It must be tough for hotels to distinguish themselves from their competitors as many of them are pretty interchangeable and considering most guests spend most of their time unconscious while they are in them, it takes a lot to make a stay truly memorable.
In a press release announcing the release of its annual Hotel Room Innsights Report today, Hotels.com highlighted some premium hotel benefits that I never knew existed. Here are some of the more interesting ones:
The Montague on the Gardens in London provides an exclusive cultural experience with private guided tours of the British Museum. Guests can enjoy an educational and immersive journey through history, led by knowledgeable guides. I’m a big fan of the British Museum, and museums in general, so that sounds like it is right up my alley.
The Four Seasons Hotel Austin offers a unique musical experience with its in-room guitar concierge service. Guests can choose from a selection of premium guitars to play during their stay, whether they’re seasoned musicians or just looking for a new way to unwind. My only hope is that these hotel rooms have exceptional soundproofing.
Hotel New Otani Tokyo The Main invites guests to take a serene stroll through a historic Japanese garden. This 400-year-old garden is a masterpiece of landscape design, featuring a picturesque waterfall, koi pond and a tea house. A trip to Japan is high on my bucket list, so I am taking notes.
The Hotel Grand Pacific in Victoria, BC pampers canine companions with its Pampered Pooch Package. This pet-friendly offering includes a cozy doggy bed, gourmet treats, water bowls, and everything needed to make furry friends feel at home. While that’s not so interesting to me since I don’t have a dog, I do enjoy hotels, like the Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City, which have their own dogs that guests can interact with and take for walks.
The Four Seasons Toronto caters to its younger guests with a variety of in-room entertainment options. Video game consoles, board games and a selection of movies complete with popcorn provide a fun and engaging stay for kids and families alike. When my kids were younger, they would have loved that.
Villa Gallici Hôtel & Spa in France offers a personalized wine tasting experience in its intimate cellar. Guests can savour a selection of fine wines, carefully curated to suit their individual tastes, in the elegant and historic setting of the hotel’s wine cellar.
“By asking hotels to reveal the secrets behind their most memorable stays, we discovered that these “innsights” have actually inspired services available to guests today. From guitar concierges to pet healers, hotels are catering to travellers’ unique demands, which may well become the norm,” said Melanie Fish, vice president of Global Public Relations at Hotels.com.
While all of those perks sound great, for me, the most important thing about a hotel is its location and price. Is it in a safe neighbourhood that is close to the things I want to see in the destination I am visiting and is it a place I can afford on a freelancer’s budget?
How do you choose a hotel when you travel? Have you ever stayed at a hotel that had a perk that was out of the ordinary?
