Wellness Hospitality in 2021
According to many lodging experts, the shift to redefine “wellness” in the hospitality industry is on the rise since the global pandemic began and the development of programs designed to give guests the comfort and sense of well-being is major focus in branded and independent hotels.
Historically, and certainly pre-COVID-19, guests’ expectations of wellness offerings at a hotel or resort may have included spa facilities, fitness centers, salt-water pools, upscale in-room amenities, and healthy menu options in F&B.
Over the past decade, a shift has occurred to offer a more holistic approach and a variety of amenities to give guests a more a true hospitality experience and honor what today’s guests demand – a healthier lifestyle away from home. The true hotel or resort wellness program will keep guests loyal and keep coming back.
The challenge for properties, hotel owners and hospitality management companies is to appeal to the masses and offer a wide variety of options through innovative solutions and no-touch technology. Navigating what the supplier market has to offer can be challenging.
Hospitality companies realize that a high rate of return may not always happen immediately when developing health and wellness programs. Think in-room coffee. For those hotel veterans that have been around the business 30+ years or more, they may remember when in-room coffee was first introduced. Although coffee is not considered a wellness product, it’s fair to say guests want their well-being taken care of just like they want their coffee. Coffee in the room fast became more than amenity, it’s a brand standard for most. The ROI on coffee was difficult to quantify, and generally the cost was built into the room rate. The more coffee products that entered the hotel market, the more affordable it became and the more flavor and other options were developed to give hotels options to brand themselves.
We are seeing the same trends in hospitality wellness – more and more companies are being creative with their services and products.
One size does not fit all and “wellness” can be defined in a so many different ways guest-to-guest. Today more than ever, it can mean cleanliness, which is moving from the back of the house to more of a presence in the front of the house.
Guests absolutely expect their environment within a hotel to be clean and even sterile, free of germs and viruses. They want this to be obvious, especially in the guest room, where they spend the most time. There are a wide variety of solutions for these guests on the market and hotel operators are exploring these options now more than ever.
Bottom Line
Wellness and healthy options are becoming standard expectations within the hospitality industry. Companies are developing innovation in technology and services to help hotels offer enhancements to help meet operators’ goals. A well-planned wellness-focused hotel will increase occupancy, ADR, F&B and Spa spend. If you are hotel that would like to explore supplier options for your entire P&L, with a focus on wellness branding yourself, that is our expertise at iDEAL Hospitality Partners Group. If you are a company offering innovative products and services and want to boost sales into hotels, we can create the path and strategy. info@idealhpgroup.com or call 984-235-5855.