes ago, psychoticstate said:

 

Surely that "wedding" wasn't legit and was purely drama for the show (and free advertisement).  I'd be pissed to be put on the spot like that and have no say in my own wedding.  Girl did not look happy.

 

Yes, that was terrible.  It made me wonder what happened after the camera stopped that day.  Did they stage a fake wedding for the show when they learned she really didn't want to marry him?   On the bright side, she will get half of the hotel should they decide to sell it!  

[brgjoe]

I will defend the guy to this degree.  Anthony made some remark about him not being a high energy sort.  I know I am not a yeller/screamer.  Certainly not on Anthony's level, anyway.  :)  But I am pretty sure you can still get things done and be successful without being one of those types.

But you still have to be motivated.  And this guy definitely didn't look like a real self-starter sort.  He also was completely oblivious on how to actually run a hotel.  Which just astonishes me to no end -- especially  when your family is actually in the business!   You'd think his parents would have insisted he learn more about running hotels before keeping the handouts coming.

I have doubts this place will still be running for very long.  But I guess we shall see.  I hope A.M. does a revisit of this place again.

[spiderpig]

The "wedding" was weird beyond belief.  It was like Bambi was marrying the hunter from the Disney film (which traumatizes me to this day). Where were their kids?  Didn't they have 3?

The post-credits comments didn't add very much.

[Lonesome Rhodes]

I call shenanigans on the $50K value spouted by logo/website dude.  There's certainly a sucker born every minute, but if he gets that much for those services?  I can't even.

The place was in obvious excellent physical shape.  Who kept it up so well?  

PA is a really weird state when it comes to liquor licensing.  I'm betting the "cocktail" room thing never happens.  It's a great sitting area, to be sure.  

This will forever be known as the Sen. John Blutarsky (of PA!) episode.  Total monthly revenue?  Zero. Point. Zero. Zero.

Did we ever learn the fire and escape code or solutions?  

[psychoticstate]

The Cody, Wyoming hotel is one of my absolute favorites.  What a cool place.  But seriously . . . you think you can rid your hotel of bedbugs yourself?  Say what?  Giving free horse rides to guests and not marketing that?  

The daughter is a spoiled brat who knows/knew next to nothing about the hotel business but just expects her mother and stepfather to hand the business over to her?  And the mother clearly was ready to do it.  The daughter needs a wake up call - - Anthony was being very gentle with her, maybe because she was pregnant?  Thank goodness her husband is a smart guy with business sense. 

I want to go to Cody now, to see this town and experience what it's like to be in a real western. 

[Lonesome Rhodes]

The Cody property is right in the HI premise wheelhouse.  Not a whole lot had to be done, but it was going down fast.

I do not like rodeos at all.  I can't imagine being close to a place that had them all year 'round.  However, I get that folks will go to Cody for that very purpose.  

Loooooved Cookie, the pony.  Free rides?  Tremendous.  However, where were the repeat customers?  They sure as heck knew about this amenity, right?  I suspect we did not get the real lowdown.  There had to be other systemic issues - like dirty rooms/linen/towels and such.  Those rates definitely should have engendered tons of repeats.

I didn't see $3K in the room redo.  (If he included the cost of insect mitigation throughout the property, this number makes sense) Did they do anything to the bathroom?  The partial floor tiling and the wood wall can't have been all that costly.  But, I guess it's good that we got a realistic number, for once.  They did do an excellent job with the office.  The Keurig ain't cheap.  I'd be stunned if they'd put any of those in the rooms.  I wouldn't be at all surprised if they took it out of the office.

I really wanted to say AM was all hat and no (cattle) horse in this ep.  But, all in all, this was pretty darn good.  I can say this:  AM, you're no Alex Trebek!  :)

[spiderpig]

Here's another thumbs up to Cookie the pony.  If they wouldn't allow me to take her up to the room with me, I'd camp out in the lobby and give her big ear noogies all day.

ETA - Cookie reminds me of the mini horse in the Amazon commercial, where the human orders a pet door so the horsie can go in and out and sit at her side.

Edited July 2, 2016 by spiderpig

[bluepiano]

Yet another episode with a generational conflict, and yet another episode in which Anthony says he's not a family therapist and then proceeds to act like one. This show needs to start changing up its formula. It's really gotten stale.

Edited July 6, 2016 by bluepiano

[spiderpig]

Anyone see the Posada at San Juan Bautista (aka Funeral Home Impossible) episode?

[howiveaddict]

I guess the hotel last night didn't get their loan.  They still don't have a web site. Bet the mother tore up that contract after Anthony and crew left.

[spiderpig]

39 minutes ago, howiveaddict said:

I guess the hotel last night didn't get their loan.  They still don't have a web site. Bet the mother tore up that contract after Anthony and crew left.

Aw, I know the editing monkeys show us what they want to, but the daughter and grandson seemed to be well-intentioned.  The grandson looked like he really wanted to learn the business.  I was rooting for them.

Mom/Grandma seemed to be living in her own universe.

[Eater of Worlds]

On 7/6/2016 at 1:58 AM, bluepiano said:

Yet another episode with a generational conflict, and yet another episode in which Anthony says he's not a family therapist and then proceeds to act like one. This show needs to start changing up its formula. It's really gotten stale.

A month or so ago I sent a twitter to Anthony about  missing the way he behaved in the first season compared to now, and he blocked me!  This show used to have episodes on demand, they don't have any recent episodes to watch on the website, and it only has one repeat on the same night it's shown (2 or 3 hours after the first episode at 10e/9c) so I think that they are winding the show down.  

[bmacknz]

17 hours ago, howiveaddict said:

I guess the hotel last night didn't get their loan.  They still don't have a web site. Bet the mother tore up that contract after Anthony and crew left.

Sure they do, I found it last night while watching the episode. Although, I haven't looked at it very closely, it looked pretty nice at first glance.

http://www.posadadesanjuanbautista.com/

[howiveaddict]

I swear that link wasn't there when I looked.  LOL.  Too bad the lodging in San Juan Bautista link does not have a link for the Posada listed, Just written information.  http://www.sanjuanbautistaca.com/lodging

[auntiemel]

I just got around to watching the Wyoming ep. When he walked into the lobby, I was like, "HOLY SHIT, IT'S L'IL SEBASTIAN!!!"

[Lonesome Rhodes]

San Juan property is probably the best ep in the show's run.

Of course, having access to ready capital makes all the difference.  What I did not understand was that if the beams have been rotted, the costs simply have to be waaaaaaay more than AM showed us.  The other key was a supremely motivated GM candidate who was eager, and likely competent enough, to mitigate everything.  

The show does not have to die.  Not if they can find more properties like this.

AM was so wrong about the pool in Anchorage.  That is on the bucket list of items for that place.  If everything else discussed was truly turned around, THEN the infusion of cash for the pool would make sense.  No way in Hades would a pool drive increased room nights anywhere close to justify the costs of a pool.

$59 for THAT helo trip?  Uh huh.  Anyone want some oceanfront property I happen to own in New Mexico?

If dude had the means to scrape up nearly $10 million for that place, he could cough up a lot more if he wanted to.  

[spiderpig]

I wondered about Anthony's obsession with the pool too, Lonesome.  He does like to film himself jumping into water, doesn't he?  I'd far rather have a decent place to eat onsite.

I was in the travel industry for decades, and it seems to me that Anthony vastly overestimates room rates for the area.  A barebones inn is a barebones inn.  A pool isn't going to encourage me to cough up an extra $50 per night.

They charged $59 for a 10-minute copter trip between San Francisco Bay Area airports 30 years ago.  If I'm in Anchorage I can view gorgeous glaciers for the same rate?  OK.

[Wings]

3 minutes ago, spiderpig said:

I wondered about Anthony's obsession with the pool too, Lonesome.  He does like to film himself jumping into water, doesn't he?  I'd far rather have a decent place to eat onsite.

I was in the travel industry for decades, and it seems to me that Anthony vastly overestimates room rates for the area.  A barebones inn is a barebones inn.  A pool isn't going to encourage me to cough up an extra $50 per night.

They charged $59 for a 10-minute copter trip between San Francisco Bay Area airports 30 years ago.  If I'm in Anchorage I can view gorgeous glaciers for the same rate?  OK.

An indoor pool anywhere is a turn off, they are creepy even when well kept.  I would venture to say that not many staying in an Alaska hotel have an agenda of swimming.  

On 7/13/2016 at 11:07 AM, bmacknz said:

Sure they do, I found it last night while watching the episode. Although, I haven't looked at it very closely, it looked pretty nice at first glance.

http://www.posadadesanjuanbautista.com/

I noticed they did not show the lobby in the reveal.  My thought was that it looked too bare and didn't have the money to spend on accessories that would make it look welcoming.  The pic in the link looks nice; I see a couple of pots on the table. :^)

On 6/24/2016 at 0:29 AM, brgjoe said:

I will defend the guy to this degree.  Anthony made some remark about him not being a high energy sort.  I know I am not a yeller/screamer.  Certainly not on Anthony's level, anyway.  :)  But I am pretty sure you can still get things done and be successful without being one of those types.

But you still have to be motivated.  And this guy definitely didn't look like a real self-starter sort.  He also was completely oblivious on how to actually run a hotel.  Which just astonishes me to no end -- especially  when your family is actually in the business!   You'd think his parents would have insisted he learn more about running hotels before keeping the handouts coming.

I have doubts this place will still be running for very long.  But I guess we shall see.  I hope A.M. does a revisit of this place again.

Anthony looked depressed causing his low energy along with his excessive weight.  That cannot be easy to lug around.  He needs a trainer and nutritionist to help him get excited about actually learning the hotel business.  What are his parents thinking? 

[tobeannounced]

So re the Alaska episode, I'm not really getting why the hotel was under-performing so badly.  Okay, it had a bad name that didn't reflect what it really was, and it didn't have a working pool.  But that doesn't seem like that big of a deal.  Was it just abysmal management?

[Lonesome Rhodes]

They supposedly squeaked out an operational profit in 2014.  This despite losing a lot on the kitchen and bar.  AM also said the room rate structure was not matching the market reality, costing them a lot (bad management).

The real mystery, to me, was the banquet revenues and expenses.  Normally, AM is all over ownership for failure to maximize opportunity with that space.  We even briefly met the sales manager dedicated to such.  Of course, now with F&B closed, so much for meeting/banquet revenue. No mention of firing folks who worked in these areas, doncha know.