The hospitality industry has undergone some pretty substantial changes over the past couple of decades. In the 1980s, the industry saw a rise in boutique and lifestyle hotels, eventually leading to changes in what guests have come to expect during any hotel stay. Larger chains have taken steps to adapt to guests’ wants and needs by providing them with curated, memorable, and share worthy overall experiences.
Because of these changes, many hoteliers are feeling the pressure to offer more and more amenities to keep their guests happy. Most businesses aren’t working with unlimited budgets, so hotel managers need to select their offerings wisely.
So, how can you choose which amenities will provide your hotel with the biggest return on investment?
Start at the beginning: consider the target demographics of your guests, the size of the budget you’re working with, and your hotel’s overall brand.
31 Must-Have Hotel Amenities in 2021
- Parking
- Free Wifi
- Room Service
- 24-Hour Guest Reception
- Complimentary Toiletries
- Healthy Breakfast
- Ample Wall Outlets
- Hair Styling Tools
- Flexible Checkout
- Pool
- Mini-fridge
- Complimentary Electronics Chargers
- Clothing Iron
- Business Facilities
- Transportation Information
- Free Breakfast
- Laundry Services
- Spa & Wellness Amenities
- Exercise Facilities and Accessories
- Daily Newspaper
- Entertainment
- Complimentary Luggage storage
- Cribs & Cots for Children
- Custom Offers
- Curated Experiences
- Fancy Bathrobes
- Kid-friendly Rooms and Products
- Premium Bedding
- Stain Remover Wipes
- Pet-friendly Rooms
- Champagne Bar
1. On-Site Parking
On-site parking can be a dealbreaker for travelers looking to select a hotel. Free parking can be a huge draw, especially in cities without readily available public transportation.
2. Free Wifi
It’s 2020 and the people want free wifi! Most hotel guests expect internet services at some level, and many business travelers actually need it for a successful trip. Make sure guests know how to connect or where to find the password when they arrive.
3. Travel-Size Complimentary Toiletries
Travel-sized toiletries like body soap, shampoo, and conditioner are commonplace across all levels of hotels. Many guests actually use these amenities thanks to airline carry-on restrictions, so including quality products in your rooms can make a big difference. Score extra points for offering premium brands, natural products, or less common items like a facemask or eye makeup remover.
4. Ample Wall Outlets
For many of us, access to our electronics is non-negotiable, so making sure every guest can keep all their devices charged to their heart’s desire is critical. Some newer setups even allow guests to plug their USB cords straight into the wall.
5. Hair-Styling Tools
We’re willing to bet that most of the hotels your guests have stayed in have provided a hairdryer in their rooms. What’ll really impress them is keeping extra tools like curling irons and flat irons at the front desk so travelers can leave some extra room in their suitcases.
6. Mini-Fridge
Offering guests a place to keep their leftovers is a big plus. You can include simple snacks or beverages for purchase as well. Even better if you throw in a free water bottle (or two)!
7. Exercise Facilities & Accessories
Many travelers want to be sure they can maintain their workout routine even when they’re away from home Some hotels even provide athletic clothing, accessories, and shoes for use or purchase.
8. 24 Hour Guest Reception
Just like check-ins and check-outs, your guests will be able to rest easier knowing they can reach you at any hour for simple services like providing a replacement key or…
9. Healthy Breakfast
Business travelers are looking for a breakfast that can keep them fueled throughout their day. Be sure to offer nutritious foods for early risers, not just dense foods like potatoes and buttery scrambled eggs.
No food service or kitchen on-site? Learn how you can serve complimentary breakfast with 2ndKitchen for Hotels room service voucher program.
10. Complimentary Electronics Chargers
Just like wall outlets, having extra chargers available for guests to borrow from the front desk can be a really nice touch. Business travelers will be so thankful not to have to replace a lost one or run to their meetings on measly 25% battery life.
11. Clothing Iron
An iron might not be the most exciting offering, but guaranteeing a guest potential for a wrinkle-free appearance in their important meeting is invaluable.
12. Business Facilities
Traditional business travelers and even millennial side-hustlers are always looking for a place to zone out and focus on their latest project, take an important call, or just send some quick emails. Offering a dedicated space for them to do their business will help them check some serious to-do’s off their lists and ease some of their stress.
13. Transportation Services and Information
If your budget allows for transportation services like an airport shuttle, rentable bikes, or transport between your lodgings and downtown, it could make a big difference to travelers – especially with the rise of bleisure travel. If not, making a virtual (or live) concierge easily accessible to your visitors will make them feel right at home.
14. Laundry Services
Give guests the opportunity to refresh their wardrobes mid-trip. You can offer folding services as well, including the delivery of freshly-folded clothes back to guest’s rooms.
15. Daily Newspaper
A simple and essential perk you can provide your hotel guests is a copy of the newspaper each morning. If you can swing subscriptions to multiple different publications for guests to choose from.
16. Stain Remover Wipes
Not to harp on appearance, but another way to keep business travelers happy is to keep stain remover wipes or sticks behind the front desk for guests in need. This way they don’t have to wait until they get home to try to fix up their favorite work blouse. You can even provide complimentary wipes in guest rooms to help them stay looking cool and collected all day long.
17. Pool
A hotel pool automatically means lots of fun for the whole family. It also gives them a reason to spend extra time and maybe even money at your hotel.
18. Free Breakfast
While families also appreciate a healthy breakfast, they’ll likely also be pleased to accept a free one. Family vacations can rack up a pretty big bill, so these guests will really appreciate the opportunity to start their day without having to shell out a chunk of their vacation fund.
No food service or kitchen on-site? You can still serve a free, complimentary breakfast with 2ndKitchen for Hotels room service voucher program.
19. Entertainment
Many hotels offer on-demand tv programming for guests. These on-demand services let guests rent movies that might even still be in theaters. Some hotels are beginning to add to their entertainment amenities to include things like books, board games, or even video games.
20. Cribs & Cots
Things can get a little cramped when the whole family comes along for the ride. Make sure you can accommodate guests of all ages and families of all sizes by offering cribs and pull-out cots upon request.
21. Kid-Friendly Rooms and Products
Some hotels have started incorporating kid-friendly designs into their room decor and bathroom construction to make the stay more enjoyable for everyone. You can also offer gentle, or even baby-friendly toiletries for families so they can avoid making one-off purchases that they’ll have to leave at the end of their trip.
22. Pet-Friendly Rooms
Pets are often considered a member of the family and boarding them or entrusting their care to a friend can be cause for anxiety. You can ease a lot of travel stress by offering pet-friendly rooms and hotel common areas so guests can bring Fido along on their family vacation.
23. Room Service
A romantic night in still requires sustenance. Offer high-quality dining options so your guests can enjoy their room to the fullest extent.
Offer free room service from your city’s best restaurants with 2ndKitchen for Hotels.
24. Spa
A luxurious spa can incorporate some extra magic into any weekend getaway. You can even offer promotions on check-in for couples looking to get massages together.
25. Complimentary Luggage Storage
A short stay often means packing a lot of activities into a quick 48 hours. When guests arrive before their room is ready, they’ll appreciate the option to store their luggage with reception so they can head back out on the town for brunch.
26. Fancy Bathrobes
Who doesn’t love a soft, luxurious bathrobe? Provide robes for each guest so they can really lean into that romantic weekend. You can even allow residents to purchase them at checkout if they can’t bear the thought of parting with theirs.
Luxury Hotel Amenities
The following amenities are vital for businesses with high hotel star ratings:
27. Curated Experiences
Boutique and lifestyle hotels are all about curation. You can impress your guests by offering fun classes and activities like cooking classes or excursions.
28. Premium Bedding
An especially good night’s sleep can leave residents thinking, and talking, about their stay at your hotel for weeks. Providing high-quality, super comfortable bedding is a surefire way to achieve that result. You might even be able to offer new sets for guests to purchase as well.
29. Custom Offers
Every guest will appreciate a deals like a free drink at the hotel bar or a coupon for local restaurants along with their check-in information. You can really impress guests by going the extra mile to match a guest’s offers with their actual likes and interests. Some hotels even give guests personalized gifts on arrival after gathering some basic information from a simple social media search.
30. Champagne Bar
An abundance of champagne will give your hotel a lavish and glamorous atmosphere. Roll out a cart of choice champagne during brunch or high-traffic lobby hours to give your guests some added splendor during their stay.
Take a quick inventory and make sure you are offering your guests the amenities and services they need to really enjoy your hotel.
This doesn’t always mean big purchases or investments – sometimes it really is the little things that count and can go a long way in terms of your hotel marketing strategy. Shift your focus to building out the best experience for your guests and they’ll be encouraged to return.
Room Service
Breakfast
Voucher Program
