What a hotel is ultimately selling is an experience. Even if vacationers see their hotel as a place to sleep in between adventures, the hotel’s environment needs to feel consistent with the other highlights of the day.
Most of all, the hotel needs to offer a sense of privacy and relaxation.
That might seem basic, but there’s subtlety to it that can slowly take what was once a nice hotel into a destination that gets 4-star reviews rather than 5 because there was just something missing. With the competitiveness of localized searches for hotel venues, that can sink a location.
Let’s unpack that a bit.
Modern Materials Improve Noise Isolation and the Perception of Security.
Everyone’s had that experience where they’re tired from a day of adventure, and they want to come back and relax for the evening in the hotel room. Maybe they’ll order a pizza or bring something back, but they don’t plan to go anywhere after that.
But then they settle in and people walking by talking loudly in the hallways seem to interrupt conversation. Or they need to turn the TV up a bit more. Or they’re trying to rest in a space where they don’t quite feel alone enough.
This is their vacation, and they don’t need to be reminded of how many others are doing the same thing during the down time.
That’s a subtle feeling that matters.
People will talk about the overt things, like how drained a guest might feel the next day if they don’t get a good night’s sleep, or if their noisy neighbors ruined their own private time. But even if those things don’t happen, noise from the outside gives the impression of cheap walls and detracts from the premium feeling that their vacation deserved.
It didn’t ruin their vacation and they won’t leave an angry review about it.
But they’ll likely also not be back.
Modern insulation and structural materials offer much better noise isolation than was possible in the past.
Updated Amenities Feel Like An Extension of Home
No one expects to have a home theater system like they have in their living rooms when they stay at a hotel. The TV doesn’t need to be as big or extravagant.
On the other hand, something that at least feels like it’s in the same ballpark as home matters.
Nothing detracts from the feeling one is staying in a premium place faster than sitting down to watch TV and still seeing an old tube television, or a flat screen that’s so small it’s almost a computer monitor.
That doesn’t feel like home at all, and now the notion that this hotel room is indeed just a place to sleep between other tasks is forefront. The room has made it clear it offers little else.
Same goes for internet access and wall outlets. Can the guests charge all their modern devices and use their streaming services to relax?
If they don’t have enough plugs, or they’re behind things and leaving the guest wishing they’d brought an extension cord, it again damages that experience.
In areas where luxury homes are prevalent, this continuity of experience is all the more important.
That Experience Begins in the Lobby.
How open and bright is the entrance to your hotel? Do the concierge desks look fresh, warm, and inviting? Or do they have a dated or clinical feel?
Widening the space and revamping all the furniture and desks a guest sees when they first enter makes a big difference that reassures from the moment they enter. Yes; this was the right choice for the occasion.
Call us today to schedule a consult for your next remodel project — we’ll review costs and can optionally help create a plan of action for you so you’ll know exactly which steps to take and what your options are.
