Our team of experts put in dozens of hours researching trends and published the most comprehensive list online.
Jordan Hollander in Operations
Last updated August 21, 2024
The pandemic dramatically changed how (and why) we travel. Business travel shut down leading to the rapid rise of virtual conferencing and events. Offices closed leading to the rise of remote work. Consumer health concerns catalyzed a new wave of contactless solutions. Initially, many thought that these trends would be short lived; however, as the pandemic extended over the last 2 years, these trends that were once thought to be short term grew more and more engrained in our long term behaviors.
Now that we're a couple years out from the peak of the pandemic new forces are taking steam and driving trends in the hotel industry like inflation, labor shortages, tech first hotel managers and more.
Hotel trends that were expected to take 10 years took 10 months to evolve and the pandemic accelerated our industry into the future. The hospitality industry is changing faster than ever before and it’s nearly impossible to keep up with all of the hotel, travel and hotel management trends impacting this dynamic business. Whether you're looking to start your own hotel, manage one already or are just curious about the travel industry because it's one of the largest and most influential on earth - this guide is for you.
Below we outline 100+ trends that range from renewable energy to new hotel designs, alternative lodging and everything in between.
What are the latest hotel industry trends and initiatives? We break the list up into nine overarching themes.
While we may not be at the point of beds that make themselves or self-cleaning bathrooms, technology and innovation are bringing new and exciting changes for hoteliers and guests.
In addition to forward-thinking hotel tech, we’re seeing changes to the workforce and work culture, shifting guest preferences, and an increased focus on eco-friendliness.
Alright. 100+ top hotel trends curated by industry experts. Let's do this.
Smart Rooms
The internet of things is spreading not only into homes, but also into hotel rooms. From access to streaming services to a room key on your smartphone, the essential hotel amenities in a guestroom are becoming increasingly digital. Guests want concierge services or temperature controls at the push of a button (or tap of a finger), and voice-activated controls are expanding beyond simply asking Alexa to play your favorite song. These trends might sound futuristic now, but in a few years, guests will expect them. Many of these innovations require only minimal changes to a modern guestroom, so a forward-thinking hotelier can implement them quickly and efficiently.
1. Bring your own streaming: Portable streaming devices like an Amazon Fire Stick allow guests to pack their own movies or shows in their suitcases, but they can only watch them if the hotel room TV has a USB port. Hotels can also leverage a platform like Enseo which allows guests to login to their favorite streaming accounts and then automatically get logged out upon check-out.
2. Wireless device charging: Cords are so last year. Wireless charging transfers power from a charging “mat” to a device like a smartphone or headphones, when the device is placed on the mat. Hotels can leverage a platform like Chargifi to deliver wireless charging in guestrooms.
3. Smart controls: Digital controls for temperature, light, and power, such as a Nest, that can be adjusted and programmed with the tap of a finger from a smartphone or other device.
4. Tablet based control: Forget the traditional binder containing information about hotel services; guests want to see restaurant hours, room service menus, spa services, and area recommendations on an in-room tablet which can also play music, control the room’s lights and temperature, and make special requests. Some popular brands include Crestron, INTELITY, SuitePad and Crave.
5. Sound proofing tech: The new standard of soundproof windows uses acoustic technology to minimize noise from traffic, airplanes, or loud music, which means noise complaints can be gone forever.
6. Voice-activated controls: Upgrade a smart speaker, like an Amazon Alexa, to handle hotel-specific requests with a system like Volara. These systems make it possible for guests to use voice commands to request services like housekeeping or valet.
7. Smart mirrors: This high-tech amenity combines a TV screen and a guest room mirror. While shaving or brushing teeth, guests can watch the news, check the weather, or request hotel services via a concierge-style function. Check out all the neat functionality that Savvy by Electric Mirror has to offer.
8. Keyless entry: A keypad code, a digital version of a room key, or an app on a smartphone eliminates the need for physical room keys and streamlines the check-in process. ASSA ABLOY Global Solutions' award winning keyless entry is second to none. Keyless entry systems will be completely integerated with the best hotel software systems so that guests can control every experience on property from a hotel app.
9. Concierge video chat: With a quick scan of a QR code, communication systems such as Crave allow guests to talk, text, or video chat with hotel staff in real-time. Guests can skip the walk down to the front desk and staff can answer questions or handle requests quickly and effectively.
10. Smart TVs: Many guests want to watch their favorite Netflix show instead of cable, and a Smart TV - either with an integrated internet connection or an add-on like Apple TV or Roku - allows viewers to select their favorite streaming service from a catalog of apps. Samsung and LG are unsurprisingly leading the pack when it comes to smart tvs for hospitality.
Going Green
A focus on environmental sustainability isn’t new, but the degree to which guests expect (and prefer) eco-friendly products and services is. Simply suggesting that guests reuse towels for an extra day isn’t enough; today’s traveler wants to stay at hotels that have integrated green practices in all aspects of their business. From physical changes to hotel buildings, like the addition of solar panels, to F&B menus with more vegetarian and vegan choices, it’s evident that these environmentally friendly trends are here to stay.
11. LEED Certification: Short for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, this global LEED certification measures the eco-friendliness of a building. The assessment covers topics like water efficiency and indoor environmental quality, and building can earn Certified, Gold, Silver, or Platinum status.
12. Solar power: Hotels can utilize solar power either by generating power from their own solar panels or by purchasing solar power from their electricity provider. The Hampton Inn Bakersfield used solar to take advantage of a 30% federal tax credit while also lowering its energy bills by 35-45%.
13. Water conservation: Any effort to minimize water usage can help a hotel become more green, from implementing slower-flow showerheads to using more efficient laundry machines. IoT for hospitality provider INTEREL has been working on some really cool water conservation tech.
14. No plastic. Consumers are steering away from plastic, so hotels can react to this trend by replacing plastic straws, cutlery, water bottles, toiletry bottles, and to-go containers with compostable or reusable alternatives. Most major hotel chains are phasing out disposable plastic toiletries and California regulators have even banned them altogether!
15. Motion sensors: Hotels can conserve energy by implementing motion sensors that will turn off the power once no motion has been detected for a certain period of time.
16. Waste disposal: Add more eco-friendly options for waste disposal by introducing recycle bins in guestrooms and compost bins in F&B outlets.
17. Green friendly hospitality: Follow Starwood’s lead and encourage guests to minimize their environmental impact by skipping housekeeping service in exchange for hotel credit or loyalty points.
18. Meat alternatives in F&B: You know meat alternatives aren’t just “alternatives” when Burger King began serving the Impossible Burger, a plant-based burger option. Hotels can jump on the vegan and vegetarian trend by offering meatless options on every menu and clearly mentioning whether a dish contains meat or dairy. Beyond Meat is another hugely popular brand of meat alternatives.
Changing Workforce
While an increasingly digital world means that an employee’s tasks are changing, the workforce itself is changing too. These changes aren’t only in demographics, driven by the rise of Generation Z and a more global workforce, but also evident by a growing focus on safety, unionization, “gig” work, and human resources technology. Hoteliers must be cognizant to these changes in the workforce in order to hire effectively, reduce turnover, and keep employees safe and happy.
19. Global workforce and immigration: Technology makes a global workforce possible, with communication tools that can connect teams and drive efficiency. But as economic and political factors complicate immigration or force some people to relocate, hotels may face challenges in hiring or retaining employees.
20. Gen Z: Following the Millennials, Generation Z includes young adults born between the mid-1990s and early 2000s. These young people are “digital natives,” meaning they’ve never lived in an age without the internet, and their views and habits around technology use and social media may be different than those of older generations.
21. Unionization: Unions, which are organizations that act on behalf of member employees to resolve legal conflicts or defend employee benefits, aren’t new to the hotel industry, but their relationships with hotel chains and rate of collection action, such as strikes, continue to evolve.
22. Safety regulation: 2020 will be the year of hotel worker safety, as several states and cities have passed legislation requiring hotels to implement employee safety devices (ESDs), and the American Hotel & Lodging Association’s 5-Star Promise program provides additional resources for employee safety. ESDs range from fixed panic buttons behind the front desk to portable panic buttons for housekeeping staff.
23. Labor management: With capabilities like scheduling, resource allocation, and time-off requests, labor management systems are a crucial addition to every hotel department with staffing requirements. Hotel Effectiveness is one of the major players in this space that helps hotel owners improve profitability with more efficient labor management.
24. The gig economy: While Uber drivers may be the first thing to come to mind, this growing sector of the economy includes millions of professionals, contractors, and creatives who work independently or on a contract basis.
Alternative Accommodations
Today’s travelers has a myriad of options for accommodations; besides traditional hotels, they can choose between vacation rentals, hostels, serviced apartments, treehouses, and even underwater hotels. As people travel more frequently and for longer durations - and as platforms like Airbnb allow any accommodation provider to reach a large audience online - the characteristics of accommodations themselves are changing. Before long, “alternative accommodations” won’t be strictly an alternative, but part of the mainstream.
25. Coliving: Solo travelers or remote workers who stay in one place for a while might opt for a coliving space, such as the Roam brand, which is a community designed specifically for its inhabitants to share living spaces, and sometimes workspaces, with a common attitude or goal.
26. Coworking: As remote work becomes more common, entrepreneurs and remote employees flock to coworking spaces like WeWork and Spaces to find not only fast WiFi and desk space, but also community and networking opportunities. More interestingly, international hotel giant Accor launched its own coworking brand Wojo and hip boutique brand Hoxton is rumored to be working on a similar concept called Working From (we've worked out of the Hoxton Hotel Chicago and can tell you first hand - these guys know how to design awesome spaces).
27. Vacation rentals: Vacation rentals aren’t just for vacation anymore; besides the traditional rental home on the beach, the definition of “vacation rental” can include everything from apartments to cabins to Instagram-worthy Airstreams.
28. AirBnB: The popular booking site started as a way to rent a room in
someone else’s home for a night, but it now includes entire apartments, luxurious homes, hotel rooms, treehouses, castles, and more. New additions to the site include tours and activities, adventure travel, and hotel inventory after the company’s acquisition of HotelTonight.
29. Mobile hotels: Rather than searching for a new hotel each time you travel, a mobile hotel, which is essentially a self-driving hotel room on wheels, travels with you. Though still in the conceptual stage, it’s a compelling idea for business travelers. We're all used to sleeping on boats during a cruise and European travelers are familiar with luxe train services but how cool would it be to sleep comfortably on a bus and wake up somewhere else? Super awesome. Travelers can doze off in LA and wake up in San Francisco - skip the TSA precheck and wake up refreshed with Cabin.
30. Underwater hotels: Get up close and personal with marine life and coral reefs at an underwater hotel like the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, which also has an underwater restaurant. Be prepared to shell out $22,000 USD per night ;)
31. Remote work: Virtual meeting technology and real-time communication tools mean that work doesn’t need to be limited by location. Some hotels already have remote revenue managers, but it seems this trend will enable even more hotel staff to work off-property on occasion or all the time. For those who prefer the nomadic life, you should check out Remote Year, a firm that offers extended work remote and travel abroad programs and practically created the category.
32. Hometels: Blending aspects of hotels and vacation rentals, brands like Sonder and Stay Alfred operate short-term rentals with hotel-style standards and branding plus amenities like concierge service, in-unit laundry, and full kitchens.
33. Next gen hotel brands: As travelers crave more local experiences, the new generation of hotel brands, such as Life House, does away with cookie-cutter properties and incorporates the local area’s character in the decor, F&B, and personality of each hotel.
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Original article can be found at hoteltechreport.com