Uncovering and understanding the modern hotel guest

The year 2020 has brought many new challenges to the hospitality industry, and with an eye to the year ahead, operators must continue to adjust their operations to meet the needs of hotel guests that continue to be impacted by the pandemic. From booking to checkout and beyond, operators must focus on every aspect of the guest journey to meet and exceed their changed expectations.

Whether it’s implementing the latest health and safety features or adding those personalized touches that make a stay special, operators have much to consider. In order to succeed in 2021, they must align their priorities accordingly to continue to foster strong guest relationships and loyalty that will drive revenue in the future.

The rise of the "staycation-er" 

It should come as no surprise that guests’ willingness to plan a trip or book a hotel is significantly lower this year than in years past. However, according to data uncovered in SevenRooms’ recent Beyond the Booking report, almost half (46%) of Americans would be open to booking a hotel under the right circumstances. Even further, the data uncovered that "staycations" (i.e., trips within the user’s home city) have surged in popularity, with over a fifth (21%) of Americans saying they would book a hotel for a staycation right now.

This data shows that Americans are still looking for an escape, just at more of a local level. Most importantly, it represents a big opportunity for operators to embrace the staycation-er in the new year with features and perks tailored to them.

While this staycation-er is looking for an escape, there are still certain deal-breakers and must-haves in order to get them to make the booking in the first place. Due to the current climate, health and safety features are understandably prioritized, with 34% of Americans saying they’re more inclined to book at hotels operating at reduced guest capacity.

These guests will also only book at hotels offering pre-stay communications related to health and safety measures (41%), contactless technology (20%) and health screenings for guests upon arrival (30%). So, while these guests are open to travel, all health and safety boxes must be checked to keep them around.

The power of experiences 

Guests are looking for significant on-property changes to simply book a hotel, but these expectations only increase when it comes to their experience as a whole. Health and safety are still top of mind, and if operators don’t enforce certain guidelines, some guests would even end their stay early and never return to that hotel again.

This includes hotel staff and/or servers looking or sounding ill (67%), not enforcing social distancing (63%) and not requiring hotel staff and servers (58%) or guests (55%) to wear masks. However, the guest experience doesn’t hinge entirely on health and safety features. A staycation is still an escape, and guests are looking for those signature experiences, like food and beverage perks and amenities, that they have come to know and expect when staying at a hotel.

Take breakfast, for example. More than one in three Americans (34%) say a complimentary hotel breakfast is the top item they look for when thinking about a hotel’s dining amenities. While this experience undoubtedly looks different than it did pre-pandemic, operators can still make a point to offer this F&B option in a safe and secure way for their guests. This could be through prepackaged food offerings, enhanced in-room dining options or by incorporating contactless ordering technologies to decrease interactions with staff and other guests.

Many also still want to take advantage of amenities like restaurants, pools, casinos and more, but with the option to book reservations to enjoy them without the fear that they’ll be too crowded. Among those Americans interested in booking amenities in advance, 59% want to make a reservation at hotel restaurants in advance of their stay, followed closely by lounging at the pool (42%) and visiting the spa or sauna (37%).

To provide this to their guests seamlessly, many operators are incorporating reservation technology across their venues that enable easy execution. For example, offering guests the ability to reserve their seat at a blackjack table provides them with the peace of mind that they won’t be waiting in a crowd to sit down.

Operators should also look to offer access to these amenities to locals who may not want to book a room but would still like to take advantage of a local “escape,” even just for the day. For example, offering "staycation" passes to lounge by the pool or experience the spa’s services.

By opening these experiences up to those not staying on-property, operators have the ability to collect data about these guests and, if given permission, market specifically to them for future staycations or even trips to properties in other cities once they’re comfortable traveling again. This ability to leverage guest data to tailor these marketing efforts can help create new – and in many instances, repeat – guests.

Personalization is still key 

By using technology to create safe, memorable experiences and implementing it thoughtfully across all aspects of the guest journey, operators can use the insights and data collected to add personalized touches, which go a long way in building guest loyalty.

Of those Americans who’d be more likely to stay at a specific hotel due to F&B experiences or amenities, one in four say that receiving a personalized offer to book again would encourage them to choose one hotel over another, and 35% say loyalty rewards for its restaurants and bars would convince them. That being said, it’s essential that any loyalty programs or marketing efforts are done right – and operators should go above and beyond here to ensure guests keep returning and stay engaged. For example, if a guest visited one of the hotel’s bars on their previous visit, the hotel can send an email for a complimentary signature cocktail upon arrival for their next visit.

As operators look to 2021, it’s important that they focus on the new technology and health and safety features that guests are demanding when booking a stay. However, it’s almost as – if not more – important that they also pay close attention to the tried and true experiential aspects of hospitality, like personalization and stellar F&B experiences. These perks are what keeps guests coming back time and time again, driving loyalty and, ultimately, revenue.