Monica's Star Quality Hospitality Tips

1. WHAT ARE YOUR GUESTS SAYING ABOUT YOU?
MONICA’S STAR QUALITY
HOSPITALITY TIPS
T
hese days we live in a
world where opinions
matter and for hoteliers
these opinions are often
shared on social media and sites such
as TripAdvisor by your guests.
It is important that once these
reviews are posted by your guests that
you respond to each and every one of
them. Whether a positive or a negative
review is received by answering all of
them will show that you are care about
your guest’s opinion. For the positive
reviews it is just as important to have
acknowledged their compliments and
likewise for any negative reviews it is
important to show you have strategies
in place to make any necessary
improvements.
To get a really objective viewpoint
where your property, amenities and
staff are assessed in a way that will
highlight to you of any flaws you may
have in your standards, quality or
to hear about when something truly
impressive that has happened. This is
when you should call in the services of
a Mystery Shopper. This is definitely
not a tick box exercise!
Top tips on choosing a suitable
Mystery Shopping company:
You should choose a Mystery
Shopping company that will work with
you to produce the questions to cover
the areas that you want their shoppers
to assess.
They should have expertise in the
hospitality industry
Checks should cover the
operational procedures that your
teams should be working to
Themysteryshoppersusedshould
ideally be the type of customer
that would normally frequent
your type of establishment
Find out how they recruit their
shoppers and the quality
checks they use
To stop your staff from playing
‘spot the mystery shopper’
the company should not only
give assignments out to single
shoppers, but their shoppers
should be allowed to bring with
them partners or family members
Shoppers should also be
encouraged to give their
suggestions on service
improvements in their report
Once the report is received follow
up training and consultancy
should be offered either by
themselves or with a consultant
they have partnered with.
The objectivity of these reports
is key to really finding out what
your guests are saying about you.
Monica Or, founder, Star Quality
Hospitality Consultancy.
T
he Courthouse Hotel in
Shoreditch has readied
its rooftop space for summer
with the launch of a New
York-inspired menu and design.
The hotel, situated inside the former
Old Street Magistrates Court, has given
its Upper 5th bar on the top floor a
makeover with new décor and a new
menu rich with flavours fresh from the
Big Apple.
The new Manhattan Station, serving
Manhattan cocktails and the Bloom
Room, boasting fresh flowers, are just
two of the new highlights.
The new menu inspired by the city
that never sleeps has been curated by
executive chef Andrea Cirino, with
dishes including Empire steak burger,
Upper 5th cheeseburger with market
greens & club sauce and the Big apple
NY hotdog with caramelised onion and
mustard relish.
The former Old Street Magistrates’
Court and Police Station, The Court-
house Hotel opened in 2016 after a
£40m renovation and now comprises
86 bedrooms and 42 suites, three din-
ing venues, cinema and bowling alley,
plus a spa.
Courthouse Hotel takes bites of Big Apple
with New York-inspired rooftop
August 2019 | BOUTIQUE HOTELIER 39
TOP TIPS