FEATURE
|
EXPERT ADVICE
Hotel stays are all about the
experience - but in 2019 this
means more than just a comfy bed
By SIMON BOTTO, CEO of DayBreakHotels
H
otels have always been about a means of treating yourself and enjoying
more than simply having a place a well deserved break.
to rest your head for a few nights.
As previously stated though, the
alongside it them.
The good news is that the range of
opportunities available to hotels in terms
A visit to a hotel is often an experience game is changing for all involved. The of diversification is also bigger than ever.
unto itself, with hotels acting as their own rise of Airbnb and similar alternatives Along with top quality restaurants and
contained worlds offering a collection means that hotels have to stand out and bars, many hotels - from the Novotel
of unique facilities and opportunities in offer more than just a comfortable bed Manchester West to the DoubleTree by
one place. A hotel’s exact function might and a place to rest. Instead, hotels need Hilton in Bristol - offer high end fitness and
differ depending on its location, price and to put the spotlight on the extras they gym facilities extremely popular with guests
star rating, but even the simple luxury of can provide, that will make their guests’ travelling for both business and pleasure.
breakfast included or a good pillow makes experience all the more memorable.
a hotel stay something to remember.
The special nature of the ‘hotel
The Park Inn by Radisson Birmingham
holds specialised walking, running and
experience’ has to become a vital part cycling routes, and spas are now almost
steadily, but radically, changing both for of a hotel’s operations again if they’re commonplace. Even quirkier offerings, like
hotels and their customers, and hoteliers to compete with the growing popularity beekeeping and in-room yoga sessions at
must endeavour to keep up. Hotels should of competitors in the space. Hotel St. Ermin’s (also in London) offer further
always be looking to offer more to their alternatives (and an awareness of their examples of the ways in which hotels can
guests, whilst accentuating and improving merits) are only on the up, so the hotel innovate in order to maximise their space,
the assets they already have. experience must grow and modernise resources and guest satisfaction.
Having said that, the landscape is
Likewise, the enviable facilities
Typically, a major hotel will look to
provide a comfortable, well-maintained
IF YOU’RE ALSO
and aesthetically pleasing room, with
ABLE TO GIVE
good food and convenient access
to activities and adventures nearby.
Therefore, with a hotel stay comes a
certain peace of mind, as in an unfamiliar
LOCAL PEOPLE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO
place a hotel room becomes a haven ENJOY THE BENEFITS
of comfort and luxury for guests who OF HOTELS CLOSE
stay. Guests can relax and rely on the
staff who work there to ensure they’re
comfortable and looked after, and this can
be a huge luxury and a welcome break
from often chaotic working weeks.
Conceptually, the hotel can be all
things to all people; it is a means of
convenience and functionality, as well as
20
www.hotelowner.co.uk
TO THEIR HOME
FOR A SHORT ‘DAY-
CATION’, YOU WIDEN
‘‘
YOUR MARKET
CONSIDERABLY
boasted by many hotels dictate that
restricting them to overnight guests is,
if anything, counterproductive. Meeting
and conference rooms are rarely easy
to come by, particularly if holding a
meeting in a different city, but many
hotels already have these available
and ready for use; probably in a great
location to boot.
Hotels also face the challenge that
is accessibility and exclusivity. It’s only
natural to view hotels as something you’d
only use when travelling, but this doesn’t
have to be the case. One key notion
behind the ongoing evolution of the hotel
experience is that it does not have to
February 2019