In the competitive world of hospitality, personalized service is not just a differentiator, it’s an expectation. If we don’t know that by now, we’re probably in the wrong business. As hoteliers and spa managers, it’s our role to ensure that the comfort and preferences of our guests are not only recognized but also embedded in our service delivery. This becomes especially critical with the second visit. Returning guests have chosen to put their trust in our hands once again, and the test becomes one of whether we were paying attention the first time.
Every touchpoint offers an opportunity to create memorable experiences – from the specificities of their preferred room to their dining tastes, spa treatment history, and the programs and offerings they take advantage of.
The information you gather from that first visit is what allows you to tailor their next, making each returning guest feel valued, understood, and above all, cared for. Capturing and applying this knowledge can transform their stay, laying the foundation for a strong relationship and inspiring lasting loyalty.
A guest should never have to tell you something twice, starting with their basic personal and contact information. Once you have logged this, keep it, and on the next visit, all you should be asking is whether anything has changed. After that, here are nine things you should know about your guest by the second time they visit your hotel, resort, or spa.
1. Loyalty program status and membership benefits: If the guest is a part of the hotel or spa’s loyalty or frequent traveler program, the business should be aware of their status and offer any relevant perks or benefits upon the guest’s arrival. Recognition of a guest’s loyalty can greatly enhance their experience and motivate them to return in the future. Members might be entitled to early check-in, late check-out, room upgrades, or free breakfast. Ensuring these benefits are automatically provided can enhance the guest’s experience. At no point should the guest ever have to ask for you to provide what they are entitled to and have earned through your program. You should offer it. And if the guest is close to earning a free stay or another reward, notifying them of this can add value to their stay.
2. Reason for travel or visit: Knowing the reasons for and understanding the purpose of the guest’s stay or visit (business, leisure, special event, etc.) can help the hotel provide better service. A business traveler might appreciate a room away from noisy areas and close to the business center, and access to meeting areas, while a leisure traveler might prefer a room with a view. A bridal party might enjoy rooms all on the same floor, poolside champagne service, and group spa bookings. Leisure travelers may appreciate recommendations for local sightseeing, special activities, and restaurants. If the guest is staying for another special occasion like a birthday, anniversary, or honeymoon, offering a complimentary cake, flowers, or spa service add-on can make their stay special and more memorable. Similarly, if a spa visit is connected to an occasion, this should help shape the experience and services offered.
3. Feedback from previous stay. Keep track of feedback from previous stays. If there were any issues or areas of dissatisfaction, the business should use this information to improve the guest’s experience during their second visit. This could mean addressing specific complaints, such as slow service, cleanliness issues, or maintenance problems in their room, or generally working to improve in areas where the guest felt the experience was lacking, and working proactively to avoid recurring issues. Or, if the feedback was explicitly positive, knowing what the guest enjoyed during their last stay can help replicate or enhance these experiences.
4. Interactions with staff: Continuing on the same theme, notes on the guest’s interactions with staff during their first visit can be extremely helpful for fine tuning their second. If the guest formed a rapport with a specific staff member, having that staff member greet them upon their return can add a warm, personal touch to their experience. Similarly, if the guest had any negative interactions, management should be aware and ensure that the guest’s experience is improved this time, potentially by assigning different staff to assist them. If the guest has a preferred spa therapist, they might appreciate it if the same person was available to provide their treatments again.
Conversely, if the guest was problematic, this is important to know. If someone behaved badly, but not badly enough to be uninvited to return, your staff can be prepared and know what to expect.
5. Guest preferences: After a guest’s first visit, the hotel and/or spa should have a good understanding of their personal preferences. This could include their preferred room type; some guests might prefer rooms with a particular view, rooms on a higher floor, or those farther from elevators to avoid noise. They might like breakfast in bed or require a workspace in their room. Others might have specific bedding requests, such as a preference for a king-size bed or extra pillows. And dining preferences; if you have more than one dining option on site you should know where they ate and what, whether they ordered room service or ate in the restaurants.
6. Past activities: You should know which amenities, programs, and activities they took advantage of on their last visit. Did they visit the spa, gym, tennis/squash/pickleball court, or swimming pool? Did they get a spa service or just use the hot springs? Did they book a cabana and order a food and drink package? Did they take advantage of wellness offerings like sleep programs or in-room fitness? Which spa treatments or services did the guest have last time?
7. Product preferences and purchase history: Know which products were used and bought in the spa so you can recommend the same or similar. People will prefer certain types of products and scents, either for their treatment or as a purchase afterwards. In a hotel this may extend to merchandise or branded fragrance products, like those offered by upscale properties with their signature scents – candles, lotions, room sprays and diffuser oils, for example.
8. Health information, allergies or sensitivities: For spa guests and those who avail themselves of hotel fitness and wellness programs, and excursions like hiking and horseback riding, knowing their health information and if there are any risks is key. You likely had them fill out forms and waivers last time to which you can refer, as with Book4Time’s Guest Intake forms, though this information can change, as illnesses and other conditions can have arisen since a previous visit. Begin with presenting the information you have and asking if anything has changed. Anything discovered by a spa therapist during treatment that is not listed in a form can also be logged, like a sore shoulder. Obviously, not all treatments or activities are suitable for all guests.
9. Preferred ambiance: Particularly for the spa, some guests will prefer a certain type of music, lighting, or room temperature during their treatments. They will enjoy a particular tea or aromatherapy scent, or a glass of sparkling wine.
Take notes with your spa and ancillary revenue management software
Your spa and ancillary revenue management software should have a note taking function, like Book4Time’s, that allows you to record all these important details and share information with all your staff when needed, even across multiple properties. Spas can research a guest before that person arrives and be prepared.
Book4Time’s reporting dashboard is also full of valuable information on guest purchase, activity, and treatment history – everything you need to make that second stay the ultimate proof positive that your customers are valuable to you and that you were paying attention the first time around.
Creating the ultimate, bespoke, guest experience
Knowing this information from the first visit can help you tailor your offerings and suggestions for the second.
Use the knowledge you gather to do something particular, like put together a welcome package to leave in the room, offer a VIP service, and/or ask about placing a booking with the restaurant, spa, or at poolside.
Use previous spa treatment and purchase information to guide your recommendations for other treatments or add-ons and upsells. Additionally, if a treatment was not enjoyed or resulted in any kind of adverse reaction, it’s important to avoid a recurrence.
Note that people might not want the same thing every time, so it’s important to read between the communication lines before making an offering that falls flat – like wine to a pregnant person. Or maybe they just want a different scent this time. A true guest experience professional intuits guest needs but avoids jumping to conclusions.
Image by Drazen Zigic on Freepik