Christina Jelski
When hotel guests encounter a pet peeve during a stay, they typically behave in one of three ways.
Some simply choose to bottle up their irritation. Some might take the issue straight to the front desk. Or, for those who prefer digital confrontation, a carefully worded online review might serve as the perfect outlet. It's rare that anyone gets a chance to air their complaints to the travel industry at large.
But most guests aren't Tyler Brule, the editorial director of magazine and media platform Monocle. He had the opportunity to do so during the International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) in Cannes, France, in early December.
Fresh off a three-week trip spanning roughly a dozen cities across the globe, Brule took to the Opening Forum stage with some candid thoughts about what the hospitality industry needs to leave behind in the new year. And with more than 10,000 luxury travel suppliers, advisors and other industry professionals in the audience, his list of pet peeves undoubtedly made some impact.
At the top of Brule's hit list are the now-ubiquitous QR codes that have become a permanent fixture since the pandemic. He took particular issue with QR codes replacing more traditional and tactile restaurant and bar menus.
"We want texture. We want luster and great paper. We want a nice leather-bound menu with a club sandwich on page three," said Brule.
Another Covid-era trend in Brule's crosshairs is the rise of the lobby-slash-office, as today's luxury travelers sprawl out with laptops and conduct loud calls in what he believes should be elegant and enjoyable public spaces.
"Remember the good, old phone booth?" Brule asked the audience. "That needs to come back. The notion that someone [can be] playing a series of YouTube clips in the middle of a restaurant, or someone thinks the lobby of a small, very premium property is also their WeWork space, is a problem."
Many hotel brands may tout the ease and convenience of digital check-in, but Brule takes a contradictory stance on the practice in the luxury sphere. There's "nothing more stressful," he said, than fiddling with a tablet that might be in a different language and likely has a less-than-intuitive interface.
"How can we get away from the screen in general?" asked Brule.
When Brule brought up the pain point of overcomplicated lighting systems in guestrooms, many audience members nodded in agreement. He made an impassioned plea for hotels to return to more simple knobs and buttons, suggesting that "a good, old dimmer switch sorts it out."
Brule also complained that luxury hotel staff are increasingly indistinguishable from guests, with both parties often decked out in identical designer wear. "Everyone is wearing a version of a Loro Piana loafer," lamented Brule. "Everyone's got a nice chino with a nice blazer. And also, some people don't want to wear any name tags anymore. They just have some sort of a small rosette, and you're not sure if they've won a national prize or if they're actually supposed to be serving you."
To cut down on the confusion, Brule champions the return of more formal uniforms for staff.
"I think as much as you focus on a great logo and having great architects and designers, it's also part of the brand to have outstanding uniforms," he said.
Last but not least, Brule called out the frustrating trend of early closing times at hotel bars, particularly in the Asia region. "Why is your bar's last call at 9:30?" he asked. He advocated for a return to the vibrant nightlife that once characterized cities like Hong Kong.
"Not everybody wants to be tucked up at 10 o'clock at night," Brule said. "Bring back the functioning, fantastic hotel bar."