Factors That Create Exceptional Guest Experiences

A hotel is just a box. Some boxes are big. Some are sleek. Some are dripping in marble and gold leaf. Some have infinity pools, designer chairs, $10,000 espresso machines. But strip all that away, and what are you left with? A box. And here's the hard truth: guests don’t remember the box. They remember how the box felt. The smell in the lobby. The way the GM made eye contact. How the front desk handled a late-night issue without needing a manager. The warmth in a housekeeper’s “good morning.” They remember soul, not square footage. I’ve stayed in hundreds of hotels. I’ve seen ultra-luxury properties that feel like mausoleum, cold, silent, hollow. And I’ve seen 3-star properties that deliver 5-star emotional impact every single time because their team gets it. Here’s what separates the boxes from the brands that live rent-free in a guest’s memory: 👉🏻 Culture trumps aesthetics: Your team should feel like a family, not a staff list. The guest feels that energy. Build a culture that celebrates empathy, not just efficiency. 👉🏻 Training is not just about procedures: It’s about empowerment. Roleplay difficult scenarios. Teach tone, emotional intelligence, and when to bend a rule to make a moment. Don’t just train how to check someone in, train how to make someone feel seen. 👉🏻 Ownership at every level: From the bellman to the banquet server, every team member should feel like they own the guest experience. That only happens when leadership listens more than they talk. 👉🏻 Hospitality isn’t a department: It’s a mindset. It needs to run through engineering, housekeeping, F&B, security, sales, and marketing. It’s not “what’s your job?” It’s “how do you serve the guest?” 👉🏻 Human marketing wins: Tell stories. Don’t sell features, sell feelings. Show me the chef who grew up making that dish. Introduce me to the concierge who helped a guest propose. Don’t post generic room shots, post the reason someone would want to wake up there. 👉🏻 Internal communication is guest experience: If departments aren’t aligned, your guests will feel it. The friction shows. Daily stand-ups, shared goals, cross-department wins, these build internal hospitality that guests can sense. So, yes, invest in the furniture, the finishes, the tech. But never forget: the heart of the hotel is its people. Without them, you’re just managing a very expensive box. --- I'm Scott Eddy, keynote speaker, social media strategist, and the #15 hospitality influencer in the world. I help hotels, cruise lines, and destinations tell stories that drive revenue and lasting results, through strategy, content, and unforgettable photo shoots. If the way I look at the world of hospitality works for you, and you want to have a conversation about working together, let’s chat: scott@mrscotteddy.com

Here are 7 habits that set top-performing GMs apart – ↓↓↓ 1. They spend time where guests are. The best GMs walk the floor daily. → They watch check-ins and see where guests hesitate. → They observe breakfast service to spot errors before complaints happen. → They sit in the lobby and see the hotel through a guest’s eyes. Key Idea: A problem noticed early is a problem that never escalates. 2. They listen to complaints that never get raised. Most unhappy guests don’t leave bad reviews – they just don’t come back. → If guests keep asking, “How long will it take?” – your check-in is too slow. → If they keep requesting extra pillows – you might need better default options. → If they hesitate before ordering room service – maybe pricing or selection is off. Key Idea: Real feedback isn’t just in surveys. It’s in guest behaviour. 3. They train staff to solve problems, not escalate them. “Let me check with my manager” = guest frustration. The best hotels empower staff to: → Comp a coffee if service was slow. → Offer a late checkout without a debate. → Fix a mistake without needing five approvals. Key Idea: Speed beats hierarchy when it comes to great service. 4. They fix small frustrations before they become big problems. A slow elevator. An unclear parking sign. A room that’s “almost” ready. Most guest frustrations aren’t surprises – they’re patterns. → The best GMs look for patterns before guests complain. → They fix service gaps before they hit a review site. Key Idea: Preemptive action > Reaction 5. They measure what actually moves the needle. Guest experience isn’t just about review scores. Smart GMs track: → Time to resolve guest issues – not just complaints logged. → % of repeat guests – not just occupancy rates. → Service response times – not just satisfaction scores. Key Idea: Data is useless unless it leads to better decisions. 6. They steal great ideas from outside the industry. The best hotels aren’t just learning from other hotels. → Luxury brands teach them about guest personalization. → Airlines teach them about operational efficiency. → Retail giants teach them about loyalty and upsells. Key Idea: Great service is great service – no matter the industry. 7. They create consistency – not just moments of greatness. A one-time wow moment won’t fix a stay full of friction. → A smooth check-in, every time, beats an occasional VIP upgrade. → Room service arriving on time matters more than free desserts. → A problem-free stay is more memorable than a surprise perk. Guests don’t return for one amazing moment. They return because they trust every moment will be seamless. Great hotels are built on small things done right, over and over again.

You can’t teach someone to care, but you can show them what caring looks like. I loved reading “Unreasonable Hospitality" by Will Guidara. It’s packed with stories and practical examples from his career, particularly at Eleven Madison Park, where he transformed the restaurant through a culture of exceptional hospitality, demonstrating how to go above and beyond to make every moment memorable. Every business can be in the hospitality industry. My favorite takeaways from the book: 1. Lead with actions, not words - show your team what genuine care looks like through your actions 2. Empower your team - give them autonomy to make decisions that enhance the customer experience 3. Personalize the experience - small, thoughtful gestures can leave a lasting impact 4. Celebrate moments - recognize and celebrate both guest and team milestones 5. Cultivate continuous improvement - use setbacks as opportunities to improve and commit to excellence I loved the stories illustrating where Will and his team would go above and beyond for their guests like: -Organizing a spontaneous sledding trip for a family visiting from Spain who had never seen snow before. -Filling a private dining room with sand for a couple who had to cancel their beach vacation, giving them a beach-like atmosphere and an even more memorable experience. -Personalizing a menu for one regular guest who was a huge fan of a particular musician, with each dish named after one of the artist’s songs. The insight here is that it’s not about the spectacle but about authentic and thoughtful actions that make guests feel special and valued. For anyone looking to elevate customer and employee experience, "Unreasonable Hospitality" is a blueprint for how to turn ordinary interactions into memorable experiences through genuine care and leading by example. #customerexperience #leadership #management

When I worked in hotels, I quickly learned that when a guest was truly upset, level 10 mad, about something seemingly small (no lounge chair at the pool, no ocean-view table, no room left in a snorkeling lesson), it was never just about that one thing. I called it the three-door rule: 🚪 Door One: The immediate complaint. The thing they’re upset about right now. 🚪 Door Two: The earlier disruption. Maybe their flight was delayed, their luggage got lost, or their room wasn’t ready when they arrived. 🚪 Door Three: The real reason. The thing that started the downward spiral. Maybe they’ve been stressed for weeks. Maybe this trip was supposed to be perfect, and nothing has gone right. Here’s the key, if you truly listen, empathize, and do everything in your power to help them, Doors Two and Three start to fade away. Their frustration isn’t just about the lounge chair, it’s about feeling unseen, unheard, or like their vacation (or moment) is slipping away. Exceptional customer service, in any industry—is about being committed to unpacking the real issue. If you can do that, you’re not just solving a problem; you’re turning a bad experience into a great one.

Soft touches. 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁. One of my best experiences as a guest? I remember my stay at Chileno Bay Golf & Beach Club in Los Cabos (Auberge Resorts Collection and Discovery Land Company). One evening, after dinner at their sister property Esperanza, I was impressed by a local cigar roller crafting perfect cigars right in the lobby. I enjoyed what turned out to be the best cigar of my life. So much so that I wanted to take some home, but I hadn't enjoyed it until we got back to our hotel. Knowing we were leaving the next day, I reached out to the concierge via WhatsApp. Without hesitation, they arranged for someone to purchase several cigars (12 to be exact) with petty cash and delivered them to me just before my flight. A small gesture of going the extra mile. But one that left a lasting impression. It wasn’t just this instance. Every day, whether lounging by the pool or walking the gardens, each staff member seemed to strive to make our stay as memorable as possible. From impromptu treats like jello shots delivered right to your float, to a spontaneous golf cart tour for the kids, they made every moment count. It’s not always about the grand gestures. Sometimes, it's those minor, thoughtful acts that transform a good stay into a great one. That turns first-time guests into lifelong customers. And here’s where technology comes in... Many of the tools and systems that enable such personalized service are the very ones we review at HotelTechReport. The right technology empowers hotel teams to deliver attentive, personalized service that creates memorable experiences, just like the one I enjoyed. I’d love to hear from you. What has been 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 most memorable hotel experience and why? What were the little details that made it so special? #HospitalityIndustry #CustomerExperience #LuxuryTravel HotelTechReport.com | The Leading Authority on Hotel Technology Follow me for more hotel software and technology insights.