Historic Hotels of America Conference 2017

Last week marked my first visit to the Historic Hotels of America’s annual conference. I expected the gathering of top hoteliers to be a pleasant respite from my daily routine. It didn’t disappoint.

What I didn’t expect was the unbridled interest in occupational apparel.

One discerning hotelier was quick to stress the value of having uniformed butlers imparting a theatrical presence to his rooms. This was music to my ears. Another lamented the difficulty in finding the right attire for housekeepers who rotate between the warm indoors and the frigid outdoors. And an undecided innkeeper pondered an avant-garde look before settling on a more conventional design.

For much of the conference I asked questions in a bid to better serve the Historic Hotels of America, for whom J.A. Uniforms serves as the sole recommended uniform purveyor.

I discovered that most of the conferees have a need for uniforms in at least one department. A few are ready to revamp their uniforms across all departments. And some are seeking to enhance their look in key areas.

The preferred style of uniform, not surprisingly, is traditional. But the preferred fabric isn’t. Today’s modern fabrics have partnered with traditional styles to create uniforms that can be lightweight, moisture wicking, easy care, washable, natural stretch, and snag resistant.

Fabrics and styles aside, conferees voiced interest in something the hospitality industry knows all too well: customer service. Conversations were peppered with questions about our responsiveness, turn-around times, and manufacturing flexibility.

This focus bodes well for J.A. Uniforms. After all, we’ve long distinguished ourselves by these very attributes.

-Alex Arencibia