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Hotels want customers to feel at home – but some have it too far, according to a Hotels.com survey.
THE investigation The results, published by Expedia in March, showed that the most frowned behavior was to walk barefoot, with 94% of respondents deeming it inappropriate.
A narrow second carries hotel dresses in the hall (92%), followed by public demonstrations of affection in the swimming pool (86%), according to the survey.
Some hotels take care of these behaviors by providing subtle clues instead of a heavy approach.
“I think customers will follow the example if you and your staff are respectful [and] Discreet, ”said Reem Arbid, co-founder of The Blue Door Kitchen & Inn.
The guests who speak loudly on their phone are another common problem, she said. Staff can politely ask the guests to take the call elsewhere, she said, but “the reaction is not always positive”.
Gently signaling hotel protocols can encourage customers to be more aware, she said, citing the example of speaking staff in quieter voices.
A subtle approach can also work with other forms of inappropriate behavior, such as wearing unsuitable outfits, which can deactivate other guests.
“During a high -end retreat, appearing in pajamas or bare feet around shared spaces can be disrespectful,” said Ariel Barrionuevo, CEO of Coralina Island House in Panama.
To solve these problems, some hotels provide label guidelines in emails before arrival or during the recording process.
However, for some, going barefoot is more security than decorum, said Aidan O’Sullivan, CEO of Kilkea Castle, a complex and a golf club in Ireland.
Shirts and shoes are necessary in all restaurants on the property, and the hotel encourages customers to be dressed in public regions of the castle. Although some are not dressed accordingly after a swimming or spa visit, “this is not the norm,” he said.
However, the hotel’s 18 -hole golf course always applies stricter dress codes on the Greens and prohibits shirts and collar tracks, said O’Sullivan.
More urgent problems
Others in the industry, however, say that they adopt a more modern approach to luxury standards.
“Whether pajamas at breakfast, puppies in beds or children enjoy the swimming pool – we welcome,” said Sam Jagger, managing director of Maybourne Beverly Hills.
The hotel rather favors “respect for the safety and privacy of other customers and our team,” he said.
Mary d’Argenis-Fernandez, founder of the MDA Hospitality Solutions hotel training company, said that strict dress codes are not as common as it is before. For her, poor behavior – such as public explosions for staff members or other guests – is a more important problem, she said.
“It is these situations, which are sometimes useless, which are more worrying for those who work in industry,” she said, noting that team members are trained to defuse such situations by moving the agitation in a private area.
When the disruptive behavior occurs in luxury properties, the staff could be labeled the “fun police” simply for doing their job, said Cassandra Wheeler, who was guest supervisor in a Hilton hotel.
“We would laugh, smile and tell them to have a good day,” she said. “Participants in the conference pointed out and local weekends sometimes treated us as personal servants.”
Another problem highlighted in the survey is customers who set up swimming pool chairs. Some 60% of respondents say they disapprove of the travelers who do this, which means that some hotels suffocate this behavior in the egg.
The Maui Ocean Club of Marriott – Lahaina & Napili Towers only allows guests to book an additional chair, according to Expedia’s press release on the survey. And St. George Beach Hotel & Spa Resort in Cyprus simply allocates bleeding to customers on arrival, he added.
