Beyond The Lobby – Edition 11

^{BIG IDEA FOR THE WEEK}
Why Guests Secretly Want What Other Guests Have

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A GM I recently spoke with runs a boutique hotel on the hills and recently, he was puzzled by something.

He’d invested heavily in renovating the penthouse suite: luxurious amenities, a perfect city view, even a private terrace.

Yet, it sat empty most weekends.

But then something interesting happened.

One Friday afternoon, a high-profile guest checked in.

He snapped a casual photo from the penthouse balcony and posted it online, tagging the hotel. Within hours, requests poured in. Not just for any room, but specifically for the penthouse suite. It was fully booked for the next three months.

Why did demand suddenly skyrocket? Nothing about the room itself changed. But what changed was how guests perceived it. They wanted what someone else already wanted.

That’s Mimetic Desire: the powerful force that makes us want what we see others wanting. It quietly shapes every decision, from the clothes we buy to the restaurants we choose.

Hoteliers often overlook this force. Instead, they rely on logic: room specs, pricing strategies, and package deals. Those matter, sure, but not nearly as much as understanding the underlying psychology of why people choose what they choose.

Here’s how you can put this insight to practical use:

1. Make desirability visible.
   Highlight popular rooms explicitly: “Most requested,” “Guest favourite,” or “Frequently sold out.” Give people a clear signal about what others prefer.

2. Leverage scarcity subtly.
   If a room type is nearly booked out, mention it: “Only one left this weekend.” Scarcity reinforces the perception of value. OTA’s do this – why aren’t you on your direct booking channels?

3. Curate visible stories.
   Share guest experiences in a way others notice. When someone influential or relatable stays in a suite, let it be known.

People don’t just want rooms. They want rooms others already desire.
If you understand that, “your hotel’s penthouse” might never stay empty again.

See it through the lens of hospitality: Hotel leaders often feel pressure to appear composed, decisive, and perfectly in control. But beneath the surface, that same anxiety driving you to check every detail twice, obsess over reviews, and anticipate guests' needs is often your greatest advantage. Embrace it. Channel that restless energy not into worry, but into action. Let it push you to be better, smarter, and more thoughtful about your guests' experiences. Anxiety, directed purposefully, can become your secret weapon.

^{OPERATIONAL INSIGHT}
The Five-Minute Favour

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Sometimes, all it takes to delight a guest is five minutes.

→ A forgotten charger loaned from lost-and-found.
→ Quickly looking up directions to their next stop.
→ Calling ahead to reserve a spot at that popular local restaurant.

Small favours stick because guests never expect them. They’re effortless for you but memorable for them.

Here’s how to make five-minute favours part of your team’s daily habit:

1. Each shift, challenge every team member to do just one quick favour for a guest. Something small, spontaneous, and genuinely helpful.

2. Make it easy: Stock commonly forgotten items. Keep a list of popular local recommendations at the front desk. Empower your team to handle small requests without approval.

3. And then, share these stories at team meetings. Celebrate how little effort it took and how big the impact was.

Five-minute favours aren’t just nice, they're smart hospitality. Small gestures make for big stories guests love to tell.

^{CRISIS PLAYBOOK}
When Your Biggest Group Wants to Cancel (and You Can't Afford to Say No)

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You've got a huge booking: 50 rooms, multiple nights, banquets, the works. They're your biggest reservation this month.

Then the call comes: "We need to cancel."

Your first instinct: Remind them about the ironclad cancellation policy.

But enforcing it means winning short-term revenue and losing long-term relationships (and perhaps, even reputation).

Here’s what to do instead:

1. Listen first.
   Ask what's prompting the cancellation. Can something be adjusted, downsized, or postponed? Often, a creative middle-ground solution emerges.

2. Make flexibility your secret weapon.
   If they booked four nights and want out after two, offer credit for future stays or services – maybe even partial credit. Turning cancellations into deferrals keeps relationships alive (and cash flowing later).

3. Leverage goodwill.
   If you must stick closely to policy, soften the blow. Offer incentives, like, discounted future bookings or complementary perks next time. It cushions the hit without eroding your position.

4. Communicate fast internally.
   A sudden large cancellation impacts multiple departments: F&B, housekeeping, and staffing. Get the entire team looped in immediately. Adjust schedules, repurpose resources, and free up capacity to rebook quickly.

Remember: You aren’t bending to every whim of theirs. You are balancing immediate losses against long-term loyalty and reputation.

Rigid policy wins today's argument. Flexibility wins tomorrow's business.

^{WHAT I FOUND INTERESTING}
The Hotel Room Hanging From a Tree

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Most hotels promise comfort, views, and maybe even luxury. But how many promise you’ll sleep suspended in mid-air, hidden in a forest?

That’s exactly what the folks at Treehotel in Sweden are offering: rooms perched high in the trees, each more whimsical than the last. Forget a regular lobby – check into a mirror-covered cube, a UFO-shaped suite, or even a giant bird’s nest.

This place doesn’t just blend into nature – it becomes part of it. No cookie-cutter rooms here. Instead, you're gently swaying above the ground, staring through branches at stars you’d never see from a standard hotel window.

Why does this matter? People don’t talk about predictable experiences, they talk about remarkable ones.

You don’t have to build your hotel in a tree, but you do need to create something guests can’t wait to tell their friends about.

This hotel did. And that’s worth thinking about.

^{SHOWER THOUGHT}
💡 Every word in every language started out as gibberish until one person convinced enough people that what they said was a real word.

^{SPONSORED BY HAVEN}
How I Contribute To The Hospitality Industry.

↓↓↓

If you don’t know about me –

I come from a strong tech background – built resilient software for banking, automotive and QSR sectors.

But I finally found true love in hospitality. It’s so full of life and it’s where caring for others is the breadwinner.

However, as a traveller, I have gone through a fair share of displeasures and what’s unfortunate is that even the worst experiences had sincere people putting in their best.

But with a lack of data and systems, the staff is usually just overwhelmed.

That’s why my team and I are building Haven. To help hoteliers and hospitality professionals get ahead of guest frustrations and avoid the most basic pitfalls that destroy guest experience.

Hotels that use Haven –

1. Catch service delays before guests complain.
2. Upsell without being pushy.
3. Fix guest issues before they check out.

If you are curious to learn how Haven can help – simply respond to this email and I’d be happy to tell you more over a call.