20 C H A P T E R 1 ■ I N T R O D U C T I O N T O H O T E L M A N A G E M E N T

Levels of Service

The four commonly used market segments—identifiable groups of customers with similar needs for products and services—are full service, all-suites, select service, and extended stay. There is a great deal of overlap among these divisions, and much confusion, some of which occurs because leaders in the hotel industry do not agree on terminology.

Some industry leaders avoid the “budget” tag because of its connotations of cheapness and poor quality. Others welcome the label because it appeals to travelers looking for basic accommodations at inexpensive rates. Nevertheless, the following definitions provide some idea of what is offered at each level of service. Full service is a level that provides a wide range of conveniences for the guest. These services include, but are not limited to, reservations, on-premises dining, banquet and meeting facilities, and recreational facilities. Examples of full-service hotels include Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Renaissance Hotels & Resorts, and Hilton.

As discussed earlier, the all-suites category indicates a level of service appropriate for guests who desire an at-home atmosphere. Services include separate sleeping and living areas or working areas, kitchenette facilities, wet bars, and other amenities at the midprice level. This concept appeals to the business traveler as well as to families. Marriott’s and Hilton’s Embassy Suites Hotels are examples of all-suite hotels. It is interesting to note that this concept is also employed in older center-city commercial hotels, in which rooms adjoining the bedroom and bath have been remodeled as living rooms and kitchenettes to create suites.

Select service emphasizes basic room accommodations, guest amenities, and minimal public areas. A continental breakfast and/or an evening cocktail is often included in the price of the room. Guests have the opportunity to trade the public meeting room for free in-room movies, the dining room for free local phone calls. Hampton and aloft are examples of select-service hotels. In an article describing the new aloft, several new ideas to respond to this market segment:

a colorful, sloping signature carport cover and building roof-line, and colorful glowing linear light sources on the building facade inspired by the notion of travel and motion.

a mix lobby, a flexible space that lends itself to both daytime and evening socialization, featuring a sunken living room with a two-sided glass fireplace which opens to an outdoor patio, a customized pool table and a 24/7 grab ‘n’ go gourmet pantry influenced by a New York deli (re:fuel by aloft).

two guest rooms options, [including] a 275-square-foot room with a king-size bed and a 325-square-foot room with two double beds. Both are loft-like spaces with 9-foot-high ceilings and oversized windows. The rooms exhibit a calming palette with touches of blue and purple, an abundance of natural light, and a selection of custom furniture such as a multifunctional headboard which serves as a wall partition, builtin storage space, nightstand, and a place for artwork. The bathrooms are simple, serene, and cleanly designed, with oversized walk-in showers with glass doors.