The metaphorical gates were shut again as the world opened more travel. This proves that there is no way to predict the future of travel. We know that people love to travel and will go any length to make it happen. The hospitality industry has risen to the occasion through creativity and resilience.

As we enter the third year of this lingering pandemic, what are hotel guests looking for? What has the situation been like, and what can they expect from hotels in the future? We have our opinion on everything from great service to memorable experiences and everything in-between.

Enjoy Unique Experiences and Cool Lodgings

Hotel guests want that cool factor, as evidenced by new openings.

Vogue reports that the most awaited new hotel openings in 2022 are cool.

We noticed a commonality in these hotels: they are all modern and luxurious with trendy and comfortable surroundings that invite guests to spend time there. These hotels offer more than just a place to sleep for the night. They also have spas, jazz clubs, and greenery-filled courtyards that guests can use to relax.

This is a natural trend as most people travel to new places, further afield or within their own country. You can do whatever you want to increase the luxury factor, including larger renovations and new soft furnishings. Your unique selling proposition (USP), your distinctive selling point, should be highlighted. What makes you unique?

Although Google’s hotel-free booking links program in March 2021 was welcome, it is becoming increasingly crowded. Instead of trying to grab attention, focus on what makes you unique. You will attract a niche market that is loyal to you.

Excellent Service

Despite the proliferation of ‘be kind’ notices appearing in public places, everyone’s patience is waning. Many of our partners have told us that hotel guests are understanding and excited to go somewhere new.

Hotels are now faced with the challenge of attracting and keeping staff. Guests expect the same level of service, no matter how friendly they may be. How do you make sure that your guests are satisfied? Enter automation. Automation and AI have been implemented in many hotels to improve efficiency and decrease costs.

Chatbots can be thought of as your virtual concierge for your website. They enable guests to communicate with you automatically throughout the guest process.

Automation doesn’t necessarily mean that you can do everything automatically, but it does not mean that you have to be hands-off. Even though guests still desire interaction, this can take the form of text messaging or emails. Thanks to the pandemic, guests across all generations are more comfortable communicating digitally.

A modern property management system (PMS), which streamlines the front- and back-office tasks, allows you to make the most of your small but powerful team. This will allow you to spend more time on guest service or other tasks such as sanitizing common areas. ).

Flexible Booking Policy

In 2022, guests can expect flexible booking policies that allow them to cancel or modify their reservations quickly. Hotels had to be flexible due to the ever-changing restrictions that were in place at the outbreak. Although overall measures have been relaxed, guests still expect the same flexibility.

Dear Hotelier, cancelations and no-shows can be a hassle, especially when made so quickly. We recommend offering a flexible booking policy to your guests to seal the deal. However, there is a catch: You must have a booking retention strategy.

You can offer alternatives to cancellations such as gift cards and future bookings and encourage future bookings with value-added incentives. All that may sound like a lot of work, but it is as if your PMS has the functionality to do all this. Last-minute vacancies can be filled by a booking system that lets you manage availability and rates on all channels simultaneously.

Sustainable Stays

Many organizations have highlighted the importance of sustainability to consumers. Booking.com’s 2021 sustainability report states that 73% of travelers will choose a hotel with a sustainability program. The same report shows that 61% of guests credit the pandemic with their sustainable travel goals.

This “trend” is becoming more common, and hotels should implement green initiatives to increase their guest count. In addition to saving money and time, sustainable practices can help save time and reduce waste. You can also leverage new technology to streamline your operations, such as a PMS that allows for paperless check-ins, keyless entry, and lower energy consumption through cloud-based software.

It’s not only the environment that guests are concerned about. Social awareness and social change have been a result of the pandemic. Do you pay fair wages? Are you supporting local businesses? Are you proud of your diverse workforce?

It will help you attract customers and build loyalty by sharing what you are doing to promote fair and sustainable business practices in your customer-facing communications.

Mobile Bookings

Most accommodations today have a website and can be booked online. The majority of online bookings are made on smartphones and desktops, but the trend is changing. More and more people book directly from their mobile devices, which is no surprise considering that 83% of Americans have smartphones. What does this mean to hoteliers?

It’s crucial to meet your guests at their point of departure, as 70% of travelers do their research on their smartphones. If there are only two properties, and the hotel website isn’t mobile-optimized for booking, chances are you will be overlooked.

Mobile booking is growing rapidly.

Hygiene and hands-free hospitality

We’ve all been more mindful of hygiene since the pandemic. Hospitality industry guests expect a cleanroom. One dust particle can make all the difference. A mobile housekeeping application will keep your hotel rooms clean and tidy, even with small housekeeping staff. Using room-specific housekeeping checklists takes the guesswork out and makes sure nothing is missed. Make sure that all guest rooms are cleaned and swept regularly. Instead of waiting for things to get dirty, you can hack the system and set alarms in your PMS to schedule times for wiping down the front desk.