Dear Hoteliers: Confusion is costing you more than you think

Since January, I’ve spent over 100 nights in over 44 different properties. This isn’t unusual for me. Being a travel professional, hotels aren’t just a place to rest my head and most importantly, they’re part of the experience I deliver to clients.

I stay in hotels not just for convenience, but to assess. As a tour operator, I meticulously select properties. This constant immersion gives me a unique vantage point on who truly excels and who misses the mark when it comes to the guest journey.

The last two months of hotel stays across the UK, I've witnessed a troubling trend that's costing the hospitality industry dearly: guest confusion.

A disjointed hotel experience can alienate guests from the moment they arrive. It all boils down to understanding and anticipating the customer journey.

Confusion ruins the guest experience.

Lately I’ve encountered several recurring issues that highlight critical areas for improvement:

• The Maze Effect: A recent stay at a high-end Oxford hotel, while centrally located, presented a labyrinthine path to my room. I witnessed elderly guests struggling with luggage and multiple flights of stairs, utterly lost and frustrated before they even reached their door. Imagine paying a premium price only to be met with immediate confusion and physical hurdles. They were already upset and they hadn’t even reached their rooms. This isn't just an inconvenience; it sets a negative tone for the entire stay.
• Digital Disconnect & Access Barriers: At another property I frequent, accessing my self-catering apartment requires a pin sent via email, which in turn requires filling out a form online. No Wi-Fi? No access to the form, no pin, no entry. Each time, I have to reach out to them to ask for the pin. While the facilities are lovely and they have thoughtful gifts left, this digital hurdle creates immense friction and a sense of "work" before you've even settled in. Consistency in these critical access points is paramount.
• Misleading "Welcome" Gestures: I recently gifted friends a complimentary night at a London hotel. They were later charged £200 because a "welcome" basket of snacks, placed next to a handwritten welcome card I’d left for them, these young people (who didn’t have much hotel experience) assumed the snacks to be complimentary. This simple oversight led to costly mistake, not to mention frustration and a negative first-time hotel experience for them. Clarity around complimentary items versus chargeable amenities is essential to prevent guests from feeling misled. Even I sometimes am unsure what is free vs what costs money as there are not prices listed anywhere, later I get the bill.
• The Missing Link: Basic In-Room Services: How often do guests struggle to contact the front desk? Is it a QR code? a phone.. And what do you push? a TV interface? or WhatsApp? Smoke-signal? The lack of clear, consistent communication channels is a common frustration. Furthermore, while sustainability efforts are commendable, making guests trek to a communal water dispenser for basic hydration undermines the comfort they expect. Similarly, offering lovely tea stations but no milk in a UK hotel (where milk is practically a given with tea) or requiring a phone call for someone to delivery milk, misses a fundamental aspect of comfort and hospitality. These small details significantly impact the perceived value.
• Maintenance Matters: The Hidden Costs of Neglect: A fresh coat of paint and attention to detail go a long way. Lumpy pillows, rough worn towels, malfunctioning shampoo pumps, and scuffed furniture and walls all scream "worn down" or “dated” and erode the perceived value of the stay. Guests are investing their hard-earned money, often for dream trips, and expect a certain standard of comfort and cleanliness. Basic upkeep and investing in quality amenities are non-negotiable.
• Respecting Guest Privacy and Rest: Being disrupted by house cleaning knocking before check-out, or worse, entering a room without a knock while a guest is still present is completely unacceptable. This has happened to me multiple times recently when I was dead to the world and a staff just walks right in - BEFORE checkout. Hotels have systems to track occupancy; these should be diligently followed to ensure guest privacy and uninterrupted rest.

These aren’t major infrastructure failures. They’re avoidable friction points. And friction erodes trust. What’s missing isn’t luxury: Its clarity, consideration, and consistency.

What Hotels can do better? It’s all about the customer journey.

My recommendations to the hospitality industry:

1. Map the Customer Journey: Walk through your hotel's experience from the guest's perspective, from booking to check-out. Identify every potential point of confusion, friction, or discomfort. Sometimes we get too close to the subject we forget what it’s like for the first time.
2. Prioritize Clarity: Clearly communicate everything from room access instructions to amenity charges. Anticipate questions and provide information upfront. Communicate if it’s a long trek to your room vs assuming your guests will be ok with this.
3. Invest in the Basics: Comfortable beds, quality towels, and functional in-room amenities are not luxuries; they are foundational to a positive experience. Worn, scratchy towels and lumpy pillows… really?
4. Empower Your Staff: Well-trained and empathetic staff can turn a potential problem into a positive interaction.
5. Proactive Problem Solving: If there's a known quirk or potential issue with a room (e.g., small steps, no lift, a quirky shower, shower that flood, etc), inform guests proactively before it turns into a complaint in person - or worse - online. Offering solutions mitigates frustration before it even begins.

Authentic Recommendations: If you want authentic promotion for your properties, look to seasoned travel professionals, tour operators, and tour leaders. We live in hotels, understand what travelers truly want, and have built trust with tens of thousands of clients who value our genuine recommendations, not sponsored content.

The hotel is an integral part of a traveler's memory. Don't let confusion, disappointment, or frustration overshadow a potentially magical trip.

The good news? Some hotels are getting it very right. From Berlin to Vienna to London, I’ve seen staff who truly care, details that delight, and rooms that feel like home. These hotels don’t just provide a bed; they provide an experience. And they win my repeat business every single time. I’m looking at you The Hoxton

So if you’re in hotel operations, guest experience, or hospitality design and want to discuss how to refine your guest experience, I am happy to chat. I’ve walked through more lobbies than I can count over the last 25 years.

And I can tell you this: what matters isn’t always what looks good in a photo. It’s what makes a guest feel at ease. Because when someone travels, especially for something they’ve dreamed of for years… your hotel is not just part of their stay.

It’s part of their memory.

Let’s get that part right.

Kyle Campbell -Europe Travel Expert | CEO Sudden Journeys | Speaker | Travel Consultant Offers multigenerational experiences focusing on inspiring curiosity, wonder and deep cross-cultural connections

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