Hotels: Gadgets, gizmos and green

Ask any regular traveller and you can almost guarantee they will have a hotel-from-hell story and (hopefully) a hotel-from-heaven counterpart. Whether you are travelling for pleasure or business, the place where you park your head at night can make or break the experience.

So what matters? Does a hotel need a spa? Toiletries (to take!)? The latest technology? A green policy? How do people decide where they will lay their heads? Synovate asked over 6,300 people across 10 countries to find out.

The chosen one (hotel, that is)
With so much choice and a mind-boggling amount of information out there, how does a traveller find the hotel that suits them best? Most people (46%) do a little research, finding a few comparable choices and selecting the most suitable. But one in ten (10%) simply choose the first ok one that they find.

Sheri Lambert, Synovate's United States-based Senior Vice President for Travel & Leisure research, says the proliferation of information online has changed the nature of hotel marketing.

"What an opportunity for hotels! All they have to - and yes, it's easier said than done - is create easy-to-find search ads to pursue this 10% of potential guests... the ones who want to find an 'ok' hotel quickly. They have to get their name in front of these people first.

"But it's not simply search marketing. There's also the 19% of people who research every hotel in the area so they can make a truly informed choice. Thirty-nine percent of respondents from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and 31% from Hong Kong do this. A well-considered and beautifully presented online strategy is a must."

The survey delved into how people research their hotel choices. Also showing the vital nature of an impressive online presence, the number one way people assess a hotel is via its website. Twenty-nine percent of potential guests use this more than any other research tool, topped by the French at 55%.

The second most popular choice lay with the 20%, or one in five, who ask colleagues, friends or relatives about hotels. This word-of-mouth approach was especially popular in the two south east Asian markets surveyed (42% in Indonesia and 35% in Malaysia use this more than any other research technique).

Managing Director of Synovate in Malaysia, Steve Murphy, says word-of-mouth rules the roost in markets such as Malaysia.

"There is a firm cultural focus on the importance of family and friends here so opinions and recommendations are often shared throughout social circles. The experience of someone who is trusted trumps any other marketing in many cases."

Seventeen percent of respondents primarily use review sites, far and away led by 54% of our broadband-savvy Japanese respondents*.

Lambert says: "Again we see how vital an online presence is for hotels. Some of the larger hotel companies are now employing people to stay on top of important review sites. Even for smaller hotels, it cannot be ignored."

* It must be noted that the survey was conducted online in Japan meaning all respondents were naturally among the most predisposed to use online solutions.

A room with a... PC?
Technology is not only the way many people find their hotels, it can now be make or break for whether a hotel is chosen. Taking your work with you, or even enjoying an on-the-road iPod dock - is more and more vital to more and more people.

An overall 47% make sure a hotel caters to their technology needs before they book it. And there is a gender difference on this attribute... 50% of men agreed and 44% of women. The highest agrees were found in Brazil (68%) and Malaysia (64%).

Murphy says of the Malaysian result: "A little surprising maybe, but urban Malaysians who travel are fairly technology-savvy and will want the same offerings outside of the country as they experience within Malaysia, where the high-end hotels are well set up technologically."

Lambert adds: "We are finding that it is now no longer an added feature to have wireless internet in hotels, but rather it is expected. Travellers, whether for business or leisure, need to be connected. Wi-Fi internet access is becoming a requirement for many guests, as they have fully adopted the freedom Wi-Fi provides in their own homes.

"Guests also want to have access to their social networks such as Facebook and MySpace... they want to be connected. In fact, we will start to see that travellers are relying on the internet for city information even when they have already checked in. This may even prompt a gradual switch from a "real live" concierge to an "internet concierge". Time will tell."

Rika Fujiki, Managing Director for Synovate in Japan, says that, excepting business travellers, the majority of Japanese are not too concerned about the technology offering of a hotel because they can get what they need via their own mobile devices.

"When Japanese travel for pleasure, they care about what they can do and experience at the travel destination, meals, communicating with family and friends and, of course, hot spring bathing. Technology is not high on the list as it’s nice to have a break.

"However, when Japanese leisure travellers do need to be connected, they can rely on their mobile devices. They don't necessarily require access to technology in a hotel room."

The green scene
A hotel's green credentials are also becoming more important to its guests. The Synovate survey asked potential guests to choose a statement that best described their feelings about all-things-green in their home away from home.

While it remains the least popular choice, nearly one in ten people (9%) say they will not stay at a hotel unless it has an environmental policy. There was significant difference from market to market though, with Malaysians leading the green charge at 27%, followed by Indonesians (17%) and Brazilians (15%).

Over half of all respondents chose the pragmatic-yet-caring approach, agreeing to 'a hotel's environmental policy is important to me, but I don't research it ahead of time'. This was most prevalent in Japanese (70%) and French (63%) respondents.

"Most Japanese do not deny the importance of a hotel's green policy, but they do not actively pursue it."

Sixty percent of Hong Kong respondents (the highest) agreed with "I don't care if a hotel has an environmental policy; I will stay there regardless", which Brendan Shair, Managing Director of Synovate in Hong Kong explains:

"While people in Hong Kong care about the environment, it is a long way off being as important as brands and luxury to the Hong Kong traveller. It's not that people are against green, it's simply that they don't think it should get in the way of choosing exactly the hotel they wish to stay at."

Synovate's Hong Kong-based Frances Li does a lot of work across many markets on hotels and their customer experience management: "People are more and more environmentally concerned in most markets but this has not yet translated into a major hotel selection criteria. The one in ten who look for a policy beforehand is very encouraging though, and I believe this number will rise as more hotels promote this as a competitive advantage. It is a way for a hotel to differentiate itself while having a positive effect on the environment."

Experience the suite life
Even the most travel weary road warrior can still get a frisson of excitement from a spectacular hotel experience. Of course there is a flip side too and hotels need to rigorously manage the experience from start to finish.

An overall 72% of all respondents agree that a bad hotel experience can ruin an entire trip, led by France (83%), Japan and Hong Kong (both 79%), the US (76%) and the UAE (75%). And 85% agree they will tell others about such a bad experience, led by France (97%), Canada (96%), Hong Kong (94%) and the US (93%).

But in better news for hoteliers, 90% say they will tell others about a good experience, sharing the 'inside scoop' with their friends and family. There was almost universal agreement with this from France (97%), Canada (96%), Brazil (96%) and the US (95%).

Thierry Pailleux, Synovate's Managing Director for France notes that the French are outspoken about their experiences, good or bad.

"During a trip, a hotel is the place where people expect to have a rest in the best possible conditions. Of course if they can't do it properly, it can ruin their whole trip. The French are not known for suffering in silence, but luckily they are also happy to talk about good times."

Overall, we have 58% of hotel-goers open to a new experience for each trip. Frances Li explains: "That's both a loyalty challenge, plus a huge opportunity for all hotels.

"This is probably more true for leisure travel than business travel. Hence, it is even more important to build loyalty with business travellers. As for the leisure travellers, you want them to have very good experience so that they may use other properties from the same group."

Hong Kongers led this response at 70%, followed by adventurous Japanese and UAE travellers at 64% and 63% respectively. The lowest agrees came from the US at 40% and Canada at 50%.

Stealing beauty
Some guests arrive at a hotel, dump their bags and make a beeline for the bathroom to check out the nature and breadth of the toiletry samples. (No, not me. Honest.) And it turns out that this is not so unusual - half of all American hotel guests are taking toiletries, no questions asked.

When asked to explain their feelings about toiletry samples, an overall 26% of survey respondents said "They are yours; they are part of the experience". This was led by the US (49%), Japan (43%) and France (41%), in each case with more women than men agreeing.

Sheri Lambert says the supply of toiletries has evolved from no-name items to a not-to-be-missed branding opportunity for both the hotel and the beauty product brand, often linking into spa products.

"Most high-end hotels should - and do - make the absolute most of people's propensity to enjoy ample samples. Linking the hotel brand to a luxury beauty brand helps create a certain lavish image in a guest's mind - and it works for both brands. Everyone wins; the hotel, the beauty brand and the happy guest."

Fujiki explains the Japanese perspective: "Japanese hotel guests do not necessarily take these samples for economical reasons. Japan has a sort of 'miniature' culture. In general, we like things made smaller than normal size. It's kawaii (cute). These products are cherished and seen as a way to make the home bathroom also look kawaii."

Despite the growing acceptance of toiletry-ownership, the overall most popular approach remains to simply use what you need during the stay and leave the rest. Half of all respondents do this, led by Indonesians (65%), Malaysians (58%) and Hong Kongers (54%).

With the taking of toiletries now a guilt-free pursuit for many, there remain a few people out there who feel like maybe they are stealing, but maybe not... The survey also found that 9% of respondents agreed with "You love taking them with you but always feel a shade guilty". French women most-often selected this, with 21% feeling slight remorse about pilfering products. (And, for the record, this is my choice too.)

Linda Collard talks hotels, guests, marketing and technology with Martin Dishman, Managing Director of The One Hotel Group in Siem Reap, Cambodia

Not too many interviews start loudly and proudly with a disclaimer, but this one does. I have stayed at The One Hotel. (I paid full price and it was well before this interview was even conceived.) The person who recommended it to me is a well travelled and extremely discerning senior manager at Synovate, who - in turn - first saw the hotel mentioned in the Conde Nast hot list. At the time, neither of us expected to invite its owner to feature in In:fact.

Why is this important? Because this sums up four factors in the hotel's success... public relations; word-of-mouth; getting to know the owner; and guests being so impressed that they write about the hotel by all-means-online. The laptop with always-on and free internet access in my room saw me update my Facebook status while I was there with an instant rave review, and Dishman tells me that many guests blog about the hotel.

The beauty of The One Hotel is simply that... it is a one-room hotel. A notion that Dishman arrived at quite by accident (a lucky fluke he says) but was so unusual that it immediately captured the imagination of travel writers and guests alike. There is something wildly appealing about being the only guests and having the full attention of Dishman's team (but only when you want it).

These days, Dishman's growing empire also includes the neighbouring Be Hotel (with three rooms and a slightly different price structure), Linga Bar across the alley, AHA restaurant and a spa for men.

When we talk, Dishman is just getting over the very rare occurrence of a guest who was less than thrilled. He is taking it personally without getting too bogged down. I get the impression that no matter how unusual it is to have a complaint, it's in Dishman's blood to shoot for a thrilled reaction each and every time. Conceding the guest's points were valid (stairs were too steep, water supply unreliable), Dishman is nonetheless disappointed his guest sent a post-visit letter rather than raise issues at the time.

"Managing a hotel is all about solving problems on the spot, whatever it takes - although there's nothing I can do about the stairs! As for everything else, we can work within the limitations of the town and its infrastructure and come up with solutions. This guy chatted with me every day of his stay, but didn't raise these issues. Most people who come to Cambodia are ready to embrace the great and the not-so-great of being here."

Infact: What kind of people stay at the One Hotel? Is there a type?

MD: Our typical customer is somewhere from their 30s to 50s, active, fun and usually very relaxed. Well travelled and appreciative of a unique experience rather than staying at a Hyatt.

Infact: How do you make sure guests are happy?

MD: Many guests are here for special occasions (like you were) honeymooners, birthdays, so they are always in a good mood. The staff do a great job, and we try to make sure the suite has everything it needs and also try to help guests to find different things to do, including our rooftop BBQ.

Infact: What is the ratio of staff to guests?

MD: Seven full time at the hotel and seven more at the bar. So not bad at all...

Infact: How do people find out about The One? Do you track this?

MD: We do not track how each and every guest books but we have so much PR out there that anyone searching around is likely to find out about us. We have zero advertising budget. Most guests find our website through search or word-of-mouth.

I also keep an eye on the major review sites like Trip Advisor and so on.

Infact: So your main marketing is PR and word-of-mouth? Have you sought PR or has it found you?

MD: PR has always found us, from day one when we made the Conde Nast Traveler Hot List and got a mention in the NY Times. That was followed by T+L USA, DestinAsia and just snowballed from there. Now most PR comes from other countries like Brazil, Dubai, Turkey, Latvia, Greece and Portugal, etc.

And we have been able to piggy back that PR with Hotel Be, which will be in T+L Australia soon.

Infact: Nice one. How important is online to your success?

MD: Absolutely critical, we would not be where we are without our well received website and the ability to search and find us.

I say no advertising budget, but we spend on the website for marketing purposes as well as printed brochures. The PR is easy in Siem Reap as it is such a small town and any writer visiting will surely hear about us and will likely want to visit and/or write about us.

Infact: Why do you blog about the hotel?

MD: Well, two main reasons: One is that I kept getting the same questions about why we did it so I thought I would reach more people by including it in the blog.

Second, I try to give a sense of what it is like to do business here, manage guest expectations and so on. Also, it helps us to get our message out about our unique place.

I enjoy doing it but do not try to make it a minute-by-minute account.

Infact: Is there anything you do - or any hotelier can do - to encourage word-of-mouth?

MD: I ask! I tell our guests to please come back and visit and tell their friends and relatives. And several guests have blogged about their stays.

Infact: I guess that's possible when you personally meet nearly every guest.

MD: True! The staff does a good job but meeting me helps to put things in context I guess.

Infact: Has anyone ever found that The One hotel was not what he or she was looking for? How did you handle it?

MD: Oh yes, that was part of today's blog post. They were a retired couple and their expectations were unmanageable. He was comparing us to the Shangri-La and he said he was only doing that based on price, which is, again, not fair.

Infact: So in that case, is it best to just minimise damage and send them on their way?

MD: Exactly. Not much we can do, other than try to meet their expectations. We have had only about three guests in three years that I considered to be unmanageable. As I told some other guests we cannot be all things to all people and sure, we are not going to hit the mark for every guest. We just need to do our best and know that 95% or more are thrilled.

Infact: Do you think people want to feel 'at home' in a hotel or like they are in a hotel?

MD: Well, I think that works in our favour, our unique one suite as it is so unlike anything they may have stayed at before. Especially road warriors types who are constantly in hotels, we are a refreshing change. And that is where the staff ratio and the warmth of the Cambodian staff come in.

There is a story I like to tell about a cook burning a pork chop during the guest BBQ. I asked him why and he said that when he took the food to the table the guests asked him a lot of questions and he got to talking to them and next thing you know the pork chop got burned. That is a good reason, I think.

Infact: What can you offer people who like trying something new every time?

MD: For something new, I know through networking with other ex-pats just about everything available to do here: horseback riding, elephant rides, dirt bikes, all terrain vehicles, ultra-light airplane ride, private cooking classes (good ones, personalised), and even the good karma experiences like donating water wells or piglets. It is just up to the imagination and interest of the guest and we can help to deliver it.

Infact: What makes The One unique (err... other than there's only one!)?

MD: I think it comes down to service and really having someone there to take care of what you need without queuing up with other guests. It makes you feel special and that your money is well spent.

Infact: How important is it for a hotel to take on the feel of a place?

MD: I do think it is important, but I don't want it to be cliché either. Some places you see here just do the same tired thing over and over again and it does not resonate.

Our touches are uniquely Cambodian because we have sought out people from here to help us find the right match in style and taste.

Infact: Have you seen any changes in bookings due to the current economic situation?

MD: Absolutely. We have seen a decline in business and last November and December something very unique for us: cancellations. That said, because of our small size and unique style we have out-performed our competitors and I believe that we will continue to do so. Again, something very important when you are trying to make something unique that stands out in the market place.

Infact: Do you have any strategies to ensure guests keep coming?

MD: We never had a two-night package before but we have now added one that is a good value I believe, and it has been well received. And we did something else just for low season by offering pay three nights get the fourth night free. Most guests do not stay four nights but this shows them we are willing to make it worth their while. We have done almost no discounting at The One Hotel since opening but I think these two offers show that we understand the current economic situation and are willing to work with our guests to fulfill their holiday wishes.

Infact: Your hotel only has a spa for men, a clear differentiation, but aren't spas just as important to women? If not more so?

MD: Oh no, the Spa For Men issue! We have since clarified it that it is open to all of our guests, men or women, (and even guests from the outside if they like). Our female hotel guests have enjoyed our massage treatments. The only issue comes down to whether or not they want a male or female therapist. Because of our small size and our admitted targeting of men we will only have full-time male therapists but can arrange for a female therapist to come in when needed if given 15-30 minutes notice. It works out perfectly fine now and not an issue at all. As I said, our external marketing is on men only because there is no other place doing it, therefore we corner the market yet we are accommodating of the needs of our hotel guests.

Infact: How important is the technology in the hotel?

MD: Well, other than playing their iPods and having a 32" LCD TV, our rooms are not that tech savvy. The essential ingredient is the internet connection which we provide free of charge unlike the majority of hotels. It may not be fast but it is free. So many people now don't travel with their laptops because they can carry their Blackberrys or iPhones so they can easily connect through us. I get the sense that more than a few guests like Cambodia because they can really get away from all of that, leave their work behind.

Infact: What percentage of guests takes the toiletries? Roughly.

MD: Other than the bar of soap there is nothing to take from us, as we just have the shampoo, shower gel and body lotion in pump dispensers. We do this for ecological reasons but certainly it helps in reducing guests taking toiletries unnecessarily.

Infact: Do you have a green policy?

MD: Yes, as stated with toiletries, not changing the sheets daily, recycling plans in place, turning off aircon when the guests are out, solar water heating.

Infact: Do you need one?

MD: Absolutely.

Infact: Do guests notice do you think? Do any ever enquire about it beforehand?

MD: No one asks in advance but for sure it gets noticed and appreciated. I have never had a guest say anything but positive comments about this.

Infact: When you travel yourself, do you stay at hotels?

MD: I stay at hotels in every price range from $20 per night to over $200. I generally try to seek out the newest, most unique places to see how they are doing and if they are able to pull off the balance of service, design and style.

Infact: What do you look for?

MD: At the very least I want friendliness. Checking into a Four Seasons (Sydney) and not being warmly greeted or greeted by name was disappointing. I also look for staff that go above and beyond, like one hotel in Bangkok that I asked to change the audio of an NBA basketball game from Thai to English. I knew it could be done because I know the cable system provides it. It took them some time but they got it done instead of just telling me no, it can't be done. Those things are appreciated. Nothing is worse than being told by a hotel staff that they cannot do something (within reason) that you know full well they can.

Infact: What did you learn from the big hotel business that has helped in running a small one?

MD: I think what I learned is about guest expectations and keeping on top of maintenance. In a big hotel you might forgive scuff marks or things not painted because you know they have so many rooms. We do not have that luxury. And, most importantly, we have to deliver given our small size otherwise we look foolish.

Infact: What was it important to do differently?

MD: Serving them differently. Two ladies staying with us wanted to go for a pedicure so our staff walked with them three blocks away to show them where it was. Personalising the visit to their needs that they cannot get at a bigger hotel.

Infact: What are your favourite hotels?

MD: I really enjoyed The Establishment in Sydney. Quirky, fun, exclusive, great amenities and well thought out. Just my kind of place.

Infact: Your best ever experience?

MD: I had a one-bedroom suite at the Peninsula Bangkok when they first opened and their prices were affordable. It was the nicest hotel room that I have stayed in. And talk about technology; imagine answering the speakerphone while taking a bath and watching TV.

Infact: Your worst?

MD: Maybe not the worst, but The Pavilion in Phnom Penh had a lot going for it but completely missed so many small details that it was a shame.

Infact: Can you enjoy staying at a hotel now, or do you spend the whole time thinking about how it's run?

MD: Contrary to what I just said about The Pavilion, I can stay in small places and be very forgiving. Staying in bigger hotels feels too much like work and you are always comparing how they are doing.

Infact: What's next for you? Expanding or staying as it is? What's the next thing planned for keeping The One Hotel fresh?

MD: Well, I think expanding is a way to keep it fresh. Otherwise, we are constantly in the room to make sure everything is working as planned. I will do some tweaking like changing the plants on the terrace.

Infact: Do you have loyal customers?

MD: One guest has been back five times. A well travelled road warrior based in Hong Kong that loves getting away from his ordinary travel routine by coming here. Another guest has stayed with us four times. And a number of guests that have been back for second visits.

Infact: Can such a small hotel offer any kind of loyalty programme? Have you thought about it?

MD: No, we do not have a loyalty programme; they just get to become friends with me... what could be better than that?! For them I will do the small, unexpected things rather than have some kind of set plan in place. When we expand to other cities, let's see...