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| Houston's Heart of Hospitality |
Houston is an energetic city known for delivering phenomenal hospitality to its visitors. With the many excellent hotels in the city’s array of activity hubs, such as Downtown Houston, Midtown and the Galleria area, Houston always offers somewhere great for visitors to stay and play. In this chapter, take a look at the hospitality trends experts say are hitting the hotel world in 2013. Then learn about new renovations and facelifts happening all over town and take a closer look at how hotel lobbies are great option for event space. Plus, sink into the most luxurious spas that Houston hotels have to offer, and explore the different benefits of booking stays at boutique versus national-brand hotels.
Hospitality trends 2013
As the economy continues its climb out of the hardest times in recent memory, more people are beginning to travel again to target destinations like Houston. Hotels are responding to the needs and wants reflected in a new kind of guest who believes that quality experiences without the fluff are once again worth the splurge. Concerned not only with their own finances but also their personal impact on the local economy, many hotel guests take both aspects into consideration before they book. In the search for the right hotel, many are seeking out simplicity, comfort, a sense of optimism, uniquely satisfying experiences and technological connectivity. With that in mind, see what experts say are the hospitality trends for 2013.
— Authentic, Personal and Welcoming
Say goodbye to quirky gimmicks and fancy flourishes and hello to authentic, tasteful experiences that people really want. The extra expense tacked onto a room price to cover in-room bone-china coffee service or legions of bellmen expecting tips is something guests don’t need to have if it means a better deal on a room. Getting rid what people could take or leave can lower the room cost and therefore drive up occupancy. Increasingly, trends show that guests would rather experience something straightforward, simple and pared down where they feel an almost personal connection with the room and the staff. In addition, lobbies are becoming less a guest throughway and more a place to gather and socialize. New hotels are including long tables, accessible power strips and inviting aesthetics that encourage people to walk right in and stay a while.
— Comfort and Functionality
From the guestrooms to the bathrooms, the trend is heading toward comfort and functionality over glitz and glam. Rooms will begin to feature more “comfort pieces,” such as a big fluffy couch layered with cushions, accent rugs and wall hangings. Luxury no longer equals expense in the bathrooms as hotels turn away from fancy marble and gold fixtures toward spacious layouts with more function. Increasingly popular are freestanding tubs, walk-in showers and double sinks with lots of counter space.
— Colorful Décor and Lighting
Traditionally, the standard room has been neutral in tone with color added through art and accents, but those proportions are changing this year. Newer hotels are instilling an underlying feeling of optimism into their designs with bright colors and sophisticated accents in black and white. Also adding to the color palette and ambiance is lighting—more importantly mood lighting. Instead of just an all-or-nothing switch, some hotels are installing dimmer switches in every guestroom. Easy to implement, this simple touch gives guests control over the entire spectrum from bright, functional light to soothing, mellow shadows depending on their needs.
— Real Food for Real Tastes
Although the attraction of having a big-name celebrity chef at the hotel-kitchen helm has not passed, that name is becoming less important than the quality of what reaches the table. The same Food Network influence has made guests desire unique food experiences, but few still dare to venture away from familiar favorites. More and more, the average hotel diner wants chefs that can manipulate known foods with their ability, imagination and innovation in a way that stretches the boundaries of culinary comfort without breaking them altogether.
Food also is changing in hotels to meet expectations for dietary health and local sustainability. Health-conscious hotel customers want to know the calorie and fat count and whether the food on the menu is organic, gluten free, Kosher or low in sodium to meet and respect their diet restrictions.
Guests looking for a sophisticated experience also care about the origin of the ingredients. Not only is it more authentic and simply tastes better, using food locally purchased, grown or produced works on many levels. As it shows the hotel’s commitment to the health of local economy and sustainability efforts, the local community in turn promotes the hotel as a valued partner, and guests tend to connect more with the property, the restaurant and their experience overall.
— Augmented Web Content
More often than not, people immediately go online to research hotel options, so if the website is limited in information, visually unattractive or difficult to navigate, it can turn away potential guests, especially new ones. Because of this, hotels are working to improve the utility of their websites to effectively convey their advantages and invite direct bookings right then and there.
To do this, hotels are going beyond listing the property’s address and amenities by incorporating photos, videos and extended usable content. Stock photos are no more; hotels are hiring professionals that specialize in architectural photography to accurately portray the property and its unique design elements. When used properly, videos prove to be a vital element for hotel marketers on the Web. Replacing videos that simply walk through the lobby and rooms are video stories that showcase interesting or useful information and highlight the unique features of the property or the surrounding area. Other popular video elements include interviews and testimonials with staff and guests.
Hospitality trends 2013
As the economy continues its climb out of the hardest times in recent memory, more people are beginning to travel again to target destinations like Houston. Hotels are responding to the needs and wants reflected in a new kind of guest who believes that quality experiences without the fluff are once again worth the splurge. Concerned not only with their own finances but also their personal impact on the local economy, many hotel guests take both aspects into consideration before they book. In the search for the right hotel, many are seeking out simplicity, comfort, a sense of optimism, uniquely satisfying experiences and technological connectivity. With that in mind, see what experts say are the hospitality trends for 2013.
— Authentic, Personal and Welcoming
Say goodbye to quirky gimmicks and fancy flourishes and hello to authentic, tasteful experiences that people really want. The extra expense tacked onto a room price to cover in-room bone-china coffee service or legions of bellmen expecting tips is something guests don’t need to have if it means a better deal on a room. Getting rid what people could take or leave can lower the room cost and therefore drive up occupancy. Increasingly, trends show that guests would rather experience something straightforward, simple and pared down where they feel an almost personal connection with the room and the staff. In addition, lobbies are becoming less a guest throughway and more a place to gather and socialize. New hotels are including long tables, accessible power strips and inviting aesthetics that encourage people to walk right in and stay a while.
— Comfort and Functionality
From the guestrooms to the bathrooms, the trend is heading toward comfort and functionality over glitz and glam. Rooms will begin to feature more “comfort pieces,” such as a big fluffy couch layered with cushions, accent rugs and wall hangings. Luxury no longer equals expense in the bathrooms as hotels turn away from fancy marble and gold fixtures toward spacious layouts with more function. Increasingly popular are freestanding tubs, walk-in showers and double sinks with lots of counter space.
— Colorful Décor and Lighting
Traditionally, the standard room has been neutral in tone with color added through art and accents, but those proportions are changing this year. Newer hotels are instilling an underlying feeling of optimism into their designs with bright colors and sophisticated accents in black and white. Also adding to the color palette and ambiance is lighting—more importantly mood lighting. Instead of just an all-or-nothing switch, some hotels are installing dimmer switches in every guestroom. Easy to implement, this simple touch gives guests control over the entire spectrum from bright, functional light to soothing, mellow shadows depending on their needs.
— Real Food for Real Tastes
Although the attraction of having a big-name celebrity chef at the hotel-kitchen helm has not passed, that name is becoming less important than the quality of what reaches the table. The same Food Network influence has made guests desire unique food experiences, but few still dare to venture away from familiar favorites. More and more, the average hotel diner wants chefs that can manipulate known foods with their ability, imagination and innovation in a way that stretches the boundaries of culinary comfort without breaking them altogether.
Food also is changing in hotels to meet expectations for dietary health and local sustainability. Health-conscious hotel customers want to know the calorie and fat count and whether the food on the menu is organic, gluten free, Kosher or low in sodium to meet and respect their diet restrictions.
Guests looking for a sophisticated experience also care about the origin of the ingredients. Not only is it more authentic and simply tastes better, using food locally purchased, grown or produced works on many levels. As it shows the hotel’s commitment to the health of local economy and sustainability efforts, the local community in turn promotes the hotel as a valued partner, and guests tend to connect more with the property, the restaurant and their experience overall.
— Augmented Web Content
More often than not, people immediately go online to research hotel options, so if the website is limited in information, visually unattractive or difficult to navigate, it can turn away potential guests, especially new ones. Because of this, hotels are working to improve the utility of their websites to effectively convey their advantages and invite direct bookings right then and there.
To do this, hotels are going beyond listing the property’s address and amenities by incorporating photos, videos and extended usable content. Stock photos are no more; hotels are hiring professionals that specialize in architectural photography to accurately portray the property and its unique design elements. When used properly, videos prove to be a vital element for hotel marketers on the Web. Replacing videos that simply walk through the lobby and rooms are video stories that showcase interesting or useful information and highlight the unique features of the property or the surrounding area. Other popular video elements include interviews and testimonials with staff and guests.
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If accepted, your submission will be edited for length and clarity. There is no monetary payment if your item is used; instead, you can publicize yourself through a five-line biography with your contact information that will appear at the end of the article.
Send submissions to
editorial@MeetingPlannerResources.org. We will contact you if your submission is chosen.