A hotel room is a space to escape from your daily life and indulge in a bit of luxury – or perhaps a home-from-home sanctuary for overnight business trips. Whatever a guest’s needs, it’s important to keep your rooms as up-to-date, practical and functional as possible.
When it comes to creating a space where guests will feel comfortable and at home, it’s worth thinking about those finer details that are often overlooked. In your quest to execute a first-class hospitality experience, first impressions mean everything – here OWO Living looks at some tips to help you wow your next visitors.
Technological treats
The average British person owns approximately 3.5 internet connected devices, so you’d expect your guests to want to use them while on a hotel stay – especially if they’re on a business trip. Free, fast WiFi is a great place to start, but you should also consider the orientation of the power outlets in the room – near to beds and desks are the best options if you’re keen to keep everyone from teenagers to professionals happy.
To keep the room more in line with modern homes, consider adding a personal assistant like a Google Home or an Amazon Echo to the room, which can be programmed to integrate with the room’s lights and TV. The Wynn Las Vegas has already placed Amazon Echos into 300 rooms, which surely points to the future of luxury hospitality.
Productivity boosters
If your hotel is situated near a convention centre or a bustling business district, you’re likely to get a lot of guests who require a quiet space to help them prep for meetings and presentations. This is where the hotel bedroom furniture you choose really counts. A comfortable bed is obviously at the top of anyone’s agenda, but what else will impress?
A large, sturdy desk is always a good start, with plenty of room for papers to be double-checked and laptops to be set up. For a welcome addition, consider updating your hot drink making facilities to include a higher quality of tea and coffee to add a more premium feel to the room. Also, as mentioned above, make sure the desk has plenty of sockets for laptop chargers, so nothing need interrupt your guests’ workflow.
Things to help guests unwind
The primary purposes of any hotel room are relaxation and a good night’s sleep – with a hotel often being the preferred option over late night travelling or overnight flights. If it’s a hectic business trip or an exhausting sightseeing day, a private space where guests can unwind and leave the day behind will definitely be welcomed.
The bath is a great place to do this, as indulging in a long soak can help leave the day behind – be that memories of a difficult meeting or sore feet from exploring. For added flair, consider including some bath bombs – a luxury upgrade on the standard hotel bathroom toiletries that’ll get your guests excited to spend some downtime in the tub.
Super sleep enhancers
Many hotels, especially those in urban areas, fail to provide guests with the quiet time they want and need. Whether holidaying or working, sleep is paramount, and it could be the difference between a stellar TripAdvisor score or legions of unhappy commenters – not to mention the decider in whether a guest books with you again.
To combat noise, consider placing a white noise generator in the room to be used to block out street sounds from outside. If light is the issue, then blackout blinds are an immediate and inexpensive solution. Business people or airport travelers that need to rise early will thank you for these additions, as there’s nothing more frustrating than disturbed sleep when the minutes are ticking ever closer to your alarm.
These are only a few considerations, so make sure you keep your ear to the ground in terms of the latest hotel innovations and demands from a changing and expanding guest portfolio. Each guest will want and need something different from a hotel room, but with some minor updates like those listed above, you can help visitors work, play and relax in peace and comfort.
