Hotel ownership in usa is being taken over by foreign nationals

[2Design]

Not sure where to post this.

As I have been traveling I have notice more and more hotels with ownership by India people. Many years ago, I had noticed this with Motel 6 and the quality and standards and customer service went down. Now I see it with www.choicehotels.com
Finally I stopped to ask one owner since it seemed to be about 80% and he said it was 95%. He said americans don't want to run them and the hotels chains are approaching them. Sheraton, hyatt and others too. This trend has been going on for about 10 to 15 years the hotel owner said. They have been slowly taking over our business world here. This is like the RW taking over the schools, school boards, and elections. This trend troubles me.

What I have found is the small american owned are hard to come by. I did stay in one in St. Georges's Utah - It was very nice at a reasonable price ($50 for a saturday night) Indoor pool, outdoor pool, kids playground and top notch as american budget hotels used to be.

It seems our jobs were outsourced by corporations to these countries and the ones here are being taken over by foreign nationals at all levels.

Of course they say it is because americans do not want to do it

The other thing about the hotels that I noticed is the prices are high for the quality, quality is down but prices are up. One hotel in monterey wanted $70 for un airconditioned room and said during a bike weekend they got $300 for the room.

Will our travel be affected? If the jobs of the future are service industry and all our mini marts, and hotels, and who knows what else that we have not noticed is being taken over by foreign nationals - what is there for usa?

What are your thoughts on the trends of being taken over? Both by outsourcing and insourcing?

[sam sarrha]

1. just another job Americans dont want to do...

[pooja]

2. 2/3 of all jobs in the US are service oriented.

The reason for the quality degradation is because they pay anywhere, depending on region, $7.00 to $10.00 for the front desk personel. You work an 8hr shift without a designated lunch period or breaks. You work most of all holidays and taking a 2 wk vacation is impossible, that is if you even get paid for one. I work at a hotel.. I don't get paid holidays that I work (time and 1/2). Because the pay is so bad, good people are hard to find. The good one's move on. Even management sucks.. you are on call 24/7 for any problem that may transpire and expected to cover anyone's shift that was a no-show. (A mid-night call really sucks when you've been up all day and your kid is sick to boot). So, it sucks. People are ruder. They expect perfection (we aren't robots and we don't know where every hot spot is--hello, we work a shitty paying job and we can't afford what you can on vacation).

Your support staff is usually a foreign entity or some crack whore who is working for her/ his fix. The kitchen staff and wait staff is usually there as their second job to suppliment their income--they already work a 40hr week and they really don't care that much about their second. Face it the bread and butter is already there, they just need the extra to pull through the tough times so they really don't care if they are fired or piss you off.

And it doesn't matter how much you pay to stay. $150.00 or $50.00 the staff makes the same money. And then Miss Paris Hilton buys another purse.

[kilgore65]

3. Another reason why I simply don't travel anymore...

I'd rather stay at home, save money, and surf DU! :)

[JDPriestly]

4. I'm old enough to remember motels owned by moms & pops.

They were great. We kids loved to stay in the motels that had little cabins. They were usually very cheap and lots of fun. Americans don't want the jobs because the big chains don't want to pay good wages. Same story as in a lot of other things. Running a motel is hard work, but it must be fun to meet so many people from so many interesting places.

[Chipper Chat]

23. This contributed to the decline of the American hotel:

In the 70s Holiday Inn shocked the industry by running TV commercials which proclaimed "the customer is always right" and vowed to "do whatever it takes to make the customer happy." This caused an avalanche of savvy people demanding money back for just an itsy-bitsy hair found in their room, any kind of noise that "woke us up" during the night," or invented complaints.
Unfortunately the other hotel chains followed suit. THe hotels have lost billions the last 30 years trying to "out-customer service" the other guy. The losses of course are made up by keeping salaries low. Sadly, this has contributed to the hotel industry not attracting good workers. Plus the pay is low.
Travellers know they can get by with anything. They can yell at desk clerks, refuse to pay in the restaurant, or have movies they watched taken off their bill. Management rarely backs up the hotel worker and covers the customer with kisses to toe the customer service line leaving the hotel worker humiliated.
Owners and managers should grow some balls and put a stop to customer hardball tactics. But they wont.
I work in a hotel by the way.

[KoKo]

37. "Customer Hardball Tactics?" Sheesh!

Customers should come first if you are running a hotel. I'm sorry you've had some bad experiences with customers complaining too much...but not all customers are folks carrying on about a "hair on the bed" wanting the service people to be sacked.

[Chipper Chat]

61. I think you missed my point.

I was not bashing good customers, only the hotel's willingness to kowtow to the unscrupulous ones. That created an atmosphere of bad will from employees. You wouldn't believe how many times we hear the phrase: "Revenue is down and there's a wage freeze on now. Oh, and by the way we have to cut hours, so you'll only be working four days this week."

[jaxx]

5. Foreign countries are buying our roads too.

Hotels, roads, mini-marts. What's next? Hospitals........city halls?

[BadgerKid]

15. And...

Governments? :evilfrown:

[karmaqueen]

6. someone told me

I asked someone once how come so many foreign people can run businesses where we live but people I have known all my life were struggling just to keep the small businesses they had. He said that there was some kind of loan program that lasted 2 years but when that was up they could transfer it to another family member.I must admit that I really do not know anything about business at all so I don't know if that is even true. I don't begrudge anyone owning a business but I hate to see many of my friends loose theirs lately. Another strange thing is these Wings beach shops that are everywhere. There can be one on every block in a town. They are big new stores filled with beach t shirts & souvenirs. There are not enough tourists to support even one of these places and locals never shop there so why do they keep building and how can they afford it? They are foreign owned and I have always wondered what was up with that.

[2Design]

39. a loan program - that is what I wondered too

I wondered if they had a organization that funded them - because as you said I have known many who have started their own business and struggle yet people from far away places come here and get right into a business -

I am noticing car wash and wax business being run by groups - they are hard workers - and do a good job
hate to mention another group with peoples reactions to the thread -

But thanks about the loan thing - that would explain the funding -

You are right about the beach shops - there are some that are just junk and they are every where and in expensive locations - and you wonder how can they stay and not have to close up -

it looks like it pays to form large groups and give out loans - where as the one person business or the old family businesses struggle

[karmaqueen]

60. Mom & Pop places are gone.

I think it is so sad to go into beach towns up & down the east coast and you cannot even tell where you are. The cozy small town atmosphere is gone. Over the last 5 years I have had almost all of my friend who ran these small places loose them because of taxes & other regulations that were put on them but not the big places that pop up everywhere. I cannot see where these questions about how business in America is being run makes one prejudgeous. I don't care who is running these places but like you I would like to know how & why. I have a feeling that some repug somewhere is getting rich, lol!

[datasuspect]

67. immigrant populations are extraordinarily cohesive and insular

they have a profound sense of community.

if you have an association, of say, laotian immigrants in the shrimping business or indian motel owners (most of the time cash businesses), they can have access to resources in their communities.

every immigrant group in the history of this country has done this.

[SidDithers]

7. Those damn India people...

everything would be so much better if we only had white people owning the hotels. 'Cause we all know that bad service has nothing to do with the shitty wages paid to many hotel workers. No, it's gotta be the ownership by furiners that's behind it all.

:sarcasm:

Sid

[burythehatchet]

8. and those Indians don't really clean the rooms

I heard somewhere they're dirty people and they think we live dirty too...and that stinky curry...yuck

[ulysses]

11. thought of you when I read the OP.

"India people"?

[burythehatchet]

12. sssshhh

I'm trying to rouse some rabble.
:hi:

[ulysses]

16. see? that's the problem with you India people.

Always rousing the rabble.

:hi:

[Erika]

9. Bush has no loyalty to the U.S. or its workers

He's selling us out lock, stock, and barrel. His family through his Prescott Bush ancestry tied into finanical gain through mideast oil. They made their fortune for all time in mideast oil. He could care less about American workers.

[CarlVK]

10. I say good for the Indians who want to do it.

There is no law saying Americans can't run hotels. If they want to, they have all the same avenues and more than Indian born folks do.

Where exactly are you going with this thread?

[symbolman]

13. I happen to know that there are deals being made

all over the country from Alaska to Hawaii by Saudis working in conjunction with HomeLand Security, it's a FACT. Consider that Homeland Security agents are talking up realtors to the tune of half a TRILLION dollars to buy up properties, whole chains of VERY Expensive Hotels, and it gets a little scary.. what the hell are they doing working with SAUDIS buying up PRIMO properties?

At one point the FBI Building was owned by the Japanese!

[BrotherBuzz]

14. They started out with motels

Patel be the family name....

[2Design]

35. patel - that was the name at the travelodge -

that was where the toilet do not work right and it general got bad reviews on trip advisor but I decided to give it a try since it looked out on the outside and when I went and looked at the room it looked ok but the internet did not work correctly so I used dial up and they did not post in the room that they charge 8cents a minute for phone usage - I was working - this was an awful bill -

I asked for a card of the manager - Hhhhmmmm

[Rockstone]

65. I thought Patels were banned from now coming

%60 of our hotels are owned by indians

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3177054.stm

[Bill McBlueState]

17. oh no! not India people!

Whatever shall we do? I feel I'm a-gettin a case of the vapors!

:crazy:

[RB TexLa]

18. So only North American citizens should be allowed to buy or build a hotel

in North America?

What is the problem with non-citizens owning hotels?

[ulysses]

19. yup. next thing you know,

all the maids'll be Mexican illegals.

Not sure where to post this.

I have some ideas.

[pinto]

20. They're immigrants. American residents. Lawful and often prosperous.

And in due course, they will be citizens. They will be Americans.

Yes, many motel/hotel operators are from India. Many convenience stores are owned and operated by Lebanese/Syrian immigrants. Nail salons seem to be primarily Southeast Asian enterprises. Families sponsor these immigrants to move here and become part of the business and part of the country.

This is how immigrants assimilate, make a contribution, and become citizens.

Not too long ago, many Irish immigrants routinely joined the civil service as policemen and firemen, with the assistance of friends and family.

Nothing alarming here, in my opinion.

[burythehatchet]

25. First they came for pour Motels, but I said nothing

then they came for our Hotels and I ignored it
Then they came for our resorts and it was too late.

:)

[2Design]

33. cute

but it does make me wonder - if the rest of the world comes and buys up or owns all of our property, then what -

like the housing bubble around the world - people from other countries have gone in and run up prices so locals in their own country can not afford -

or many who came and bought up a lot of our real estate

isn't that like the trade balance???

[matt819]

21. Is the bigotry and racism in this thread intended or inadvertent?

Who's to say that these Indians are not American citizens?

And just what is the problem with them owning and operating a business - any business? The fact that it is a family affair is the way family-owned businesses have worked for time immemorial. Mom, dad, gramps, gramma, the little kiddies. All pitched in. Keeps costs down. Is it different because non-white Americans own these businesses? What if they were Hispanic? Or African-American? Would that be better? And if they are foreign nationals, again, so what. If you want to run a hotel, buy a hotel or a franchise and get to work. If you don't, that's fine (there's no way I would want to run a hotel), but don't begrudge others for wanting to do so. If they run it well, all the better. If they run it badly, they'll fail, which is as it should be, regardless of color.

[2Design]

24. none intended -

Just as one person posted, I remember the mom and pop places with cabins and they were customer service oriented and the places were clean and you knew you were getting your money's worth.

The pattern is the quality is going down AND the other noticed pattern is it is one segment of the population who owns these places that are degrading.

Actually if it was mexicans, I think the places would be spotless. I find mexicans work very hard. If you go into a fast food places where most of the workers are mexicans, the floors are clean and not sticky, the restrooms are cleaned and everything is stocked. And they go out of their way to help. At least that is the pattern I have seen.

But you are right, if they don't run it well, it will fail. I just miss the mom and pop type place. The one in St. George was the whole family working the desk.

[countryjake]

22. Good thing they're not Irish!

[OzarkDem]

26. This also happened w/ the Japanese in the 1980's

as I recall, it didn't work out too well for them. Its a risky and cyclical business.

[2Design]

31. you mean the japanese had a lot of the hotels????

I do notice some areas the hotels are always full

but how did the hiltons make so much money if it is a risky business
Some seem to have been able to leverage their business

just the quality of budget hotels has gone down so much - I was shocked -
Now I am getting to the point that I don't expect a clean room or furniture not beat up or holes in bedspreads

Yet that one hotel in st george is what I remember - clean, everything in its place, just pleasant

[CBGLuthier]

27. Has DU always been so infested with bigots?

The last few days they have been crawling out from whatever rocks and just letting it all hang out.

These people succeed because they work hard and know how to save money. If you are truly concerned about the "foreign" ownership then go buy a hotel and run it yourself. I bet after a few 12 hour days and 7 day weeks you will run screaming for the door and beg to get an easier job.

[Nimrod2005]

29. Calm down....

It is early.

[MountainLaurel]

32. Maybe it's the weather

They're all coming in from the cold? Like the insects they are.

:shrug:

[obnoxiousdrunk]

57. And it's always

the language that gives them out .... "India People".

[Nimrod2005]

28. They are US citizens...Live here, raising their kids here...Indians

have always done this work, always owned small motels, their assets grew a bit, they are buying bigger better brands now. Nothing wrong, they exemplify what our country is all about.

Family owned, small businesses, live there, work there...etc. typical American success stories.

It is hard work BTW!!!

I should add, it is not just Indians, other nationalities have also participated in this space.

[2Design]

30. by why do they have to run the quality into the ground

this hotel in camp verde comfort inn
hole in bedspread
large stain on chair
springs gone in other chair

junk under the seat cushion
rug dirty where furniture was

sorry everyone is up in arms since I stated pattern and ethnic type
it is just an observation of a pattern
it would be like saying certain people are migrating to this city or that county
It is a pattern - I never noticed before - since I usually don't drive around the country but would get a hotel once in a while, I never noticed the pattern before -

I don't know if they are citizens since most have accents and may be immigrants
BTW how come no one is up in arms about other ethnic groups coming to usa only worried about mexicans
Mexicans are hard workers

I put india versus indians to distinguish between the native indians -
You state it is other nationalities, I have not noticed a pattern in the hotel business

I know Indians have the casino businesses going pretty well after foxwoods was so successful

But where are there other patterns

[Bridget Burke]

38. So--you've made a scientific study of hotel/motel quality?

I remember a family trip back in the late 50's, the "Good Old Days" when Mom & Pop owned them. Some were definitely dumps.

"India People" set off some alarms.

[2Design]

42. did not mean to set off alarms - maybe I could have worded better

I have been driving around the country for the past two months - and have noticed the pattern
so when I asked - it was confirmed - 95% of choice hotels are Indian (India) owned

[LordLovesAWorkingMan]

47. There must be thousands of other choices

So vote with your feet and dollars.

You know, if you were a political figure and you said this in front of a camera, you'd have apologized by now. This is exactly, totally equivalent to what Biden said about walking into a Dunkin Donuts.

[2Design]

50. yes - good thing I am not a political figure - it is easy to

say something and have it interpreted differently than intended - patterns are the most difficult to state without alarms going off for some other people - but some of the discussion has been enlightenment here and has shred light on the trend and confirmed the pattern(s I noticed.

The one resource that someone posted was a good article that shows the trend started a long time ago

yes feet and dollars - but it is difficult to find any hotel under $75 that is not Indian run anymore - and it is difficult to know wht the quality is even with a quick room inspection before buying -

I spoke with the owner here this morning after having had the conversation with him yesterday about quality and told him about the stain on the chair, the food and junk under the cushion on the chair and the hole in the bedspread - he made excuses - said the head maid was off - I stated this is not a problem that just happened or a one time thing - I suggested in inspect every room and fix the problems -

that is the part about customer service that bothers me - if someone points out a problem - fix it and not make up excuses - this is his business - my suggestions can help -

don't know the story about biden and dunkin donuts???

[northzax]

41. well here's a brilliant idea

if the quality isn't up to your standards, don't stay there. Seriously, it's called capitalism.

[lonestarnot]

34. And just how clean ARE those sheets?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

40. Hard to say.

I bet he messes up pretty good everytime he attends a rally.

[chat_noir]

36. old news - America's Patel Motels

The "Patel motel" phenomenon, as it is popularly known, has made a major impact on the American hospitality industry.

As many as 60% of mid-sized motels and hotel properties, all over the US, are owned by the people of Indian origin.

Of this nearly one-third have the surname Patel - a popular one among Indian Guajaratis.

Rajiv Bhatia, President of Knights Franchise System, owned by Cendant Hotel Corporation, traces the path of Indians in the hospitality industry.

"The trend started in the early 1940's, though the real growth took place in the 1960's and 1970's."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3177054.stm

[2Design]

44. thank you so much - this is what I wondered and was looking for

Had no idea it was a trend - see there was a pattern -

Just if you only travel once in a while you would never notice it
So it started 60 to 70 years ago

thanks for the resource

this is interesting to know

wonder how this works up against the hiltons, or hyatt, or other top brand hotels

I had always thought clarions were top hotels - but having stayed in a couple now - they are not

[2Design]

46. interesting article - shows family owned but

not necessarily own by citizens - it states they bring over more family -
some other threads assume they are citizens but this articles shows they bring other family from india
and yes they are taking over the hotel business

so how do they get to bring more people here but mexicans can't?
I don't understand immigration
mexicans need a better life too and they are hard workers

[Bridget Burke]

48. Immigrants come to the USA....

They work hard so they can afford to bring over relatives. They become citizens & their children are born citizens. This has been happening a long time.

You can "take over" a business if you buy it with money you have earned. Have you seen the movie "Mississippi Masala"? It's the story of an Indian family who were kicked out of Uganda. However, they were not poor--so they bought a motel.

Of course immigration laws are unfair. But the Indians didn't write them.

[2Design]

49. Mississippi Masala - movie

can this be rented at video store or where - no I have not sen it

Just find it interesting that people come from other countries and are able to afford to buy up properties that those living here at higher wages can not afford -

[Bridget Burke]

51. I'm sure the movie is available.

Running motels, running convenience stores, etc., are hard work. Someone earning "higher wages" would usually rather not bother.

Do you really think there's some kind of plot?

[FearofFutility]

63. Is English your first language?

Just curious....

[Jed Dilligan]

52. The difference is money

Anyone can be here and buy anything here if they show up with enough money.

[obnoxiousdrunk]

58. Ignorance is bliss. n/t

[Fierce]

43. Look, there are a *lot* of hotels in this country.

I don't know what you mean that "small American-owned are hard to come by." I live in a resort area where national chain hotels are outnumbered by privately, family or development-company owned hotels and resorts by 3-1.

Also, at large hotels in metropolitan areas, workers are likely to be represented by HERE. Is it bad if a foreign-owned hotel pays its employees a bargained wage that they can live on?

[2Design]

45. the quality is the overall hotel maintenance - not about the wages

I know most pay low wages but the things I have noticed have to do with the furniture, the overall cleanliness, - this is more than the day to day work - yes the industry is troubled with low wages
This is where the hotel pool is not cleaned or the furniture is very beat up or the bedspreads have holes in them

so the resort area you live in is family owned hotels -
I have noticed some areas there are not many big chains - at least not yet

santa barbara is one -

Is HERE - a union?

[Fierce]

54. Wait a minute. I want to be clear on what you are saying.

Are you saying that because they are foreign owned they are dirtier? That's what I'm hearing.

[2Design]

66. no that is not what I am saying

What I am saying is I noticed the quality has gone down hill -
then in analyzing, noticed the pattern that it is a group in the population who own most of them
It did NOT start with - oh here is this group of people therefore - ............

therefore the conclusion seems to be that I am more cautious in renting a hotel room for a night sleep even with AAA ratings -
It used to be one star would get you a room like this -

[Oilwellian]

53. Oh my God! The "India people" are invading!

This thread is rife with bigotry. Guess what? The majority of "India people" you insult are actually American citizens. Oh, and, they're moms & pops too! Then you go on to compare them to Mexicans...Mexicans are so much cleaner than India people. Geesh...I had to look and make sure I wasn't on Free Republic.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

55. The hoods are coming off.

All over the place.

[datasuspect]

56. where am i?

(quick URL check)

wow.

[Armstead]

59. I think it has more to do with newcomers being entrepreneurial

I would not attribute that to corporate policy. That has been a trend for years, starting with small independent motels.

I think it has more to do with the fact that newcomers are entrepreneurial. Also immigrants tend to have strong family ties when they come to a new country, and small businesses are a way for a family to work together.

I don't think it has any bearing on the quality, however. Whether one is a good or bad business owner doesn;t have anything to do with ethnicity.

[Deja Q]

62. But it's just business. And what's wrong with erasing those lines?

You know, pesky borders and things? One world government and all.

:sarcasm:

[KamaAina]

64. "Mr. Macaca, or whatever your name is...Welcome to America."

I detect a loud echo of "Felix"'s gaffe in the OP. Turns out the Webb volunteer in question was born and raised in Fairfax Co., Va., which is more than Sen. Allen can say, having grown up in SoCal. I would imagine many of the South Asians working in motels were either born here or have become naturalized citizens.

Are you quite sure it's the nationality of the workers that brings about the crappy service? Or, could it be the indifferent corporate ownership, most especially the rock-bottom wages?