SETTING THE TONE

‘What a lovely place, it’ll do us just fine,’ ‘Not up to our usual standard’ and ‘Far too posh for us’ are all remarks that could be made about the same hotel. Everyone is different and every hotelier will be aiming at a certain type of client. It is up to you to set the tone for the sort of guest you want to attract, in every department of your hotel.

The Exterior Image

Flaking paint, dirty walls, dingy windows, drab curtains and an unkempt garden will deter all but the most desperate guest. The outside is seen as a reflection of what can be expected on the inside.

The Image Inside

Unless yours is the only hotel in the area, or the only one with vacancies, those who knock at your door are presumably reasonably happy with what they have seen from the outside.

The reception area, be it a proper desk with all the trimmings or just a hallway, is the next hurdle you have to get guests over. If it is scruffy, dimly-lit or smells, don’t be surprised when those who had intended to contribute to your livelihood make some excuse and disappear. If either the outside or the reception area is anything less than you would like to see yourself when looking for accommodation, do something about it before you go bust.

The Welcome

‘From the moment we met, we felt so at home’ is the best compliment any guest can pay you. It means you have got your welcome right. When staying in a strange place, guests need to feel comfortable from the earliest possible moment. When you first arrive at a hotel, especially after a long journey, would you like to be offered a cup of tea on the house by a friendly host? Of course you would.

If guests have brought in their luggage, take it or get it taken straight to their room. If not, and especially if they have parked on a yellow line, get the cases from their car and set their minds at rest by directing them where to park.

Next, escort your guests into a comfortable lounge area while someone assisting you prepares their complimentary tray. Introduce yourself, including your first name. Guests will then have the option whether to use your first name and to offer their own. Introduce the newcomers to any other guests who are around.

Once you are sitting down with them and pleasantries about their journey and the weather have been dispensed with, you have the opportunity to find out any likes or dislikes they have, especially in the food line, and particularly if you serve a set menu. You will also be able to take orders for newspapers, if required. If they are staying more than just overnight, consider loaning them a front door key so they can come and go as they wish. Let them know subtly how you run your hotel including any house rules that might apply to them.

Registration

By the Immigration (Hotel Records) Order 1972, as amended, before the guests leave you to go to their room you should ask them to register. Anyone over 16 must provide their full name and nationality. In the case of aliens, the number and place of issue of their passport should be added. On leaving, aliens must show their next destination. Concessions are likely to be made in the legislation for members of the European Union. Such records have to be kept for 12 months and be open for inspection by police.

It is when registering that you will find it convenient to mention payment of the final bill, assuming you have decided this to be your policy (see pages 137-8).