Bare Necessities

With the information age upon us, every hotel or vacation rental needs to offer free Wi-Fi. Be sure to include the password for the WiFi in each room or hand it to customers when they receive their key cards. Consult with your internet service provider or an IT expert about setting up your living areas with WiFi if you don't already have a network.

Attractions

Having a swimming pool available for guests can improve bookings in the warm season. Traveling families in the summertime often look for hotels with pools. If you can estimate its worth as an investment by calculating the increased rentals due to the pool attraction alone, banks and other lenders might be able to offer finance for pools and hot tubs.

Other attractions that you might want to consider adding to your hotel could be ping pong tables, pool tables, an arcade, a museum with a gift shop, or even a fountain wishing well. If it's something unusual that stands out, guests will choose to book with you over your competitors.

Amenities

While attractions are things that set you apart from the competition and make guests remember your establishment, amenities are things that every modern hotel should have. Travelers have come to expect certain things from their living establishments, such as hot water and clean linens.

When potential guests are comparing your hotel with others online, they want to see your amenities checklist full of checks. Are you offering free, hot breakfast in the morning? Is there any demand for a self-service laundromat? Check the booking websites where your establishment is mentioned to see how your listing compares with others.

Offering a workout gym and an office area are amenities that people are increasingly looking for when traveling. These areas should be accessible by keycard 24 hours per day and are relatively inexpensive to build and maintain.

Reputation

Having a highly rated reputation is going to keep you in business. Keep in mind that most customers will only leave a review if they have a bad experience. Less than one in a thousand happy guests will leave a review affirming they had a pleasant experience.

Everything about your establishment gets reflected online. Training employees to be efficient and courteous is the main area to start with. If a customer has a problem with staff, they will most certainly voice that online.

Train staff to accept responsibility for issues, even if it wasn't actually their fault. Solving the problem and keeping the customer's respect is more important than fighting over who was right or who was wrong.

Emergency Plans

Have backup plans and contingency plans in place so guests aren't burdened as much when your air conditioning breaks or the plumbing has a problem. Be conscientious with guests, and treat them the same way you wish to be treated. Always remember your guests are probably tired, hungry, and far from home, so training your staff to be aware of this and to be patient can save a lot of heartache.

Another big factor that will separate four-star reviews from five-star reviews is cleanliness. Even just the appearance of cleanliness goes a long way. Be mindful of the paint colors and lighting that you choose, especially in bathrooms. Consider offering cleaning products for sale and offer free hand sanitizer and clean bathrooms right when guests arrive.

There's no substitution for experience. Consult with other hotel owners, restaurant owners, and other businesses in the hospitality industry. You can find groups online that allow business owners to network and discuss current events. Stay connected with your local community of owners and be humble when learning the ropes.

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