by Alan Campbell, Featured Contributor
SINCE the in-room coffee issue surfaced a few months ago there has been a lot of changes. It seems that at one time the thought was to remove the coffee makers from the rooms, since guest were not using them. This of course created quite an uproar in the industry. There were all kinds of ideas as to what to do, and how to go about it. Some industry leaders felt that it would be a mistake to remove the amenity from the rooms. So the thinking caps came on, and the race was on.
It seems that quite a few hotels have embraced the idea of up grading the coffee room amenity. Such as in-room espresso coffee, even afternoon tea service. Imagine that, just think a few months ago it was remove the coffee now it may come to having your own barista prepare your morning coffee. Hilton’s grab and go stations are popping up in hotel lobbies.
Hotel rooms have been replacing traditional coffee machines with luxury coffee equipment, that can make cappuccino, espresso, and tea. That should have been done a long time ago. It seems that some hoteliers wait too long to make changes that can boost the bottom line. Not until the idea hits them in the face do they act upon it. There are a lot of innovative ways to upgrade amenities today that will enhance the guest experience. It becomes a matter of observing and listening to what your guest want. How hard is that?
Well it seems that some hoteliers find it very hard to accomplish, lack of interest, or wait for someone else to come up with the new concept and then copy it.
There are properties today that have been offering espresso, Turkish, cappuccino coffee for a long time now, it’s a matter of knowing where they are. Hidden treasures within the hotel industry. Now of course I expect that all if not most will be looking to get on the bandwagon of offering upscale coffee. The secret here is going to be in how to implement it so that the guest interest is peaked. Like anything new in order for it to be successful there must be a demand for it, or for the service of it. You just can’t install a room espresso machine and expect all of the guest to understand how it works.
Coffee is an emotional amenity, it appeals to the senses of the guest, so the in room coffee area must address this issue. It’s like falling asleep on your favorite mattress, you can’t wait to get home to get that great night sleep. Coffee is the same way, the instant that you arise in the morning, the scent of coffee, or tea should be on the guest mind.
This is where the challenge lies for the industry. In room coffee stations are cramped and small, and with no real room to prepare a proper cup of coffee. Think about that when you are upgrading your coffee area. Something else you better remember, especially if you are using new coffee machinery, Train your staff on how to clean these new machines. There is nothing worse than a dirty coffee maker. So long till the next issue of the coffee revival, maybe an in-room Starbucks?
