Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 18th April 2024 Issue no. 1110
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Key problem areas in the bathroom
Whether travelling on a holiday or business trip, what really matters to hotel guests is a clean, hygienic bathroom. This was the result of a recent representative Forsa survey, commissioned by Kaldewei. When asked about the most important feature of a hotel, almost two thirds of interviewees (62%) cited a clean bathroom.
A large, comfortable bed trailed well behind (26%) followed by other amenities. There are, however, many sources of annoyance in hotels that reduce the pleasure of a stay.
The answers to these 'problem areas' show what really annoys guests; how hotels can reduce the risk of a poor guest review, what they need to avoid and what investments are really worth paying attention to.
If guests are happy with the bathroom, the chances are they will return and recommend the hotel online. This promotes good occupancy rates and has a positive impact on the hotel's image. At first glance, it might seem astonishing that for guests, the most important aspect is a part of the room where they only spend an estimated average of only six to 30 minutes per day.
The results of the Kaldewei hotel study, however, make it clear: The bathroom is the place where guests freshen up and where they end the day - and is therefore pivotal to a hotel's success. Consequently, 95% of interviewees say that if the bathroom is unhygienic, they will not book the hotel again. Furthermore, 21% have given hotels a poorer online rating because of shortcomings in the bathroom. More than one third (36%) have already rejected hotels out of hand after reading poor bathroom reviews on-line.
Be it hair in the plughole, mouldy grouting or a dirty bathroom floor - a poorly cleaned hotel bathroom was cited, by an overwhelming majority, (99%) as "very annoying" or "quite annoying". 98% of interviewees are disgusted by spots of mildew on surfaces such as the shower, bath or washbasin.
This is one annoyance that cannot ever arise with Kaldewei steel enamel bathroom solutions - as proven by hygiene examinations by the inspection agency TÜV Rheinland. With glass-hard, non-porous surfaces, these enamelled washbasins, bath and showers are demonstrably more hygienic and easier to clean than conventional acrylic products or tiled showers. Thanks to the easy-clean surface finish, which comes as standard, with all Kaldewei washbasins, washing residues have no chance of adhering to the surface and forming mould.
Guests dislike mould on grouting, moisture damage and discolouration. That is why hotels that have tiled shower areas need to be extra careful: the survey shows that the third and fourth most cited problem areas in hotel bathrooms are mildew spots on grouting and in the shower floor drain, and moisture damage. These are followed by inadequate water pressure and poor shower drainage which quickly leads to little floods.
Many hotel users are also annoyed by discoloured and damaged bathroom products. Hotels can avoid these problems by installing steel enamel shower surfaces such as those from Kaldewei. Steel stands for robustness, toughness and the ability to keep its shape. Glass offers a superior look and feel, is resilient, easy to care for and hygienic. The perfect material for the hotel industry's demanding standards.
Although the bathroom is pivotal to a hotel's success, one in two interviewees has already had unpleasant experiences with defects: 51% have come across mildew spots on grouting and 49% have been confronted with a poorly cleaned bathroom. One third of guests (31%) have even see examples of moisture damage in hotel bathrooms. One more reason for hoteliers to pay particular attention to choosing superior hotel bathroom solutions for their new projects or refurbishments...
Investing in the right bathroom solutions will pay off in the long term because, apart from hygiene (for 95% of those surveyed), the bathroom fit-out is what generates a hotel booking for more than half of interviewees (56%). In fact, 62% - well over half of interviewees - would even pay more for a hotel which has modern, high-end bathrooms. More than one in two (53%) will dig deep into their pockets if bathrooms feature products with ultra-hygienic surfaces.
Sustainability is also a very important issue for hotel guests: half the interviewees would like a bathroom fit-out with no plastics, preferring the use of natural, recyclable materials. According to the survey, 62% would even be willing to pay more for their rooms.
"As a partner for the international hotel industry, we advise investors, architects and hoteliers worldwide," says Roberto Martinez, Kaldewei's chief sales officer. "With the survey results, we show hoteliers how making meaningful investments can optimise their occupancy rates and thus the success of their hotels.
"Our long-lasting bathroom solutions made of Kaldewei steel enamel with a 30-year guarantee satisfy guests' wishes, while also being a worthwhile investment in the future."
28th November 2019