As soon as we enter a five-star hotel, we expect a warm welcome at reception, stunning interiors, exquisite gastronomy, magnificent spa, wellness facilities and in-house entertainment options. Most of the five-star hotels would meet all these expectations. Then what makes a hotel stand out from other five-star hotels? For today’s demanding, informed and discerning consumers, luxury hotels need to rise above the normal and carve a strong niche and differentiation for themselves to stand out from the crowd.
Enlivening guest experience
‘How you make your guest feel’, can provide a clear-cut differentiation. A well-anchored service culture allows a hotel to not only create value but also generate profit and conquer competition. Anticipating the unexpressed wishes and needs of the guests and making them feel special is the secret sauce to win them. Going the extra mile to ‘Wow’ the guests at every touch point, from the moment they check in to their entire stay to checkout can make their experience truly memorable.
Simple gestures like addressing the guests by their name and serving them each time with a ‘smile’ can make a big difference. Investing in the ‘right people’ by training and empowering them is the key to developing a culture of service excellence. Research confirms that employee happiness is directly correlated with employee proficiency. Thus, ‘happy employees make happy customers’.
Cultivating loyalty in the staff
Global luxury brands can practice this philosophy by empowering their employees with adequate training, resources and decision-making capabilities to provide the ultimate guest experience. By offering genuine care, warmth and empathy, an emotional connection is developed between the hotel and the guest, which result in building long-lasting relationship and loyalty among guests.
Offering exceptional experiences
Today, luxury hotels feel the pressure to create unique positioning in the minds of their guests. Various hotels are attempting to distinguish themselves by providing tailor-made, authentic and exceptional experiences for their guests. Understanding each guest’s unique needs, their reason for stay, such as business, vacation, wedding celebration, etc., can help the hotels personalize the visit. Hotels try to curate incredible moments like organizing special breakfasts, arranging nature walks at a beautiful location, decorating guest rooms with their favourite flowers and not to forget- booking their most preferred spa. Magical experiences are designed to create unforgettable memories, such as snorkelling in the house reef or taking a zipwire through the rainforest to dine in the treetops.
The power of selling
As we know, the golden rule of luxury- ‘it is all about creating and selling dreams’. Therefore, storytelling can be a powerful weapon for these brands. Well-developed brand narratives, built on a brand’s history, vision, values, location or people, can not only place the brand uniquely in the client’s mind but also create desire and aspiration among clients. Leading global brands, often in their campaigns, bring to life the unique stories of guests who have stayed at their various hotels, with a focus on personalized stays. For example, Mandarin Oriental in their campaign, introduces audiences around the world to the celebrities that love and stay at the group’s hotels. Celebrity Alia Bhatt confesses that Mandarin Oriental New York is her personal favourite. Luxury brands don’t chase customers, rather they attract people to them. Hence, these brands should be showcased as a part of the lifestyle of high-end celebrities, to arouse desirability among others.
Utilizing local uniqueness for differentiation
Another important Wayne to create differentiation is to showcase the uniqueness of each property, be it related to local culture, local cuisine or even local natural attractions. True luxury hotel brands develop and nurture hospitality and integrate it into the brand’s DNA. Luxury hotel brands are also working on asset rejuvenation strategies to restore timeless heritage and ensure that precious properties will continue to hold their iconic status for the next generations.
Leveraging modern design culture and smart technology
At the same time, it is important to stay relevant to the current times in terms of design, style and materials. Brands are emphasizing renovations with the involvement of local craftsmen to make sure the design feels modern, relevant and true to the brand. Various hotels are also leveraging technology to not only increase operational efficiencies but also to provide a personalized and experience-driven environment. Bots are used to offer in-room services to contactless feedback. Smart rooms assist in various room functions, such as managing temperature, lighting, entertainment, etc. It enables guests to easily obtain local knowledge, like the best shopping mall in town or the most beautiful places to visit in town or nearby supermarket, without the assistance of hotel staff.
Creating centralized database for guest recognition
In addition, a centralized database should be created so that when a guest stays at one property of a particular brand, they can be easily identified on their next visit to any other property of the same brand. Their likes, dislikes, preferences, etc. should all be taken into consideration at all properties of the brand to provide a consistent, personalized and seamless experience to the guest. This will bring a sense of belongingness to the clients, which will certainly turn them into brand ambassadors and brand advocates.
In conclusion, even though technology is becoming an integral part and a must-have tool in the arsenal of luxury hotel brands, nothing can replicate the importance of the human element in the hotel industry.
