10 hotel trends that attract organisers
Due to more and more demanding organisers and conference participants, hotels’ tasks are getting tougher and tougher. It is more and more difficult to attract organisers, which is why we present current trends and indicate what to pay attention to not to lag behind.
1. Eco-trend
Quite rightly, for some time ecology has been put on a pedestal and become a prevailing trend both in hotel construction and management. And it will certainly be favoured by hotel managers and guests for long. Hotel networks, private owners and venue administrators are guided by the craze for ecology and taking care of the environment as early as at the stage of a project design development. No one is surprised by solar panels atop hotel roofs. Equipping venues with biodegradable products, using eco-friendly detergents, energy-saving light bulbs or waste segregation have already become standard practice. Some hotels also construct their own deep water wells.
Corporations are doing their best to be eco-friendly, which is why when selecting a venue, they pay attention to pro-ecological solutions applied in hotels. In response to this type of expectations, hotels prepare special “green” offers targeted at companies with highly developed environmental awareness.
Hotel Medical SPA Malinowy Dwór can serve as an example of such an eco-friendly hotel. Not only does it have its own deep water well, but also its own biological wastewater treatment plant.
2. CSR – Corporate Social Responsibility
Ecology should be accompanied by taking care of public interest.
The craze for CSR at hotels came from the West along with the development of international hotel networks. Taking care of corporate social responsibility is an indispensable part of many organisations’ policies. A hotel which is involved in different types of social actions certainly has more chances to win a customer than the one which is indifferent to public welfare.
An example of a socially responsible hotel is, among others, Hilton Warsaw Hotel & Convention Centre, which regularly helps those in need.
3. Smart
The trend for “smart cities” forces setting up next “smart hotels”. Intelligent solutions applied in venues are getting more and more popular. They are also becoming more and more desired by planners. “Smart” means first and foremost technology aiming at improving hotel solutions and systems, including registration, and maximally speeding up guest service. It is not possible to stay idle and not to follow the changing world of technology. In response to the market needs, intelligent hotels are set up, such as Hotel Puro in Poznań or Sound Garden in Warsaw. Modern guests look for modern solutions. Registration panels certainly belong to them.
4. Brain food
Fortunately, our national hotel managers are more and more often inspired by Western solutions. Slowly but surely, hotel cooks are satisfying conference participants’ palates and minds by preparing well balanced menus. Brain food means special meals based on carefully selected ingredients – according to the body’s demand. Blood sugar does not drop after lunch and appropriately selected vitamins and minerals support our brain, facilitate concentration and increase our body performance.
One of such hotels is Radisson Blu from Krakow.
5. Creative space
Meeting organisers’ needs and in response to the conviction that cooperation favours creativity, a lot of venues have decided to support the development of their guests’ creativity providing them with so-called “rest rooms” or “brain rooms” – special places equipped with comfortable sofas and armchairs where, with just a few people, and at the same time far away from the noise, they can do “brainstorming”. Designing suitable working conditions meets with positive responses from organisers.
6. Natural light
Natural light is a universal trend. Participants, who spend the whole day inside, want to know what the weather is like. Besides, it has been proven that natural light increases productivity.
This is why more and more venues are trying to provide their guests with natural light in conference rooms. This is achieved owing to large windows and glazed ceilings, which are becoming more and more popular. One has to bear in mind, however, that too much light may reduce the quality of image on the screen, and sometimes even make it impossible to organise a specific concept of a given event.
7. Original character of spaces
This is offered first and foremost by boutique hotels. A lot of organisers try to avoid repeatability and standard, looking for added values in hotel interiors, such as aesthetic sensations, which will satisfy their refined tastes. Therefore, they turn to those venues whose interiors are made to order by famous architects and guarantee uniqueness not only at the national, but also international level. Boutique hotels are targeted at demanding customers.
The boutique hotel map includes, among others, Hotel Rialto in Warsaw or City Solei Boutique Hotel in Poznań.
8. Arrangement and comfort
This is the next point that can be put down on the list of trends.
Sitting for many hours during a conference should be both productive and comfortable. Soft chairs with comfortable back rests are a must today. Participants are more and more aware and more and more fussy. Arrangement of conference rooms also matters. Universal classics will not work in every case. Guests expect something more than cold, empty walls and long rows of uncomfortable chairs. At Hotel Narvil Conference & Spa one can find interesting and innovative solutions. Owing to lots of glazed surfaces, guests are in constant contact with nature, whereas a suspended ceiling made from mineral wool significantly improves acoustics during training sessions and conferences.
9. Additional attractions
This is the next trend, after originality, dictated by the willingness to provide guests with unforgettable experiences. Venues which apart from classical conference rooms, offer also additional, interestingly arranged event space, have more chances to win a customer. If such a place is incorporated into the forest landscape or an interestingly designed garden, it will certainly increase its attractiveness. Hotels try to extend their offers of additional attractions to keep its guests and ensure interesting networking conditions. On meeting.pl, organisers can find e.g. Zamek Ryn – a hotel which offers, among others, such attractions as: a bowling alley in the arsenal, an underground swimming pool, castle casino – using its historical architecture for entertainment purposes.
10. Professional equipment
Nowadays, deficiencies in conference equipment should not happen. Modern and professional conference room equipment is something every customer requires. When selecting a venue, the decision is influenced also by the quality of such tools as a multimedia projector, microphones, a screen or sound system. It is also worth giving customers the possibility to conduct a videoconference, which has become standard practice. Moreover, a venue should also provide conference organisers with a qualified person who offers technical support.
