What Hotel Renovations Reveal About Hotel Trends
Hotel guests are no longer content with an ordinary hotel room and a generic bar of soap and miniature bottle of shampoo anymore. They want a luxury guest experience with all of the comforts of home. And hotels around the world from small independent motels to major hospitality chains are renovating guest rooms and public areas to meet the expectations of the 21st century guest.
Motel 6 has long established itself as the low-price leader. But even that wasn’t enough. The 1,330-unit chain has spent millions renovating its properties in the U.S. and Canada with a hip and budget-friendly guest experience. The transformation is a complete makeover with updated modern guest rooms including new mattresses and bedding, 32-inch flat screen TV, upgraded bathrooms with granite countertops and new furnishings and flooring.
Expansive Public Spaces
The 21st century hotel guest is more social than earlier travelers. Today’s guest views the hotel room like a home, a place to retire for the evening. They prefer to spend time in the hotel’s public space with comfortable seating for browsing their laptop or mobile device, meeting other guests or spending time with family and friends. As a result, hotels including the LAX Airport Marriott in Los Angeles and Hotel Kabuki in San Francisco have included an expansive, bright and open lobby as part of their hotel renovations.
Contemporary Dining Options
To meet guest expectations, hotels are upgrading restaurants and bars with a trendy appearance and menu to match. Restaurants often feature fresh seasonal and local favorites that not only appeal to guests but attract a local clientele as well. The multi-million-dollar renovation of the Best Western Premiere Park Hotel’s Post Restaurant in Madison, WI, hits the mark with its impressive bright and airy upscale space and affordable menu that includes pulled pork sliders, grilled corn chowder, and a Hawaiian burger to name a few. The shiny new digs which is commemorating the hotel’s 100th anniversary is a hit with guests and locals alike.
Luxury Guest Rooms
Perhaps, the biggest transformation of the guest experience is occurring in the guest room. Hotel guest rooms are being renovated as branded residences with the comforts of home. More like a home away from home, hotel renovations include sleek and contemporary guest rooms with modern decor, digital adjustable thermostat, pillow top mattresses, tile flooring, work desk, luxury bathroom with walk-in showers, oversize towels, wide screen television, mini-fridge, Wi-Fi and seamless check-in and check-out. The Royal Sonesta Hotel in New Orleans recently completed its renovations providing guests with spacious and luxurious guest rooms that includes a view of the famous French Quarter from every room. The hotel rooms also include a robe, electronic safe for laptops, Keurig coffee maker and iHome clock radio, to name a few. Renovated suites offer additional luxuries and upgraded accommodations like French doors and wrought-iron balconies.
The hotel business is one of the most competitive industries. Online travel and review sites make it easier for guests to book comfortable rooms at competitive nightly rates. But it’s a race to sell as many rooms as possible because hotels can never recoup the cost of an unsold room. In addition to monitoring nightly rates, savvy hoteliers are now monitoring hotel trends and surveying guests to determine the hotel renovations that will better distinguish themselves among competitors and boost occupancy rates and revenue.
