Ep 3. Mis-Fortune Hotel

In Hotel Impossible season 4 episode 3, the host and hotel fixer, Anthony Melchiorri, takes on the Mis-Fortune Hotel, a 15-room hotel located in the heart of Ocean City, Maryland. The hotel's name alone sets the tone for what Melchiorri uncovers during his stay - a series of unfortunate events that have led the hotel to the brink of closure.

Upon arrival, Melchiorri meets the owner, an anxious Andy, who inherited the hotel from his parents. Andy has been running the hotel for only a year and a half and is already facing financial troubles. Melchiorri discovers that one of the main reasons for this is the hotel's poor reputation. The online reviews are awful, with guests complaining about dirty rooms, terrible amenities, and an unwelcoming staff.

Melchiorri's first order of business is to take a detailed tour of the hotel and examine the rooms. He quickly notes that the rooms are small and outdated, with stained carpets, peeling wallpaper, and outdated amenities. He concludes that the first step to changing the hotel's fortunes is to renovate the rooms. But, with limited funds, Andy is hesitant to invest in the renovation project.

Melchiorri sets to work to improve the hotel's image by addressing the issues that guests had complained about in the reviews. His team tackles deep cleaning the rooms and public spaces, replacing the bedding, and upgrading the amenities. They also change the hotel's old logo and create a new one that has a more modern and appealing look.

The team also redesigns the hotel reception area, adding new furniture and artwork, to create a more welcoming environment. They also focus on the hotel staff, training them on service and improving their attitude towards guests.

During the renovation process, Melchiorri uncovers some shocking information about the hotel's finances. He discovers that Andy has been using his own personal credit card to pay for the hotel's expenses. Melchiorri realizes that this is a significant risk for Andy as he could be personally liable for any debts the hotel incurs.

Melchiorri sits down with Andy and discusses the finances of the hotel. He explains the importance of separating personal finances from business and advises Andy on how to track the hotel's accounts to avoid financial issues in the future.

With the renovations complete and the staff trained, Melchiorri invites a focus group of guests to stay at the hotel and provide feedback. The guests are pleased with the improvements and have a much more positive experience than previous guests.

Melchiorri presents Andy with a new business plan that includes more marketing and promotions, maintaining the new standards, and keeping the hotel's finances separate from his personal accounts. He even reveals the hotel's new website and booking system to Andy. The new site is designed to be more user-friendly and showcase the hotel's new features and amenities.

By the end of the episode, Andy is overjoyed with the Mis-Fortune Hotel's transformation. He is confident that with the new improvements and the implementation of the new business plan, the hotel will thrive.

The episode is a testament to how a small hotel can be transformed with the right insight, financial planning, and a commitment to delivering quality customer service.