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12 Types of Hotels Every Hotel Owner Should Understand
If you're the owner of a 4-star property, you might have a well-equipped gym, meeting rooms, and an extra-large swimming pool to justify premium pricing and attract business travelers.
This approach differs when you run a 2- or 3-star property, where your main objective is to provide a comfortable stay experience, clean rooms, and reliable guest service.
However, you won't focus on including premium extras that significantly enhance the guest experience.
This means that the amenities and type of service you offer to guests should align with your hotel category. If you provide luxury amenities at a mid-tier property, guests may not be willing to pay premium rates for them.
This blog covers the various types of hotels you should be aware of and the specific services you can offer within each category to ensure guests receive exactly what they expect from their stay.
Here are most popular types of hotels which are as given below -
Boutique hotels are smaller in size, but they cater to a specific group of people. Though these hotels have 50-100 rooms or fewer, their specialty lies in adding unique experiences for guests.
For years, boutique hotels have been considered a type of hotel, but now their popularity have grown so much that they are no longer a subtype. Instead, these properties have their independent market.
Unlike standard cookie-cutter hotels, these offer a wide range of unique amenities to travelers, and their design themes are tailored in a way that feels personalized to each guest.
What makes boutique properties different from others?
It's not just about offering rich amenities or expensive food and beverage options; it's about creating an unforgettable experience, making guests feel pampered at every stage of their stay in your property.
Le Grand Mazarin is a renowned boutique hotel situated in Paris. Best part? It provides a perfect blend of elegance and fun.
Whenever guests enter the property, they will see the hotel as a Parisian charm that offers a unique touch – bold colours, rich textures, and eye-catching artwork.
A resort is more than just a hotel, offering additional facilities such as multiple restaurants, large swimming pools, bars, golf courses, and spa.
Generally, these types of hotels are designed for family travelers and are typically located on the outskirts of either beaches or mountains.
Resorts can be of different types, such as fully inclusive resorts that provide everything from meals to drinks, as well as offering activities that allow children to mingle with one another.
While other types of resorts focus on wellness and recreation, enhancing the well-being of individuals, others are thematic resorts that transport travelers to a new world, providing immersive experiences.
Coorg Wilderness Resort, situated in Coorg, is the ideal weekend getaway for travelers, offering a cozy and comfortable environment.
It features a large swimming pool, and its bathroom is as spacious as a hotel room, allowing guests to appreciate the scenic beauty of the area fully.
Running a business hotel is different than a traditional hotel. Unlike a traditional hotel that caters to the needs of all types of travelers, a business hotel is specifically designed for business travelers.
These hotels are located in business areas, such as the airport and the convention center.
Best part?
Travelers usually prefer such types of business-focused accommodations because of the kind of facilities, they get (24-hour fitness centre, work desks, meeting rooms, and conference/business centres).
Additionally, high-speed internet access should never be compromised.
The Leela Palace in Bangalore is a prime example of a business hotel that offers a host of facilities for travellers, including high-speed internet access, a 24-hour business centre, and dozens of board and meeting rooms.
Most business travellers who arrive at Leela Palace are there for leisure purposes as well, so the hotel keeps their travellers' priorities at the forefront. Bleisure travellers can even attend therapy or relaxation sessions in between their meetings.
These hotels cater to money-conscious travellers who want convenience and comfort without overspending. Generally, backpackers and solo travellers choose this type of accommodation to get basic amenities.
Budget accommodations are 2- and 3-star properties suited for travelers who want to find a place for relaxation or just explore the city.
What differentiates a budget hotel from a luxury one? Its amenities.
While luxury hotels focus on providing high-end amenities (24*7 room service, spa & wellness centre, fitness centre) to guests, if you want essential amenities with a pinch of comfort, then a budget hotel is well worth the investment.
Budget hotels offer these types of services -
Snow Valley Resorts, a budget-friendly property located in Shimla, offers a decent place for travelers to stay. It’s a good option as the amenities are pretty good and the staff are also efficient in managing services.
Besides that, it provides access to a Wi-Fi facility and features a multi-cuisine restaurant to tantalize the taste buds of people.
In terms of size, B&Bs are generally smaller than large hotels. These are typically family-run properties that provide a home-like feeling to guests, even when they're away from home.
Such types of accommodations are found in small cities or towns and are mostly popular for short-term stays.
The owner is generally present at the property to enhance the guest experience. As B&Bs typically have fewer private rooms (typically less than 10), they also require fewer staff.
Services are also limited, but the host offers a good breakfast to guests. Since the host is knowledgeable about the local area, this creates a communal vibe among guests.
A chain hotel operates multiple properties under a single hotel name. The best thing about chain hotels is that, regardless of the location guests visit, they receive a unified, consistent experience, with consistency in services and amenities.
No matter which property guests visit, they receive the same high-quality amenities, ranging from bathroom size to room type and guest services, everything is impeccable with no surprises left.
Though chain hotels have independent owners, the same brand guidelines are followed everywhere.
The most popular examples of chain hotels are Marriott, Hyatt, and Radisson.
Motels are typically referred to as motor hotels and are designed for motorists. These are typically located in areas near major roads or highways or in suburban areas.
The primary difference between a hotel and a motel is that their amenities are typically available at lower prices, making them a preferred choice for short-term stays.
In comparison to hotels, there will be fewer amenities available, as these types of accommodations are generally intended for short-term stays (one day or less).
Generally, guests can enter the motorist hotel usually through a parking space.
The White Hotel Katra is a type of motel situated in Jammu and Kashmir. The hotel offers guests a complimentary breakfast facility. There's 24-hour room service, and you can call the hotel staff at any time.
The hotel also features a restaurant that tantalizes the taste buds of guests with vegetarian options.
Eco-friendly, or sustainable hotels are those that adopt green practices to reduce environmental damage.
They achieve this by training their hotel staff and encouraging them to adopt environmentally friendly practices and utilize resources efficiently, such as energy and water.
These eco-friendly establishments reduce their carbon footprint by sourcing local food directly from local farms. This provides a compelling reason for guests to choose these properties over others, as the owners provide a genuine concern for the environment.
The demand for sustainable (green) hotels is growing significantly, as a report from a hotel tech company says that 81% of travellers prefer to choose eco-friendly accommodations.
It's also about making your hotel more efficient by using a contactless check-in/checkout system.
This not only reduces costs for hoteliers, as they don't have to hire more staff, but also minimizes plastic card usage.
Pench Tree Lodge is designed for environmentally conscious guests, utilizing natural materials in the construction of their treehouses.
This luxury wildlife resort is constructed from organic materials, and its experienced team of naturalists focuses on the farm-to-dining concept, emphasizing all organically produced items that can add value to guests.
Unlike traditional hotels, extended-stay hotels offer guests the opportunity to book a room at discounted rates.
These hotels provide a homely look and feel, even when guests are away from home, and are generally known as “serviced apartments" or "apartment hotels".
It offers various amenities, just like a regular hotel, along with daily room service. These hotels have large living and sleeping areas, as well as meeting areas for business travelers.
Generally, travellers spend a day or two and can broadly extend their stay up to 4 nights in some cases, but their stays can also be extended for a few weeks. Guests are responsible for everything, from food preparation to laundry.
It's like a sweet spot between traditional and premium hotels, as guests can enjoy their stay while getting the convenience at affordable prices.
Home2 Suites by Hilton provides extended stay experiences to guests who want to stay for a couple of weeks/ few months. It offers pet-friendly stay options, features a large suite kitchen, and the hotel staff provides a complimentary breakfast every morning.
Luxury hotels are the grand palaces that enhance the guest experience from the moment they enter the property.
Best part? These glamorous properties don't showcase fancy furniture or fittings; instead, they sell experiences that bring life to the property.
An experience can be as simple as using rain showerheads, showcasing fancy villas, or providing a superior level of guest service.
The Four Seasons Hotel George V, located in Paris, has 244 oversized rooms, a Michelin restaurant, and an inner courtyard designed with flowers. It provides tourists with a space to explore the streets of Paris.
For guests, there's a decent swimming pool and a spa treatment that offers a luxurious experience.
These hotels are termed location-based because they are generally situated in an area near the airport, a local area, or along the beachside. For instance, if a traveler wants to explore a regional area, then a downtown hotel is the best option.
If the traveler is just passing through and wants a place to stop over, then an airport hotel makes a viable option. But if they want to find an accommodation that's near a beach, then they can reserve a spot at a beachside hotel.
Unlike limited-service accommodations, full-service hotels offer a superior stay experience, along with extras such as dining options, concierge services, and spa and wellness activities.
These hotels are situated near popular areas, including tourist attractions, city centers, and airports. These properties offer a range of amenities, including restaurants, parking facilities, laundry services, and fitness and entertainment centres.
These luxury properties exceed guest expectations, and they don't have to leave the property for entertainment options.
MGM Grand Las Vegas provides guests with an array of entertainment options, including Cirque du Soleil performances and celebrity events. These experiences turn this place into a popular attraction and give travelers a reason to consider this property.
Regardless of whether you manage a mid-range hotel or an ultra-luxury establishment, you require the right technology to streamline hotel operations and enhance the guest experience.
Even if your hotel has a good reputation in the market and you deal with diverse clientele, if you underestimate the importance of technology, no matter how high your price tag is, guests won't invest in your services next time.
Consider what happens when you've to deal with a vast number of guests but there's no staff; it results in poor guest service.
That's where BOTSHOT comes with hotel management software to help 2 and 3 star property owners enhance guest experience and simplify their hotel operations-
| Sr. Technical Writer
Gurpreet Kaur is a content writer with firsthand experience in guest relations and hospitality service design. Her time in the hotel industry gives her a deep understanding of guest expectations, which she channels into content that promotes technology as a tool for better experiences. Gurpreet specializes in writing about contactless solutions, smart room technologies, and sustainable hospitality practices.