The need for inspiring work spaces where one can exchange knowledge is growing. And that’s where hotels can differentiate themselves! Not only with the workspace they offer, but also the food they serve. The ability of a hotel to create the right work setting will be an important competitive parameter. Not only customers but also people from the outside will view the hotel as a hub for both creation and concentration.
Here we will give you three tips on, how to get your hotel ready for future demands.
In 2020 it is expected that 89% of organisations worldwide will make it possible for their employers to work outside the office. The hotel is no longer just a place to sleep – it is also a place where you are expected to work.
Technological advances have made it possible for the workforce to work from many different places. For business travelers time equals money, so it can become costly to end up in a hotel without the right work facilities. Working customers have higher expectations in regard to the hotel facilities. This includes meetings facilities, emailing, networking and finding new inspiration.
That’s why a hotel with proper work facilities should offer the possibility for video conferences and a proper internet connection, where downloading big files is no problem. On top of that there should be a sufficient number of power plugs in easily accessible places.
Customers who are staying at a hotel to participate in a conference or a course often consume all their meals at the hotel – breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Surveys show these guests want to enjoy food that is out of the ordinary and has a certain degree of self-indulgence to it – and at the same time it should support a healthy lifestyle.
For these customers food is the third most important parameter – trailing location and good meeting facilities. That’s why food quality is a determining factor for their choice of hotel.
Also, food has a unique ability to create relations between people. Meals are something we congregate around. A real value is created for people participating in a meeting or a conference over the course of breakfast or a meal.
Good food must be both delicious, filling, something that carries a history, and sparkles conversations. Often guests at conferences and business travelers are busy – and rarely do they have the time to go out and experience the area they stay in. But through food the hotel can create a local and authentic experience out of the ordinary.
Breakfast is the first touch point of the day when connecting people – your breakfast should support this - both with the selection, the way you display the food and the stories it tells.
Today a lot of business travelers prefer to work from the lobby instead of their room – if the lobby seems inviting to them, that is. The atmosphere in the lobby should be cosy and relaxed, and the furniture should be comfortable and functional, so there will be no back pain, even after sitting there a long time.
Most lobbies seem deserted in the middle of the day. But for the rising number of freelancers without an office the lobby represents an attractive place to work. And for the hotel, this is a good opportunity to make an extra income.
This will especially be interesting for the hotels that are centrally located. They represent an attractive location for locals as a co-working space.
As a positive side effect this will not only create the sensation of life in the lobby, but it will also be a good opportunity to make an extra income by offering breakfast, coffee, lunch and snacks for the working guests.
