I’m Brett Sterenson with Hotel Lobbyists.  Here are some examples of people who I’m not.  I’m not Ms. Rashkundar with the American Podiatry Association.  I’m not Mr. Rafferty with the Traitheletes Society.  I’m not Ms. McMahon with NASA.  And I’m also not Mr. Cohn with the National Hemophiliacs Foundation.  But if you read some of...

I can give no better advice to any entrepreneur than to get involved, and I mean seriously involved, in some type of organization or association.  For me, it has been the Society of Government Meeting Professionals, and it’s exceptionally geared towards my precise business, but even if it weren’t…

I don’t have the luxury of corporate grudges in my profession.  As a third-party site selector I pride myself on being unbiased.  I’m not prejudiced by brand.  Every group is a different story altogether.  My primary objective time in and time out is presenting the best overall value and experience to my client.  Saving money...

I have to say, generally speaking I’m a fan.  I’m a fan of hotels that set themselves apart from the standard cookie cutter properties.  There are varying levels of themed hotels, however, and not every theme is a match for every customer. Consider the first level of theming a hotel property, is infusing local culture,...

“I look out onto the crowd and see so many of you who are my Facebook Friends… my real friends…”  I uttered this somewhat memorable quote while receiving my very coveted Sam Gilmer Supplier of the Year Award from the Society of Government Meeting Professionals last May.  It was met with a chorus of sneers...

When the bottom fell out of the economy three years ago, luxury hotels made an ambitious entrance into a market usually left for midscale and limited service brands – the government market.  In the past, these hotels were unable to offer per diem rates to their government customers because per diem rates were notably below...

I could probably author a hundred entries on the different angles of social networking, and in the end, I just might, but this brief entry will explain why I can’t “like” your hotel or destination on Facebook. I use Facebook as a social networking tool as well as a way to expand my business community...

Just when you thought the most loyal, recession proof, consistent, reliable market segment would never fail you, lawmakers on Capitol Hill rally to prove this theorem wrong.  In what was one of the more embarrassing and disappointing weeks in public policy, Congress’ ongoing struggle to ratify last year’s budget has had rather abysmal affects on...

Just attended a valuable educational session that made me think long and hard about the challenges of staying relatively fit while traveling.  I wouldn’t describe myself as fit, per se.  It wouldn’t be among the top ten adjectives I’d use in describing myself and for that I’m not particularly proud.  I am proud, however, that...

Ever been turned down by a hotel because of “compression” and just nodded and moved on without stopping to consider you might not know what that is?  Are the city walls closing in on the hotels?  What is this phenomenon that is preventing you from finding the requisite availability when you need it? Compression occurs...