This is the age of reality television and instant messaging. Consumers live in a world of “Southern Charm” that’s not so charming and “Real Housewives” who are narcissistic misfits. Businesses jockey for market share. And Amazon swallows brick and mortar stores for breakfast every morning. Consumers are lab rats who linger around big box retailers and feel the shock of inferior quality, strategic pricing, and lackadaisical service.
The hotel industry is in business expense reduction mode. And hotels are caught in pricing wars. Hotel amenities are lean, hotel workers are complacent, and the basic hotel services are on life support. Choosing a hotel that offers good ole hotel hospitality is a monumental task. Most hotels don’t know the meaning of the word, “hospitality.”
Hotel hospitality’s firstborn child is customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction is a hotel’s greatest asset. Hotels are in the business to provide luxury services and amenities. Consumers want to feel the love, and they want to experience something special when they check into a resort or business facility. Hotel hospitality starts long before a client reaches the doors of a hotel. Hotel hospitality means the unfiltered efforts of all hotel departments.
The sad news is many consumers never feel the true love of hotel hospitality. Consumers feel helpless in a profit-centric web of poor service, high rates, and overworked personal. Even the boutique hotels are not very boutique these days. The definition of a boutique hotel is giving guests ultra-personalized services and rooms. Boutique hotels offer an atmosphere that’s not found in a standard hotel property. And the size of a boutique hotel shows that bigger is not always better. High-quality furnishings, quirky touches, and the latest technology along with a thoughtful ambiance define a boutique hotel. The Boutique Hotel Christchurch is a good example of what boutique hotels in Paris, Munich, or London do for its guests.
The good news is Hotel 115 in Christchurch, New Zealand is not the only boutique hotel in the world that understands and implements true hotel hospitality. There are other hotels popping up all over the United States and the world that offer guests a truly unique and magical experience. The Mansion in Las Vegas offers guests complimentary chauffeured rides around town in a Roll Royce Phantom. And Twin Farms in Vermont takes skiers to the top of the mountain in a snowmobile instead of a ski lift.
Customer service and hotel hospitality are not on the endangered species list yet. There are hotels that want to give their clients an ultra-big bang for their hard-earned money. In fact, there is a movement within the hotel industry to practice conscious capitalism instead of profit-driven greed. There is a growing interest to support hotels that want to give clients more services and amenities. The world may be on the edge of insanity when it comes to reality TV and instant gratification. But there is hope the big hotels will see the light and practice mindful customer satisfaction.
