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A challenge for luxury hotels

The concept of a luxury hotel in an ever competitive travel industry is constantly evolving as standards and expectations become higher and higher. As consumers, we now look for very specific requirements from our hotels before booking, especially when we’re paying for the privilege. And why shouldn’t we? We are no longer satisfied with just a tea and coffee trolley, a TV and a telephone in our room. We are living in a digital, internet focused age. Complimentary Wi-Fi is something that all four and five star hotels should have, and if they don’t they need to be looking to implement. Small things like this can and do make a difference to potential visitors. It’s particularly irritating when you’ve paid a lot to stay somewhere really special to then find a big internet bill when you go to check out. Not to mention awkward and embarrassing if you are with a partner. Even the smaller hotels are cottoning on. Especially in cities where a high percentage of their clientele are one and two night stay business guests. Free Internet is an absolute must. What else is important to people? I always think a good, powerful freestanding shower should feature in any hotel that bills itself as ‘luxury’. Do away with those light spray ones where it’s a struggle to get wet never mind washed! And please, no more shower curtains that cling to you and become your unwanted best friend. Luxurious they are not, irritating they most certainly are. Health is an important issue too. British people tend to all love a good hearty breakfast, there’s no better export from the UK than the English fry up, but doesn’t it taste all the better when we know there’s at least the option to work it off later in the day? More and more hotels are getting better and better gym facilities and this can only be a good thing, the problem starts with actually summoning up the enthusiasm to use them! Resorts like Dubai feature an abundance of luxury hotels, so much so that it can be difficult to know which one to choose. Location has and always will be key to most people, but aspects like free shuttles to nearby places of interest are also important extras, especially for families. Of course, your expectations of a top class hotel in Dubai would be different from your expectations of one in London – when visiting hotels in your own country your needs are different – as they are when visiting as a leisure guest compared to when visiting on business. Dedicated children’s facilities in hotels that bill themselves as child friendly also need to consider the location of these facilities to ensure they don’t encroach on hotel guests who perhaps would rather not be disturbed by children during their stay. And hotels that feature dedicated meal sittings for children also receive our seal of approval. So, along with maintaining a top notch level of service and being mindful of the ever changing needs of their demanding guests, luxury hotels have quite a task on their hands to keep with the times! Carole Booth is Commercial Director at Destinology. If you would like to be a guest blogger on A Luxury Travel Blog in order to raise your profile, please contact us.

Carole Booth

I am the Commerical Director at the multi award winning luxury tour operator Destinology.

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One Comment

  1. People are THE most critical element of any luxury hotel indeed, of any business.

    You can’t teach a person to care. They either do or they don’t. And when your luggage is lost or when you desperately wan’t those rush theater seats but can’t get to the box office as your are in meetings that afternoon, this is when you hopefully can count of the hotel’s people.

    As as former concierge I can tell you that part of the joy of each day was ruthlessly tracking down whatever our guests needed. You have to love it and as a company, those in positions to inspire and recruit from the CEO on down must be sensitive to this and like minded. You must be able to spot this desire in potential staff members. Raw material and desire wins out over experience every time….at least in my book.

    You can build spectacular properties and offer every amenity under the sun but if one team member drops the ball with a poor attitude, you may and rightly so, lose that guest forever.

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