Suspicions created by hotel meals lacking a starter (7)
I believe the answer is:
hunches
'suspicions' is the definition.
('hunch' can be a synonym of 'suspicion')
'hotel meals lacking a starter' is the wordplay.
'hotel' becomes 'h' (phonetic alphabet: alpha, bravo, charlie etc.).
'meals' becomes 'lunches' (lunch is a kind of meal).
'lacking' is a deletion indicator.
'a starter' becomes 'l' (as in a learner driver with L-plates on their car).
'lunches' with 'l' taken away is 'unches'.
'h'+'unches'='HUNCHES'
'created by' is the link.
(Other definitions for hunches that I've seen before include "Feelings based on intuitions" , "Feelings based on intuition" .)