The difference in staying in a family owned hotel in a chain hotel world
Personality
Sometimes it’s not your property that makes the difference but the friendliness of your staff. Chain hotels, such as Starwood, Hyatt and Marriott, have many standard operating procedures on their services. These tell them when, what and how to do their job. This might sound good regarding consistency and giving the same value to every customer but what about personality? The work becomes monotone, the guests don’t feel welcomed and the whole charm of the hotel is gone.
That’s exactly the opposite in a family run business. Staff is trained on customer relations and how to act towards guests but they are always recommended to put a little of their own touch in their work, without compromising the service of course. What do you prefer?
Service
Family run businesses mostly operate with a lot of experience, a lot of passion and excitement due to the fact that it has probably been in the family for a long time. In many cases, family members don’t work for the company to gain a lot of money but because their heart is in the company. This passion is also to be found in the employees that they chose to hire to make your stay unforgettable. Chain hotel staff might not be making any mistakes but they also will not start chatting with you while serving you your cup of tea. The heart is at the centre of everything that’s being done. Receptionists will ask where you come from, if you need any additional information and if you have any special wishes while that’s not always the case with a big chain hotel.
Home-Like Characteristics
Most people cherish if they feel a little at home even if they’re on vacation or on a business trip.
This is a feeling a chain hotel can’t give you. All the hotels feature the same interior, the same uniforms, the same furniture and everything is practical. Whereas, if you get to a small family run hotel, you’ll have all those special details that matter. The personal touch of the owners can always be recognized and the acting of the employees reflects on them. Small hotels can make wishes come true and will always make you feel welcomed and cherished.
Location and size
Big chains have big amounts of money to spend on buildings, refurbishments and innovation. They are able to build their hotels in hotspots of city centres. This is of great advantage to them since travellers want Hotel to stay in central locations. However, that’s not always the best choice. In many occasions, these hotspots are noisy and not very beautiful and that’s to the advantage of the little hotels. People chose for them because of their personal touch, the interior designed with love and the interaction they can experience. Besides, independent hotels might be difficult finding online sometimes since their brand is not as well known. However, the extra time online searching and the extra mile walking might be worth it.
Experience
Hotel stays are all about what you intend on experiencing. Some people like it modern, some like it traditional and others just like it simple. Most people believe that small hotel groups can’t keep up with the speed of innovation. This however is about to change. Family run businesses become more successful due to people escaping from the cold designs of the chains to high-tech independent hotels. Chain hotels feature Michelin star chefs, fancy restaurants and white linen napkins. Family businesses serve homemade food made with love and passion. Everything is possible but it’s up to you to make your choice but we suggest to never underestimate the independent hotels and their power on making your stay unforgettable.
