Comments on: Hotels – what makes a perfect stay https://www.501places.com/2009/10/hotels-what-makes-a-perfect-stay/ Sharing the world with you Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:49:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Andy Jarosz https://www.501places.com/2009/10/hotels-what-makes-a-perfect-stay/#comment-496 Andy Jarosz Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:57:18 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=918#comment-496 Hi Charles, Thanks for posting and it's great to get the views of a major hotel chain. I enjoyed watching some of the concierge videos and look forward to trying one of the table top systems. Thanks for the links. For me, I just don't consider the hotel as my promary source for information. Maybe that's just me, but I look to guide books and increasingly the internet to get my local knowledge, and then get out and get lost and experience the destination in that way. I expect the hotel to provide me with a clean, comfortable and secure place to stay. I would much rather IHG provided free wi-fi across the group and allowed me to do my own planning from the comfort of my room. Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to add your thoughts. Hi Charles,

Thanks for posting and it’s great to get the views of a major hotel chain. I enjoyed watching some of the concierge videos and look forward to trying one of the table top systems. Thanks for the links.

For me, I just don’t consider the hotel as my promary source for information. Maybe that’s just me, but I look to guide books and increasingly the internet to get my local knowledge, and then get out and get lost and experience the destination in that way. I expect the hotel to provide me with a clean, comfortable and secure place to stay. I would much rather IHG provided free wi-fi across the group and allowed me to do my own planning from the comfort of my room.

Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to add your thoughts.

]]> By: Charles Yap https://www.501places.com/2009/10/hotels-what-makes-a-perfect-stay/#comment-494 Charles Yap Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:07:41 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=918#comment-494 A great read... but I would like you to rethink the concierge service. Here's how we are redefining our global concierge offering... (via @barbdelollis) http://content.usatoday.com/communities/hotelcheckin/post/2009/06/68493057/1 Our full collection of Concierge videos and websites, offering guests pre-arrival access to our men (and women) in the know: http://www.intercontinentalvideo.com/ A great read… but I would like you to rethink the concierge service. Here’s how we are redefining our global concierge offering…

(via @barbdelollis) http://content.usatoday.com/communities/hotelcheckin/post/2009/06/68493057/1

Our full collection of Concierge videos and websites, offering guests pre-arrival access to our men (and women) in the know: http://www.intercontinentalvideo.com/

]]> By: Andy Jarosz https://www.501places.com/2009/10/hotels-what-makes-a-perfect-stay/#comment-288 Andy Jarosz Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:52:07 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=918#comment-288 Agree, Linda. The expectations are created by slick marketing, and even more so now by great reviews. And of course we all have a unique experience. Still no-one to defend the trouser press though. Does anyone out there use it? Agree, Linda. The expectations are created by slick marketing, and even more so now by great reviews. And of course we all have a unique experience. Still no-one to defend the trouser press though. Does anyone out there use it?

]]> By: Linda Fox https://www.501places.com/2009/10/hotels-what-makes-a-perfect-stay/#comment-278 Linda Fox Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:05:12 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=918#comment-278 For me, it's all those things (apart from the trouser press) but really it's about expectations. You research the hotel, read the reviews, look at the pics, visit the website etc and so expectations and anticipation are huge and the experience has to match that from the second you walk in the door. So often, it doesn't! For me, it’s all those things (apart from the trouser press) but really it’s about expectations. You research the hotel, read the reviews, look at the pics, visit the website etc and so expectations and anticipation are huge and the experience has to match that from the second you walk in the door. So often, it doesn’t!

]]> By: Andy Jarosz https://www.501places.com/2009/10/hotels-what-makes-a-perfect-stay/#comment-276 Andy Jarosz Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:20:10 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=918#comment-276 Thanks Mark. Looks like we have free internet as an almost universal expectation. Time for the hotel industry to wake up to this demand. I really liked the set up in Argentina when I was there in 2007. Even in small guests houses there was always a shared use PC that you could use and go online whenever you wished. It was free to use and relied on a fair use policy which was always followed in my limited time there. Thanks Mark. Looks like we have free internet as an almost universal expectation. Time for the hotel industry to wake up to this demand.
I really liked the set up in Argentina when I was there in 2007. Even in small guests houses there was always a shared use PC that you could use and go online whenever you wished. It was free to use and relied on a fair use policy which was always followed in my limited time there.

]]> By: Mark H https://www.501places.com/2009/10/hotels-what-makes-a-perfect-stay/#comment-275 Mark H Wed, 28 Oct 2009 05:40:29 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=918#comment-275 Looks a solid list to me and I agree whole-heartedly with what you say. For me it is mainly a decent-sized comfy bed, a clean room, free internet access and a decent hot shower. Most of the rest of the features I can typically live without. As an Australian I find the North American tipping in a hotel a little daunting too but that is unlikely to go away. I've heard many in the US argue that it is a more equitable system though I fail to see how not paying someone properly equates with that argument. My pet hates include the overly full fridge especially designed that if you even move one of the minibar items you get charged for it - who invented that scam. Also the internet should be free in this day and age - it would be like charging extra for hot water in the shower. In fancy hotels, I am also more than happy to use the same towel and sheets more than once during my stay. It is wasteful to wash them every day though hotels are wising up to this with their "green" initiatives. Looks a solid list to me and I agree whole-heartedly with what you say. For me it is mainly a decent-sized comfy bed, a clean room, free internet access and a decent hot shower. Most of the rest of the features I can typically live without. As an Australian I find the North American tipping in a hotel a little daunting too but that is unlikely to go away. I’ve heard many in the US argue that it is a more equitable system though I fail to see how not paying someone properly equates with that argument.

My pet hates include the overly full fridge especially designed that if you even move one of the minibar items you get charged for it – who invented that scam. Also the internet should be free in this day and age – it would be like charging extra for hot water in the shower.

In fancy hotels, I am also more than happy to use the same towel and sheets more than once during my stay. It is wasteful to wash them every day though hotels are wising up to this with their “green” initiatives.

]]> By: Andy Jarosz https://www.501places.com/2009/10/hotels-what-makes-a-perfect-stay/#comment-270 Andy Jarosz Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:47:09 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=918#comment-270 The list of must haves is expanding! Decent hangers (Caroline) and showers (Elysia) - of course! And even men appreciate hanging their clothes in a easy convenient way that won't leave a mark. Thanks Barbara too for your kind remarks. Some hotels have got it right and they get the repeat business and referrals as a result. I have attended hotel management conventions in the US and Europe and I've never heard a 'normal' guest invited to speak about their wishes and frustrations of hotel stays. I would love to speak to an audience of hoteliers and communicate some of these thoughts. Any takers? The list of must haves is expanding! Decent hangers (Caroline) and showers (Elysia) – of course! And even men appreciate hanging their clothes in a easy convenient way that won’t leave a mark.

Thanks Barbara too for your kind remarks. Some hotels have got it right and they get the repeat business and referrals as a result. I have attended hotel management conventions in the US and Europe and I’ve never heard a ‘normal’ guest invited to speak about their wishes and frustrations of hotel stays. I would love to speak to an audience of hoteliers and communicate some of these thoughts. Any takers?

]]> By: Barbara at Hole in the Donut Travels https://www.501places.com/2009/10/hotels-what-makes-a-perfect-stay/#comment-268 Barbara at Hole in the Donut Travels Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:56:17 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=918#comment-268 Wi-fi, wi-fi, wi-fi! And free, free, free. This is a most excellently written post - now if we could find a way to force all hotel managers to read it and learn from it, I'd be most happy. Wi-fi, wi-fi, wi-fi! And free, free, free. This is a most excellently written post – now if we could find a way to force all hotel managers to read it and learn from it, I’d be most happy.

]]> By: Elysia https://www.501places.com/2009/10/hotels-what-makes-a-perfect-stay/#comment-267 Elysia Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:13:59 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=918#comment-267 My hotel wish list would be... * FAST Wi-fi (less than $10 a day please!) * Clean bathroom with GOOD water pressure in the shower. * A room that's quiet after 10/11pm - nothing worse than hearing what sounds like a nightclub pumping all around you as soon as it gets dark! * Early check in and late checkout (midday for both is perfect) * Cheap and/or free breakfast. Nothing annoys me more than paying $200-$300 per night for a room and then hitting the restaurant in the morning and facing a $15-$20 breakfast fee. * Great location, no matter how good the hotel is, if it's in the middle of nowhere then its going to be extremely inconvenient and end up costing you so much more in transport fees. Those are the absolute must-haves for me :-) Elysia @ThatTravelingCouple My hotel wish list would be…

* FAST Wi-fi (less than $10 a day please!)

* Clean bathroom with GOOD water pressure in the shower.

* A room that’s quiet after 10/11pm – nothing worse than hearing what sounds like a nightclub pumping all around you as soon as it gets dark!

* Early check in and late checkout (midday for both is perfect)

* Cheap and/or free breakfast. Nothing annoys me more than paying $200-$300 per night for a room and then hitting the restaurant in the morning and facing a $15-$20 breakfast fee.

* Great location, no matter how good the hotel is, if it’s in the middle of nowhere then its going to be extremely inconvenient and end up costing you so much more in transport fees.

Those are the absolute must-haves for me :-)

Elysia
@ThatTravelingCouple

]]> By: Caroline Cooper https://www.501places.com/2009/10/hotels-what-makes-a-perfect-stay/#comment-263 Caroline Cooper Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:38:36 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=918#comment-263 I agree with all the points mentioned so far, but would like to add: The option to have some fresh air opposed to re circulated air-conditioned air - especially when it has picked up cooking smells! Some decent women's hangers: the large wooden hanger always leave a mark on my jackets and blouses (this is when you are patient enough to wrestle with the theft proof hangers!) I agree with all the points mentioned so far, but would like to add:

The option to have some fresh air opposed to re circulated air-conditioned air – especially when it has picked up cooking smells!

Some decent women’s hangers: the large wooden hanger always leave a mark on my jackets and blouses (this is when you are patient enough to wrestle with the theft proof hangers!)

]]>