Free chocolate is OK but Wi-Fi is better
When it comes to “comps” or “freebies,” what do hotel guests want? Free chocolate, perhaps not. Free room upgrades and Wi-Fi, yes.
So says HotelNewsNow.com, with the site quoting hoteliers saying those two are among top favorites. They are joined by a gym and free breakfast.
Meantime, a 2010 report from J.D. Power and Associates found the top five amenities sought by guests are:
- wireless Internet access;
- complimentary breakfast;
- bedding and pillow choices;
- pillow-top mattresses; and
- free parking.
“Deciding what should be given to guests for free can be a tough call. Deciding what should be ‘comped’ when hotels are still trying to pull out of a steep downturn makes that decision even more complex,” says the site.
Many hotels go beyond the ordinary.
Apple Core Hotels has 24-hour cappuccino available in the lobby, for example. And Omni Hotels & Resorts provides a backpack stuffed with games to the families with children who stay at the property.
By David Wilkening
David
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