The Hospitality Mentality

Where digital meets travel + lifestyle … A collection of can’t-miss news from this week. Sign up to get the TURNER Weekly Download in your inbox every Friday.

The Mobile Hotel

Hotel guests aren’t just looking for comfort – they want mobile-friendly accommodations. According to J.D. Power and Associates, hoteliers should be incorporating mobile apps and functionality into a hotel stay. The result will be an increased number of direct bookings and higher guest satisfaction. “By forging direct relationships, hotels can become guardians of the guest experience, but at the center of these relationships is an establishment’s mobile strategy,” says Rick Garlick, practice lead, travel and hospitality at J.D. Power. The trick is for hotel’s to get guests to download their mobile apps – expect rewards programs and perks!

What Millennials (and the Rest of Us) Want

Mobile apps are one thing. But they’re just the tip of the iceberg for hotels when it comes to attracting a younger, tech-savvy generation, with social and co-working spaces, selfie-friendly vibes and clever amenities gaining in popularity. But it’s not just about attracting millennials, the Washington Post reports. “If we attract young people, old people will show up,” says Scott Greenberg, president and chief executive of Smashotels. “But if you build a hotel for old people, young people never show up.” Maybe we’re all just millennials at heart?

Retreating

The wellness trend is nothing new to the hospitality world. But some hotels and resorts are taking the wellness retreat to the next level. Forbes has rounded up some of the most amazing and memorable retreats that will get guests fit and leave them feeling rejuvenated. Check out Peak Health in Swiss Alps, with a fully staffed team of medical and wellness experts who help you change your habits during – and after – your stay. Or Spain’s Marbella Club, with its osmanic steam baths and saunas and extensive thalassotherapy sessions. We particularly like The Capri Palace Hotel & Spa, located in a former Neapolitan Palace, offering an innovative metabolic response/rational weight-loss course in an incomparable Italian setting.

Sleep in a Starship

Maybe wellness isn’t your thing? This upcoming hotel might be more your speed. Disney has revealed plans for a Star Wars-themed hotel that promises to transport you to a galaxy far, far away. But it’s more than a hotel – it’s an immersive experience that allows guests to go on their own personalized adventures, encountering characters from the films onboard a self-contained spaceship. Personally, we’re hoping for droid concierges.

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