The travel and accommodation sector has never been more competitive, but it’s not enough to simple offer a roof over people’s heads anymore. It’s vital that hotel owners create a memorable experience, following trends to craft a unique vibe that will be taken away and talked about (in a positive way) by their guests.
The UK is certainly leading the way with hotel developments to bank on this competition. One report noted that many cities across the nation would see more hotels opening up between 2018-2019:
- London — 8,185 additional rooms
- Manchester — 1,657 additional rooms
- Belfast — 1,139 additional rooms
- Glasgow — 1,036 additional rooms
A higher demand means a higher rate can be charged to guests — daily rates have increased over the last eight years, hitting an average high of £100.58. Of course, guests will be expecting more for their money!
Considering design
The appearance of the hotel is crucial when it comes deciding whether or not to book. When spending your hard-earned cash, you want to indulge in a little bit of luxury and we don’t blame you. From the lobby to the restaurant, to the rooms and even the elevator — everything must look perfect. With the hotel industry showing expansion plans this year, interior design is an element that must be considered from an early stage.
The design has to reflect the brand, of course. However, it’s important to strike a balance between a contemporary, trendy aesthetic that has the ability to always stay ‘in-date’, meaning you don’t need to fork out additional cost for any redesigns.
Consider the colour palette of the design too. When it comes to your hotel rooms colour palette, you must always consider the 60-30-10 rule. If you haven’t heard of this before, it essentially allows you to achieve the right balance when it comes to tones in a room by taking three colours and splitting them up into percentages — the 60%, 30% and 10%. The largest percentage will become your dominating colour, and this will usually be a neutral hue that doesn’t look too overwhelming in a room. Your secondary colour should be bold and take up just 30%. However, the boldest colour of them all should take up the final 10%. This applies to all parts of the room as well. From the walls and carpets to the curtains and even the finer details of any stunning framed art!
Crafting experiences
Experience is everything: just ask the high street, which is closing down in droves. All because they failed to keep up with the times and offer in-store experiences. Hotels could suffer too. Why? Because online booking platforms like Airbnb are becoming more popular and if someone can pay a cheaper rate for the same experience, they will. Therefore, hotels must strive to offer something different.
We asked one city-breaker, Megan Johnstone, about her recent city stay: “I stayed in a citizenM hotel in Glasgow, and the technology in the rooms allow you to create your own personalised ambience – it’s a totally unique kind of hotel experience.”
It’s a worldwide goal. In St. Lucia for instance, The Anse Chastanet Resort has its own art gallery with paintings, sculptures and other pieces created by local islanders. The art at the is there “to highlight the eco-luxury resort’s commitment to preserving the island’s culture and shunning invasive technology” which is something that is extremely topical right now and resonates with travellers around the world.
Hotels can offer guests so much. When they visit, you should be able to offer them everything — ensuring that they spend as much time possible in your establishment. Some establishments even offer the opportunity for guests to bring their furry friends along. The Hogshead Inn is an dog friendly hotel in Alnwick. Offering dog friendly accommodation gives their establishment an added value that their guests cannot receive just anywhere. If space and budget permits, have you considered having an in-house cinema? Bowling alley? The options are endless!
The future is customised, personalised experiences. Make sure you’re always communicating with customers and understand what they’re looking for when they visit. This will heavily depend on your audience too, are you catering to millennials or families? This will give you a great insight into what you need to implement as a business.
Sources:
http://www.bdo.co.uk/getmedia/7b82f6c4-e6bc-4220-aed8-c8e61bf29425/hotelbritain18.aspx
https://www.bdo.co.uk/en-gb/privacy-statement/website-visitors
https://freshome.com/4-color-rules/