NATIONAL REPORT— For many business and leisure travelers, in-room coffee is an important and expected amenity. In an effort to keep guests satisfied, some hoteliers are now offering upscale coffee brands as well as full-size coffee brewers. For example, Starbucks coffee and Tazo tea is available in-room at the Hotel Preston in Nashville. “We’re the only independent, boutique property in Nashville and we want to offer upgraded amenities. It’s expensive going with Starbucks but we’re launching a new concept and are trying to be different,” said Paul Finnegan, gm of the hotel, which opened in February under its new name. “The hotel was a Rodeway, a Howard Johnson, a Clarion and a Radisson. We want to capture a different market and upgraded amenities like the Starbucks coffee will help us to do that,” Finnegan said. The 196 guestrooms and suites at the Hotel Preston have six-cup coffeemakers, logoed mugs and condiment kits for guests. Finnegan estimated that 90% of the hotel’s guests use the in-room beverage service. “Our clientele is 50/50 business vs. leisure and both segments use it equally,” he said. In-room hot beverages have become “part of the culture at hotels, guests have come to expect them,” said Vince Barrett, corporate director of food and beverage for New Castle Hotels, which has 22 properties in its portfolio. New Castle properties offer guests Melitta coffee and Lipton tea, in both regular and decaf blends. The hot beverages are a popular amenity at New Castle properties as evidenced by the amounts used, Barrett noted. “The coffee comes in portions which make four cups. On a consumption basis, we go through about six cases or 600 to 800 portions per property per month,” he said. Meanwhile, the 161 suites at Tundra Lodge Resort & Waterpark in Green Bay, WI have full-size coffeemakers for guests to use, said Gregory Smith, director of rooms. “We want to have a full-size coffeemaker because of the number of guests who stay in our suites, which is anywhere from two to 10 people,” Smith said. Guests are offered Superior brand coffee, both regular and decaffeinated blends, to brew in the 10-cup coffeemaker. There are also coffee mugs for guest use and a condiment kit with sugar, creamers, stirrers and napkins. Tea is available upon request, Smith said. “We plan amenities based on the comment cards we get from guests and tea is not generally asked for,” he said. The in-room coffee is complimentary, Smith added. “It’s an amenity like soap or shampoo or having an iron and ironing board in the room. We don’t think it would be right to charge for it. We don’t charge for in-room Internet either,” he said. Some 34% of guests at the Tundra Lodge take advantage of the in-room coffee service, according to Smith. In addition to the coffeemaker, suites have refrigerators and microwave ovens, he said.
