Your boutique hotel guest has changed. Are you still on the same page?

How well do you know your guests? Are you still giving them exactly what they want from a boutique hotel? Or are you sticking with the same methods you’ve used for years?

There is comfort in sticking with the old ways, and why would they still not work? Well, because your guests’ priorities have changed drastically in the last year and what they want now will be different from just a few short months ago.

In order to deliver the intimate, boutique service you promise, you need to be on the same page.

They Want Flexibility
In the wake of COVID-19, planning a holiday is fraught with difficulty. Guests will be consistently on edge in the lead-up to their trip that it could become impossible in one fell swoop.

In order to provide a boutique service, you need to put your guests at ease. Placate their concerns by making it clear that you can be flexible in the event a trip has to be moved, cut short, or postponed.

Read more: 5 things your guests expect from a staycation

They Are Risk-Averse
At least for now, the number of holidays most people will take in a year will be limited, as will their scope of travel. As a result, guests are unlikely to want to take risks with the places they visit, so it is more important than ever to meet or exceed expectations.

Guests will be forever grateful that what you promised them for their trip, you delivered. And they are likely to reward you with their loyalty. In a post-COVID world, when guests find a boutique hotel that gives them everything they want and aligns with their values, just like Tewkesbury Park does, they will return.

They’re Tech Savvy
Remote check-in and QR codes have become the norm in the wake of COVID and guests are happy with it. In fact, for many, it’s baffling it took so long for hospitality to catch up given technology plays such a crucial role in all other aspects of life.

Take advantage of your guests’ tech-savviness by offering them a paperless experience. It’s what they want, especially given touchpoints are best avoided. When everything from room directories, restaurant menus, weather updates, and daily schedules can be provided on a digital app, why waste time and money on the printing?

Watch this story from Budock Vean about how they use technology as the core way they communicate with their guests and how it broadens their appeal.

They Want Reassurance
Unsurprisingly, guests are now more health-and-safety-conscious than ever, and it is up to you to reassure them, to make them comfortable. That means showing that you care for your guests and their health, and creating for them a home from home where they can feel relaxed.

If you can inspire confidence that you are doing all you can to protect them, your guests will be able to enjoy their stay with you to the utmost.

They Want to Escape
Your guests want to escape from their daily routine. Pre-COVID, they would likely have jumped on a plane to do that. But now many of your guests will be on a staycation, looking for a sanctuary just a drive away from where they live. So make sure what you are offering them is unique, not everyday.

The simple pleasure of taking time away is more valuable than ever now. Make it count for guests. They don’t want identikit, they don’t want formulaic. they don’t want corporate. They want personality, they want charm, they want enchanting.