Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 60

GUEST EXPERIENCE QUIET ZONES 4 POOLS AND SPAS Whether your pool is indoor or outdoor (or both), you know that it's a place your guests love to be. Keeping your pool clean, safe and well-lit is essential to creating an appealing environment, but there are some other ways you can go above and beyond in providing an awesome aquatic experience for your guests. If you have an outdoor-only pool, consider offering sunscreen and sunglasses to make sure your guests are well-protected. Offering kid-friendly items like goggles, floaties and swim diapers will make a splash with parents. Does your hotel's pool have a snack bar? If not, consider opening one up - swimmers get hungry. And of course, always have towels available for guests who forget theirs. It's a win/win: Your guests will be happy you thought of them, and you'll be happy they're not tracking water through your hotel while they retrieve their forgotten towels. 5 Some guests are more sensitive to noise than others, and that's why "quiet zone" floors are becoming more popular. Quiet zone floors generally offer the promise that kids, large groups or other noise-making demographics won't be booked on that floor. Quiet zone floors often have guest room doors that don't slam, and guarantee that no housekeeping or maintenance will take place between certain hours. In return, they ask that guests on the quiet zone floors do their part by keeping the volume on their TVs and radios down, and practice common courtesy to their fellow peace-loving guests. In addition to all of these things, consider offering ear plugs and eye masks to your quiet zone guests so they can get an even better night's sleep. If you implement a quiet zone, make sure the area is clearly marked with the rules so guests know what to expect. 6 0 | OCTOBER 2016 | TODAYSHOTELIER.COM Just like your "fitness area, extended hours are a good idea - more breakfast time is never a bad thing. " WHAT'S NEXT? Once you've taken our suggestions and have implemented changes that make your amenities absolutely irresistible, what's next? How do you get the word out and let people know that your hotel is the place to be? Running advertisements and posting on your hotel's social media pages about your new, exciting amenities is the fastest way to get word to the masses. But don't forget to get your employees involved, too. Make sure your staff is well-trained on all of your hotel's incredible offerings. Consider creating fliers to hand out to guests upon checkin, or post signage around your lobby and most frequented areas to ensure they're in-the-know. Focus on these five areas of your hotel and in no time flat, you'll find yourself lightyears ahead of your competition. ■ Kristin Alexin is a national accounts manager for HOTELSIGNS.com, the nation's leading provider of ADA-compliant hotel signage. Contact her at kristinalexin@hotelsigns.com or 888-273-8726. http://www.HOTELSIGNS.com http://www.TODAYSHOTELIER.COM

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Today's Hotelier - October 2016