When the hotel industry is reinventing: from bed to leisure, head on experience

For a long time, the hotels have rested on a well-established model: a comfortable bed, a clean bathroom, a generous breakfast and discreet staff. But this era is over. Faced with increased competition ( airbnb , hybrid stays, tourist residences), the evolution of lifestyles and the expectations of ever more demanding travelers, the hotel industry is changing .

Today, it is no longer just a question of offering accommodation, it is a question of offering an experience !

And for that, more and more establishments are betting for integrated leisure , facilitated work and the versatility of spaces . An exciting transformation to observe ... and to live.

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More than a bed, a place of life

The first major turn taken by many hotels in recent years: the modularity of the rooms and common spaces.

Faced with the climb of telework and digital nomads, some rooms are now equipped to serve as offices during the day . Other hotels go further by offering free access coworking spaces in their halls or lounges, with unlimited coffee, powerful wifi and connected printers.

It is a direct response to the needs of an active, often mobile clientele, who is looking for a place to sleep ... but also where to work, relax, networking.

The great return of leisure ... in hotels

Another strong trend: the return of leisure as a central element of the hotel offer . No more eccentric children's club or the only table football in the TV room: activities are now invited to the very heart of the hotel. And they are no longer reserved for vacation clubs.

We see emerging creative, sporting or immersive initiatives, thoughts to transform a simple stay as a pleasure to share r .

Some concrete examples:

• Baby swimming lessons organized in the hotel swimming pool
  
• Palomano, a fun and interactive activity thought for children, proposed in certain groups of the group Barrier hotels.

   

• From the Outdoor Padel installed in the very heart of the hotel, as is the case at the Collector Hotel in Paris, which transformed its interior courtyard into a chic and sporting playground.
• lessons , sensory routes, cooking or oenology workshops ... so many activities that strengthen the emotional link with the place.

Figures that confirm the trend

Does it work? The figures speak for themselves.
According to several trend studies in the tourism and hospitality sector, 60 % of travelers claim to favor establishments that offer activities and experiences on site .

And it is even more true for families, groups of friends and business travelers in the seminar, who are looking for a complete setting to relax without having to leave the hotel .

By diversifying their offer, hotels improve the attractiveness of their establishment , but also the average duration of stays and the average basket per customer. A good bed is no longer enough: today, it is the global experience that makes the difference.

A strategic issue for channels ... and the self -employed

If large groups like Accor , Barrière or Marriott take the lead with well -oiled projects, this transformation is not reserved for hotel jerseys.

Many independent establishments also rethink their positioning, by associating with leisure actors, by testing ephemeral animations or by developing hybrid spaces.

It is not necessarily a question of investing millions, but of thinking about how to enrich the daily life of the visitor:

• What can he do there outside sleeping?
  
• Can he experience something he wouldn't have elsewhere? 
• Does the proposed activity create emotional, social, memorable value? 

An opportunity for leisure pros

For leisure professionals, this development opens up new collaboration doors . Integrating an offer in a hotel establishment allows:

• To reach a captive, varied audience, often looking for discovery
  
• To pool costs and spaces
  
• To develop original, flexible formats, and adapted to leisure micro-moles (45 minutes between two meetings, 30 minutes at the end of the day, etc.)

It is also a great way to test concepts on a fixed place, with lighter logistics!