Guest experience has been a focal point over the past few years due to changing traveler expectations as a result of the pandemic.
NB: This is an article from Cloudbeds, one of our Expert Partners
Our 2023 State of Independent Lodging Report found that today’s traveler is less interested in traditional accommodations, placing a greater emphasis on value-driven experiences.
So, what does this mean for lodging operators?
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Hoteliers and hosts must take the time to really understand their target demographics and figure out how to create experiences that satisfy travelers’ social, environmental, and economic needs. You must use what you know about your guest segments to craft personalized touchpoints throughout the guest journey to deliver a unique and impactful experience.
In this article, we’ve compiled 36 ideas to help lodging operators enhance the guest experience and keep travelers coming back time and time again.
36 actionable guest experience ideas
Pick and choose the ideas that make the most sense in each phase of the guest journey based on your guest segments.
Discovery
The discovery phase is crucial not only for setting guest expectations but for differentiation. Here you must instill trust, communicate your value, and convince travelers why they should book with you.
1. Build an easy-to-use, visually appealing website
Nothing sets a first impression quite like your hotel website. A beautifully designed, eCommerce-optimized website is crucial in communicating your hotel experience to potential guests. Use high-quality images, videos, and clear language to showcase what makes you unique — whether that’s your sustainability efforts, wellness programs, or proximity to the best surf spot in town.
2. Integrate your booking engine into your website
There is nothing more frustrating than when trying to book a stay as when a property’s booking engine and website aren’t integrated. From having to enter information multiple times to realizing the room you thought you had secured was no longer available. To improve the customer experience, streamline the booking process with an integrated booking engine.
3. Implement a rate checker
Travelers can spend hours going back and forth between a hotel’s website, online travel agencies (OTAs), and metasearch engines searching for the best deal. To make this process easier and improve satisfaction, consider adding a rate checker on your website, allowing travelers to compare rates quickly across all platforms. Not only does this improve the booking experience, but it also keeps them on your site, significantly reducing the likelihood they’ll complete a booking elsewhere.
4. Offer various channels for travelers to ask questions and get in touch
Do you have free wifi? Bottled water in the room? In-room entertainment? Travelers have a lot going through their minds when booking a hotel room, and seemingly small requests can make or break whether they stay with you. Investing in guest engagement tools to communicate with travelers via Whatsapp, Chatbots, Messenger, or SMS can help quickly mitigate any concerns a traveler may have, resulting in peace of mind (and a direct booking).
