What To Expect From A Modern-Day Luxury Hotel
Luxurious hotels are found worldwide and raise the bar with fantastic facilities and customer service. If you’ve never stayed in these incredible hotels, you deserve to experience them at least once in your life!
Some of the qualities you can expect are exceptional service, modern technology, antiques, art, tailored services, comfort, compassion, individualized customer service, quick and effective check in’s, outstanding facilities, and cleanliness ( Especially after covid )
If you work hard in life and balance your finances well, you deserve this treat! Life flies by, so don’t waste any time making a decision.
Table of Contents
The Quirky Perks Of Luxury Hotel
Fast Response Time
Slow communication can be frustrating when you need an answer. The number of times I’ve been on the phone for over 10 minutes trying to sort my reservation has been plenty, but this isn’t a reality with luxury hotels.
Luxury hotels are well-staffed, with direct phone lines and app’s to accelerate your query. Customers always return when they are listened to and problems are sorted fast.
Contemporary Design
Many hotels have moved on from full dinner suit butlers, golden walls, and blood-red carpets from the 1970s. Many grand hotels mix neutral with pastel colors that are easy on the eye and clean. Simplicity is the new “more.”
A Different Class Of Service
Hotels have the add-ons to meet customer expectations, but luxury hotels go another level with unique services and social spaces for customers. Areas in the Hotel change into “meet-up areas” like the lobbies or outside patio areas.
Services like babysitting or dog walking are always on hand, with laundry and private parking as standard.
What do luxury hotels offer?
Hotels market themselves with high standards and facilities offering a luxurious experience. The high standards are maintained by assessors who monitor a practical assessment where customer expectations have to be met!
So how does an elite hotel justify its price? The answer is authenticity and positive customer relationships. For any top hotel or retail shop, sales are about personalization and the bonds it brings to clients. Elite hotels offer something else than their competitors in art, design, and quality.
Reputation and ratings push hotels to the top of the market, and companies like “Forbes Travel Guide” ensure the hotels run optimally. If you want to be elite, your service can’t be fake but prompt and professional. But on the whole, the best have a human connection which builds an executive relationship.
Top-level business is not just about a cash transaction like pound shops. It’s about providing dreams and memories people don’t forget. Essentially it’s about going above and beyond, like dry cleaning a customer’s suit or polishing their shoes. Hotels need to be one step ahead and go the extra mile at all times.
How Luxury Hotels Meet Your Expectation
What you might find luxurious about a hotel may differ from someone else, but the key for the Hotel is to tick boxes and meet customer expectations.
How to build a positive reputation
- Customer relationships
- Thoughtful, quick, and reliable service
- Relaxation
- Excellent facilities
- Staff Focus
Hotels need to develop staff and build an ethos. Although this isn’t easy, it’s necessary for the Hotel’s success and future. You can have fantastic facilities, but if your staff doesn’t care, you’ve lost. When staff give excellent customer service, then Hotels get returning customers.
Top hotels know customer’s names even before they’ve met, which personalizes the service. Personalization is the key to success and building a client base instead of a customer base.
Regarding personalization, hotels must know your favorite dish, what newspaper you read, and birthday dates. If you’re going to attract customers back, these are a few key things.
Making Things Cozy
One essential ingredient for any hotel is making the Hotel luxurious and comfortable. Your beds need to be world-class with high-quality linen (Egyptian cotton at a minimum). If your beds aren’t comfy, then you’re in trouble!
Always Being Careful
Attention to detail is critical for big clients, and in their world, the more attention to detail, the better. Hotels will gladly get s**t sorted if you need anything? or need a specific item? Increasingly, security and privacy have grown significantly, so discreetness is paramount.
Moving With The Times
Travel evolves like most industries hugely every decade, and it’s crucial to move with the times before the times move you! Big hotels have this on their mind and implement the latest technology to leverage customer satisfaction. Technology can streamline services and provide better communication.
Hotels must be competent in using the latest gadgets to maximize their potential and meet customer expectations.
Digital Key
Mobile Phones are a big part of modern life, for good and bad reasons. But customers post covid are using digital currency transactions from their phones more than ever. Using check-in technology from your phone creates a quick, easy, streamlined service.
Personalization
In the age of digital trackers, i.e (Cookies) hotels can track you, collect data and build a personalized service for you. The hotels, through apps, can send you promotions on what interests you. The best Hotels cater to individuals, not to demographics.
Fast Communication
Messaging is easier than ever with a simple text message to your phone. Hotels can send you a helpful text message to let you know any changes to your booking or to advise you about your stay.
Mobile Service
Hotels see potential in Mobile apps with room service to fast check-ins as standard, Creating a quicker service. The more user-friendly the app is, the more it gets used, so luxury hotels spend big on the latest software.
A Close Connection
With all the digital service applications, people in 2022 still want human communication, especially in exclusive hotels. Clients still enjoy a smile at reception, A butler to bring their room service and quiz chefs about culinary skills, building a closer relationship. All elite hotels understand this and make an effort to build that bond.
Customers Seeking Adventure
Customers will not just want to relax but seek adventure and get off the beaten track. The best hotels associate themselves with prime travel companies who offer magical escapes with the best operators and facilities.
The Basic Expectation
To put it simply, hotels need to keep a classy reputation! They get smeared through Tripadvisor and Social Media if they don’t. Hotels need to deliver consistent quality service and nothing less.
Hotels must offer an experience better than their rivals with efficient stock ordering to meet high expectations. Regarding health and safety, post covid hotels must adhere to high cleanliness always.
Hotels follow their customers’ lead in the ever-changing digital-savvy world, which customers have adopted over the past decade. The more educated the customer, the more tech they are. Hotels need excellent Wifi and universal apps for fast, organized service.
Expect more individual service with the best hotels, build customer relations, and focus on personal needs. Hotels adapt to massive customer demands in a picky society, but the higher the demands, the better the revenue.
In terms of keeping up with the “Joneses,” the Hotel must improve facilities every couple of years with modern ways to keep in touch with clients. Even communicating through Instagram and Facebook! The website’s navigation must be perfect with mobile-optimized design and slick booking systems.
Building Client Rapport
The best hotels want a smooth transition even before the check-in, so if you have any queries or advice, these hotels will reach you ASAP. Hotels can tailor their customer service through travel agents and marketing to ensure you are advised correctly and looked after. Looking after customers before the booking means being fast and efficient with proper communication.
COVID-19 Customer Service
Covid 19 still lingers on post-pandemic, but on the whole, hotels have learned some great things and adapted to challenging times. Hotels had to make changes fast with week-by-week mandates from governments. Individuals all have viewpoints on covid, with certain people being petrified by this virus.
Post covid customers will cancel reservations due to the virus, and most good hotels will refund booking fees today. Many businesses have to be flexible and keep customers happy, with health as a priority.
Cleanliness
Many customers will automatically rate your cleanliness with luxury hotels, making this a priority. Luxury hotels look at what needs improving and make it tip-top. The cleaner the Hotel, the more marks it gets! Cleanliness is one of the most critical aspects of a hotel’s success post covid.
Facilities
Crowded areas like your pool, dining areas, and lobbies will be crowd-controlled depending on current situations in the media. Hotels will implement cleaning zones where touch areas are high. A lot of hotels will have branded masks if you need them. The staff set the example and positively communicated their policies in a caring way.
Contactless Check-in
The rollout of digital apps has been massive for hotels, and luxury hotels have been at the front of success during the Covid era. You can just QR scan a communication square and, in 3 seconds, do a complete check-in, easing queuing times and safety for vulnerable customers.
Wellness Assistance
The hospitality industry has been the most significantly affected sector in the Covid era, bar none. Hotels have been learning mental health skills to be aware of what’s needed to help customers. The world was in lockdown, so customers want peace, tranquility, and the stress to leave their lives. The hotels are more than aware of this and focus on providing that service.
Health Facilities
Many travelers will check for local hospitals and pharmacies to ensure their reliability and quality. Since the pandemic, people are generally more cautious of their health, and hotels have connections with local health facilities to ensure you get the best healthcare possible.
Most Hotel websites have information regularly updated to ensure you have a plan of action if needed. More information can be found through direct messaging on the website with messenger and Whatsapp.
Hotels with health connections also work in their interests, with health becoming an even more lucrative business after the pandemic. The game has changed slightly, but caring for customers is still the number one objective for all hospitality venues.
How luxury Hotels Define Their Customer
Like any good business, it’s essential to understand your customer’s needs and demographics in an ever-changing society. It’s vital to realize what they want? And what’s trending in markets?
Understanding your customers will helps hotels tailor their experiences and provide better service. The satisfied guest will leave great feedback, and that’s what hotels are after – Organic positive word of mouth on Tripadvisor and Social Media.
Families
In hospitality, the best hotels accommodate children and are well-planned and organized. Hotel’s can build a schedule of activities, giving you free time to relax. Hotels pre-order products upon your arrival and help with mobility issues.
Hotels can help with child activities, including babysitting, kid’s menu (Room service), and help with any safeguarding issues (Hopefully not necessary). The aim of this is to give you a relaxed stay!
If you ask at reception, the Hotel will have kid’s activities on hand, and their usually value for money.
High-Class Customers
High-class customers/clients will be your most challenging bar-none! But if their high expectations are met, then you will be rewarded handsomely (No problems at all)
The best hotels will personalize their experience, from favorite meals to birthday surprises. Hotel’s can hire certain areas to enjoy if they need privacy, like a private dining room or space in the courtyard for breakfast. They want the wow factor and nothing less!
The change in service changes like the wind, and these customers are the pickest and most entitled people you will ever meet, but once you show your competence and a safe bet for them, they will become customers for life- And hotels need this; more than ever!
Charity Customers
Inviting customers from local or international charity backgrounds can be most rewarding for your business and the local community. Many of these customers aren’t hard work and are easy-going in general.
A lot of the time, these customers will be in and out and exploring the local area. Theirs no need to go overboard with these people.
On the other hand, if luxury hotels can get behind local projects, this promotes a feel-good factor and shows the Hotel is giving back. Hotels cut suite prices for charity affiliates and work with sustainable companies to learn how to save energy.
Create sustainable projects that truly offer benefit to both the guests and the environment
Fitness & Spa Customers
Many fitness and spa clients will travel alone with Hotels offering programs or courses to entice the fitness industry. These customers are here for challenges and relaxation to develop themselves and take a break. The food they order will be healthy and nutritious, and hotels must cater to these people. It’s also essential to have fresh local food that is fresh, nutritious, and flavorful.
Luxury hotels have excellent gyms with PI’s offering professional services to help clients achieve goals. The hotels offer yoga, spa treatments, cross-fit, external hikes, and therapy 121’s
If you throw mental health & fitness into a financial pot, it’s a highly lucrative ($3.2 trillion) business sector. Hotels know and invest heavily in this sector to give the best service possible.
Older Travelers
You find older travelers want to slow down and have everything done for them. They want to stay in central areas close to the action with maps ready for discovery. It’s interesting that older people also spend a lot and have big budgets.
To help tap into this market, luxury hotels have guides and brochures ready with tour companies at a moment’s notice. Other activities include cooking and craft lessons which the Hotel accommodates.
Depending on the situation, boomers will happily spend a budget of $6000 + to meet their demands.
Business Travelers
The best quality of a business traveler is their allegiance, so you have to be on point with these guys. Overall these customers are looking for a slick and quick service without hassle.
Hotels need to offer quality amenities like fast broadband, power points, spare adaptors, and laundry services to get these customers. Excellent local area knowledge, such as restaurants and bars, is also essential.
Luxury hotels will focus on critical areas like efficiency, technology, professionalism, vibrancy, and privacy, for a global revenue of 1.6 trillion for business clients, hotels need to get this right!
Holidaymakers
The general holidaymaker wants that perfect 2-week vacation without any interruptions and hassle. Most of the time, they will have a plan of precisely what they will do! They travel in groups, go sightseeing, and relax. It’s essential to assist these holidaymakers and streamline your service with them.
Like the business traveler, it’s important to have local knowledge and a list of local activities to sell to customers. Offer them tips like “This is what a local would do”, “or you save money if you do this.” At the end of the day, after an experience and good memories, hotels will focus on their needs and tailor their experience.
Backpackers
Generally known for low budgets, cheap living conditions, local discovery, and sightseeing. Backpackers may not be your first choice to stay in a luxury five-star hotel, but guess again, parents are more likely to splash out their kids than any other time- Especially on a worldwide trip.
Most backpackers will have everything planned in detail but still want local knowledge. They might need more on-hand assistance as it’s probably their first time traveling, so assistance with banking or health queries may be on the agenda.
Their probably not going to be around like-minded people in a luxury hotel, so giving them directions to a backpacking scene will help them. Since the lockdowns, more people will want to go backpacking, which will help revive the hospitality sector, and backpacking will be the first.
Gen Z
Gen Z travelers are students on holiday who, like backpackers, have some wealthy parents that splash out at a moment’s notice. These travelers will be looking for superb amenities like fast Wifi, charging ports, and bars. Many young people are vegans, so an excellent vegan menu will score you high marks.
Hotels will advise excellent activities through Instagram and messenger to help them feel in the loop with what’s happening. They will also be interested in local food, drink, and sites to keep them entertained.
Digital Nomads
I know some high-flying digital nomads here, there, and worldwide staying in luxury hotels. In terms of meeting their demands, it’s fast Wifi and building a comfortable atmosphere.
Building a network of digital nomads with plenty of charging points and quiet areas is essential for their needs. You find the digital Nomad work sector has grown 140% this past year, and it’s not stalling.
Luxury hotels will also suggest Co-work space areas to give customers options and help them with any technical issues, such as spare chargers and headsets.
Green Customers
Climate change is discussed everywhere in the world today, so people’s attitudes will change over time, with sustainability becoming a hot topic. If the Hotel isn’t green enough, this can put a customer off and have financial implications for your business.
Hotels must be at the forefront of cutting transmissions, not wasting so much food, and buying sustainable products that will last longer.
To a certain degree, customers have changed with a lot more wanting to give back to local charities and environmental programs. The Hotel’s message must be truthful and educated to get green travelers through the door, not just for green customers but for everyone, including employees.
Overall, the Hotel is about creating positive experiences to move with the times, getting customers to write comment cards, and learning from their feedback. More than ever, customer dynamics have changed, and customers change at an accelerating rate every year.
Sustainability
Moving into 2022/2023, hotels need to work with the environment more, whether using less plastic or not wasting so much food. Customers are more aware of the planet’s environmental issues, and if you are not playing a role in trying to help the earth, then your behind the times. All the governments worldwide have the environment high on their agendas, and the best hotels are becoming more eco-friendly by the year.
Hotels are getting big on sustainability, with luxury resorts giving themselves a more natural feeling. The small changes have been bedsheets and towels getting changed every other day. Although this isn’t luxurious, it’s not causing a significant impact on the customer’s experience.
With the world G8 all getting together to make more of a sustainable world, businesses worldwide are taking environmental steps to become greener and cleaner to create a better world.
The most remote hotels are flying the flag for the environment, buying local foods, recycling water, using biodegradable products, and recycling materials.
Interestingly, Marlon Brando bought an island in French Polynesia called “The Brando” to keep a natural ecosystem. The Brando hotel recycles its waste and is carbon zero, which is the vision for many hotels worldwide. The Hotel actively seeks to educate its customers with projects and information around the Hotel.
Remote resorts worldwide are marketing heavily into sustainability with Eco-friendly cabins in the French Alps and off-grid forest cabins in Scandinavia. When you work in transit with nature, you feel positive and do something right, not exploiting nature. The next step is making sustainable urban hotels the new frontier for hotel giants.
The quick wins are less energy use, less wasted materials, buying produce/meat locally, supporting the local community, and saving energy. Still, you do find a lot of gimmicks like disposable wooden toothbrushes, which don’t solve the carbon-neutral stand on climate change. To be a sustainable baller in the hotel world, you must do the proper research and educate yourself.
At the minute, the most significant hotels are making considerable efforts to be more sustainable, and others are just doing a few small bits and pieces. The future luxury hotels will be making giant leaps toward 100% sustainable hotels with innovations and energy-saving ideas.
Hotels won’t just be judged on customer service and facilities but on how green the Hotel is moving forward.
Best Luxury Hotels For Kids
Family holidays need planning with a balance of entertainment and relaxation. Below I’ve listed some luxurious hotels which suit families.
Banyan Tree Mayakoba (Mexico)
The Banyan is a blend of nature and luxury and is located on the Mexican Riviera (Playa del Carmen) with a West-Indian feel. You get a lot of privacy and natural beauty, balancing out a feel-good factor. The Hotel has Villas with private pools and lovely gardens to enjoy. Blending in the scenery, this Hotel artistically mixes colors giving the courtyard a natural look.
The Hotel has plenty of activities for children, which guarantees a great family holiday in a beautiful setting. The Villas are spacious, with an upgrade of six people being the largest. If you like spas, this Hotel has one of the best spa’s and lobbies in the world.
Location: El Camaleón Mayakoba Golf Course
Address: Carretera Federal Chetumal-Puerto Juárez KM 298 Riviera Maya, 77710 Playa del Carmen, Q.R., Mexico
Phone: +52 800 953 0565
Book– Here
Soneva Kiri (Thailand)
If you want privacy, look no further than this hotel on the private island -Koh Kood. From Bangkok, you can fly into a tropical paradise in 90 minutes. The Hotel has excellent amenities and natural surroundings.
The resort has 36 villas and 11 huge premium villas! The villas are found in the rainforest, with gorgeous infinity pools, chic furniture, buggies to zip you around the island, and private butlers.
I suggest trying the outdoor cinema with the kids and getting ice cream from the parlor. You also have a treetop dining pod.
Address: 110, Tambon Ko Kut, Ko Kut District, Trat 23000, Thailand
Phone: +66 82 208 8888
Book–Here
Clayoquot Wilderness Resort (British Colombia- Canada)
Found in Pacific Rim National Park is a luxurious and remote resort with a safari theme. The Clayoquot Wilderness Resort has everything from canvas tents for accommodation, spa tents and dining lounges with fantastic cuisine. It’s like you’re walking back in time on a significant exception of the Canadian outback. The suites have woodstoves, classic furniture, lavish rugs, and plenty of amenities.
The area is perfect for wildlife and great for children who want to experience bears and whales in their natural habitat. Also, if you like hiking, this place is perfect, with many trails and routes through the wilderness.
Address: Bedwell River Valley, Alberni-Clayoquot C, BC V0R 2Z0, Canada
Phone: +1 250-266-0397
Book–Here
Four Seasons Resort Maui At Wailea (Hawaii USA)
This hotel is a classy beach holiday resort overlooking golden sands and a beautiful ocean. You can’t level up much more than this tropical paradise. The vast hotel has 376 massive rooms spread over eight floors with spectacular ocean views. The rooms have private terraces, marble bathrooms, a drinks fridge (You can amend the drinks list), and toiletries.
The customer service is world-class, which makes this hotel stand out from others with tons of activities for free. For children, the restaurant dishes up free kid’s meals and has a seasonal scheme to keep them entertained.
Address: 3900 Wailea Alanui Dr, Kihei, HI 96753, United States
Phone: +1 808-874-8000
Book- Here
The Datai Langawi (Malaysia)
Found in a rainforest is the Datai Langawi hotel, which merges well with its natural location. The scenery from the rooms is spectacular, with beautiful sea views of the Andaman sea from your exclusive veranda. The jungle is vibrant with life, such as monkeys, geckos, and flying lemurs.
The whole area is a natural paradise and a great place to unplug from the matrix and unwind. The hotel had an extensive refurbishment back in 2018 and looks stunning! Take a break and walk around the many trails on offer for some real RnR.
The hotel is one of the most premium jungle hotels in the world and has amazing perks like a breakfast upgrade and massages.
Address: Jln Teluk Datai, 07000 Langkawi, Kedah, Malaysia
Phone: +60 4-950 0500
Book–Here
Mandarin Oriental Bodrum (Turkey)
Another hotel is in a great location with two exclusive beaches and excellent gastro restaurants on paradise bay. The facilities are world-class also, with an incredible spa and gorgeous suites/villas, which will make you extremely relaxed.
In terms of 5-star luxury, this hotel makes other hotels look in poor condition because it’s immaculate! One of the many perks of this hotel is it’s on the Mediterranean, which for me is the most beautiful sea in the world and offers high-ceiling luxury.
Kids have many facilities: pools, kids menu’s, toys, game consoles, and board games. The resort has won many awards, including the most memorable travel experiences.
Address: Göltürkbükü, 314. Sok No: 12/1, 48400 Bodrum/Muğla, Turkey
Phone: +90 252 311 18 88
Book–Here
Qasr Al Sarab Resort By Anantara (UAE)
One of the dryest locations in the world (Rub’Al Khali) lies a remote resort called Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort. The perfect oasis lives up to its high luxury standards in a hazardous location. The resort values privacy, so it built villas with exclusive pools for you to cool down in. The materials used in villas are the finest middle eastern silks & cotton, with every room having fantastic views of the desert.
The resort has many adventures, including camel rides, 4×4 off-road experiences, massive sand dunes, vegetation/flora, and indigenous cultural trips.
Qasr Al Sarab is in the top 10 desert retreats, and room upgrades for only $100
Address: Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort – Al Mirayr – Abu Dhabi – United Arab Emirates
Phone: +971 2 886 2088
Book- Here
Four Seasons Resort (Seychelles)
Seychelles is paradise on steroids, with beautiful beaches, jungle, and sunsets that rival any other location worldwide. The accommodation is hillside villas with pools, beautiful natural scenery, and cinnamon trees scenting the air.
The resort offers plenty of water sports, relaxation, and private villa dining at the ready. The spa is located on a hill with amazing views of the local area.
Theirs a “Kids For All Seasons” for 4 to 12yr olds to take their attention with hillside treks and watersports. Theirs also explorations with the giant tortoise to view in its natural habitat.
Four seasons are ranked high in private villas and pools, with literal talk of it being the world’s best. If you wish to upgrade, it’s only $100.00 for extra add on’s like breakfast.
Address: Petite Anse, Baie Lazare, P.O Box 1397, Victoria, Mahe Seychelles
Phone: +248 4 393 000
Book-Here
Summary
If your in the game of providing customers with lavish lifestyles, then you have to meet high expectations.
To stay on top, you need to learn about market trends with market research, products that sell, who’s winning what, and staff training. It’s essential to sell products that exceed customer expectations and that they’ll remember you.
Customers want to be looked after in a tailored way with positive customer service that emotionally connects them to the Hotel.
Technology is rapidly changing, and connecting with customers is vital to gain loyalty. Hotels need mission statements that reflect the Hotel’s integrity and hard work.
Not all customers are there to relax now, with health and wellbeing becoming a massive market. Luxury hotels must find their balance but keep up their excellent service standards. Customers are looking for engagement from staff, and after customers turn into clients. Most customers would be happy to pay “X” if their being looked after.
Wealthy people will always spend much on leisure as they generally vacate much more than less wealthy people. You’re talking about millions of dollars for your Hotel and a guaranteed reoccurring revenue year after year.
Success isn’t just hard work it’s getting many challenges right and moving with the times! Luxury hotels may be up to their most challenging period, and only the strongest will survive sadly.
