As time passes and technology keeps evolving, we enter into a new era of guest expectations. As we’ve said before, it’s no longer enough to meet their needs simply, the challenge now lies in exceeding them.
What they wanted three years ago is not the same as what they want today or what they will want tomorrow. This leaves not other option but to adapt.
Today, the burning question on every hotelier’s mind is: What do guests expect in 2025, and how can we engage them effectively?
Join us as we analyse the different trends and provide you with insights on how to fulfil these expectations and create happier guests.
How can the hospitality industry meet and exceed guest expectations in 2025?
In 2025, guests will likely have higher standards and unique preferences, especially shaped by technological advancements, cultural shifts and the lessons learned from recent global challenges.
To remain competitive and thrive in the industry, hotels and accommodations must understand what guests may expect and how to engage them effectively.
Technology will be pivotal in enhancing convenience, personalisation, and efficiency, with guests expecting seamless digital experiences and smart room features.
Here are some of the key aspects of the expectations guests are bringing into 2025:
Prioritising wellness and sustainability
As we move into 2025, guests’ focus on wellness and sustainability is only growing stronger. Fortunately, you don’t need to be a wellness-centered or eco-certified hotel to make a meaningful impact.
Small, strategic updates can go a long way toward meeting these expectations and appealing to guests who value well-being and environmental responsibility.
Here are a few effective ideas:
In-room Wellness Amenities: Provide thoughtful additions like yoga mats, meditation guides, aromatherapy kits, and air purifiers to help guests relax and recharge.
Healthy Food Options: Include plant-based, organic, and locally-sourced items on your menu to support guests’ health and eco-conscious choices.
Sleep Quality Enhancements: Elevate rest with options like multiple pillow types, blackout curtains, and sound machines, helping guests feel refreshed and valued.
High convenience with voice-activated room controls
In 2025, it will be key to provide as much comfort as possible for guests. Voice-activated room controls allow guests, for example, to control lighting, temperature, and entertainment, and even request services simply by speaking, creating their own personalised stay even from within the room.
Beyond convenience, voice-activated controls enhance safety by reducing the need to touch surfaces—a priority in a world increasingly conscious of hygiene and health. By enabling hands-free interactions, hotels can create a more comfortable, sanitary experience that also feels high-tech and personalised.
Mobile-first convenience
Across industries, technology has transformed the customer experience, and travel is no exception. From booking a flight to reserving an Airbnb, most of the process is now managed digitally—often without any in-person interaction.
Why should hotels be any different? In 2025, guests expect hotel services to be just as mobile-friendly. They want a seamless experience that’s fast, convenient, and accessible from their phones, without the need for face-to-face check-ins or time-consuming calls.
Guests want easy access to information, instant answers to their questions, and the feeling of being cared for—all with minimal effort on their part.
How can hotels rise to meet these expectations? Make sure every part of the guest journey can be completed with a mobile device. This includes a mobile-optimized website, a smooth booking process, digital check-in and check-out, responsive communication channels, and digital invoices.
A flexible and customisable experience
In short, guests want to be able to customise their experience without being tied to non-flexible rules or conditions. This translates into hotels allowing them to select and pay only for the services they truly value.
This can also be called an “unbundled” service since it is a more a la carte approach, letting them choose the add-ons they want instead of tying all services into the room rate. For example, guests can choose to pay for housekeeping only on select days, opt for premium bath products or, most commonly, add breakfast as a separate charge.
A strong online presence
In 2025, having an online presence is a non-negotiable, especially for the younger generations like Gen-Z travellers. Guests will continue to use Google and other search engines to look for information when planning a trip, but TikTok will continue to gain power as a new form of search engine.
Having a good website experience is not enough; now you also need to leverage the channels where your guests are. If your property is focused on younger guests, then not being on social media can be seen as a mistake.
Personalisation at scale
Much like in 2024, guests will continue expect a level of personalisation. With the aid of advanced data analytics and artificial intelligence, accommodations can anticipate guest preferences and provide tailored experiences.
This includes personalised recommendations for dining, activities, and amenities, ensuring that each guest feels truly valued. Again, although before this was seen as an extra or added value, now guests will expect it as part of good service.
How can you provide personalisation to the level of a pina colada? Using your guest data. This will be your most effective tool to reach guests using the right message and on the right channels. And a hotel CRM is key to make this happen.
Learn more about personalisation in this article: Personalisation revolution in hospitality
The Winning Formula for 2025: Flexibility and convenience for an effortless experience
In 2025, guests just want to be guests and enjoy a comfortable stay that is personalised without requiring any effort on their part.
They want to customise their own vacation, preparing packages they feel attracted to and want to have relationships with brands that provide a more personal experience, that feels like interacting with a friend instead of with a robot.
Brands that care about adapting to their expectations will be the ones who manage to grow their returning guests and grow word of mouth. Will your hotel be part of this group in 2025?
Johanna BernuyMarketing ManagerBookboost
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