Study reveals the popular amenity is on the rise
globally, according to almost 40% of hotels.
TORONTO, June 6, 2023
/CNW/ -- Today, Hotels.com® revealed its inaugural
Room Service Report which surveyed hotel partners around the world
to uncover what's considered "in" when it comes to in-room dining,
from the most popular to the most unusual orders. Despite the
popularity of food service apps, 75% of hotels surveyed said that
room service demand has stayed the same or increased over the past
year. Top key findings include:
Experience the full interactive Multichannel News Release here:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/9170051-hotels-com-inaugural-room-service-report
The weird side of room service
- Hotels revealed their most unusual guest requests including
"diet" water, melted ice cream, blowfish and a raw fish caught by a
traveller who wanted it cooked to order.
- Top properties are pushing the boundaries of room service to go
beyond food, offering in-room concerts, breakfasts delivered by
canoe and even robot-operated room service.
Burgers in bed
- Globally, burgers are the most popular item (40%) and are most
likely to stay on the menu year-round, ranging from the most
classic staple all the way up to a 24K gold brioche bun burger with a $1600 USD price tag.
- Food orders are also evolving year over year with vegetarian
and vegan requests increasingly more popular than keto, dairy-free
or gluten-free orders at 42% and 33% respectively, for travellers
who prefer to opt for a mouth-watering non-beef patty
alternative.
To dine in or out
- Almost half of travellers tend to choose restaurant service
over room service for celebrations like birthdays and anniversaries
and tend to order fancier dishes when dining out.
- The report found the most popular time for Canadian in-room
diners is bright and early, between 7-10
a.m. for breakfast, though when asked about hotel etiquette,
hotels prefer guests not answer the door for room service while
naked.
- Over half of respondents (52%) plan to keep offerings the same
or expand room service menus and hours in the next year to meet the
growing demand.
Revelling in room service
- Hotels revealed a third of their guests (30%) will go all-out
while ordering in, spending on average, over $100 on a single room service order.
- More than half (54%) of hotels said guests travelling for
business tend to order more room service compared to leisure
travellers.
- Canadian hotels said champagne or sparkling wine is the most
expensive item on their room service menus.
"Room service holds a special place in the hearts of hotel
guests," said Melanie Fish,
spokesperson for Hotels.com. "Whether it's a treat-yourself moment
or a must-have after a long day of sightseeing. A tip for
Hotels.com gold and silver rewards members – you can find VIP
properties where food and beverage credit is always on the menu in
the app."
Notes to the Editor:
Visual assets: Download images and BROLL here (photo credit:
Hotels.com).
The top 10 most unusual room service requests:
- Diet water
- Melted ice cream
- Blowfish
- Boiled bottled water
- A raw fish that the guest brought with them to cook
- Cockle popcorn
- No-egg-white omelet
- Rice bowl for dogs
- Bison
- Eggless eggs in hell (shakshuka)
Top hotels on the Hotels.com app with out-of-the-ordinary
room service experiences:
- The Milestone Hotel in London,
U.K. – It's not just burgers you can order to your room. For
a completely personal and unique experience, treat yourself to an
in-room concert from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Suites from
$1,500 per night and orchestra quoted
on an individual basis.
- Hotel Monville in Montreal,
Canada – This modern hotel is the first of its kind in
Canada to offer robot-operated
room service. Completely contact free, guests can expect a
smartphone notification when their meals have been delivered to
your door. Rooms from $297 per
night.
- Merrill House in Prince Edward
County, Canada– Dreaming of a
picnic in the English countryside? This Prince Edward County hotel
arranges it all, from the gourmet eats, cozy blanket and sparkling
wine or champagne, to make your afternoon even more memorable.
Rooms available from $495
nightly.
- Post Oak Hotel in Houston,
U.S. – Why not get a taste of the ultimate hotel burger: The Post
Oak Hotel serves "The Black Gold Burger," which has 16 ounces of
Wagyu beef, seared foie gras, and black truffle in a caviar-infused
black and 24K gold brioche bun. It
will only set you back a whopping $1,600! Let the drooling
commence. Rooms from $719 per
night.
- Ashford Castle in Co. Mayo,
Ireland – Room service isn't just for grown-ups at Ashford
Castle. Guests can request a Lego butler where younger travellers
can pick from a selection of sets, and the butler will deliver it
on a silver tray to your room. Rooms from $1,172 per night with a €40 local currency fee
for the Lego butler.
- Park Lane New York in New York
City, U.S. – What's better than on-demand caviar on
Billionaire's Row in the city? Dial "5" to make a request on the
hotel's Caviar Hotline. Rooms from $508 per night, and caviar pricing varies.
- InterContinental Bora Bora Resort and Thalasso Spa in
Bora Bora, French Polynesia – Here, it's not just about
what is being delivered to your door … it's about how it's
being delivered. You can request an exquisite meal for two to be
delivered to the deck of your overwater villa in a traditional
outrigger canoe. Villas from $1,914
per night.
- The Plaza Hotel in New York
City, U.S. – This hotel is home to one of the most famous
room service orders: the Home Alone sundae, featuring a whopping 16
scoops of ice cream and layers of toppings for $300. Rooms from $1,097 per night.
- DogHouse Columbus Hotel in Columbus, U.S. – This dual-purpose brewery and
hotel features in-room beer taps and a mini fridge in the bathroom
stocked with "shower beer." Rooms from $259 per night.
Methodology: This survey was conducted online from April 5-23, 2023, among 473 hotels in the U.S.,
U.K., France, Canada, Mexico, South
Korea, Japan, Norway, Sweden and Denmark, amongst hotels currently offering
in-room dining.
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