Today, immediate gratification has never been so accelerated. With information readily available to anyone with a mobile device, and the proliferation of apps to handle everything from dinner reservations to car sharing has turned most of us into last-minute shoppers. Inevitably, the trend of instantaneous satisfaction has made its way to the hotel industry. While others have sought to satisfy the need for last minute bookings for the night, we’ve tackled a tougher problem, trying to find daytime space to spread out in peace.
While some might argue public spaces like restaurants and parks offer a daytime respite, we all know that’s only comfortable for about an hour. For anyone who wants a place to rest in the city, there’s hardly been an available option until now. With HotelsByDay, that’s changing, and because we know customers expect support for spontaneity, we’re building it into the hospitality industry with hotel day stays.
While the primary focus of the hospitality industry caters to overnight stays, there’s a massive untapped market for travelers in need of a comfortable and well-equipped space for the day. In addition to gratifying their trigger happy guests, hotels stand to benefit from utilizing their under-occupied space during the day, giving their revenues a boost and increasing the available options they can offer to their guests.
Evolving to Meet the Needs of Travelers
As traveling becomes easier and easier with better access to travel information and last minute booking, no one is planning trips in advance as they did in the past. So what does the rise of same-day booking mean for hotels?
In October 2013, Hotelnewsresource.com reported that 60% of all hotel reservations and 74% of mobile hotel bookings were being made the same day as the guests hoped to check-in. People simply do not plan their trips in advance, and feel that a good hotel should be able to accommodate their last-minute planning. Another interesting trend is that travelers seem to be more transient and stay in one place for less time than they used to, as the report also revealed that the overwhelming majority of these users were staying for less than two nights.
Hotels by Day was created to cater to those spontaneous but sophisticated travelers who make plans at the last minute but still expect top-notch customer service. The concept of VIP treatment is quickly disappearing as people expect customized and flexible options when they purchase, rent or reserve any product, and a hotel room is no different. Hotels by Day recognizes that hospitality must evolve to meet the needs of unique consumers who expect more from their hotel stay than just a comfortable bed and continental breakfast.
To keep up with the evolution of hotel guests, hotels are wise to use Hotels by Day’s platform, which allows for same-day booking with hotel approval and availability. We understand that people need to be able to make last-minute decisions with their busy schedules.
How We Travel Today
According to a recent survey by Sojern, only 24% of hotel guests book their accommodations more than two weeks in advance. This says a great deal about the way consumers plan their trips, as planning last-minute would not usually result in the best rates. But consumers have developed such a high perception of price stability that they do not see any added value in booking rooms far in advance.
And it turns out that people turning to same day booking can actually save big when it comes to rates. Hotels use platforms like HBD to offer discounted rates that help to fill empty space during the day. It’s a great way for hotels to make extra revenue on unused rooms and it’s a dream come true for spontaneous travelers. Because with Hotels by Day, there are hundreds of same day hotel options to choose from, with no cancellation fee.
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