Hotel visitors are often tired and look to enjoy some simple conveniences without leaving the hotel. The advent of restaurant and grocery delivery services meets some of those needs, but hotels can also tap into this market.
Having a miniature convenience store within the hotel enables guests to pick up small items they need without worrying about waiting for a delivery service or going out. Small stores in the lobby make it easy for hotels to accommodate guests' needs and requests with minimal effort.
Lobby convenience stores have evolved from days when hotels offered just the bare minimum, such as toothbrushes and shampoo that were kept behind the desk at the hotel. Now, these minimarkets feature a host of items that can offer more valuable products for business travelers or families.
Many hotels offer these store areas that include personal hygiene items and food items. One primary benefit of these is that they’re available around the clock. Guests who need a snack in the middle of the night can head to the pantry-style store, which enables the hotel to keep the revenue from those sales.
Hoteliers should understand that they can’t just put the items out and expect people to purchase them. Visual merchandising is part of making these hotel convenience stores successful and profitable.
Think of the layout of a traditional convenience store or a gift shop. These are laid out to encourage customers to walk in to see what’s being offered. More popular options are placed at eye level and at highly prominent locations in the shop.
Some hotel owners think they can’t have a small convenience store in their lobby because space is at a premium. The truth is that with the proper layout, hoteliers can offer a great selection of items even if they have a small space.
Vision Series merchandisers provide high visibility and easy product pairing to encourage guests to make purchases. There are two profile options to choose from, and each has either solid or glass end panels. The only thing that a busy hotelier will have to add is the food and beverage options they want to sell.
Travelers are moving toward looking for healthier options when they want a snack. It’s possible to pull these customers into the lobby convenience store by offering fresh foods. Countertop food display cabinets are an ideal option for this. Fresh sandwiches and salads that appeal to health-conscious individuals.
Because many healthy foods are fresh, they require refrigeration. Some grab-n-go food items may need heated cases. Having both of these available can help meet the needs of all guests that come to the lobby hungry. Countertop food displays make it possible to sell fresh items even when floor space is at a premium. These provide options for guests around the clock.