BUSINESS
March,9 Friday 2007
Hotels in for an Upgrade (1)
For vacationers, mints on pillows no longer suffice
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lasma televisions, granite countertops and designer armchairs are no longer trappings of the rich and famous. Fiercely competitive hotel chains are spending millions on high-tech gadgets and luxurious furniture to lure customers.
Some hotels, many not very old, are undergoing complete renovations. Others are upgrading in phases, replacing ordinary furnishings with exceptional ones and making costly enhancements to common areas and meeting space.
Regular remodeling is standard practice in the hospitality industry, but modest makeovers have given way to major operations that turn rooms into places seemingly fit for kings.
"Consumers are really expecting a lot of amenities from hotels, things like 24-hour service," said Chris Haack, consumer-market analyst with Mintel, an international research firm. "The tricky question is how much money to spend in order to keep old customers and attract new ones."
Meeting expectations
Travelers' expectations are contributing to the trend. High-speed Internet service, considered a luxury several years ago, is becoming ubiquitous. High-quality bedding and elaborate free breakfasts are now standard in most midrange to high-end hotels.
Competition is driving the major hotel brands to spruce up. Big-name chains are requiring franchisees to buy 600-thread-count bed linens and pricey duvets so that they project an image of quality.
"The Internet is spurring this," Haack said. "You can go online and check out hotels using 20 or 30 criteria, considering only those that meet your standards."
That's what Megan Storer, 23, of Pittsburgh did when she planned a Labor Day trip to Orlando. "I spent a lot of time searching for a hotel with a modern look," she said. "I wouldn't pay more than $50 a night extra for the room I really want." Storer's $50-a -night premium raises a question for an industry intent on adding ever more creature comforts. What do customers really want, more creature comforts. What do customers really want, and how much will they pay for it?
Vocabulary Focus
suffice (v) --- to be enough
trappings (pl n) --- all the things that are part of or typical of a particular job, situation or event
amenity (n) --- something that is intended to make life more pleasant or comfortable for the people in a town, hotel or other place
criterion (n) --- a standard by which you judge, decide abut or deal with something
premium (n) --- an amount which is more than usual
Specialized Terms
ubiquitous (adj )--- 无所不在的 seeming to be in all places
duvet (n) --- 羽绒被 a large, soft, flat bag filled with feathers or artificial material and used on a bed