Although it’s not always ideal, small hotel rooms are the norm in lots of places across the globe. If you're a budget hotel in New York or a boutique hotel in the heart of Paris, this is probably your reality.
No matter what type of hotel you're working in, if the hotel rooms are small, there's not a lot you can do to change the actual size of the rooms. They may not be ideal for every guest, but if you're creative and strategic, you can make the most out of them.
If you're looking for inspiration on how to accentuate small rooms, you've come to the right place.
1 - Tactfully Design The Space
We started with an obvious one.
No matter what the size of the space is, the design of your hotel room is highly influential in the experience your guests have. However, larger areas don't necessarily equate to a better experience.
If you have the budget for it, hiring an interior designer can make a difference. Mirrors give small spaces the allusion that they're bigger than they really are. Multifunctional furniture can make twice the use of space. For example, having draws under the bed. Additionally, sliding doors also use less room than traditional hinged doors.
Realistically, hotels are still recovering from the pandemic, so a complete redesign probably may not be feasible. Fret not. There are other things you can do at a low cost that will make a difference immediately.
Making sure rooms are well lit, free from clutter, and can adequately stow away luggage are small changes that can significantly impact a small hotel room.
2- Provide Honest Information
Do you know what sucks? Getting catfished.
Don't catfish guests by withholding information. If your hotel has small rooms, be up-front about it. You can use language to describe the space in a way that’s not misleading but still accentuates the features. For example, “a cozy nook in the city” or “an intimate getaway spot”.
In fact, small hotel rooms may be more appealing to specific guests. They're more sustainable because they take less energy to heat up or cool down. If this is something that your hotel values, it's worth incorporating into your messaging and marketing.
3 - Highlight Other Hotel Features
If you got it, flaunt it.
Whether or not your hotel has small room sizes, you should highlight other hotel features. Perhaps it's the excellent location, maybe the amenities, or your hotel's customer loyalty programs.
Smaller hotel rooms can sometimes decrease booking costs, attracting a specific demographic. Some guests may be looking to spend less on their trip without sacrificing location, making it another selling point.
No matter the feature, make sure your marketing includes showing off the best parts of your hotel.
4 - Accept Feedback
If you're interested in how your guests feel about their experience at a small hotel, it doesn't hurt to ask.
In previous blogs, we've discussed how surveys and follow-up emails are an excellent way to collect information from your guests to improve customer loyalty. Apply this strategy to the context of your hotel and ask guests what more about the space.
Questions could include:
- Did your hotel rooms adequately serve your needs?
- Did your hotel rooms meet your expectations?
- Do you have any comments about your experience?
- What could we do better?
As previously stated, if you've been honest about the size of your hotel rooms, this can help attract the right kind of guest to your hotel. From there, feedback around how to optimize the space can be considered if you're looking to make improvements.
5 - Hold Customer Service To A High Standard
When you think about the entirety of the guest journey, the actual size of the hotel room is just one component of the bigger picture.
Good customer service is paramount to the overall experience with your hotel. To make the most out of small hotel rooms, put extra effort into the quality of your customer service. This can take some of the focus off of the size of your hotel rooms.
When service is personalized, creative, and detail-oriented, guests will notice. Event management technology and CRM provide your staff with easy-to-use software that helps enhance your customer's experience. When information is all in one place, your team has less room to make errors, and guests can have a seamless visit to your hotel.
An effortless guest experience helps foster repeat business and helps build your hotel's reputation - and who doesn't want that?
Final Thoughts
Small hotel rooms shouldn't prevent your hotel from achieving business goals and providing a great guest experience. We challenge the idea that this is a drawback for guests. The reality is some people will be more drawn to small hotel rooms because they can be less expensive but can still provide other desirable amenities such as a great location, excellent customer service, or be a more sustainable way of travelling.
Do you have thoughts about small hotel rooms? Let us know in the comments below.
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