Free Ironing

Times Online June 10, 2009 Mark Frary

Free ironing the latest perk in the business hotel war
North American chain adds tempting freebies for its loyal guests in a bid to win custom

I have often ranted here about the cost of wi-fi and praised those enlightened hotel chains that have decided to offer it free of charge. Of course, free of charge is just a relative thing in the world of room rates and some argue that hotels just increase them to cover the cost of providing the extra service.

Moaning about the cost of wi-fi is yesterday’s news though. Word has reached me that Omni Hotels, which has a clutch of top-notch business hotels in cities across North America including the Berkshire Place in New York and the Shoreham in Washington, has started to offer free ironing and shoe-shining to members of its loyalty programme Select Guest. This is in addition to the free wi-fi the company already offers members. Best of all, membership of Select Guest is free of charge too.

I think it’s a very savvy move from the company since ironing is almost universally detested except by masochists. With business hotels desperate to attract guests, rates are unlikely to increase to cover the costs either.

So will Omni’s move start a free extras war among the hotel chains? We now have free wi-fi, ironing and shoe shining. Whatever next? Free minibar perhaps?

I suspect that even now as I write, some forward-thinking hotelier out there is toying with the idea of giving rooms away free and having expensive adverts playing on vast flat screens covering all of your room’s walls.

Is this something when booking any accommodation for your boss he or she may be interested in? let me know

Shelley, APA