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It does not matter if we are travelling for pleasure or business, there are times when getting a good night’s sleep can be a taxing proposition.
Welcome to another edition of Hospitality Property School.
I am your instructor, Gerry MacPherson.
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Introduction
I have always said,
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“At a basic minimum, every hospitality property has to provide a clean facility and a comfortable bed.”
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At some point, we are all hospitality property guests, whether it be a hotel, resort, inn bed & breakfast, or Airbnb, and it does not matter if we are travelling for pleasure or business, there are times when getting a good night’s sleep can be a taxing proposition.
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But, sleep is critically important for the general health and well-being of everyone and the better you sleep, the better you live, work and play.
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As a hospitality property owner or manager, there could be many factors that affect your guest’s sleep that is out of your direct control.
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However, there are ways that you could help create a more comfortable, memorable sleep environment for your guests.
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Of all the items guests come into contact with during their hotel stay, bedding probably signifies the biggest percentage. Pillows, comforters, duvets, sheets, blankets and bed skirts are normally the first thing a guest might notice when they walk through the door.
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So, how they look, feel — and smell — is important. As the saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a first impression.
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Books with Tips & Strategies for Your Hotel, Resort, Inn, Bed and Breakfast
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The Quality of the Mattress Matters
Of all the items guests come into contact with during their hotel stay, bedding represents the largest percentage. Pillows, comforters, duvets, sheets, blankets and bed skirts take centre stage from the moment a guest walks through the door. So, how they look, feel — and smell — is important.
Due to the massive use and wear products in hospitality properties bear, stringent observance to brand guidelines and testing is critical when selecting a bedding manufacturer.
Mattresses have become so technological – some are even based on research from NASA, the US space agency and are called ‘sleep systems’.
They can cost up to $50,000 apiece, but is it really necessary to fork out that kind of money to give your guests a good night’s sleep when you can do it for between $1500 and $2500?
One thing is for sure, you cannot cheap out and expect guests to return or leave you a good review spending less than $300. A mattress in that price range will certainly not ensure your guest a good night’s sleep unless they are very young or very light.
Cheap mattresses also need to be replaced more often, as frequently as every two years. Invest extra, at least $1,500, and you should not need to change the mattresses for 10 years, go higher end and they could last up to 25 years.
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A good rule of thumb is to spend as much as you can afford.
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Not remarkably, the bed your guests sleep on – its comfort and performance – is key in helping them achieve a sound, restful sleep. It’s important for hospitality properties to work with bed suppliers who really understand hospitality industry requirements and develop products and solutions to meet them.
It is also important to have strong warranties and responsive customer service to better minimize business disruptions.
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Other ways to ensure your guest have a good sleep
Keep your guest cool
Make sure your guests have the ability to cool their room.
Thermoregulation strongly influences your body’s sleep cycles. When it’s time for your body to rest, there is an automatic drop in your core body temperature to help initiate sleep. If the temperature in the room stays too high, then it can be a physiological challenge for their body to get into the ideal state for restful sleep.
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Quality magnesium
Magnesium is a bona fide anti-stress mineral. It helps optimize circulation and blood pressure, balance blood sugar, relax tense muscles, reduce pain, and calm the nervous system. Have it available in your minibar or at the front desk.
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Install blackout drapes
It’s a well-established fact that we sleep better in a dark environment. Did you know that your skin actually has receptors that can pick up light? If there’s light in their bedroom, their body can pick it up and sending messages to their brain and organs that can interfere with their sleep.
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Help them calm their inner-chatter
Now more than ever with the constant flow of information coming at you, it’s important to give your guests the ability to eliminate that stress with meditation. Make available soothing music, low lighting, and possibly meditation programs.
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What have you done to help your guests get a good night’s sleep?
Leave your comment below
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Promote quiet
Not all sources of guest room noise are within your control but many are. For example:
- Leaky faucets
- buzzing light fixtures
- loud heating, ventilation, and air conditioning or HVAC equipment
- and windows
These should be addressed immediately before any of your guests have the opportunity to complain.
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And still, another way to ensure your guest have a good sleep is to promote peace
Provide
Eye masks
Earplugs
Your housekeeping staff is your first line of defence.
Add possible sources of noise to the room checklist so that your maintenance personnel can be informed and take action to resolve any found issues.
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In conclusion
Major hospitality property brands worldwide continue to make the guest sleep experience a priority and are investing significantly toward this goal and this is a topic we are going to continue researching.
Remember – reviews are hard to ignore and if you are getting negative reviews because of the comfort of your guest’s sleep, your losing money.
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What steps do you plan on implementing at your property to help your guests get better sleep?
Let me know in the comments.
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You will have access to this post for the next six weeks and then it will get locked in the vault for Hospitality Property School Group members only.
When you see that we have something new, don’t mark it “Unread” or file it away in the belief you’ll read it later because you might miss your chance.
To see all the other valuable material you’d have access to as a member of the Hospitality Property School Group, check out the short video in the episode post-show notes.
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In the next episode, I will talk about promoting your property with video.
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That’s it for today’s episode,
Until next time, have a fun day.
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It is the start of a new year. Get a jump on your success by signing up for your weekly editions of INNsider Tips? You can find the link in the show notes.
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⇒ TO READ OR LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE ON KEYSTONE HOSPITALITY PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT:
https://keystonehpd.com/a-good-nights-sleep-225
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