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Comments (15)
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When you survey the travel world these days, there are fewer people out there working to—you know—show some love. Airlines are one-upping each other in the race to nickel-and-dime. Cruises are having an aha moment about the fact that they, too, should be charging fuel supplements ("That fuel is expensive!"). And we won't even get into the fact that finding a vacation option now involves a carpal-tunnel inducing 12 clicks online—meaning lots of your valuable time.
Isn't this supposed to be vacation? Where's the warm-fuzzy fun? Turns out, hotels are stepping up to the plate.
I found a hotel hitting the right note on a trip late last month to Beijing. (I was there to speak at the World Travel & Tourism Council's annual Global Travel & Tourism Summit).
Upon landing after my 13-hour flight from New York, I stumbled into my hotel room at the Opposite House. I'd booked it in 4 clicks, the last of which was flash-sale discounter Jetsetter, where I got about 50 percent off the $250 rate I'd found elsewhere online. On my bedside table I spotted a little something with a yellow Post-it note attached, reading, "You must have had a very long day." It was a cooling facemask meant to help soothe and reduce puffiness, and I later learned that this is something that hotel, owned by Hong Kong-based Swire, does for absolutely everyone. They were right; I had had a long day, but that little touch completely turned it around. The result was sweet, subtle, and casually thoughtful in just the right way.
A day later, at the WTTC conference, Hubert Joly, the President and CEO of Carlson Hotels, told me that a key initiative for the company, which owns Country Inn & Suites as well as Radisson and Park Inn, is something they're calling "hospitality empathy"—thoughtful touches, like that face mask, mean to make you feel considered, cared for, and understood.
What's the latest hotel amenity that felt truly "empathetic"? I'd love to know the where, the when, and the how.
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Recently the Rendezvous Hotel Auckland casually set our vacation off to a great start when my wife and I arrived in Auckland at 5 AM on a Friday morning. We arrived at the hotel at around 7:30 am and they promptly gave us a room! We had expected to need to drop off our bags and find something to do for the 6 or so hours until a standard 2 or 3 PM check in.
This simple gesture made our day so much better - we got quick sauna in, then a short nap and hit the town refreshed.
It was much more than we hoped for and make our vacation start much better.
Coming from the US I really did not have an confidence that they would let us into a room, even if they had them sitting empty.
They had the room and did not even acknowledge that we were on a highly discounted black label Priceline like room rate via Wotif.com.
Posted By Iolaire McFadden on June 8, 2010, 11:18 AM
I'm so glad someone's said something like this. I had stopped going to Holiday Inns for a while. But I pulled into one last month late at night and the renovated lobby was free of clutter, the music was upbeat, the lighting was soothing, and the person behind the counter even lent me a flashlight to walk to the room. It's the little things!
Posted By Joanne on June 8, 2010, 12:11 PM
That sure looks like a cozy hotel room! Well, I've been to Dusit Thani lately and the customer service is really excellent. I felt the sincerity of the service. They're also very caring and accommodating.
Posted By Jess on June 8, 2010, 8:45 PM
I have to admit I still get a thrill from looking through the samples to see what they have beyond soap and shampoo. And a bathrobe and slippers are even better! The last place I stayed with that was in Madrid--the Hotel AC Cuzco, a lovely modern chain. The bed and breakfasts we stayed in in northwestern Spain (Casa Grande da Fervenza (Lugo) and Casa Perfeuto Maria (Cabanamouros) were special and welcoming and had great settings and food and service. All clean and comfortable, too.
Posted By Patty on June 9, 2010, 5:58 AM
In recent trips to Cambodia and Thailand even budget hotels greeted us with a cold washcloth for refreshing our hot faces and a cold fruit drink. One hotel gaves us scarves as we checked out ,which I thought was strange since it was over 90 degrees, but quickly realized how great they were for keeping the blazing sun off of your neck and for wiping the sweat off of your face.
Posted By Randy on June 10, 2010, 10:42 AM
We stayed at the Marina Doubletree in Berkeley last weekend. A very reasonable "wedding party" rate, nicely appointed room, fresh warm cookies upon arrival (and checkout if you ask), inroom coffee with cups to go (and more brought to your room by request) and friendly, engaging staff people trying to earn a "10" from their guests. This practice should be emulated everywhere! Kudos to this Doubletree Inn.
Posted By Donna H. on June 10, 2010, 12:56 PM
Yes! The Luxe Hotel Sunset Boulevard recently provided a little package of cooling cucumber eye pads. After a day flying in a dry plane, they were most welcome when I got to my room. I turned on some music, put on the cucumber eye pads, and relaxed!
Posted By Jane Coloccia on June 10, 2010, 2:53 PM
In the hotel I stayed at in Queenstown, New Zealand they offer guests the option of having an essential oil diffuser in your room during your stay. I jumped on it and when I came back from dinner the concierge had left one in my room filled with lovely lavender oil. Very relaxing.
Posted By Heidi on June 10, 2010, 3:23 PM
Club Quarters in Chicago has a dispenser in the hallway with rows of empty plastic water bottles. You can fill up the bottles and drink as much cold, pure water as you want for free.
Posted By T. Hayes on June 10, 2010, 3:41 PM
My list, and I'm stickin' to it:
1. Let me bring the dog. She's every bit as much a part of the family as I am, and she's been part of it alsmost twice as long as I have. This may be her final year as OBG (other best girl. Her mommy is best best girl), so she's going to enjoy it. Period.
2. Cooking in the room, even if it is just in the nuker, is good. My wife has some serious food allergies that make restaurants impossible for her.
3. Television LISTINGS, rather than just the guide to what channel is what station you now have.
4. What's doing around town? Obviously, given #1, only my wife can go, or only I can go, but sometimes, things like a car show or arts and crafts fair, are conducive to that anyway.
Posted By James Michalek on June 10, 2010, 6:45 PM
Last summer My husband and I flew done to Georgia to purchase a touring motorcycle. We planned a relaxing 5 day trip home with our second day being in memphis. I booked us at the Embassy suits and by the time we arrived we had been rideing on the bike for 5 hours in 120 degree tempatures and were so dehidrated that I felt ready to pass out . The desk clerk realized I was dehidrated and RAN to get us cold bottled water from the shop and then as I was filling out the aper work went and got us more. He even went out of his way to send me sunburn cream to our room. What a nice guy and a wonderful stay. I cant wait to go back!
Posted By K. Hope on June 10, 2010, 7:32 PM
This 'towel rabbit' made me laugh out loud. It's been a long time since I saw something in a hotel that made me laugh:
http://www.olimpia.com/towelrabbit.jpg
(Holiday Inn Express, West Long Branch, NJ.)
dave
Posted By David Emery on June 10, 2010, 8:56 PM
We recently stayed at a SCUBA Diving resort in North Sulawesi, Indonesia named Tasik Ria. In addition to the cold fruit drink and finger sandwiches at arrival, the dive shop had printed up personalized welcome cards in each of our rooms. They had been waiting for us, and it was appreciated. They also had personalized luggage tags for us at departure. Those were useful as mine broke on the trip there.
We also had nice Batik robes, slippers, and 2 very handy umbrellas in the room for our use.
I also appreciate the candles and matches in the bathroom. ;)
Posted By Jenny on June 10, 2010, 10:37 PM
My husband and I went to Mexico City for all the museums and the nearby pyramids. Beautiful!! The hotel - the Galeria Plaza Mexico by The Independence Angel - was SO nice - and the maid left each of us a Godiva chocolate the first night. I left her a "Thank you for the chocolate" and the following nights we were left with 6 - 10 chocolates each! What a fun surprise to come back to each evening! (Plus our washcloth folded into a cute little animal too!)
Posted By Sue on June 21, 2010, 4:34 PM
For my fiancee's birthday, we stayed at the Sofitel in Philadelphia, just off Rittenhouse Square. Because my fiancee loves the high floor views, I called to request that instead of going online. They did the following for a one-night stay:
1. Gave me the internet-only rate over the phone.
2. and promptly let me change the date, despite getting the non-refundable rate, after I reserved for the wrong reservation, with no trouble.
3. Immediately upon our arrival (into our room with a view), came with a complimentary desert plate for my fiance's birthday.
It was the most thoughtful hotel service I had had in some time, and I loved it.
Posted By Nate on June 21, 2010, 9:20 PM