Inroom facilities

Rejuvenation brand Westin recently claimed another first – the world’s first inroom spa programs. As the name suggests, it’s renewal and relaxation served up in the solitude of your own room (a concept likely to appeal to harried business travelers and most women).

While on the scents, spas and oxygen route, how about hotels adding value through a 24/7 travel expert desk? Short trip? How about a shortlist of things to do in 24 hours? Special dieting needs – best places to eat while in town? Cannot drive? Public transportation options. Most hotels seem to assume that guests have spent hours researching their vacation spots and destinations – while that is desirable, it’s hardly the case with most last-minute trips or weekend vacations. Most visitors are pointed in the direction of the free brochures or a computer where they can look up necessary info! In today’s vacation-starved, workaholic America, people expect to make the most of their time-off and hotels must rise to the task of providing relevant, expert travel info onsite. Brochures don’t cut it!

Published by

Vijay Dandapani

Co-founder and president of a New York based hotel company for 24 years. Grew the firm to five hotels in Manhattan and also developed a greenfield project at MacArthur airport, New York. Speaker at numerous prestigious forums including Economy Hotels World Asia, Lodging Conference, NYU, Columbia University Real Estate Roundtable, Baruch College's Zicklin School and ALIS. President and ceo of New York City Hotel Association since January 2017.