Even so, the maitre d' insisted that bar patrons not walk through the empty dining room and instead use a hallway skirting the area -- a hint as to what kind of atmosphere the hotel tries to maintain.

BBC: New York City's classic hotel bars

Also, the Palms Casino Resort and the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino are revamping to maintain their trendy vibe in the face of mounting competition.

BBC: Business trip: Las Vegas

What she looks for at each hotel varies from client to client -- some brands maintain a checklist of ten things to look for upon arrival, others more than 80.

CNN: Confessions of a hotel mystery shopper