Hotel web and entertainment firm iBahn recently ran a survey of hotel customers to find out what facilities should be included in the perfect hotel room.
The OurHotelRoom initiative threw up the following results:
* Tiered internet connectivity - 17%
* Room charges lniked directly to services - 13%
* Personalised entertainment packages - 12%
* Docking stations for mobile and MP3 players - 12%
* Full digital TV service - 11%
* Biometric security entry - 10%
* Heating and lighting control via mobile device - 10%
* Free mini-bar - 9%
* Video conference facility - 3%
* Access to recorded content at home - 3%
Now one would expect the top requirement given that the survey is hosted by a web connection company, but some of the other results are quite surprising - not least the free mini-bar in a lowly eighth position.
Do you agree? What other facilities (keep it clean, please) would you have in your top ten?
Funny that a survey conducted by a company selling in-room technology should find that the most important thing about a hotel room is ... er ... in-room technology.
What amazes me is how a free minibar only got 9% of votes. Who are these people?
How about a great view, a power shower, a comfortable bed? If I can have all these (and a free minibar) I think I can manage to get up and turn down the air-con manually.
'There's no such thing as a free lunch', not even in a hotel. A 'free' minibar would simply push up hotel prices, and I refuse to pay for the alcoholic or chocaholic habits of other guests.
Actually, I think the Royal Ambassador level of IC actually has a free minibar as one of the perks.
It's obvious these were people thinking in terms of a business hotel rather than a leisure one.
Has given me an idea for a survey on our blog though - if I can find the time to update the damned thing so we can actually have surveys!
We're all being a bit cynical about iBahn's findings supporting their commercial interest but actually I'm surprised that only 17% cited internet connectivity in their list of features for the perfect hotel room. Internet connectivity is pretty much a given - the debate now (in business travel, at least) is whether it should be included in the rate or not.
The Economist Intelligence Unit recently surveyed business travellers on our behalf and found that 76% would not even stay at a hotel which didn't offer internet connectivity (we don't sell internet connectivity). That's a lot more than wouldn't stay at a hotel with noisy rooms (56%).
Here's the full report for anyone who's interested:
http://www.amadeus.com/hotels/austere_traveller.html?id=corp&cmp=feb09