The unabashed buffet fiend: Sometimes you can know something’s bad for you and just not give a care. I feel that way towards White Castle’s foray into the Impossible Burger, but I digress. This South China Morning Post writer and buffet enthusiast acknowledges the inherent waste in hotel buffets, but he just enjoys them too much for it to damper his gluttony. “Some people like to sleep in and chill on vacations. I am up at the crack of dawn fiending for food. And I love it. It’s actually the only time I look forward to breakfast,” he declares. Hey man, live your food dreams. —Chloe Riley
Not liking a Virgin: The first public library in Edinburgh, an 1890 structure funded by Andrew Carnegie, is about to get a modern new neighbor, and the locals are none too happy about it: Sir Richard Branson’s plans to build a 225-room UK Virgin Hotel next door were approved in 2015, but what’s coming to light now is the lack of it – 82% of the library’s natural light will be blocked by the new building. Read The Scotsman’s account of the protests. —Barbara Bohn
Anything for points! Globally, three in 10 business travelers are happy to sacrifice safety for hotel loyalty and rewards incentives, according to research commissioned by Carlson Wagonlit Travel, the global travel management company. Really? My life for points? Travelers in the United States are most likely to do so in the Americas region (47%), followed by Brazilians (41%) and travelers from Canada (34%). Nearly half (47%) of business travelers from the U.S. said they would choose points over personal safety, topping the Americas region, and the second most likely globally to do so, of the 17 countries surveyed.
Africa, the ups, the downs: The hotel sector in Africa is thriving, writes Quartz, with a steady improvement in demand and performance, drawing financier interest. And a new study from a real-estate consultancy shows that the current supply is concentrated in a small number of markets, with several nations hosting the largest number of hotel networks. But the region also still faces challenges that continue to slow its progress, like delays in approvals, access to finance, high construction costs, and severe power problems. —C.R.
Halal in Japan: Muslim tourists from Southeast Asia and other regions are on the rise as the number of foreign visitors to Japan starts to climb, according to Nippon.com. In response, some hotels and other lodgings, particularly in tourist-dense Tokyo, are increasingly offering services like halal meals and prayers spaces that cater to these guests’ religious needs. One hotel, the Syariah Hotel Fujisan, opened in 2016 and claims to be the first ever completely halal lodging. Surprisingly, the hotel hasn’t attracted many Muslims – the group comprises only around 30% of annual guests – but the hotel’s owner says he’s unfazed. “We’re still experimenting with new approaches,” he says. —C.R.
Live like a local? Don’t try it here: NBC affiliate WNBF of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, is reporting that several hotels are refusing to allow locals to rent rooms for the area’s country music festival, which is expected to draw thousands to the coastal town. People coming in from out of town don’t often pile all their relatives in the room (specifically, “grandma and grandpa and all your aunts and uncles,” according to a Better Business Bureau official), which creates safety issues. —B.B.