The summer holidays are upon us, everything is booked and the pleasurable anticipation increases. The majority of guests return home with happy memories and show this with a positive evaluation on the internet. However it is impossible to ignore that some guests may find fault with their stay. It is just such negative evaluations that give the hotelier the chance to improve their service and aspects of hygiene and thus maximise the satisfaction of their guests.
The international booking portal hotel.info has analysed the critical comments of its customers since 2012. The result: poor service, lack of cleanliness and a poor selection on the breakfast buffet are the main points criticised.
Those who have experienced poor service often leave a friendly message for the hotel management which states, "The dirtiest 4 star hotel that I have ever seen. A few hairs on the wall tiles but when I looked at the floor there was a complete bundle."
hotel.info shares the main complaints of hotel guests
Complaint
1. Extra costs for internet access, parking, breakfast, etc: 65.50%
2. Lack of service: 53.90%
3. Breakfast choice: 48.20%
4. Uncomfortable beds: 45.90%
5. Dirty rooms: 43.10%
6. Unfriendliness: 35.20%
7. Quality of breakfast: 32.90%
8. Noise level in the room: 30.60%
9. Value for money in general: 29.90%
10. Hotel does not offer what it promises: 26.20%
Vodka, oranges and shaving cream: special cleaning tips for hoteliers
hotel.info recommends hoteliers to seriously reconsider the extra charges for additional services such as parking and internet access. Just as important for the guest's satisfaction is the friendliness of the hotel staff. The hotelier should also look here carefully to ascertain which of his service staff may be need of a motivational course.
Another area attracting a great deal of criticism is cleanliness: Vodka and oranges also have their uses apart from in cocktails. Even tough stains can easily be removed with ordinary household remedies. hotel.info has put together some simple cleaning tips for hoteliers. A further benefit is that most of these "cleaning products" are as much as 100% bio-degradable.
For instance a 50/50 mixture of water and vodka placed in a spray bottle and then spread on upholstery removes all stale odours. On the other hand dirty mirrors can be made to gleam without any smears by using shaving cream which also prevents misting up of the glass.
Particularly useful and environmentally friendly for cleaning wash basins, showers and so on is the use of orange peel. Just rub over the enamelled surfaces with the inside of the peel and rinse well with water. Just a pleasant fruity perfume remains.
These helpful tips and a lot more information not just for hoteliers can be found in the hotel.info blog.
However anyone looking to book a trip should be aware that a hotel in the budget price segment cannot offer the same level of service as one with four stars. Should the traveller have decided on a cheaper offer and is disappointed on arrival then they should give the hotel management the chance to improve matters. If the staff are unwilling to do this then an attempt should be made to obtain a price reduction or to switch to another hotel. It is important for all potential hotel guests to realise before they set off on their journey that whosoever expects four stars has to pay accordingly.
