Whether you’re in the business of renting out log cabins in the snowy ski hills of Nelson, BC, or running a quaint seaside bed and breakfast in Charlottetown, PEI, hospitality begins online.
As part of their “Worth It” series, BuzzFeed recently sent their team to stay in three hotels at three dramatically different price points. BuzzFeed staff members Selorm and Steven stayed in hotels that range from $50 a night to a cool $35,000 per night.
I hope those couch cushions are stuffed with cash
Despite the many luxuries made available at the high-end hotel, both Selorm and Steven determined the best place to stay to be (drum roll please)… the $50 per night accommodations!
The cheap accommodations crowned “Worth It” winner, are called Podshare, a dorm-like pod live/work community. Totally weird – and totally innovative.
Like it’s services, the Podshare website is cutting-edge.
From high quality images, to video header, and parallax scrolling, the website is just as modern as the offered experience.
Image source: http://podshare.co/
The website is responsive, has content you’ll actually want to read, and is generally aesthetically pleasing.
Everyone in our office, including our Director of Development, seemed impressed.
This Siva intern is claustrophobic and savours her solitude (ugh, typical writer), so I’m a little bit weary about staying in a pod.
As Business Insider notes, “Podestrians write their names on their bunk, share the space, and get to know each other, not unlike a summer camp for adults.”
Still, the concept and website is so interesting, I wouldn’t rule it out! The BuzzFeed staff – and thousands of other guests – haven’t either. It’s a reminder of the growing importance of digital presence in the hospitality industry.
Forget the hotel pillow chocolate, guests want a delectable website. Move over, in-room coffee makers and lacklustre amenities, hospitality is going digital.
Welcome!
Did you know that 65 percent of same day hotel reservations are made on a smartphone?
What does this mean for the hospitality industry?
It means that the reception desk and hotel lobby are no longer where guests form first impressions.
In another blog post, which you can read here, I spoke about the concept of a digital waiting room. I said it then, and I’ll say it again (because it’s super important),whether a space is offline or online, it can speak volumes about a business.
This is undoubtedly true for the hospitality industry, where online hotel bookings are dominating the booking scene.
According to Barclays, 72% of all consumers use the internet to make hotel reservations – that’s not just millennials. At 80%, travellers aged 55-64 are the most likely to book online!
Some parts of the hotel and hospitality industry haven’t changed. Consumers still desire a clean, comfortable environment and friendly customer service.
Still, hoteliers and hospitality pros alike can no longer deny the importance of web presence, especially if they want to see continued success.
You’d do just about everything you could to make sure your guests are happy. Keep future guests satisfied, make your web presence strong.*
*Pssst, we can help you do just that! From marketing to content writing and web design, Siva Creative does it all. Our talented team of web developers, marketers, content writers, and designers are here to help. Contact us for a free quote.
