Find out what a hotel concept is, which are its competitive advantages, and why it is considered the most effective way for your property to acquire an identity!
"Differentiate yourselves from the competition."
"Build a strong identity."
"Define your audience."
"Give travelers a reason to choose you."
The above statements are very often heard in the hospitality industry and they underline the need of contemporary hotels for differentiation. So, how can a lodging build a strong identity and distinguish itself within such a competitive business field? New, updated hotels are being created each year, while the existing ones are already capable of satisfying any budget or taste. The answer is simpler than one can imagine and it involves Hotel Concepts.
However, before analyzing what a hotel concept is and which market gap covers, we firstly have to mention a rising trend that is directly connected to the rise of the hotel concept’s popularity. Some years ago, travelers were choosing a place to stay exclusively for accommodation and exploration of the destination – and this was enough. Yet, in recent years this trend has changed, since it is now observed that many travelers give more emphasis on the experiences they will have during their holidays, not only on the destination but also on the hotel itself.
Travelers are now looking for properties with an interesting design, that offer personalized experiences, and, generally, they are not satisfied with the provision of a simple room (except for specific occasions of budget travelers, who usually opt for accommodation in independent apartments, such as Airbnb), but they are also taking into consideration the experiences that each accommodation has to offer. Therefore, the choice of a hotel becomes a multidimensional process that involves many more factors than the ones it involved some years ago.
What is a Hotel Concept and which are its specification stages?
Imagine Hotel Concepts as the story that a hotel wants to tell. Based on this story, a series of experiences gets specified, along with the facilities and the design of the accommodation, that not only support its story but also create a complete holiday experience for the guests.
The specification of a hotel concept begins with a detailed study on the destination and on the needs and goals of the property’s owners. The study examines dynamic keywords about the destination and specifies the USPs (Unique Selling Propositions), that will guarantee the success of the business.]. Meanwhile, along with the destination study, a topography report is created in order to take into consideration any kind of limitations imposed by the destination itself, that could affect the specification of any new facilities.
Once the new hotel’s final typology is determined, the study moves on with drafting a detailed listing and analysis of all the operational aspects that need to be taken into account – from the audiences that the new property will target to the signature experiences it will offer, the facilities that ought to be included, but also the key elements and the special features that will help the hotel stand out from the competition. Finally, the study provides basic directions concerning both the design and the operation that are given to the hotel’s third-party partners (i.e. architects & interior designers). During their work, these third-party professionals take the concept’s guidelines into serious consideration and use them as a guide, in order to avoid any mistakes or omissions, but also deliver a final result that will totally correspond with the already specified concept.
The benefits of a Hotel Concept and four basic features that make it necessary for every new Hotel
As it results from all the above, the specification of a hotel concept does not refer only to the creation of the story that the property wishes to narrate to its guests. On the contrary, a Hotel Concept gives a detailed direction for all the aspects of the project and examines all the essential facts that will create an ideal accommodation experience, which will be functional, but also in total harmony with what each destination has to offer.
Therefore, the answer to any questions regarding the benefits of a hotel concept or its importance for any new specification is very simple. More specifically, some of the most important benefits, are:
The Hotel Concept defines the desirable target audiences from the beginning, so the property’s sales strategy, but also its communication strategy in general, are expected to be more purposeful and immediately effective.
It also specifies the services/facilities from the beginning, in order to cover the expectations of the accommodation’s audiences. As a result, more guests are expected to be satisfied with their experience at the hotel, while the chances for them to be converted into repeaters are increased.
A hotel with a specified concept has the opportunity to manage its guests and offer them a unique experience that they can not live in other hotels.
The clear positioning and differentiation of a hotel with a Concept convinces even the most demanding travelers, who are willing to spend more money on a hotel if they believe that it will offer them the unique and extraordinary experiences that they are looking for.
Creating an updated Hotel Experience with the help of Hotel Concepts
"Differentiate yourselves from the competition."
"Build a strong identity."
"Define your audience."
"Give travelers a reason to choose you."
Reading for one more time the statements that this article began with, it gets clear that a Hotel Concept is the answer to all of them, since, with the right specification, it is capable to create a Hotel that stands out among the closer and the wider competition, has a strong identity and character, targets specific and predefined audiences, and it gives not only one, but many different reasons for the guests to choose it!
If you would like to learn more about Hotel Concepts and talk to a Hotel Concept Maker at Destsetters about how this service could apply to your property or investment, whether it is new or existing, you can book an online appointment with us by sending an email here.
ARE YOU A NEW INVESTOR, HOTELIER, OR ARCHITECT?
Meet the Destsetters and create a unique Hotel Concept that will help your property stand out from the competition.
Hotel Concept Development is the most upgraded service of Destsetters that aims to create unique hotels, with high-profit opportunities and proper operation, but also with recognizable features that will help them stand out from the competition.
Considering the location of the property, the owners' desires, the competition as well as the relevant demand, we undertake the specification of the characteristics and the strategy of the project, in order to create a signature hotel that meets the needs of travelers and has real profit prospects.
Our team partners with new investors, hoteliers, consulting companies, and architectural teams, providing them with a whole hotel specification that will offer all the necessary research and hotel know-how, identifying the commercial characteristics of the new accommodation and defining the elements of its strategy, which should be reflected in the designing and concept of the property, striving to create a successful business.
AUTHOR
Paris Sklavos
Content Manager at Destsetters
Paris Sklavos belongs to the wider creative team of Destsetters, undertaking the content development for all the Start-Ups of the group, such as Hotelier Academy, Travel by Interest, and the newly established Hotel Content Company. His experience in the hotel industry has given him a global picture of a hotel's needs, and, through his content, he gives creative ideas to hoteliers, which can be easily implemented by an accommodation, strengthening its strategy.
Comments