Greeting Guests with Gifts

Greeting guests with a little something extra at check in is one of the easiest—and surest—ways to make them feel welcome and foster loyalty. DoubleTree by Hilton has its chocolate chip cookies. Through a partnership with KIND, Red Lion Hotels gifts its Hello Rewards members with snack bars upon arrival. In-room welcome gifts for VIP guests are also common at upscale and luxury properties. These special treats highlight a hotel’s ability to care for their guests, and special considerations can have a lasting impact on overall stay satisfaction. According to Guy Langford, vice chairman and U.S. travel, hospitality, and leisure leader at Deloitte, “It is really important to ‘foster your fanatics’ and ‘refine your offerings’ from time to time. That means understanding what drives guest loyalty and catering to it, and being in tune enough to modify and enhance a guest’s experience to keep him coming back.”