Hotel News Now roundtable and hospitality industry trends
Principal and hospitality architect, Ron Lustig, was invited as a panelist to join the Hotel News Now roundtable, in conjunction with the annual Pinkowski & Company Presidents Dinner and Metropolitan Memphis Hotel & Lodging Association Annual Industry Update in February.
Because of shifting changes in markets across the country, panelists discussed issues of the day facing the U.S. hotel industry from different perspectives. Below are some key takeaways:
Maximizing Sales with Design
- Look at ways to maximize sales while giving guests more options to choose from.
- Utilize all the space in a hotel to provide unique experiences that could pay off in the future when a guest returns to the market. (Example: Homewood Suites and Hampton Inn by Hilton Chicago Downtown West Loop rolled out a self-serve beer and wine wall in the lobby that has led to more time spent at the hotel. People are spending more time in the lobby and interacting, changing the dynamic and the energy of the property by activating common areas.)
Technology
- Digital key – guests can check in before arrival, no need for a hotel’s front desk, allowing the guest to choose if they want the interaction with staff.
Guest Satisfaction Dip
- Supply chain challenges – the amount of amenities and items in hotel rooms has decreased over the past few years due to supply chain issues.
- The sentiment of paying more for less can extend across the travel industry as a whole.
- In the travel industry, travelers are paying more for less due to mass cancellations and delays.
Design Trends in the Industry
- An increase in hotel clients pushing to convert old office buildings in second- and third-tier cities into a combination of hotel and residential space.
- An increase in extended rooms, which are built with a wider separation of bathrooms and a longer bay geared toward family-centric stays. This room design is more common for hotels on the coast in states such as Florida, but there has been an increase in demand in the central part of states.
In addition to Lustig, panelists for the roundtable included:
Jerry Cataldo, president and CEO of Hostmark Hospitality Group
Talene Staab, brand leader of extended-stay brand Home2 Suites by Hilton
Rachel Humphrey, founder of the Women in Hospitality Leadership Alliance and board director for DEI Advisors
Jerry Cataldo, president and CEO of Hostmark Hospitality Group
Marjorie Feltus Hawkins, principal, creative director and project manager for Feltus Hawkins Design
For the full article by Hotel News Now – Hoteliers Adapt Tech, Design To Reverse Downward Trend in Guest Satisfaction (costar.com)