Definition of Hospitality

Aloha Kakou:

There are many definitions of hospitality. Some definitions are more simple, some are complex. I'm afraid that, today, the concept of hospitality is in danger of becoming extinct as hotels focus soley on the bottom line and guests are concerned only about star ratings and hotel amenities.

We are familiar with hospitality that is granted to guests but, again lost in our modern world, is the guest's responsibility to receive hospitality gratefully, even if it is offered by the host in a manner that is different than what was expected by the guest.

Here on Maui, we look to the word "aloha" as a definition of the Hawaiian spirit of hospitality. I always think of hospitality as the welcome the guest receives upon arrival and the attention they experience throughout his stay.

Jean Keijdener, Country General Manager, Executive Office, Somerset Palace, Seoul, South Korea, defines hospitality thusly:

H = home: the original ‘Public House’ was exactly that: a house where the inn- keeper welcomed strangers to stay with him: at a (fair) rate
O = openness: a place where one is welcomed with openness: genuine and caring
S = secure: where you are ensured that you can indeed sleep without a worry
P = peaceful: in order to be refreshed upon departure
I = intelligent: a place where they have given your stay more than a good thought
T = trust: the re-assurance that you are ‘not taken for a ride’
A = able: where there are ‘able’ men (and women) there to serve you
L = listen: where one is being listened to
I = informative: where you can gather news and information as well as share it
T = together: in the sharing warmth of other travelers and providers
Y = YOU: are our Number One: the Guest

What do you think? What does hospitality mean to you?