Elevating Boutique and Independent Hotel Bookings: The Role of Technology and Vendor Partnerships
In the dynamic landscape of hospitality, boutique and independent hotels are increasingly recognized for their one-of-a-kind and personalized guest experiences.
However, in a world dominated by online booking platforms, stiff competition, and endless options, hotels face the challenge of standing out while ensuring seamless booking processes and exceptional guest satisfaction. To navigate these challenges, boutique and independent hotels are turning to technology and strategic vendor partnerships to enhance their approach to online bookings and to create efficient procedures.
At the center of this process is a collaborative effort by independent hotels to prioritize frictionless booking and leverage new technologies to facilitate the booking experience. Recognizing that convenience is key for today’s travelers, these independent hotels are investing in user-friendly booking interfaces and seamless online reservation systems. With the use of technology, hotels aim to simplify the booking process, making it effortless for guests to secure their stays with just a few clicks as well as include additional services and experiences.
Independent hotels are doubling down on their efforts to increase direct booking conversions. In an era where online travel agencies (OTAs) dominate the market, hotels are strategically incentivizing guests to book directly through their own websites. By offering exclusive perks, discounts, or rewards, they seek to avoid third-party commissions and build stronger, more direct relationships with travelers. In recent years, we’ve seen an increased demand for personalization and tailored services. Hotels are capitalizing on this trend by offering added value or exclusive packages that are only accessible through direct booking, enticing guests to engage with them directly and enhance their stay experience.
For example, Curator Hotel & Resort Collection member, Hotel Zena in Washington D.C., recently offered an exclusive deal through their website for the National Cherry Blossom Festival by providing guests the opportunity to immerse themselves in the festival, unwind with a special large format tea ceremony cocktail at Figleaf Bar & Lounge, and opt for an in-room plant to enhance guest well-being.
Another testament to this trend is 1 Hotel San Francisco offering an exclusive package called Be Well at 1, which includes a discount on an overnight stay combined with a complimentary one-hour personal training session with fitness partner LuxFit SF. This property also features Dog Days, encouraging guests to stay with their four-legged friend to receive treats, a toy, and a dog bandana from local pet brands, along with an in-room dog bed and pet bowls.
The Frictionless Booking Experience
Central to the strategy of independent hotels is the relentless pursuit of a frictionless booking experience. Recognizing that today’s travelers demand convenience and simplicity, hoteliers are investing in user-friendly booking interfaces and seamless online reservation systems. Among the key players facilitating this seamless experience is Sabre’s SynXis, the engine driving online distribution and bookings for approximately 80% of the member hotels and resorts within Curator Hotel & Resort Collection.
However, enhancing the booking experience goes beyond mere functionality, it’s about creating a system that captivates and converts visitors. Here’s where RevRaise, a software-as-a-service product designed for hotels using SynXis, steps in. RevRaise not only integrates a hotel’s booking engine into its website but also offers customized front-end designs aimed at streamlining the user experience. Curator members benefit from exclusive discounted rates, making it an enticing solution that also provides a proven return on investment.
In addition, Curator has leveraged RevRaise as an integration platform to connect its members to other advanced booking conversion-driving products, including travel insurance from AIG. With the backend integration work already completed, hotels can effortlessly insert AIG into their booking process based on pre-negotiated offer terms and conditions. Adding this offer to the booking experience not only incentivizes guests to book early but also provides them with peace of mind knowing that unforeseen circumstances won’t result in a complete loss of their investment. Travel insurance has become increasingly important, especially after the pandemic, due to the unpredictable nature of travel.
With ever-changing travel restrictions, flight cancellations, and health concerns, travelers are seeking more comprehensive coverage to protect their plans against unforeseen circumstances with the confidence that they can secure a trip within a reasonable planning period at a favorable rate. This added layer of protection provides travelers with peace of mind, knowing that they can recoup some or all of their expenses if their travel plans are disrupted.
Another innovative addition to the booking experience, also available to Curator members through RevRaise, is Sensible Weather, a weather-based insurance product. Hotels that offer Sensible Weather demonstrate a proactive approach to guest satisfaction, showing a commitment to a seamless and enjoyable experience. By mitigating the impact of unpredictable weather, hotels can significantly reduce the risk of guest dissatisfaction and potential cancellations, ultimately strengthening their dedication to customers. This offering not only sets hotels apart from their competitors but also establishes them as forward-thinking and guest-centric. The Pelican Grand Beach Resort, a Noble House Hotels & Resorts property, is one example of a Curator member property that is finding success with this service. Since going live with the Sensible Weather offer, the hotel has seen an attach rate of 24% covering 119 room nights.
Another important consideration in the MarTech toolbox is the deployment of direct booking tools that can provide valuable insights and conversion tactics to encourage guests to book directly, thereby giving hotels greater control over their guest relationships. Triptease, for instance, offers a suite of solutions ranging from a real-time price check widget and targeted messaging on the hotel website to rate parity monitoring and automated metasearch adjustments that keep your direct booking offer in-line and competitive with how OTAs and other distribution partners are actively marketing your hotel.
Developing Rich and Engaging Guest Relationships
Beyond facilitating bookings, independent hotels are focused on cultivating rich and engaging guest relationships. They understand that today’s travelers seek authentic experiences that extend beyond the confines of their rooms. To this end, Curator has partnered with Visiting Media to create a more immersive and visually captivating website experience. Through TrueTour Virtual Selling Software, hotels can showcase their rooms, event spaces, and amenities in stunning 360° views, providing potential guests with an enticing virtual preview of what awaits them. This partnership has not only enhanced the website experience but has also led to an increase in bookings, as potential guests are able to explore the hotel virtually and get a sense of its atmosphere and establish a more personal connection with their stay before making a reservation.
Engaging guest relationships also goes beyond virtual tours, it’s about creating personalized experiences that leave a lasting impression. To stand out, boutique and independent hotels are increasingly focusing on offering unique experiences that resonate with guests. Whether it’s activities on-property or partnerships with local outlets and operators, these experiences add value to the guest journey and create lasting memories. Curator’s collaboration with Rezdy exemplifies this commitment to experiential travel, offering hotels a robust platform for managing online bookings, supporting and delivering on on-property experiences and offering a connected distribution network of local experiences.
Streamlining Operations for Guest Satisfaction
While guest relationships are paramount, independent hotels also recognize the importance of streamlining operations to ensure guest satisfaction. Technology also plays a pivotal role, empowering hotels to deliver efficient and seamless service. This is where upselling solutions like Roomdex and Oaky come into play. These platforms enable hotels to offer relevant upgrades and services throughout the guest journey, maximizing revenue while enhancing the overall guest experience, Taking advantage of features like dynamic pricing and enhanced branding across guest communication touchpoints. Upsell solutions provide an efficient way for a hotel to manage additional services such as late check-outs and room upgrades to offering up more personalized guest services and add-ons that can be tailored and targeted to each guest based on their guest profile and stay preferences.
The cashless tipping trend has also been growing in recent years, particularly in the hospitality industry. This shift is driven by the increasing use of credit cards and digital payment methods, as well as the convenience and hygiene benefits of not handling physical cash. Curator has been at the forefront of promoting cashless tipping, with partnerships currently in place with TipBrightly and eTip, to provide member hotels with options to facilitate a seamless and hygienic tipping solution that meets their specific operating, employment, and compliance guidelines. We’ve seen noticeable improvements in both guest and hotel team member satisfaction at hotels who have adopted the technology as guests can now show their appreciation easily and conveniently without the hassle of cash transactions.
The convergence of technology and strategic partnerships is reshaping the landscape of boutique and independent hotel bookings. From facilitating seamless booking experiences to cultivating rich guest relationships and streamlining operations, these innovations are propelling independent hotels to new heights of success. By leveraging a suite of fully-vetted strategic contracts with industry-leading technology providers, Curator members have the opportunity to minimize operating expenses, bolster profitability, and remain at the forefront of innovation-ultimately elevating the guest experience.
As the hospitality industry continues to evolve, embracing these types of advancements and innovations will be essential for staying ahead in an increasingly competitive market. Technology solutions in the hospitality space allow our industry professionals to focus on their expertise, enabling hotels to concentrate on what makes them unique and what they are passionate about-creating memorable guest stays.
Reprinted from the Hotel Business Review with permission from http://www.hotelexecutive.com/.
