“The Westin Effect”
Posted by GoDeeGo on January 30, 2008 in Hotels
I have been a traveling consultant for 9 years, and that’s a long time to not sleep in ones own bed. When away from home, the bed seems to rank at the top of the list. What a disappointment when you are ready to crawl into bed after a long day’s (and night’s) work to find the mattress is thin, lacking any padding, and not of any good quality. Or the bedding is thin, insufficient, or scratchy. Or the pillows are overstuffed your neck is cramped in the morning. Without a chance at a good night’s sleep, how effective are you the next day? How about after a week of it?
Other Amenities that are right up there are bathroom, work accessibility, workout facilities and service. When traveling heavy, these hotels are your home away from home, and the staff your family away from family. Or so it should strive to be!
Nine years ago, the premier hotel for me to stay in was the Westin. Oh, that heavenly bed! Now there is a bed that you could put in your own home and be perfectly thrilled with. The thick down comforters, the high thread count bedding, and the quality of mattress is the perfect end to any day. It is so well received, Westin sells it!
It doesn’t stop with the bed. It continues into the bathroom with the heavenly robe and heavenly shower. The staff offers excellent service, I have continually been pleased. The workout facilities are great.
Traveling today I am greeted with the same level of quality in most brands and branches: Residence Inn, Hilton, and even Courtyard is starting to change its approach based on what I call “The Westin Effect”. They all seem to have the Heavenly Shower now! Hotel rooms, services and amenities that strive to make your stay in the hotel as comfortable and “homey” as possible. There are more rooms with flatscreen TVs that have external location to hook up sound and video component, DVI, and RCA. It is getting to the point that it is much nicer than my own bedroom!
However nice things get on the road, there is nothing better than coming home. But it sure is nice that a good standard has been set and hotels are continuously striving to make things better for the chronic traveler!
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