Services and Amenities Offered: The Ritz-Carlton v. Best Western

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Amenities, location, packages, rates, special offers - just a few of the many factors that are considered when choosing the functions of a hotel. I was very curious to see how different types of hotels differ in what they offer, how they offer it, and where they offer it. These services are extremely significant because they are what define a hotel. They define what type of guests they are targeting, what type of hotel they want to be perceived as, and what level of service they want to deliver to their guests. The impression of the hotel left on the guest is essential for the success of the hotel. The idea of adding amenities to keep up with competition or getting creative with services offered is not new. The Journal of Retail & Leisure Property mentioned that starting in the 1970’s, “hotels and resorts tried to gain market share from their competitors by increasing amenities in the guest rooms.” The services and amenities have always been a factor when deciding what approach to take when trying to find the most success. By comparing an average 2-3 star hotel with a 5-star hotel, I was able to gain a better understanding of the different services offered in hotels and the different expectations that certain guests have in their stay.
First I looked at the services of a Best Western hotel. There are so many Best Westerns across the country, but they all have about a 2-3 star rating. I chose a couple random hotels and looked at what they had to offer. This isn’t the case with all locations, but many Best Westerns offer complimentary breakfast, high-speed internet, meeting rooms, pools, hot tubs, airport shuttles, and fitness centers. These are just some of the basic amenities listed on their website. Many of the locations offer ...

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...d of pressure. I’ve learned that no matter what type of hotel it is, making sure you are marketing to the right guests is essential to the success of the hotel. If a hotel knows what type of guest they want to market to, it will be much easier to evaluate what kind of services need to be offer to keep up with their competition. Looking at these two hotels has given me a much better understanding of the importance of service, which amenities are most suited for the hotel, and the role these factors play in the different types of hotels.

Works Cited
Stringam, Betsy Bender. "A Comparison of Vacation Ownership Amenities with Hotel and Resort Hotel Amenities." Journal of Retail and Leisure Property 7.3 (2008): 186-203. Print.
Wind, Jerry. “Courtyard By Marriott: Designing a Hotel Facility With Consumer-Based Marketing Models.” Interfaces 19.1 (1989), pp. 25-47. Print.

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