For a hotel to consider themselves a viable business, they must offer more than just a bed with a roof over it. Today’s consumers are much more expectant than those of generations past.
A hotel is expected to measure up to much of the comforts of home. Of course, some hotels are much more luxurious than home and that is reflected in their price.
The normal everyday traveler, however, is looking for certain basic things from a hotel. Here is what they want:
1. Cleanliness
When guests are looking for a place to lay their head, they want a place that is clean. One small area that looks dirty can turn a whole room into a place unfit to sleep in.
A hotel must ensure that they provide their guests with an experience of cleanliness. This begins even before they get inside the hotel. A clean hotel will be neat and tidy inside and outside.
The parking lot should be free from debris and good care of the landscaping. As the guest walks into the lobby, it should look, feel, and smell clean. The same is true of their chosen room.
This cleanliness should not be just on the surface. This is an especially big concern for guests during this pandemic. They want to know that hotels are disinfecting the rooms before they stay.
Cleanliness is more than just a sense of comfort. It is a matter of health and safety.
2. Comfort
Since guests spend most of their time in a hotel sleeping, it is vital that the hotel room provides every necessary comfort to make that sleep the best they can have.
The perfect sleeping environment requires a few key elements. The temperature must be cool. The room should have the ability to be dark. This would require the right curtains, perhaps blackout curtains.
Of course, a hotel should invest in high quality mattresses and bedding to provide the utmost comfort for their guests. The beds should be positioned for the best access and even air flow.
Aside from the bed, a good place to sit, a properly placed television, and plush carpeting can add even more comfort to a hotel room.
3. Security
It doesn’t help to provide all the luxuries in the world to hotel guests if they don’t feel safe staying at a hotel. Safety is a must.
Hotels should take extra precautions to ensure that the guests and their property are well monitored and protected.
This can be done with the use of surveillance equipment and patrolling security officers. The entrance and exits of the hotel should be secure. This can be done in several different ways.
There can be security officers placed at each door or the guests must use their room key to gain access. This ensures that no outside persons can enter the hotel.
Officers should also patrol the parking lots at night and escort any guests to and from their cars at night for an added sense of security.
4. Hospitality
Hotels are a part of the hospitality industry so it makes sense that they would want to offer impeccable hospitality to their guests. Their guests should feel welcome and treated special.
To accomplish this, hotel management needs to hire the right staff, from their front desk clerk to the cleaning and janitorial staff. These individuals should be friendly and attentive.
When a hotel guest makes a request, the hotel staff should be quick to respond and do whatever they can to meet that request.
Another important part of providing guests with a good experience is to make the checking in and out process as easy and convenient as you can.
Many guests that arrive late may want to have a later check out time. Hotels should consider making concessions here.
5. Amenities
Lastly, a hotel should provide all the basic amenities in good working order for their guests.
This includes plumbing with no issues. The bath, shower, sink, and toilet should all be in tiptop shape.
High speed Wifi is also a must. A hotel should offer this service to all guests and preferably make it free and unlimited.
Each room usually has their own heater and air conditioner to allow the guests to set the temperature to their own liking. This unit should work well and be easy to adjust.
Many guests would highly appreciate a complimentary breakfast. This makes their mornings much easier. They can eat and drink their coffee in the comfort of their rooms instead of having to eat on the run.
Some hotels also offer extra concessions to corporate groups staying for business reasons.
Many of these groups would want to participate in team building activities or business meetings. Providing a conference room for these guests makes this process much easier.
Conclusion
If a hotel checks off everything on this list, they are doing quite well. They can improve on anyone of these and set their standards above the bar. Their guests will take note and become loyal guests.
However, if a hotel fails to provide any of the items above, their guests will look elsewhere for lodging.
