The hotel industry is one of the most important in many countries. Although the Covid-19 pandemic affected the industry, the quarantine days served as inspiration for hoteliers to design the extended stay modality.
Given the need to recover the income lost during the closing months and the investment in sanitation measures, long stays are an excellent modality for a good financial recovery.
It is proven that if guests book for 30 days or more tend to spend 57% more than usual in the hotel.
Transform perception
For most guests, the experience of being in a hotel was synonymous with vacations, which involved tours to places of interest, nights of fun or days full of activities with the family. Now the challenge is to change that perspective.
With the pandemic, many people moved their work to a desk at home, classes are taught through video calls; And at the end of the day when devices are turned off, the environment is the same.
After several months of following a monotonous routine, people get stressed more easily. There is interest in going on vacation and being distracted, but fear or a sense of prevention stops these desires. The best way to combat it is confidence.
If you offer your future guest a space where he can feel at home, amenities so that he feels comfortable and sure not to expose his health or that of his family, we assure you that he will opt for a long stay.
What does the extended stay entail?
The ideal duration for an extended stay is 30 days. There are some hotels that offer promotions starting from 7 days, but the goal is to convince your future guests to stay longer.
This trend has grown in recent months because people need to escape from the routine or change scenarios; which means a real business opportunity for both traditional hotels and those with high demand during vacation periods.
Travelers increasingly value privacy, space and the nature of self-service, here lies the importance of making them feel at home so that they enjoy their stay.
What steps to take?
Be very clear that your hotel will become a place of balance between work or school activities and an experience of comfort. It is best to adapt to the needs of each guest. Here we share some ideas:
1) It offers stay packages for families, couples or individuals:
Depending on the number of people and the days of stay, you can apply discounts or offer different amenities.
2) Business center:
If you can, create a space where your guests can feel comfortable to work or make video calls. You can provide other equipment such as printers, photocopiers, or scanners.
If your hotel is not that big, in the room you can adapt a workspace, always taking care of the comfort of your guest.
In both cases, an excellent Wi-Fi connection is vital.
3) Recreate a home environment:
An important space is the kitchen. In addition to the minibar, don't hesitate to leave him an electric grill, microwave, some utensils, cutlery and plates.
Your food service can continue, even with room service. But once the door is closed, the environment is entirely up to the guest.
4) Food and drinks:
The variety of dishes is important, especially when it comes to long stays, as many guests do not like to repeat meals.
Offer at least one different dish each day. Implement discount vouchers or a system of accumulative points that they can use for their next visit.
5) Laundry and dry cleaning:
Apply it as a self-service. You will only need one person who is aware of the machines. Given the current health situation, guests feel calmer when taking care of their clothes personally. You can make available soaps, detergents or fabric softeners.
Very important
Take care of your guests, your staff and yourself. The reactivation of hotel services only works if we all cooperate. Before making any decision, check the indications of your health authorities.
Avoid your guests crowding in the common areas and check that they have masks. Don't forget to provide them with sanitizer or antibacterial gel.
If you instruct your staff with a sanitation protocol and verify that it is followed, your guests will not hesitate to stay with you. In this way the income of your hotel will gradually increase.
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