There is nothing that makes you feel more at home than a good welcome after a journey, no matter how long or short. During my travels, I learned to appreciate a good welcome and it has since become a symbol of how the venue will treat me that I pay particular attention to. A welcome means a lot and has many important functions that carry importance throughout your stay.
What is a “welcome”?
What does welcome mean to me? A welcome is both tangible and intangible. It is the feeling of being positively greeted by your hosts. It is also the tangible items that are offered by venues upon your arrival. This can be at reception or in the room, e.g. something sweet like chocolates or perhaps a token of some local ingredient or drink – something that is specific to the region, the brand, or the hotel itself.
How the Mandarin Oriental does welcomes
One well-established luxury brand that we here at Aspiring Snob are very much “fans” of is the Mandarin Oriental chain. The MO’s standards are very consistent around the world. One concrete example is the MO in Prague.
At check in during summer you are greeted with a cup of ice green tea. The tea is presented immaculately with beautiful orchids in a very charming serving tray. When I tried it, it immediately put me at ease, quenched my thirst and made me feel not only comfortable and refreshed but also I felt that the staff were appreciative of my staying there.
When being shown to the room, I was blown away by the welcome prepared by the hotel staff. On a little round table, there were artisan chocolates and a hand-written card, all topped off by a lush orchid. I was so taken by the beauty of this welcome that I didn’t even notice what the room looked like until much later! As it turned out, I had been allocated a terrace room which meant that the patio door of the room opened up to a private garden. You can imagine how well prepared the welcome was that I almost missed the spectacular view from the room.
Boutique hotels doing it right
The Inn at the Forum is a quirky hotel in Rome, situated only a couple of minutes from the Roman Forum ruins dating as far back as 7th century BC. Upon arrival, guests are offered a glass of wine and a piece of tiramisu before the check-in is done. All of this is served in a mystic ancient chamber which adds to the ambience and ensures you register you are in the ancient city of Rome. After you take your time with the wine, you are invited to reception to complete the check in. This is all done at your pace. It took on the form of a ritual, where you are offered an extra experience before you even see the hotel facilities.
Established brands know what they’re doing
Brands like the MO, Four Seasons and Rosewood have got the art of welcomes down to a tee. From arrival at reception, in your room, or at the the spa for a treatment, these brands ensure that their guests are made to feel special at every step. When using the spa at an MO, guests are offered a hot towel and green tea before the treatment. During summer, The Four Seasons in Sydney greets guests with a deliciously refreshing smoothie made from local ingredients designed for the hot weather.
What’s the point of a welcome?
A warm welcome can carry many functions. If it’s at a hotel, it establishes rapport between the hotel staff and the hotel guests. It puts the guests at ease from the very first moments at the venue and makes them happy they arrived. It makes them feel they are at the right place and it makes them trust they will be looked after. This can be especially important if the guest has had a rough time arriving, such as a bumpy flight or a delayed train.
Curiously, a welcome can be something small yet it makes such a huge difference. It says you are in my house and I will look after you.
Furthermore, it shows that the venue has researched the psychology of a traveller. They are willing to put in the extra effort into their work to show their guests how much better their brand is compared to the competition. It can also distract you from something not so great about the hotel, such as faded carpets or peeling paint.
Last but not least, if you are put in good mood by a nice welcome, you’re bound to be more forgiving should something go wrong. And in a world of international travel, changing itineraries, multiple languages and currencies – something is always bound to go wrong.
They want you back
Welcomes are a tactic of retaining you as a customer and is done in order for you to keep coming back. And it works. It became one of the criteria I have in order to establish where the particular brand is ranking in my book and whether I’m coming back or not.
To think of it, there are many other examples of welcomes around us. Good beauty salons offer a hot or cold drink and a small biscuit. Good car dealerships offer something similar. In a good restaurant, e.g. Dinner by Heston, diners are offered a welcome from the chef in the form of an amuse-bouche. Airlines offering First Class, e.g. British Airways, offer champagne after boarding before take off.
Curiously, a welcome can be something small yet it makes such a huge difference. It says you are in my house and I will look after you. I’m happy that you are here; you are most welcome and you are in good hands.
Your own personal welcome
Why not implement your version of a welcome in you home? If you have already created the entrance to your home to be most welcoming to yourself and your guests, try adding some tokens of welcome at your next house party or dinner party. Why not greet your guests with little treats, no matter how small. It is going to show them that you have reached a higher level of hospitality and that you are thoughtful and hopefully inspiring.
A good welcome can be an indication of what’s coming next
If the welcome of the place is done well, it can be an indication (a litmus test, if you will) of how good the rest of the hotel stay will be. This is also one of the reasons why it’s worth staying with established brands as they back it up with consistently immaculate service. Boutique hotels that are up-and-coming but care for this can also do these welcomes particularly well, and are worth keeping an eye out for.
This ritual of a welcome became something I look forward to and also gives me a great insight into the place I’m arriving at. It has become an incredibly accurate predictor of the quality of my stay and the relationship with the venue staff. In my experience, everywhere where I had even the tiniest welcome, the staff has been exceptionally professional, thoughtful and going the extra mile.
Do you also consider welcome important? Where was the best welcome you’ve ever received and what was it? We’d love to hear from you!