The past week was spent traveling to half a dozen different properties in the Northeastern US and Canada. A wide range of hotels and resorts were visited, including a small country inn (21 rooms), a limited service chain (120 rooms), a luxury resort (375 rooms) and a landmark city property (700 rooms). While somewhat overcome by the 24+ hours of time on the road between evening arrivals, the experience provided me with an insightful firsthand snapshot of our industry. Here are my observations:

1. Properties were crowded and happy guests abound. Without a doubt, I have never experienced a week of such happy guests and positive vibes. Perhaps we’re finally seeing a full recovery of the economy (at least in the middle-upper segment). In any event, there were none of the usual complaints overheard at the front desk or by staff (typically behind management’s back!). And, upon asking, I learned that every property we visited during the week was near or at full occupancy. As I stress, a full house is a happy house.

2. Food and beverage has improved immensely. Anyone who thinks that hotels lag in the F&B sector had better take another look. Hotel dining room food now sets the standard for the cities that they are in, with a wide diversity in terms of style, theme and price points. We ate for eight consecutive nights in different hotels, and while the price points and selections varied, service and quality were universally outstanding. This is from my own perspective, so if your own F&B isn’t excellent, then you are most certainly falling behind.

3. Service levels are better than ever. Sorry, not one bad apple to report on. Or should I say, terrific, instead of sorry. Even in the limited service property we visited, the staff were exceptionally helpful and showed interest in us. Usually, we can find opportunities for improvement, but this was not the case. An example: in a resort we visited, the main course seemed to take forever. The waitress, anticipating our impatience, walked over and voluntarily filled our glasses of Chardonnay with the line “We’re a little slower in the kitchen than normal. This will tide you over for a few minutes. Sorry for the inconvenience.” Do they teach this in school? If not, they should. 

4. Eight nights, six hotels and no housekeeping flaws. And I was looking! Housekeeping is the make-or-break for TripAdvisor scores. Try as we could, my wife (the picky one) could find not one item which was out of place, improperly cleaned or unfinished. True, amenity bottles are getting smaller. But this is not the fault of the housekeepers. Well done! 

5. Where did all the kids come from? We were travelling as a couple, and in late July, you would expect to see at least a few families. But my goodness, there were kids everywhere! And for the most part, they seemed happy and content. Kids menus, child-size room robes and staff who genuinely like children; small changes that go the extra mile to increasing your popularity in this overlooked (and rather influential) demographic.

6. When all beds are comfortable, bathrooms become the differentiator. Not one bad bed. All were comfortable and sufficiently sized (and I’m 6’4”).  But bathrooms presented a different story. Many of them were just too small. Those that converted their tubs to dedicated showers made the most sense. Adding in an extra shelf to alleviate a cluttered sink space was also greatly appreciated. Bathroom upgrades are big capital expense items, but they need to be done. This is the ‘final frontier’ and a key differentiator that separates three from four and five star properties.

7. Why are air conditioning units so loud and how can I sleep with noisy compressors clicking on and off? Maybe it’s just me. But I cannot sleep with an AC unit that sounds as if it was made for a Boeing jet (with no disrespect to this outstanding aircraft company). Some of these AC units were so loud that I had to shut them off before turning in for the night. Still others were quiet enough when operating, but the compressor cycling could wake the dead. At night, silence is golden. Too bad some hoteliers see this as a cost savings item.

8. Amenities are getting smaller. It’s never ideal when there is insufficient shampoo in one bottle for two people. The soap bars are so small you need a magnifying glass to see them after one use. The towels seem to have shrunk, too. I wonder who in the cost savings department figured this one out. We called down for more amenities in every hotel we visited – delivered without a complaint I might add. I’m left wondering if others are doing the same. 

9. No one has invented a good way to store suitcases when travelling. A couple travelling for just over a week means two large suitcases, two day packs, a purse and a briefcase. Open them all up at the same time and there is no room to walk through the room.  Maybe we need to do less shopping, or maybe a pioneering hotel can provide a nifty solution. I’ve seen suitcase shelves that fold into the walls, but these are few and far between. As such, any innovation on this front would instantly be recognized and applauded by guests.

In summary, my industry summer report card reads as a solid A with the opportunity for an A+ given specific capital investments. Hotel industry: well done and keep up the good work!

(Article published by Larry Mogelonsky in HOTELSmag on September 12, 2014)