Although COVID-19 restrictions are easing and traveling is beginning to bounce back, the industry, and guests, continue to remain cautious. The hotel stay has certainly changed—from how guests check-in to how they dine, to how rooms are cleaned. However, one thing has remained paramount to the hotel stay: the guest experience.
“After over two years in a pandemic with restricted travel, guests are inclined to pursue unforgettable accommodations; they want to feel both comforted in an environment that feels like a home away from home while still being wowed,” said Kerry Addis, VP, product development, WS Game Company, an authorized licensee of Hasbro that captures the heritage of the world’s most beloved games and delivers upscale and creative products to the market.
Access to streaming services without having to sign-in to personal accounts makes guests feel at home.
As new hotels and short-term rental options continue to sprout up across the country, hotels must remain relevant. One of the ways to appeal to guests is by offering fresh, intriguing services—specifically, in-room amenities.
“The core of hospitality is and always will be driven by the guest experience,” Addis said. “Given the current competitive nature of the industry, hoteliers need to provide a unique and highly personal stay to help drive business. A stand-out experience has proven to be the not-so-secret ingredient to building and maintaining customer loyalty.”
Addis explained that guests want to feel comfortable and clean in a hotel as they would in their own homes, but also want personalized surprises that differentiate their stays.
“With millennials driving the consumer market, expectations have swiftly pivoted to focus on personalization, convenience and ease,” Addis said. “This can be achieved in a myriad of ways, from handwritten letters as a thoughtful gesture to the inclusion of accessible in-room technologies to help create a smooth stay. These components, if perfectly balanced, send a guest’s stay over the top and build a fruitful, lifelong relationship with the customer.”
In-room offerings are certainly on the rise but don’t need to be stale. And, these amenities don’t have to be technology by default. Sometimes, it’s best to go back to basics with hints at modern innovation.
“Hotels can start with small investments into personalizing their rooms to optimize the guest experience,” Addis said. “For example, a premium board game in every room adds a unique touch for guests to further enjoy the amenities available without even leaving their rooms. Hotels can even customize the games to be brand-specific, giving a fun twist to beloved classic games.”
Above all, Addis added, hoteliers should listen to and understand the needs of their guests. Complicated technologies or an abundance of unfamiliar tech in the room can overwhelm or confuse the guest, Addis said, with many guests wanting to feel that they are “unplugging” without losing the convenience of technology.
“In a trend-savvy world, don’t be afraid to return to basics,” she said. “Hotels are meant to be a place of comfort and often togetherness. Items as simple as luxury board games can make the guest feel special and connected to their stay. While many of these amenities are meant to be free, hotels can capitalize on them by offering guests the ability to purchase amenity items. Not only is this a source of a little extra revenue, but these in-room personalizations incentivize guests to return to the hotel and recommend it to their friends and family.”
However, if the hotel is catering to a lot of business travelers, it may be wise for hoteliers to include instructions for easy access to 5G internet access for those needing to work in-room.
Today’s business travelers aren’t just looking for a place to plug in. They’re combining business with leisure and are seeking out local flavors. This presents even more options and potential revenue streams when it comes to in-room offerings.
“Think about what separates your guests’ experience from others,” Addis said. “If nothing comes to mind, invest in specialty amenities that may play on the local environment or culture of the city or cities where you’re located.”
Maintaining an edge in this area is critical. Some creative in-room amenities Addis has noticed are customized snack baskets, on-demand exercise classes, a selection of hypoallergenic pillows, board games and other activities, as well as access to streaming services without having to sign-in to personal accounts, all make guests feel at home and comfortable.
“In-room amenities individualize the overall guest experience, they make guests feel taken care of and looked after and remind them why they chose a particular hotel over others,” Addis said. “Such amenities also incentivize the guests to stay in the room and feel that they are getting what they paid for—not just a bed to return to at the end of the day. Additionally, as noted before, new generations have become the motivating force for much change in the hospitality industry. This further reinforces that while having in-room amenities is essential, it’s even more important to select the right ones your guests truly want and will benefit from.”
Addis also advised that hoteliers pay attention to trends people are adding to their homes (think automatic sensor lighting in bathrooms) and implement these into rooms.
“By prioritizing a fresh and unique perspective, guests are sure to not only tell others but come back for more,” she said.
As for the future of these offerings, Addis is seeing hotels incorporate more local art, spa-like bathroom features, sensory experiences to bring the outside inside and simplified technology. Specifically, this includes free on-demand exercise classes and streaming services.
“Many hoteliers have also come to realize guests love exclusive experiences and have sought out partnerships to bring them into reality,” Addis said. “We’ll continue to see hotels of every sort prioritize stand-out partnerships as the market remains competitive.”
