As a hotelier, you naturally want your guests to relish the moments they spend in your accommodations. You do your best to regularly wow them and provide a sense of familiarity and comfort. Amp up your efforts by constantly looking for new opportunities to impress and honor those who stay with you on their travels. Use some of the following ideas to kickstart your mission to make staying at your hotel a memory that guests will cherish for years to come.
Add some spark to your customer service
Before you can focus on catering to guests, you must cater to your internal team. Boosting team morale can be your secret ingredient to unforgettable guest experiences. In order to deliver stellar customer service, your team should be satisfied and have a level of synergy that allows them to work seamlessly and collaboratively. Otherwise, they won’t be able to represent your brand authentically.
Assess your current level of team satisfaction. Poll employees anonymously, leaving some open-ended questions for feedback with no fear of repercussion. You may think you have a well-oiled machine, but there may be some problems bubbling under the surface. These are easier to address now than after they become larger and more apparent to management.
Once you’ve determined any issues you can resolve, make an action plan. In general, you can boost team morale when you schedule regular check-ins to keep an eye on individual and group wellness. Also, make sure to plan engaging activities, encouraging everyone to get involved. When employees feel as though they are able to interact freely, they feel seen and can contribute more authentically to your workflow. This will undoubtedly translate to your guests as the warm and welcoming environment they will come to expect.
Offer a pillow menu
To customize the guest experience even further, you can offer a personalized pillow menu. Build hotel guest loyalty by crafting a stay that is unique to them and sticks out from other stays they’ve had in the past. A pillow menu is a perfect way to allow guests a sense of autonomy and a greater chance for a restful night of sleep.
Although you may think the standard pillows you have in hotel rooms are the best, not everyone may think so. For example, some people may have allergies related to feather or down stuffing. A pillow menu offers different types of pillows, such as:
- Down pillows;
- Ergonomic pillows;
- Feather pillows;
- Firm pillows;
- Latex pillows;
- Memory foam pillows;
- Microbead pillows.
The options are almost endless, so really play with the offerings here. A unique type of pillow is an optional luxury upgrade that can boost your return on investment while making your guests’ stay unforgettable.
Make the minibar free
A common qualm with fancier hotels is the expensive minibar. If you can work it into the budget, make the minibar free to guests. Instead of stocking every room with higher-priced snacks and drinks, offer complimentary fare. Costs can be cut if you partner with local brands for promotion or if you produce private-label snacks and drinks under your hotel’s brand. The pleasant surprise of a free minibar for guests will be worth the investment.
Leave goodie bags and thank you notes
Complimentary items that are of a certain value are always a hit. Consider giving guests something that they can take home with them after their stay at your hotel. Think about items you can add to gifts that are custom to your guests. For example, you can internally mark guest accounts who have kids staying with them, allowing you to equip goodie bags with kid-friendly games, snacks, and toys.
Whenever you can collaborate with local businesses, do so. This not only saves you money, but it also offers promotions for small businesses in your community and gives guests a sense of what they can expect from your location. Thank you cards can also be a sweet touch if you take the time to personalize them to each guest. Doing so lets your guests know how much you value them. What’s more, a beautiful card can be a nice keepsake to remind them of their stay.
Offer special packages
Innovative hotel packages could set your brand apart when guests are looking to book a stay. Look into combinations of current offerings that you can package and present to guests at a discounted rate. For example, bundle together local activities and in-hotel spa sessions. Above all, make sure that the packages you offer give value to your unique guest base. Use your knowledge of the hotel industry and your target audience to personalize offerings. This can make your hotel the hub of experience for guests while increasing your bottom line.
Moving forward memorably
Transforming stays into cherished memories is not just a goal but a commitment that every hotelier should embrace. By focusing on enhancing personalization and embracing local amenities, you can create a truly unforgettable and exceptional hotel experience. These efforts not only delight your guests but also elevate your brand and set you apart in the competitive hospitality industry. Remember, the memories you help create today will become the stories your guests share and cherish for years to come.
