When a Hotel gets it wrong...
My recent article on ‘when a hotel gets it all right’ can now be contrasted with this next version. The purpose is not to name and shame so as a result I will not name the hotel but I hope it gives other hotels a guide on ‘what not to do’.
I have been on the road now for 12 days straight (5 different hotels) with another 3 days to go (1 more hotel) before returning to my own bed… but this recent night has to be the topic of this article… as I am still flabbergasted that the manager of this institution allows this room to be sold (let alone with the price tag of $145 per night).
Upon entry to my designated room I stumbled over the luggage rack as the door passes with millimetres to spare, and it was already noticeable the room was small. Looking around I was stunned there was not a window to the outside world. Now I don’t get claustrophobic but I was starting to feel my chest tighten as I had just completed 6 and a half hours driving in the car, craving some room to stretch legs and gain some space to relax.
As I took my toiletries to the bathroom I noticed what seem to be some strange horizontal hooks. Confused as to how they would hold a towel I then realised they were the remnants of a shelf that had obviously been broken, leaving the brackets bare on the wall. Right in the middle of these brackets a sign that said ‘close door when showering as the steam will set off smoke alarms’ (Image A)… oh yeah this stay was going to be special!
Dying for a shower, yet the shower head looked a little less than desirable but the desperation took over and I turned on the tap. At this point I just had to laugh… or I’d cry. What seemed like a water saver was no where near a water saver. After just coming from Quest where their shower heads turn different colours to give you an indication that you probably have used enough water by now, this shower had no such thing or even considered reduction in water usage. In actual fact, if it had, it would have tuned red in 30 seconds flat as the stream of water belted on my head like I was standing under a waterfall. I actually tried to picture myself in that position to put me at more at ease but unfortunately the image quickly turned to me standing under a storm water drain.
Puzzled by many odds and ends in the room, including a desk light perched on top of the cupboard that could not be reached to a make-shift hairdryer that was obvious that it needed to be affixed to something to be able to operate efficiently. But really the power of this hairdryer wouldn’t have dried the water off a ducks back.
When I work with my clients my message is pretty consistent, "put yourselves in the shoes of your customers". This simple mind-set, whether it be ensuring you stay in a room you sell, being a participant on your on tours or always seeing the product from the customers side with the customers needs in mind (not yours) it enables to pick up areas of improvements that would be blind to you unless someone pointed them out. As simple as this sounds, this article is simple evidence people still still don't do it!
All I hope is that their clients feed back their experience, as I have done, direct to the hotel to try to encourage improvements to their product instead of just walking away snd never returning... as it does nothing to help the tourism industry in regional NSW or Australia. As we know, tourism brings great economic development to a region and a hotel is a major influencer of the overall experience and the economic contribution. If the industry doesn’t start to lift this standard, everyone from the petrol station to the coffee shop in that town will lose, as well as the hotel's own bottom line.
