People stay in hotels for many reasons. Some, like those traveling for business, might check in out of necessity, while others do it simply to escape everyday life, pamper themselves, be inspired or even attain the nirvana of travel – to check out feeling transformed. Guests’ demands will naturally differ depending on their reason for visiting, and hotels, like all successful businesses, have to be prepared to meet (and preferably exceed) the changing expectations of their clientele.
By implementing the following ten rules, hotels can improve their offering, increase their level of luxury, and most importantly, give their guests a stay they won’t soon forget.
1. Stand For Something (Or Fall For Anything)
There lies great power in having a clear-cut vision for your hotel and sharing it with your team and the world. A vision or purpose can be challenging to define, and it’s sometimes easier to start with all the things you are not. By knowing who you do not want to be, you will have a better idea of who, what and where you want to be, and once this is defined, make sure you always stick to it, even if people question you.
2. Always Put Functionality First
No-one has time to fiddle around with fussy appliances or spend hours trying to figure out how to operate a lighting system that looks like the command center for a small space shuttle. When selecting what makes it into your rooms, especially concerning electronics, always think of what your guests will need and how they will be using these. You’ll probably find that an additional power point placed somewhere accessible will be more appreciated than 200 possible lighting settings.
Functionality also holds for your Wi-Fi. Sure, you may have a system that can direct guests to your website once they’ve signed in, but is this necessary? You might think of it as brand building, but the extra effort and frustration it causes for guests are far more likely to have the opposite effect. What’s wrong with offering Wi-Fi in the way that your guests would like to use it? A simple password to a Wi-Fi network that won’t disconnect every time you walk away from the laptop.
