Selected voco hotels in the UK will roll out new a new “turn-up” service for guests early next year.
Instead of “turning down” beds, voco said its new service will be bookable for a limited time in early 2022 and will offer a “touch of the unexpected” for guests.
Possible perks might include in-room mixologists, a packing and unpacking service, or in-room spa treatments and fitness options.
It comes after a survey by parent company, IHG Hotels and Resorts, asking guests to rank their priorities as travel resumes.
It found nine in 10 UK respondents rank great service as most important to them when staying at a hotel, with 68% of travellers thinking hotel staff should act in a friendly manner towards guests.
Almost half say they want to be able to “talk to staff and vice versa in a friendly, conversational manner, rather than one that’s overly formal or personal”.
Nearly half (47%) agree that a friendly, approachable, and personalised experience is more important than ever following the pandemic.
Just under one in three Brits (30%) wish more hotels offered late night comfort food, 23% wish for enhanced bathroom amenities for more ‘me time’, and another 24% would like in-room afternoon tea or happy hour delivered directly to their room.
Additionally, more than one in five (21%) would enjoy a personalised welcome package or the option to have breakfast in bed.
“Just like travel has changed, consumers expectations have too. With nearly half of travellers stating they want to be valued as an individual, a one-size-fits-all approach to hotel service no longer resonates with travellers,” said Will Yell, VP Luxury and Upscale Conversion and Affiliate Brands at IHG Hotels & Resorts.
“So rather than turning down beds, we’re turning up our hosted service to enhance our guest’s stays and deliver unexpected, localised offerings that meet the needs of today’s travellers.”
Launched in 2018, IHG’s voco brand now has more than 23 locations in Australia, the UAE, UK, US and beyond with 33 in the pipeline to open in the next few years.
