It’s clear that different people have different expectations and needs and marketers find it sometimes hard to get a glimpse of what hotel guests really want from the hotels. So the conclusion of a recent survey conducted by accommodation booking website HotelClub.com might come as a surprise since Australian travellers included in their top free things they want from a hotel a late check out/early check-in.
Over 22% of the people queried mentioned this feature as their top free hotel inclusion, while 20% said they would love an upgrade and 18% mentioned high speed wi-fi as their top need. Food and beverage credits was the fourth choice in the top, desired by 16% of the respondents, followed by free stays for kids (10%), free massages (9%), a free bottle of wine (4%), a nanny service and slippers (less than 1%).
This survey, presented by news.com.au, included also what hotel guests hate the most in their stays somewhere. Aussies are bothered the most by lack of cleanliness (mentioned by a third of the respondents), uncomfortable beds (17%) noise and disruptions (13%), unexpected fees (13%), poor customer service (8%), poor room facilities (6%) and others.
Now, even if I am not an Australian and the study reveals their accommodation preferences, I admit that I too would like to be able to have sometimes an early check-in – let’s not forget though that such a service goes with an early check-out. However, knowing the exact schedule of the hotels, I planned my trips so that I didn’t arrive too early in a place. I’m more of a fan of upgrades, points on loyalty programs that will bring me free nights in a chain’s hotels, maybe even allowing pets in some hotels :). In what the things the Australians dislike the most at a hotel, I think that indeed those are the things to hate the most. It’s nothing worse than a hotel with dirty linen or dirty rooms, dysfunctional pluming, uncomfortable beds and so on.
