Hotel Amenities Evolution Over Time

What separates one hotel from another is far more than just a room rate. Throughout the years certain amenities have come to be expected as part of the standard offerings. However, today’s amenities go beyond a mini sewing kit; from robot butlers to private fireworks, what’s triggered the upgrade?

History Of Hotel Amenities

The hotel industry has always been known to elevate its standards through innovations and services. In 1901 Hotel de Paris in France was the first property to offer its guests central heating by steam. By 1927 we saw the first in-room radios at the Boston Plaza Hotel, and twenty years later the first television in the Hilton Roosevelt. The late 70’s told us that 80% of a visitor’s time spent awake in a hotel room is spent in the bathroom, leading to the beginning of the bathroom amenities experience. During this time, hotels began to supply everything from shower caps to mouthwash and more.

The 80's saw the introduction of brand loyalty programmes, advanced reservation systems, non-smoking rooms and the development of hotel spas. When the 90's came in, breakfast was expected at any hotel stay, and Promus (now acquired by Hilton Hotels) and Hyatt Hotels were the first to establish their websites, ushering in a new era of convenience. Many people also started travelling for business and hotels started to include personal computers in each room.

At the turn of the millennium the world changed rapidly, and each technological advancement was expected to be reflected in the industry. The hotel's focus was the need of the businessman, wi-fi and flexible workspaces were a must. Meanwhile the increased focus on sustainability and climate consciousness meant that hotels needed to develop long term environmental protection programmes. Today guests expect a lot more from hotels including free wi-fi, on demand entertainment, flat screen televisions, hairdryers and more.

Amenity Creep

The constant need for hotels to evolve with the times is what's labelled by the industry as 'amenity creep'. Amenity creep describes the never-ending need for hotels to add the newest accessories to accommodate a guest's every need. Once the amenity is offered by a brand for a sustained period of time, guests come to expect it and no longer view the service as a luxurious addition. The addition of the amenity is no longer a competitive advantage and it grows to be included in the room cost. Little by little the lobby computer lounge becomes free wi-fi, the alarm clock and radio absorbed into television and the 3 in 1 shower wash becomes a shampoo, conditioner and body wash.

What Guests Expect Now

The transformative nature of travel is inherent, but most intuitive hoteliers in the industry have gotten on board and are now creating niche experiences by offering the most elite of hotel amenities. Paul Tsalikis, CEO and Founder of VANITY GROUP has seen the need for luxury amenities to evolve over time and has continued to grow his business by meeting this demand. "Guests expect to be delighted by their hotel amenities. By offering our customers brand names they've come to know and recognise, they're able to connect with the products they're using and trust in their value. By introducing brands such as Balmain Paris Hair Couture, Kevin.Murphy and Hunter Lab as part of our product offering, we are able to give luxury hoteliers and their guests a taste of a world renowned label as part of their stay."