By Rieva Lesonsky
If you’re a frequent business traveler like I am, you may have already noticed some of the following trends taking place in hotels nationwide. Some are good, some are not-so-good. Here are six changes CBS News recently reported on that might affect your next business trip.
Higher fees: No surprise here – doesn’t it seem like hotel costs are always going up? You’ve probably gotten used to paying “resort fees” even if you don’t use resort amenities like the pool. But now hotels are taking a cue from airlines and adding fees and surcharges that never existed before. You may see fees for things like housekeeping or holding your luggage in the lobby before check-in or after you check out. How can you avoid surprises? If you’re booking directly, ask specifically what the rate will be with fees and surcharges added. If you’re booking online, be sure to read the fine print. That $150 bargain hotel may not be such a bargain after all.
Socializing in the Lobby: Lobbies aren’t just for passing through anymore—at a growing number of hotels, they’re becoming social hubs. Many are adding group seating, Wi-Fi access and coffee bars (or real bars) to encourage people to linger (and spend money). For business travelers, this means a more inviting environment to do some work. Wouldn’t it be more pleasant to check your email in a cozy lobby than in a sterile business suite or alone in your room?
Say Goodbye to the Tub: If you look forward to a long soak in the tub on your business trips (harried working moms, I’m talking to you), you might have to kiss it goodbye. More hotels are getting rid of bathtubs and putting in bigger showers instead. Well, it may not be relaxing, but it will sure get you up and going. And with amenities like rain shower heads and seating in the shower, today’s hotel showers are almost as luxurious as lingering in a bath.
Going Green: Hotels have been going green for a while now, but the newest eco-friendly move is replacing tiny shampoo, conditioner and lotion bottles with pump dispensers that get refilled instead of thrown away. I recently encountered this on a trip and while I was happy that there’d be less plastic discarded, I was a bit sad not to collect those travel-sized shampoo bottles. If you still love taking home bottles as a souvenir, ask at the front desk—many hotels will still have them available, since some guests consider the pump dispensers less sanitary.
Electronic Check-In: No more waiting in line at the front desk at select Aloft hotels from Starwood. Starwood is testing a “Smart Check-In” program where Starwood Preferred Guest program members are mailed a keycard with radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology. On the day of arrival, the guest gets a text message with a room number. The pre-mailed keycard will open the door of that room—no need to even pause in the lobby.
According to the CBS article, this technology is being launched very slowly, and if you still like the idea of a human touch, no worries—it’s unlikely hotels will ever get rid of staff in the lobbies altogether. (After all, you’ll need someone to ask when your keycard doesn’t work, right?)
Locally Sourced Food: If you’re staying at upscale or boutique hotels, expect to enjoy the next phase of the locavore food trend. Going beyond just buying locally sourced food, some chefs at these hotels are growing their own vegetables and herbs or even raising bees to get their own honey. One New York City hotel has a farmers market next door that attracts lots of guests, who not only get to enjoy healthy food but also feel part of the neighborhood. And isn’t feeling welcome what hotels are all about?
Image by Flickr user prayitno (Creative Commons)
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