I have traveled all over the world and stayed in over 1000 hotels and I am still absolutely stunned when I check in somewhere that just gets the basics wrong. Regardless of what size or quality hotel you are, there are key principals which you must adopt. Hotels are in real trouble right now too since the dawn of vacation rentals like AirBnb, and the basics are the very least which you should be getting right. Every now and again I stay in some exceptional hotels and I am reminded that there is some hope in the industry, just last month I was in the Bicycle Hotel and Casino in California, a hotel which for me, is one of the finest in the world. If you are a hotel owner that has lost your way a little, here are the core basics which you need to get right.
Service
One of the biggest reasons why many shun vacation rentals in favor of hotels is because in a hotel you are given, or you are supposed to be given, outstanding service. On a personal note, when I arrive into a hotel, I expect a huge smile and a warm welcome, and I expect there to be someone on hand to make sure that my stay is as good as it possibly can be. So many hotels overlook service and they allow their staff to be rude or dismissive. Get your service right if you expect people to stay with you again.
Cleanliness
A clean hotel should be an absolute given but it unfortunately isn’t and I cannot tell you how many hotels I have stayed in over the years that have simply not come up to scratch from a standards point of view. This is something which is incredibly simple to fix and makes a huge difference to your customers. The problem is that if your hotel is clean, nobody notices it but if it isn’t clean, everyone will notice it and nobody will want to return.
Touches
Personal touches are not difficult to add to a guest’s stay but they will make a massive difference in terms of how satisfied they are with the overall experience. You don’t have to go too far out of your way to give someone an amazing experience and things like airport transfers or personalized welcome baskets can really make the difference. Remember that when guests stay in your hotel, no matter what type it is, they want to be made to feel special and you can do this very easily with some extra touches.
Hidden Prices
So many hotels have ridiculous hidden prices such as taxes, wifi and TV and this only serves to confuse your guest, and make them unhappy at the end of their stay. The simple solution to this is full transparency, don’t make your price structure confusing, give your guests one price and nothing more.
Get these basics right and you can count on a far more successful hotel.
Daryl Green