Simple things that make a hotel great

[jetlagger]

I've replied to this post before but this week (I stay at the hotel every Monday and Tuesday nights) I arrived to find a monogrammed pillowcase with my initials on for the pillow that I bought last week. Very nice touch. Today I was taken around the suites to look at options that I may be able to use if the hotel is not at capacity. I also had the room service staff prepare two special meals for me (I am doing the Michelle Bridges 12 week body transformation). Very happy here at the Adelaide Intercontinental!

That is,.. all in all a really nice touch! It seems that the hotel & management appreciate & value your business..

 

[Stephen Kleid]

Free wi-fi broadband internet access.
It is unbelievable that my daughters' coughpy backpacking hostels in Thailand, which cost $15 a night & givsupply free wi-fi, as does McDonalds and Starbucks etc, and my 5-star business hotels charge an arm and a leg for a room, and then slug me with $20 a day extra for wi-fi (which costs them almost nothing!!)
I tell my travel agent to book a hotel, then call back and cancel if they don't have free wi-fi !

 

[richie9x]

One recurring theme on this thread as been free, or cheap wifi...obviously Hotels haven't done this yet because they know something..
Would you change your choice of hotel just for the wifi??

I think the main factor is that hotels is that when internet connections are provided people will stop making so many phone calls because some people with use VoIP services like Skype and people will watch less pay per view movies as they can download content for cheaper. So to compensate for this they charge ridiculous amounts for internet access.

Another factor is that travellers on company travel tend not to worry so much about the price and will happily pay just about anything.

In Australia it is not so much an issue as I can turn my phone into wifi hotspot. Overseas free wifi certainly comes into consideration when selecting hotels, but is not the be all and end all.

As for coffee shops, I have a friend that has a cafe and had free wifi. She found that people would show up buy one drink and slowly drink it over the course of hours. Which would take up tables from customers who just wanted a quick drink. She ended up putting a 20 minute time limit on the wifi then getting rid of wifi altogether. Revenue has increased since she did it and thinks getting rid of wifi was part of the reason.

 

[userlame]

I like it when my rural Queensland hotel comes with a name brand can of fly spray next to the ironing board. Really shows that they care - can't stand the no-name rubbish.

 

[horseman]

I like it when my rural Queensland hotel comes with a name brand can of fly spray next to the ironing board. Really shows that they care - can't stand the no-name rubbish.

Haha yeah motel in act had nothing, and you could've heard the spiders laughing a mile away after I whacked them with the Gideon's

 

[ShaneN]

Refrigerator in which I can store my own things.

Power points at desk or table height for computers phone charging etc.

Good reading light over desk.

Comfortable chair for reading, with good light - I hate reading in bed.

Television which can be viewed from somewhere other than lying in bed - I hate watching television in bed as well.

 

[sydunipete]

What a great thread. It should be compulsory reading for every hotel owner.

How about laundry charges that don't exceed the cost of actually buying new clothing!

And of course, free WiFi.

 

[Julesmac]

Great thread. We've just come back from four weeks travelling - Mainly France and the UK, stopover in Singapore on the way home. So, some must-haves - Free WiFi. Good pillows...just hard can it be to supply good pillows for heaven's sake. Doonas that don't cook you in the night. OPening windows. Decent in-room lighting. And one last - why can't they make shower controls universal?

 

[Simo]

The other thing I also like is a hotel with a 24 hour restaurant and bar that you can order anything off the menu at any time.

Especially great if you have late night finishes or just due to time zone you don't feel like having breaky between 6 and 10am or what ever.

Also no closing time on the swimming pool so if you do want to have a mid night dip you can.

 

[chrisb]

The other thing I also like is a hotel with a 24 hour restaurant and bar that you can order anything off the menu at any time.

Yes! It's always annoyed me that come 10am the chef is incapable of cooking bacon and eggs. It's probably on the menu for $25 so I'm sure they can manage for the $22 profit.

 

[Simo]

Yep happy to pay the $25 if I want it at 5am.

Last time I was OS had an early flight and went for Breakfast at 4am as was flying out of a regional airport and the restaurant was open for Breakfast... Winner

The cafe at the airport was closed though and there was no lounges at all

 

[Muzfly]

Any hotel that does not charge you a fee for using your credit card....... Nothing gets up my nose more than getting a bill on checkout for a couple of $K for a week's stay then they stick it up you for another 2 - 5%. Then they have the nerve say "we look forward to welcoming you next time"...... any wonder!

 

[Foreigner]

Any hotel that does not charge you a fee for using your credit card....... Nothing gets up my nose more than getting a bill on checkout for a couple of $K for a week's stay then they stick it up you for another 2 - 5%. Then they have the nerve say "we look forward to welcoming you next time"...... any wonder!

Well, somewhat like Qantas and Virgin charging booking fee. I haven't stopped flying though.

Anything under 2% is not unreasonable, in my opinion. $2 per $100.

Free Wi-Fi is important to me. That most times is factor in choosing one hotel over another.

 

[amaroo]

Any hotel that does not charge you a fee for using your credit card....... Nothing gets up my nose more than getting a bill on checkout for a couple of $K for a week's stay then they stick it up you for another 2 - 5%. Then they have the nerve say "we look forward to welcoming you next time"...... any wonder!

The 10% service charge is the one that gets me!