This Week’s Highlights
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On Our Podcast
Hotel Booking Strategies
Peter Anderson says: “Hotels should take TripAdvisor feedback very seriously.”
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Become an instant insider in the hotel world with my guest, Professor Peter Anderson.
Discover the reasons behind the rise in alternative lodging options like Airbnb and VRBO and how hotels adapt to meet the changing needs of Ageless Travelers. From safety concerns to the impact of online reviews, we discuss what makes a hotel experience memorable and the importance of wellness and sustainability in the hospitality industry. Join us for an insightful discussion that will enhance your travel knowledge!
Listen on any podcast platform. If you don’t know how to find one…see our website and click the one of your choice, Apple, Spotify, iHeart, etc., and Don’t Forget to leave a review.
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On Our Blog
Don’t Book a Hotel Before You Read This
Q&A with Hotel Management Guru Peter Anderson
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Are you curious about how hotels are adapting to changing traveler needs?
Our blog is a Q and A with hotel expert Peter Anderson as we explore everything from safety to sustainability in the hospitality industry.
Bonus for our Newsletter Subscribers
(You won’t find this on our website)
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Unlocking the Secrets of Hotel Shopping:
Stay for Free and Share Your Honest Experience
What is a Secret Hotel Shopper?
A secret hotel shopper, a mystery guest, or a mystery shopper stays at hotels anonymously to evaluate their services. Their role is to honestly assess their experience, highlighting strengths and areas for improvement. This feedback helps hotels enhance their guest experience and maintain ambitious standards.
How to Find Opportunities
Be wary of companies that ask you to pay a fee to register or to pay them for a list of assignments, as these are often swindles. Legitimate companies will pay you for your services.
Check out Coyle Hospitality, one of the few services with hotels instead of products as its focus. Universal Resorts, Vegas Hotels, and many other accommodations use their services. You can apply free of charge to be a frequent hotel shopper.
Other possibilities:
- Market Force Information: Offers distinct types of shopping gigs, including some in hospitality.
- Intouch Insight: Provides opportunities across different sectors, including hotels.
- Secret Shopper: Has been in the industry for a long time.
The Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA) is a valuable resource to find approved companies. Also, visit hotel chain websites. Some have specific sections for mystery guest applications.
Compensation and Benefits
While compensation varies, most secret hotel shoppers are rewarded with complimentary stays rather than monetary payments. Some assignments may include additional rewards, such as dining credits or spa treatments, enhancing your overall experience.
Using Your Days for Vacation
Yes, you can use your complimentary stay days for personal vacations. This makes secret hotel shopping a rewarding hobby and a practical way to explore new destinations without accommodation expenses.
Expectations and Responsibilities
- As a secret hotel shopper, your primary responsibility is to provide unbiased feedback based on your experience:
- Customer Service: Friendliness and efficiency of staff at check-in, during your stay, and at check-out.
- Room Quality: Cleanliness, condition of furniture, functioning of amenities (lights, TV, air conditioning, plumbing), comfort of the bed.
- Hotel Facilities: Condition and cleanliness of common areas (lobby, hallways, elevators), usability of amenities (pool, gym, business center), quality of food, and service at restaurants and bars.
- Specific Requests: How staff handles requests or complaints (e.g., asking for extra towels, reporting an issue).
- Overall Experience: Your general impression of the hotel and the value for money.
And as an Ageless Traveler, if you experience ageism in any form, report it, even if you are not asked about that issue. We want to make the hotel management aware of ageism when it occurs.
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If you’re in Los Angeles in May let’s meet at Mostly Midsummer
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