Do women travelers really have divergent needs? Many hotel chains focus on women travelers which is a good thing but it would seem that their main needs (apart from obvious ones like hair dryers) are not really different. A survey by Tisch Center for Hospitality reports that female travelers emphasize security, location and facilities for kids among other things. Healthy in-room food & tasteful colors also curry favor with women.
Would male travelers, if surveyed, respond differently?
I believe males would equally rather stay in a safe, well-lit hotel. Parking spaces & hotel corridors should reflect an overall security trend. Healthy, light food is an option that would appeal to all. Majority of women in the survey also wanted a minibar (71%). Male travelers would likely agree.
Being a woman, I have never experienced any discomfort from a hotel that I would attribute to a lack of addressing women’s needs. Poor bedding, loud air conditioners, less-than-desirable security, broken this-and-that, lack of mini bar or even hair dryer does not prompt me to take offense to a perceived “insensitivity to women”. Unless a hotel feels like the ultimate bachelor pad, equipped with beer signs, dance pole and showing only Spike TV, I don’t see how what’s comfortable for a man isn’t comfortable for a woman. And design style these days typically plays to both sexes. Actually, if a room or hotel is particularly geared towards women in a traditional view of what women like – floral designs, pastels, etc. – I’m turned off. It feels presumptuous to me. Lastly, I’m not so sure about the concept of offering floors for single female travelers only – it seems to be asking for trouble, even with security guards in place. And while I’m sure it is well-received, it is my feeling that this “amenity” exacerbates fear: Not only does it create a potentially false sense of security, but how comfortable would a woman be who then can’t find a hotel on her next trip to accommodate her so “securely”?
I agree with your comments particularly with regard to women and separate floors. Along the same lines far more hotels have a similar mindset with regard to areas like business and fitness centers. The former are usually tucked away in a corner and often unattended while the latter are often curtained off in the name of privacy that results in some women feeling insecure when working out in the wee hours.