Families are a large, lucrative market for the global hotels trade, with everyone from small, independent establishments through to huge global chains doing their best to attract these valuable customers. And while no two families are the same, the statistics consistently show what they are after when it comes to booking their perfect hotel.
Here are just a few of the top things a family taking a break together will look out for before making a reservation:
Value for money
All consumers want to get the best possible deal and, more often than not, look for the cheapest possible price. Of course, many discerning solo travellers or child-free couples may like to splash out on a little luxury. However, by and large, families will always go for value over luxury. After all, family holidays are expensive affairs, especially when days out, meals and extras such as ice cream or souvenirs are taken into account. All of this means that hotels looking to attract holidaying families should take the bottom line into account at all times. Smart hotels know that offering families attractive rates can pay for itself. For instance, while they may not get the best possible return on a room, a hotel can almost bank on a family making full use of the restaurant, plus, if they enjoy a pleasant, trouble-free stay, they may even return year after year.
Proper family-sized rooms
Just because families expect good value for money doesn’t mean that they expect to be cooped up in the smallest room in the hotel. Quite the opposite, in fact. So, while they may not expect large, multi-roomed suites, they will want separate cots for young children, a large bathroom fit for the whole family and, of course, sufficient storage space. What’s more, parents are increasingly demanding some extra privacy, even when holidaying with their children. This means suites with separate bedrooms equipped with king sized beds as well as pull-out sofa beds in the living room, have become increasingly popular over recent years, so much so in fact that many savvy consumers will resent having to pay for the privilege of sleeping in the same room as their kids. Similarly, many of the larger hotel chains now offer mini-apartments, giving families the chance to stay in a ‘home away from home’, complete with kitchen and living area.
Kid-friendly restaurants
It goes without saying that, for the most part, families would prefer to eat in their hotel rather than venturing out to dine. Sure, an occasional night out sampling the local cuisine may be a treat, but every night for one or two weeks can be more of a chore than a pleasure, especially if parents have young kids in tow. This means that families are more than a little demanding when it comes to a hotel’s in-house restaurant. Far from just requiring high chairs, these days parents expect menus to have special kids’ options, with portion sizes and prices to fit accordingly. And, while the parents themselves may want to expand their culinary horizons while they are away from home, children rarely do, so staple favourites that will cause the least fuss are always very welcome. As well as the contents of the menu itself, families often differ from regular hotel guests when it comes to when they want to eat. Again, while travellers without children may enjoy dining late into the night – especially if they are holidaying in Southern Europe and keen to embrace the local lifestyle – for families, it’s often a case of ‘the earlier the better’, especially if they are to avoid early evening tears and tantrums.
Children’s activities
Keeping kids entertained can be hard work, and so parents will always welcome the chance to sit back, relax and actually enjoy a holiday of their own. And, notably, parents vote with their feet when it comes to in-house children’s activities, with all the market data suggesting that venues offering things like kids’ clubs tend to do better over the busy summer months. However, a hotel needn’t have a proper kids’ club (or even a special ‘Kids’ Concierge) providing fun and games right through the day. Even little touches such as a playroom, a film club or even drawing pads and games to keep children occupied while they are waiting for their food in the restaurant can make a difference. Plus, of course, even young children will be expecting internet access when they are away from home, so the smart hotels know that it’s not just travelling businessmen who will kick up a fuss if they can’t get online.
Location, location, location
Again, families are generally determined to get the best deal on hotel accommodation, with most parents looking at the bottom line before taking anything else into consideration. At the same time, however, many families would be willing to pay a premium for a well-located hotel. As any experienced traveller knows, nothing saps the holiday enthusiasm quite like long rides on buses or trains, and nothing can provoke a tantrum quite like getting a child all excited about going to an amusement park only to spend an hour actually getting there. For this very reason, most family-focused hotels now actively make the effort to inform prospective guests how close they are to nearby family-friendly attractions. A quick look on their website will tell you, for instance, how far the hotel in question is from the top local attractions.
