It’s revenue management utopia to work with a general manager and operations team with true passion for up selling. I am not talking about simply offering better room categories to guests. These hoteliers are taking it to the level of art in trying to increase guest spending by an extra euro here and there. Read on and be inspired by this unique hotel story.
It gives me so a thrill to work together with the creative team at the Townhouse Hotel in Maastricht. They have such a drive for delivering authentic hospitality and excellent guest service. I would like to share this inspiring success story with you.
In an earlier article about disruptive hotel business strategies I already referred to their warm welcome at the hotel with a cup of soup. It is such a simple gesture, but truly makes you feel appreciated as a guest when arriving at the hotel. You instantly become more than just another check-in, you feel right at home.
The amazing experience of Townhouse actually already starts before you arrive already. Guest’s who have booked directly or for which the email address is known are contacted pre-arrival to inquire if there is anything else you will need during your stay. Services as parking, a larger room, including breakfast with bubbles, museum vouchers and romantic packages are offered. Anything that can be done to make your experience in Maastricht more memorable.
Upon arrival, you are kindly reminded that there are many options to make your stay extremely pleasant. The lone business traveller is even offered a companion for the nights. Yes at Townhouse Maastricht you can rent a goldfish as roommate for €5.00 per night.
There have five and they are always all in ‘use’. So a few more will need to be ordered to deal with the demand.
Don’t you just love this original idea? Talking about setting yourself up for social media success. Just imagine the Tweets: ‘I’m in my room at Townhouse Hotel Maastricht, but not alone, here with my roommate Blub the goldfish.’
And during your stay, they smartly offer you coffee and cake at a special price in their Grand Cafe Soiron on the main square of the town. You are given a discount voucher clearly showing the location and are explained it is an ideal place to take a break while shopping or sightseeing.
No opportunity is left unutilized to provide service and up-sell, enhancing the overall experience of a guest’s stay.
This incredible hotel team understands there is more to the hotel business than the guest. The home front can be an incredible important factor when it comes to repeat guests visits and word of mouth. In the weekend you can buy a delicious local Maastricht flan pie to take home. You can enjoy it with family and friends talking about you visit to this beautiful town and fun hotel.
At the moment they sell 30 to 40 cakes a weekend, generating an annual profit of €11.000. This is what hospitality and entrepreneurship really is all about. They will expand this to weekdays as well and offer business travelers to take a cake back home to their partner. They will also sell flowers and some souvenirs and toys upon check-out.
Can you imagine the home-front support this creates? The partner and children back home simply want people to stay at the Townhouse Hotel.
At Xotels we simply love working the the La Bergere Group which is behind the Townhouse Hotel in Maastricht. It gives such pleasure to work with hoteliers that truly understand service and the importance of up-selling to drive TREVPAR and the bottom line of the hotel.
It is not just the rooms that make money in a hotel. If you are a bit creative you can generate revenue in many ways.
I hope this article has inspired you to take another look at your hotel’s up-selling efforts.