Monday, January 25, 2010

Hotel Facilities Vary Depending Upon the Service Level

By Adriana Noton

Many people wonder why they get charged one rate at a Super 8. airport hotels and another at a Hilton when they are using nothing more than a bed. If that is the case, they may be staying at the wrong type of hotel facilities and could use a little guidance as to what to expect based on the top of property that they are staying. Lodging comes in three different tiers and each one of them is meant to service a specific market.

The lowest level of amenities will be received at extended stay properties. These are properties that are strictly meant for longer stays that will not cost as much money as any other type of hotel or motel. The reason the rates are so low is because they do not usually offer the types of amenities that people would generally expect from a hotel.

It is a rare extended stay property that will have a rate anywhere near $100/night. The longer the guest is staying, the more likely that the rate will be lower. For this generous rate, they get very little other than a bed and a parking spot. There will usually be laundry facilities of some type and maid service will be very limited.

One step up would be considered limited service properties. These are properties like the Garden Inn or Days Inn. Room rates are a little higher, but there is not much more in the way of the typical hotel amenities. Owners of these properties make some of the highest profits in the industry so you can expect them to be clean, but they will be run very tight.

Maid service in limited service properties will usually be a daily occurrence, unless they are at the bottom tier of the scale. They may even only offer it on request. While some of them offer meeting rooms and banquet space, it is very limited. There may or may not be a restaurant on property and will probably offer a continental breakfast for their guests.

The hotels with the best hotel facilities are known as full service hotels. For these amenities, the guest can expect to pay considerably more. A nice travel tip is to look for full service hotels that are surrounded by limited service hotels. They will have to drop their rates to stay competitive in their market.

Types of full service hotels would be properties such as Hilton and Marriott. They are typical of full service hotels in that they treat their VIP members like gold. Their highest levels can expect free breakfast, a welcome amenity, honor bar with free hours d' oeuvres and express check ins. These types of properties are generally required to have a full service restaurant, health spa, snack shop along with high end banquet facilities.

If a travel is doing nothing more than sleeping in their room, why waste the money at a full service hotel. A place like the Garden Inn will still offer a free continental and a high level of service. When the guest wants to be pampered, pay the few extra dollars and take advantage of the hotel facilities that are offered.

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