3 Critical Areas of Innovation for Boutique Hotel Management

Owners of boutique or small hotels are in the midst of an exciting yet difficult period as they face rising prices and a labor crisis. 

As more guests make reservations, hoteliers need to come up with innovative solutions to ensure smooth operations.

We’re here to reveal the most recent trends and innovations for boutique hotel management to thrive in this uncertain economy.

3 Ways You Can Innovate Your Boutique Hotel Management Processes

1. Provide Self-Service Tools

Check-in Options

Mobile check-in services are one of the top trends in the boutique hotel industry since visitors desire options and flexibility during their stay. Through mobile conveniences, visitors will have a more streamlined, intuitive process in place for their stay.

Offering contactless check-in and online payment alternatives is one approach to meeting your guests’ expectations for excellent service. Through these services, visitors can manage their bookings without making a call or going to the front desk. 

Instead of waiting, your guests can skip the line and check in online, through an app, or at a kiosk, allowing them to relax and enjoy their stay sooner.

Additionally, electronic room key integrations from your hotel PMS can enable visitors to access their rooms using their smartphones. As soon as guests check-in online, you can instantly provide them with mobile keys so they can access their rooms. 

This encourages a more paperless operation, is much more efficient, and meets the preferences of guests who desire contactless services.

Direct Booking for More Control

In the hospitality industry, hotels are increasingly looking for ways to reduce dependency on third-party booking platforms. In the boutique hotel sector in particular, this trend is amplified as small, independent hotels are known for offering personalized approaches and unique experiences that OTAs often fail to convey.  

As a result, equipping your boutique hotel website with a user-friendly Internet Booking Engine (IBE) that is customized to your brand is essential for increasing successful reservations directly on the hotel website. Visitors can clearly see what you offer, what makes your hotel unique,  and have greater control over their stay when personalized services and amenities can be added on to their reservation during the booking process.

The addition of an IBE can also enable boutique hoteliers to collect guest data that can be used to better understand their guests, and personalize their experiences and future offers. 

2. Appeal to Younger Travelers

It’s essential in the current hospitality industry to appeal to younger audiences to maximize your marketing efforts. It just so happens that boutique hotels are in a prime position to accomplish this.

Small hotels have the advantage of offering the authentic, memorable experience that younger audiences prefer. 

Making accommodations for younger guests with special hobbies and travel requirements can help them feel highly valued and understood at your small hotel while offering them the authentic experience they are seeking.

You can start by making the guest room a destination in and of itself by adding distinctive elements that will appeal to Millennial tourists. Some hotels offer rooms with unique bedding, smart lighting, and in-room exercise areas for guests interested in working out. 

3. Embrace Sustainable Amenities 

Sustainable tourism has been a growing trend in the hospitality industry, but poses a unique opportunity for boutique hotels as eco-friendly initiatives can be more easily implemented than in large, chain hotels.

In fact, many smaller hotels have begun implementing sustainable practices and amenities since their guests don’t just expect these to be available, but demand it.

Small hotels can easily offer: 

• Tours of a farmer’s market to promote local produce
• Completely organic amenities for bathrooms
• Bike services to cut down on carbon emissions

By embracing sustainable amenities, you can provide more flexibility for guests during the booking process and give you more opportunities to upsell additional add-ons, amenities, services, and more.

Leverage Cutting-edge Boutique Hotel Management Solutions

Boutique hotel owners are looking for a tech solution to help them keep up with the latest hospitality industry trends and meet the recent challenges of staffing shortages and rising costs.

Historically, traditional legacy systems required boutique hotels to purchase expensive software and servers. 

Today, modern, cloud-based all-in-one solutions that integrate with other systems empower boutique hoteliers to quickly modernize internal processes. 

An all-in-one solution delivers the most important trend in boutique hotels: A smart tech stack connected to your PMS.

By centralizing your operations and guest experience solutions, you can enhance the guest experience and streamline operations — making for simpler and more efficient boutique hotel management.

Revamp Your Small Hotel with Hospitality Technology

To stand out in this competitive industry, it’s crucial to have updated services, streamlined operations, and a great guest experience.

With cutting-edge hospitality technology, you can innovate every aspect of boutique hotel management and still give your guests the best experience possible. Learn more about modern, cloud-based hospitality technology with our guide Hospitality Technology: What to Expect for the Hotel Industry in 2023 today.