Hotel bent on ‘owning’ women market

RICHARD Simmons, Hyatt Regency Hotel and Casino Manila general manager

For hotels at the very top of the multinational deluxe chain, there is very little that sets them apart.

All claim to subscribe to the highest standards of service. Amenities, food and beverage selections may be considered second to none, and these global brands invest heavily in giving their guests a memorable experience that will keep them coming back for more.

Thus, it is quite a challenge to truly differentiate one chain from another.

Hyatt Hotels and Resorts, however, feels that it has found the key to standing out in the elite crowd: women travelers.

According to Richard Simmons, Hyatt Regency Hotel and Casino Manila general manager, the hotel chain invested in an extensive study to learn more about the wants and needs of its customers and how to improve the guest experience.

The 18-month effort included more than 40 facilitated group discussions around the world, and the study revealed that women travelers are growing in number and emerging as a lucrative market.

But their needs are quite different from those of men.

The research indicated that women want assurances that their guest rooms are thoroughly cleaned. They also want to be able to easily ask for items that they may have forgotten to bring along with them, such as a charger, curling iron, razor, yoga mat or even baby shampoo.

Simmons says that for years, hotels—particularly those geared toward the lucrative corporate travel segment—designed the rooms and the amenities with men’s needs in mind, thus the valet stand for the suit and the socket in the bathroom for the shaver.

Women have different requirements, however, and Hyatt Hotels and Resorts has adopted the strategy of providing women what they need to give them one more reason to book their stay with a Hyatt hotel anywhere in the world.

“It is all about looking at the same thing differently. Like for some of the rooms, we have more mirrors now and the bathroom amenities are also different so that we can provide women

HYATT Hotels and Resorts is going after the growing women travelers market.

with what they need but perhaps forgot to carry,” explains Simmons.

He adds that the women experience package is part of the group’s attempt to “own” the women travelers market. It is not a promotion or a package that will just be available for some months, but rather an entire philosophy of service and operations.

“This is the new normal,” stresses Simmons.

This philosophy extends to the food and beverage choices and the desire for tighter security, which is especially important to women traveling alone.

The study revealed that women travelers find it challenging to maintain their healthy eating habits when they travel because of limited options. Respondents indicated that large-portion offerings and carbo-loaded meals are dissatisfying.

“It is all about focusing on the customers and really listening to what they wanted, and understand what they are saying … to listen to them rather than speak for them,” says Simmons. “There was a time when hoteliers thought they knew what people wanted, but not anymore.”

With the focus on women’s needs, menu offerings were revised to give women more healthy choices. Portions were also adjusted and fresh food choices were increased, in consideration of women’s eating habits.

At the five-star, 376-room Hyatt Regency Hotel and Casino Manila, fresh fruit juices and smoothies, balanced portions and healthy menu options are available through room service and restaurants.

These are grounded in Hyatt’s food and beverage philosophy: “Food. Thoughtfully Sourced. Carefully Served.”

HEALTHY food choices are now an integral part of the Hyatt menu.

Hyatt says that the launch of the new amenities, services and menu items marks the first milestone in its “evolution of hospitality.”

Simmons said that the women experience has been rolled out in 10 hotels. Plans are in place to expand to more hotels once the experience is perfected and expectations met.

“We want advocates out there, those who will recommend us,” says Simmons. “If we get this right, then hopefully we will have a lot of women ambassadors out there who will talk about their experience in our hotels.”

Women’s experience “is not designed to be a one-size-fits-all hospitality. Feedback and suggestions are more than welcome to help us do better. We want to constantly improve so guests have a better stay today and also stay with us again in the future,” Simmons adds.