Accommodating a Celebrity in Your Hotel

American culture worships celebrities in some ways. This is evident in the media’s constant postings about celebrities and the growth of reality television, which follows the lives of people that viewers, by and large, have never met.

One deranged fan even killed a Mexican-American celebrity years ago, which is a testament to how out of control the situation can get at its most dire. It’s not unique to the United States, but it is something to keep in mind if and when you have someone even moderately known to the public who comes into your doors. Many members of the public treat celebrities in a particular way because of their perceived status, and doing so can cause issues during their hotel stay for several parties involved if you aren’t careful.

Many celebrities sign in under a pseudonym, but there are no doubt public-facing people who will recognize them from social media or television. Most of the work you have to do here is preventative and proactive, and since hotels hypothetically know the guests who are coming in and out, use that data wisely.

At that point, they must not take to social media and let folks know who they saw, who checked in, or how long they will stay.

There is temptation, but doing so could cause problems around your hotel. You might think an influx of fans is a good circumstance, but their consequences can be wide-ranging amid what can sometimes be an uncontrollable situation.

Staff have to keep quiet. It can be tempting, I’m sure, to let folks know that a celebrity came to their hotel since, even as an employee, they might be star-struck for any number of reasons. This might be especially prominent among younger employees, who are used to constantly posting about their day and its actions. Not only is that unprofessional, but it could also make quick headaches for your security and management personnel. That could call the professionalism of your staff into question, and you can guarantee you won’t see that celeb or his camp again.

Remember that you’ll rarely see metal detectors and other drastic security measures at a hotel. Not only can staffing them be expensive, but doing so can change the place’s vibe in a way that could be off-putting to guests. Instead of communicating they can relax while staff takes care of you for the duration of their stay, going through a metal detector may communicate that security is a concern foremost even above the physical wellbeing of your guests. Folks might be used to going to a college graduation or an airport. They aren’t expecting that when stepping into a hotel for the first time.

Think about gender, too, since it matters and has since the beginning of time. With men, young and old, women are a problem. Plenty of women will hang around a hotel hoping to catch the eye of a professional athlete or someone of some repute.

In the age of social media, it’s straightforward to follow the lives of people who willingly put their lives and various locations online. As you might expect, a particular type of woman might seek to take advantage of a man’s naïveté. As long as you don’t get caught on your heels, you can prepare well enough that these high-profile stays don’t disrupt operations.