Hotel guests want internet more than a free mini bar?

hotelroomOur Hotel Room launched an interesting initiative. The site is baically an online or virtual hotel room which showcases the most useful technology & hospitality services – as voted by respondents to their survey.

As perhaps is predictable, internet connectivity (including free internet) was rated as the most important room feature (17%). The next most popular feature wa more responsive charging mechanisms with 13% wanting room charges linked directly to the services used rather than charging a flat rate.

The third most popular choice was personalised digital entertainment packages comprising of video, audio and guest services which guests could configure themselves (12%)

Other things people wanted were:

* Docking stations for mobile and MP3 players – 12%

* Full digital TV service – 11%

* Biometric security entry – 10%

* Heating and lighting control via mobile device – 10%

* Free mini-bar – 9%

* Video conference facility – 3%

* Access to recorded content at home – 3%

The New Luxury Signal: Emotional Stability

The New Luxury Signal: Emotional Stability

Luxury resorts used to sell status and spectacle. Now they sell something quieter: relief. Guests arrive overloaded, and the best resorts are redesigning around sensory calm, reduced friction, and emotional steadiness. Modern luxury is less about what you add, and more about what you remove.

When You Can’t Leave: Designing for the Flight Reflex in Airports, Venues, and Hospitals

When You Can’t Leave: Designing for the Flight Reflex in Airports, Venues, and Hospitals

In high-stimulus public spaces, our bodies do more than react – they strategise.
Airports, hospitals, and stadiums all evoke subtle “Flight” responses: scanning, pacing, early exits.
Understanding how threat appraisal drives behaviour can help architects and planners design calmer spaces – and reveal why relaxation, not excitement, predicts dwell, spend, and satisfaction.

Small Towns, Big Relief: Nostalgia, Tradition, and the Break From Self

Small Towns, Big Relief: Nostalgia, Tradition, and the Break From Self

Small towns do more than change the scenery. They give visitors a break from themselves. This piece unpacks how nostalgia and tradition create identity relief that boosts spend, dwell time, and community value. Practical takeaways for tourism, luxury, food, museums, and policy.

The Last Ten Minutes of Luxury

The Last Ten Minutes of Luxury

Guests pay for days yet remember minutes. The peak end rule explains why a stay often lives or dies on one high moment and the day of departure. What works, what fails, and how to design the arc so memory carries your brand home.