Cheap travel options, particularly discount travel packages and discount hotel rooms, remain readily available. Now hotels are renovating their properties after years of delaying improvements.
Hotel renovations and enhancements will mean that many travelers will witness improved service since studies have shown that hotel employees tend to feel better about where they work when their hotel is updated.
While hotels are updating their lobbies, beds, TVs, restaurants, bars and fitness centers, they are also looking for new ways to positively differentiate themselves from their rivals. More full service hotel chains are providing free Wi-Fi service to more of their guests.
The timing of hotel improvements appears ideal since more business people are traveling as a result of improved consumer confidence, renewed interest in increasing business, and hiring gains.
Despite hotels willingness to spend on improvements, hoteliers remain cautious implementing price increases. Consumers have become accustomed to finding cheap hotels deals on travel Internet sites.
Larger hotel owners are putting their rooms on sale for this coming summer. Sage Hospitality operates 39 hotels. They ran a special 48 hour sale early in March slashing 50 percent off its summer rates at the companys Marriott Courtyard, Hilton, Garden Inn, Sheraton, Renaissance and other hotels for guests willing to pay in advance.
Hotels are creating new loyalty programs to lure and retain guests. Over the last six months luxury chains including Ritz-Carlton, Omni Hotels, and Leading Hotels of the World have improved their loyalty programs to encourage more guests to visit or return.
Carlson, which owns Radisson, Radisson Blu and Country Inns & Suites chains, revamped its loyalty program in February so that frequent guests have complimentary Wi-Fi and earn free nights at a much faster rate (after just five paid stays).
The bottom line is that 2011 will be remembered as a year when hotel discounts remained readily available and the quality of many hotels improved markedly. www.cheapfares.com