Some Hotels are improving their Lobbies at the Expense of Room Quality
The travel press has been full of stories lately about all the improvements that hotels are making in their lobbies. It seems that hotels made about $5 billion in improvements last year, and are making another $5 billion in upgrades this year. The reasons are the increased profitability of hotels and the desire to invest in amenities that set them apart from the competition and justify the hotels charging higher room rates. Moreover, a large part of these expenditures are going into a makeover of the hotel lobbies.
An article in USA Today points out that W Hotels kicked off the lobby competition in the late 1990s with its first hotel, which is in New York. Its lobbies, known for buzzing parties, sleek décor and mood lighting, got their inspiration from European hotels and cafes. Now such major chains as Marriott, Embassy Suites, and Sheraton, as well as boutique hotels have joined in this trend. For the article, click here.
Unfortunately, it has been our experience that sometimes these millions of dollars spent on improving lobbies are made at the expense of room quality. We recently attended a convention at a top resort hotel in Florida. The lobby restoration was almost complete. It was stunning in its modernistic design, complete with a huge round water sculpture.
However, it was obvious that the suite we stayed in had not been refreshed from our stay two years earlier. Couches and chairs that had looked stylish two years ago were now stained and even torn. The ice maker in the bar did not work. It was clear that the hotel was putting all its money in the lobby at the expense of its rooms. Even worse, it was increasing its room rates to such a level that the trade group holding the convention decided to have its next convention in Hawaii instead.
While vacation rentals don’t have lobbies, the hotel experience is a good lesson on why you should never neglect the basics of refreshing your property often and never neglect keeping the highest standards for your properties’ quality and amenities. Don’t have your investment in property improvements backfire as in the case of this hotel.
