Hotels are particularly challenging business, as they can be considered to be of a retail nature; However a customisable service is the key to customer satisfaction and loyalty. Large Hotels or hotel chains face a different challenge as opposed to boutique hotels. (NB: Well established iconic hotels are not affected by these challenges)
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Let’s take the Neemrana group as an example of a minimally customisable leisure stay option.. A boutique hotel group with only a dozen properties, each of which typically have a dozen or so rooms. However this chain has a devout fan following because these hotels – and I’ve stayed in four of them – offer a really relaxed homely feel, even if a notch grander than what one is used to. They bill themselves as a non-hotel hotel. The various properties of this mini chain have their own separate look and feel, even if they all have something in common.
On pretty much the other side of the spectrum we have something like Lemon Tree or say the Sheraton – both of them at different price points – but all across the chain things are very standard except for the price.
Even at a high price point, of a Sheraton, these are strictly functional – and yes, I’ve stayed in them too – and usually don’t merit any fan following whatsoever, unless one is particularly susceptible to branding and status symbols.
Is there a third way for hotel chains? big or small? There is, and data or more precisely information, would be the key starting point.