Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Advice to Travelers and Hoteliers from Apple Core’s Vijay Dandapani

Vijay Dandapani is President and COO of Apple Core Hotels. He has been in the hospitality business for most of his life, having graduated from the prestigious master’s program in hotel management at Cornell University. His career included four years in India managing a luxury hotel chain, as well as an association with a group that opened a California luxury resort. He is a licensed pilot, speaks fluent Italian and two Indian languages. Dandapani is a very accomplished man who offers advice to travelers and hotel managers.

   
Image Source: businessinsider.com 

His first piece of advice is that travelers should wear slip on shoes so that proceeding through security is minimally disruptive. Second, he recommends that you always bring a carry-on that contains a set of clothes, essential medicines and chargers for cell phones and tablets, all in case your luggage is delayed or lost. Finally, Vijay Dandapani says that you should stay aware of weather conditions and political issues such as strikes that could affect your travel. He also admonishes that you should not necessarily trust an airline’s communication about connecting times at airports abroad. 

 
Image Source: seattlestravels.com 

Hotel managers might follow his lead as he oversees the redesign of lobbies in three of his hotels. Vijay Dandapani is striving for providing an avant-garde feeling to these lobbies, including offering amenities that are interesting and useful. For example, his team is installing stations for mini-pads and free, 24-hour stations with cappuccino. Also, he is making sure that the lobbies contain areas for lounging and relaxation that do not infringe on guests who are checking in or out.

   
Image Source: traveldailynews.com 

Even in the branded hotels run by Apple Core, he strives to offer extra amenities. TempurPedic beds, free Wi-Fi, and free continental breakfast are some of the offerings his team provides. Dandapani knows what is important to travelers, both as one himself and as a career hospitality executive.

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Making Tourism Accessible in the City that Invites Sleep, but Avoids It

In few other U.S. destinations is the tourism industry a more vital and viable commodity than the
alluring skyline and incomparable vibrancy found in New York City. According to nycgo.com,
the quintessential metropolis of the States had an estimated 52.7 million visitors (international
and domestic) in 2012. This is in comparison to 35.2 in 2001; 42.7 in 2005; 45.8 in 2009, and so
on. The numbers continually increase over time, proving that what many have called the greatest
city on Earth just might live up to the glitz and grime hype.

http://www.nycedc.com/blog-entry/new-york-city-breaks-tourism-record-2012-52-million-visitors
Image Source: nycedc.com

Now, the hype of amazing dining, theatre, museums, entertainment, shopping, and sightseeing: is
all very real – as is the expense one can expect to pay when indulging in a bona fide playground.
The cost, though, is well worth it, and hospitality entrepreneurs like Vijay Dandapani, after working in the tourism business for many years, knows how important it is to make the experience of New York City something visitors will be clamoring to get back to.


Vijay Dandapani has been the President and Chief Operating Officer of Apple Core Hotels since
1993. Through his extensive background in the hotel industry, and an unwavering love for giving guests the kind of New York City experience that begs for more, Mr. Dandapani has proven integral to the success of the company through sharp acquisitions, complete renovations on six locations, and the implementation of state-of-the-art computer systems. Their Midtown Manhattan presence gives tourists welcome access to the many destinations that gives New York that enamored glow: unlimited shopping, Broadway, Times Square, Grand Central, the Empire State Building, and of course, people watching that bears little competition in the nation, if not the world.

http://footage.shutterstock.com/clip-2987833-stock-footage-new-york-ny-september-tourism-and-traffic-on-times-square-manhattan-september-in.html

Discovering New York City and what it means to you is not that far-fetched or far of a cry. Getting there could be laborious for some, but aligning oneself with hospitality insiders like Vijay Dandapani is quite seamless. Visit the website of Mr. Dandapani and discover how excited some New Yorkers want to share their city with others. You may find yourself eager to pack up and see what everyone has been talking about. “Only in New York” is a common phrase, and maybe one day you too can say the same thing about your own experiences.