Hyatt upgraded to salon-quality hair products to address guests’ concerns, Rose says. The brand also asked women which items they typically forgot at home. Executives were surprised by the answer: nail polish. Many business women have perfectly manicured nails, Rose explains, and if the polish chips, they want to be able to fix it before heading into an important meeting.
Now, as part of the Women’s Experience program, Hyatt offers a variety of products that women can borrow during their hotel stay, including nail polish, hair dryers, lighted makeup mirrors, curling irons, yoga mats, and weight sets.
Kimpton also offers programs to reach out to women travelers such as its membership-based Women In Touch program, which provides perks and special invites to complimentary events, including wine dinners and fashion shows. And many independent and boutique properties are offering female-only floors and packages that highlight interests such as cultural arts, fitness, and culinary tours.
Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) works to accommodate single women travelers by providing rooms in quiet areas and allowing guests to bring pets, says Tim Davis, director of global marketing for SLH. At The Chesterfield in Palm Beach, Fla., there is a female concierge and 24-hour room service, served by a female waitress. In addition, hotel amenities include fresh flowers in guestrooms, a massage service with a female masseuse, and a popular Traditional English Tea for ladies.
“A clear female presence in hotels helps to create a homely, friendly, and relaxed environment for guests and helps single female travelers to feel comfortable in the hotel’s public areas,” Davis says.
In SLH’s core markets, the surge of female bookings has experienced a 53 percent increase in room nights booked by single occupancy females between 2011 and 2012, compared to an increase of 38 percent in room nights by solo males across the same period.
Although specific programs and targeted marketing is successfully bringing more female travelers into hotels, one thing is clear—women don’t want to be marginalized. “Women actually don’t want to be called out as a separate group to be marketed to. They find that to be offensive,” says Rose. “They say, ‘I’m part of a bigger group of people who are traveling. Don’t market at me. If you make changes, I will notice them.’”
