A packed Javits Center played host to another successful HX: The Hotel Experience Powered by AAHOA earlier this month. Hotel industry personnel came to New York seeking education, products, knowledge, and a fair amount of inspiration. The following is a small sampling of attendees who made the trip and mostly found what they were after. If you weren’t one of the lucky ones to make it to the show, mark your calendar for next year when HX convenes Nov. 8-9, 2020, once again at the Javits Center.
“HX has been good. There is a variety of products and services at this show. New York is definitely the best city for the show.” — Niki Franzitta, Hotel Association of New York
“HX is a great chance to see a lot of friends and contacts, but it’s time to move out of New York. I’ve been coming here for 25 years. I’d like to see both sides [BDNY and HX] having the same lighting and carpet. It should be just one show.” — Adam Petricoff, VR Mergers and Acquisitions
“I went to an educational session on emotional intelligence, and I really liked that. The section of the show floor with furniture and textile was also good. I like the co-location with BDNY. I’d like to see the show stay in New York, and I will probably be coming back. I’m looking forward to the sustainability awards, in particular.” — Johanne Dorvil (right), Wayaj, Syosset, N.Y.
“I’ve seen a lot of interesting things at the show. That Hawaiian Paradise coffee was great. That in-room wine service—Plum— was also very impressive. More food-and-beverage-related booths would be nice.” — Bruce Bernstein, BB&CO, New York, NY
“HX has been a solid show. I’ve heard a lot of new ideas and seen a great variety of different vendors in one day. I would like to see more technology companies—particularly Four Winds— at the show. We will probably be back next year.” — Jason Heath, general manager, Hershey Lodge, Hershey, Pennsylvania
“I’m a first-time attendee and HX has been mind blowing—the sheer scale of it. I love seeing the product lines, including prototypes that have not even come out yet. That’s exciting. Everyone is very friendly and the sales people are not pushy. They are open to hearing about your needs and then finding solutions. — Bobby Hanson, Fountainhead Development Corp, owner of three hotels in Fairbanks, Alaska.
“I’ve been coming to the show since the early 1990s. I look forward to this show every year. It’s not too crowded so you can get into the booths. A lot of the booths are visually appealing. I also like the open access areas with food on the HX show floor. You can hear what’s going on at the HX Stage while you eat.” — Tiffany Sterling, assistant general manager, The Flanders Hotel, Ocean City, N.J.
“The show has been good. We were primarily looking for hospitality vendors, and we made some good contacts. The New York location is great—easy to navigate. I like that you could search the directory category—that was helpful. I also like the definition between shows.” — Shannon Arkatin, Clark Associates Inc., Lancaster, Pennsylvania
“The educational panels at HX: The Hotel Experience have been off the charts. The contacts I’ve made have been exceptional. I liked all of them, particularly the leadership Q&As with the Wyndham CEO, the women’s networking, and the food and beverage. The Yotel networking event for young professionals was amazing. I would definitely come back next year.” — Elizabeth Shanley (right), The Fehlig, Providence, Rhode Island
“HX has been great. Educational sessions were enjoyable and informative. I learned about new products. I found a cotton wall covering and I was interested in an energy company here. By coming here, you find unique stuff that maybe you didn’t even think about until you get here.” — Ramsey Lafayette, part owner, Lafayette Hotels, Boothbay Harbor, Maine
“The show has been pretty good. I come here looking for cleaning equipment. That was our main focus. It helps me to stay current on all the new stuff. I was happy to see 3M here, and we’re going to buy the hexagon scrubs. We are also quite intrigued by the BDNY co-location.” — Reinhold Teuscher, CRCS LLC, Barnegat, N.J.
“This show has been very interesting and informative. There are a lot of good products out there. The safes [for security] were interesting and the textile companies. We came mostly for the sustainability awards because we feel very strongly about that. Hotels could do more to be environmentally conscious—and we are getting there.” — Cesar Vidal (left), The Knickerbocker Hotel, and Bradley Uquillas, Highgate Hotels, New York
“HX was an interesting show. I came here for software and renovation products. I’ve been attending for many years. I made a list of exhibitors before I came to the show floor. A boiler system caught my eye. I also found a company that writes the software, and I had not run into that before. We’re [hotel owners] are all here changing out our soap products. We’re getting away from the crafted bottles and going to the wall-mounted refillable products, and that’s as it should be.” — Kent Tarbutton, proprietor, Chetola Resort, Blowing Rock, N.C.