What does someone mean when they talk about luxury? Is it a good book? A warm, deep bubble bath? Or expensive chocolates, waiting to be unwrapped? When your customers are walking in to your hotel, they will have a strong vision of what luxury means to them, especially when they are away from home and family.

Why is it important?

Always remember that you are offering something your clientele cannot find anywhere else. Your clients won’t mind spending a premium if the cost is truly justified.

What makes for a superstar stay

Clients are looking for an easy, hassle-free check in and check out, handled with discretion. Staff should be alert but unobtrusive.

Guests expect, and should get, the room they want, down to the view and even location within the hotel.

The little niceties should not be overlooked as this goes a long way to building up their overall impression and experience. You want to make them feel reluctant to leave.

The room should strike your guest as immaculate and clean. Avoid generic art, and instead invest in special pieces, either numbered prints or commissioned works. The art in a room should not dominate but enhance the setting.

A good firm mattress enveloped with crisp, high thread count cotton sheets is a good indication of luxury and care. Stick to natural fibres, and make sure you carry a stock of specialist pillows in case of orthopaedic requirements.

Bathrooms are a modern sanctuary, so don’t scrimp. A spacious tub that you can step in to will be remembered, as well as decent, complimentary, high end toiletries. Make sure there is good water pressure in a separate shower to rival what guests experience at home.

If you take the time to get to know what your clients want (and these are themes we cover in our Sales Skills workshops) you can be at the top of your game, and truly rival the competition.

Test all the rooms to make sure light is blocked out. And check the door lengths. Occasionally, no matter how dark the room is, harsh light can creep from the corridor and disturb sleepers.

The rest of the decor should be chosen for solid practicality. A decent solid desk to work at, and a good comfortable chair to relax in and read. There should be a reliable room safe, as well as the option of using the hotel safe.

Complimentary slippers, and robes that can be purchased, are elegant, affordable touches, and ones which most four-star hotels and above will offer.

While we are talking about complimentary products, bottled water should be on the house. This is a topic mentioned in our customer service blog, and there are other things you can do to help add the finer touches. The more expensive the room, the more you want to offer your guest to make them feel they have stepped in to real luxury.

These are some of the ideas that come up during workshops when we are discussing customer service and sales approaches. Our clients have found these tips useful, and we hope you have benefited from reading them here.

No matter what refurbishments, or changes that your hotel or company goes through, it adds to its rich history. You can retain the ethos and personality that first made you established. Remind your clients why you became a name in the first place – and then don’t let them forget it.