Hotels Will Never Be The Same

By Lourdes Martin | 10-19-21: The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the hospitality industry forever. Is this change for the better? Yes, it is. Here at aavgo we believe that although Covid-19 wreaked havoc in the travel industry, there might still be a silver lining. We might even want to call it “the great hospitality reset” we’ve been waiting for. In order to encourage people to travel again and book rooms, hotels are transforming the ways in which guests interact with their space. In this article, we will examine the different ways in which hotels have already changed to make guests feel safer when traveling but also to enhance the overall customer experience.

Tech-Driven
The days of you waiting in line to be checked in by the front desk are long gone. One of the most visible changes since Covid-19 is hotels taking a more tech-driven approach to enhance their guest experience. For the hotel industry, COVID-19 accelerated certain technology-based trends. “We know that the key to recovery and growth is for us to advance technology at a time when such advancements are shaping the industry’s recovery,” said Chip Rogers, president of the American Hotel & Lodging Association. Whether that is through contactless check-in at the time of arrival and departure or a comprehensive digital hotel app that provides all the necessary information you need, or robotic attendants that will bring you room service, the hotel industry has definitely received a tech upgrade. Requests for delivery robots from the hospitality sector have doubled since the pandemic began, said Steve Cousins, CEO of Savioke, which is no surprise for guests who prefer contactless deliveries, robots can provide peace of mind and are able to deliver anything from towels to wine! These robots have also provided relief to overworked or unavailable employees.

Grab + Go Meals
Remember when eating anything from a vending machine was seen as the LAST resort? Well, they are trending now! Yes, that is correct, vending machines have become a necessity providing more than just meals, but also masks, hand sanitizer, and gloves. Not only are they becoming increasingly common but they have been upgraded to more efficient and stylish designs. “This is not your traditional, coil-loaded vending machine,” said Matt Boelk, Swyft’s vice president of location development.”This is a true, high-tech amenity that looks really great and provides an immediate upgrade to a hotel lobby.”
As for meals, the Fairfield Inn & Suites Frederick and Fairfield Inn & Suites Arundel Mills BWI Airport, both located in Maryland, have introduced wall-to-wall kiosks that offer a centralized marketplace where guests can select breakfast, snacks, beverages, lite bites, and sundries. (source: Loyalty Lobby) These options are not only great for a contactless experience but work really well for guests who rather get their travel itinerary going and not wait around for a sit-down breakfast option. Other options include making the snacks and amenities in the room a bit more accessible including expanding rooms with a small kitchen so they don’t have to worry about eating with people around them.

Thoughtful Hotel Room Experiences
After spending nearly a year stuck at home, guests are looking for hotels to pay extra attention to detail. Guests are craving hotel rooms to be an extension of their home with a more personalized approach. Personalization is key, as is the use of sensory marketing according to Linda Ralph: “Overhead music, for example, should not be viewed as a commodity for hospitality in 2021, but rather used strategically to facilitate consumers’ coming back to physical spaces and building a positive emotional connection to that visit”. How amazing would it be for a guest to arrive in their room with a personalized note and a basket full of goodies curated for them? These small moments create an emotional memory of your property and increase the chance of hotel guests rebooking because they feel taken care of.

More companies are declaring themselves as fully remote which means that hotel guests are also hoping for strong streaming capabilities and high-quality displays such as great lighting, in-room speakers and audio systems, and comfortable set up with desk and chair in case they decide to connect with their teams.

Hotel-design
Open spaces intentionally designed to match the new needs of guests have become very important. In a recent feature in Architectural Digest, Jennifer Johanson, president, and CEO of EDG Interior Architecture + Design in reference to the Viceroy Santa Monica said, “We opened up the plan and removed a lot of walls so that the entire lobby experience feels expansive, in addition to “the psychological benefits of this type of planning” for interiors, the outdoors has become more crucial. “We’ve learned the importance of making the exterior spaces as interesting and dimensional as the interior spaces,” she adds. After spending so much time indoors, people are looking to enjoy the fresh air and perspective that comes with the outdoors.

Bottom-line
Our industry needed a make-over and if there was ever an opportunity to revamp then it’s now. Travelers are expecting more from the hospitality industry so this is the opportunity to deliver and create memorable moments for hotel guests. Beyond hygiene and cleanliness, hotels will have to continue to get creative to “wow” their guests with experiences that can’t be replicated online.

For now, stay tuned for more updates as we will continue monitoring these hotel trends and keep you updated on how the industry is evolving.

Virtual Front Desk
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(Note: Lourdes Martin is a blogger, writer, and influencer with expertise in Hospitality, Travel, and International Affairs. Martin has been featured on Shoutout Miami and various other publications. Martin’s blog: Please, Do Tell & Recuerdos. Martin is a contributing writer to aavgo.com.)