Finally, the days of “walk-in” reservations are dwindling. With mobile apps such as Hotel Tonight and others, guests rarely walk in to inquire about room availability. Instead, they turn to apps and mobile websites, so remember, “mobile is the new walk-in”…tighten up your mobile displays!
Health and wellness trends will continue to drive customer decisions. Healthy food options are one of the easiest ways to cater to this trend. The Chicago Marriott O’Hare recently implemented a test pilot in partnership with Farmer’s Fridge, a Chicago start-up, to provide a healthy vending machine. At the suggestion of a guest, soda, candy bars, and ice cream were replaced with a “detox salad” made of kale, quinoa, Greek yogurt, berries and locally sourced honey.
Although the response to the healthy vending machine has been positive, the hotel’s best-selling food item is still the Marriott burger. There is a need to balance health and wellness with tasty options that are cost effective.
One of the successful ways I catered to the health and wellness of my guests was through a weekly “Run with the Owner.” Repeat guests especially enjoyed the opportunity to provide a consistent program to maintain their exercise routine while away on business, not to mention having a nice “chat.”