Today’s guests, regardless of the segment, expect well-designed guestrooms and public spaces. HGTV and other design-focused media have given license to the masses to become design critics, which has put extra pressure on hoteliers and brands to stay ahead of the design curve. This can be a challenge for select-service brands, as they don’t have the flexibility and budget to undergo frequent renovations. Gettys ONE is an integrated design and procurement group for select-service hotels, and below they share some easy ways to maximize on today’s top trends without breaking the bank:
Flexibility & Connectivity
Public spaces are becoming residential—looking more like vibrant living and family rooms—designed for guests to relax, have a small bite or glass of wine, or work. An easy way to bring this trend to life at select service is to focus simply on your seating options. There are likely a variety of ways in which you can re-arrange your lobby layout to provide a more social environment. Be sure to organize your seating around electrical outlets for easy charging, of course make sure you’re offering free WiFi.
Curated F&B
Brands like Yotel, an airport hotel, are taking a fresh approach to food and beverage as consumers become more interested in options outside of fine dining and room service. Today’s travelers, especially millennials are opting for more causal gourmet grab-and-go items that they can enjoy while sitting in the lobby while working on their laptops, or just hanging out. Take a look at your existing infrastructure to see how you can offer more gourmet pre-packaged items, made either in-house or outsourced to a local bakery or restaurant, adding authenticity to the experience. In addition, give your existing offerings a gourmet upgrade to appeal to today’s health-conscious travelers. Swap out candy for healthier snacks such as KIND bars, fresh fruit, or protein-rich Greek Yogurt, and string cheeses.
Focus on Fitness
Fitness and wellness are two trends here to stay. IHG recently opened two EVEN hotels in Connecticut and Maryland, which focus on providing a guest experience stay centered around “wellness.” You might not have a fitness facility, or a wellness expert on staff, but there are still plenty of easy ways to make fitness a part of your property. Build a small stock of fitness must-haves including exercise DVDs, hand weights and yoga mats, and let guests check them out whenever they need to fit a quick work out in. Engage your staff to help create a special map outlining where guests can walk or run in the neighborhood.
Gettys ONE is an integrated team of interior design and procurement professionals focused on delivering valuable and creative solutions to the select-service hospitality market. The diversity of this specialized group leverages the 25 years of innovation from The Gettys Group to provide a comprehensive and streamlined approach to renovations and new-construction projects within this segment of the market. For more information about Gettys ONE, please visit www.gettysone.com.
The Gettys Group is an award-winning international hospitality consultancy headquartered in Chicago. For more than 25 years across the globe, Gettys has specialized in creating value through interior design, procurement, branding, and development services from project conception to completion.
For more information and a sampling of Gettys’ extensive portfolio, please visit www.gettys.com.