At Resort Cabanas, we’re dedicated to helping our clients thrive. That’s why we come back each week with more hotel management tips, marketing ideas, and information that’s relevant to you. Because when you succeed, we all succeed.
There’s no doubt that hotel management can be overwhelming – even for the most successful properties. From sales and marketing to daily operations to guest relations, there’s simply a lot to keep track of (and a lot of ways for it all to go wrong). We get it!
Of course, your property is unique, but when we look at the big picture, there’s no denying that you share a lot in common with the competition, too. Because we believe it’s important to learn from each other’s successes and oversights, we encourage you to pause for just a moment and consider whether you’re guilty of any of these incredibly common hotel management mistakes. After all, they can wreak havoc on your hotel business – but they can also be corrected rather quickly.
Hotel Management Mistake #1: Failing to Provide Basic Info
It sounds elementary – but take a look at your website and guest confirmation email template to see if it’s difficult to find basic information, such as physical address and phone number. Also, check to see if your business appears on Google Maps. If a prospective guest can’t see your exact location, they may not book a room. Even worse, if arriving guests have a hard time finding the property, they’ll be frustrated with you from the very start. Make it easy for them.
Hotel Management Mistake #2: Having an Old Website (with Modern Day Faux Pas)
Your website is important – plain and simple. It’s often prospective guests’ introduction to your property, so think about whether your site is making an impactful first impression. Even if you’ve decided to hold onto an older website for a while, be sure it’s not making modern-day faux pas, such as using low-quality photos, not prominently featuring your best amenities (like your resort cabanas), and auto-playing music or videos (which is the fastest way to get people to leave your site).
Hotel Management Mistake #3: Forgetting About Seasonality
Sure – you probably have a tourist season and much of your focus is dedicated to that busy period of time, but that doesn’t mean you need to simply accept low-occupancy rates during the rest of the year. As the seasons change, show prospective guests that your property changes to address their needs.
Example: Use your website and social media channels to show new and returning guests that you offer an extended pool season because of your heated cabanas.
Hotel Management Mistake #4: Not Targeting a Specific Audience
It can be a hard pill to swallow – but you can’t be all things to all types of travelers. The goal is to identify your niche and then speak directly to the needs and preferences of those travelers. Here’s the thing. If your hotel is really amazing as a romantic getaway, then embrace it. If your hotel is ideal for families with young children, great! But attempting to mix the two (especially if it’s a smaller property) will cause nothing but disappointment – across the board.
Spend some time thinking about what your property does best and the type of clientele you believe fits with your vision, and then put your resources into targeting them.
Example: You can highlight your poolside cabanas as the perfect place to enjoy a cocktail as the sun sets in the background or as an ideal way to let the kids nap without having to go inside. But, if you try to do both, prospective guests won’t know whether your property is best for them or another type of traveler.
Hotel Management Mistake #5: Focusing Solely on the Rooms
Regardless of whether you’re targeting couples, families, businesspeople, or spring-breakers, today’s travelers prioritize well-conceived designs, convenient amenities, and unique experiences. In other words, they want to know what your property has to offer other than a comfortable place to sleep. So, ask yourself: why are guests considering our property? Local attractions or events? Business meetings? The weather? Let those answers guide the way.
Example: If your property is surrounded by local vineyards, consider hosting wine tasting happy hours in your poolside cabanas to really stand out from the local competition.
Let’s Talk About How Top-Quality Cabanas Can Help You Create Better Guest Experiences!
At Resort Cabanas (a division of Eide Industries, Inc.), we specialize in designing, manufacturing, and engineering custom commercial cabanas and pre-engineered options. With almost 80 years of extensive design, construction, metal fabrication, industrial sewing, and installation experience, we are proud to offer the highest quality products possible, made right here in the U.S.