7 minute read
ACCOMMODATION: HOME AWAY FROM HOME
Home away from home
Pub accommodation has a unique appeal for travellers, providing comfort, convenience, and a convivial atmosphere across the venue. By Caoimhe Hanrahan-Lawrence.
THE AUSTRALIAN appetite for travel is apparent, and many of us are choosing to holiday within the country. A survey conducted by the Tourism and Transport Forum (TTF) found that 75 per cent of Australians planned to go to on holiday over the summer of 20232024, with the proportion of interstate travel increasing from 18 to 26 per cent compared to the previous summer and more than a third of travellers planning to visit locations in their own state. This represents an opportunity for publicans to augment their revenue by introducing or improving accommodation options within their venues.
However, achieving success with an accommodation offering is not as simple as providing the service. Understanding who is visiting the venue and why, as well as having a particular appeal to the client base, are both key considerations for an effective offering.
Identifying demographics
The style of accommodation a pub offers is greatly influenced by the kinds of guests that frequent the area, as Pub Rooms CEO Ralph Kelly explained.
“What pubs have to do is look into their local region and ascertain what market segments are actually staying over in their town or city. When this is completed, you can then look at how best to capture each market segment, plus what price are they likely to pay,” he said.
The Stradbroke Island Beach Hotel is located in a popular holiday destination just off the Queensland coast. Peter Hogg, CEO of The Good Time Group, told Australian Hotelier that the hotel is involved in encouraging tourism to Stradbroke Island.
“We’re working closely with the Stradbroke Island Chamber of Commerce and key stakeholders such as Sea Link, which operates the vehicle ferry and a passenger taxi service across the island. Together, we are focused on connecting both Australian and international tourists to Stradbroke Island. Our goal is to encourage more people over here more often. Once visitors realise how easy it is to get here, they’re amazed by the convenience and the island’s beauty,” he said.
For venues that see most of their accommodation booked directly through their website, these connections are particularly important, as they provide other avenues for guests to learn about the venue.
“We have linked our websites together so that if you’re coming across for the day or the week, our website links to the Sea Link site to purchase your tickets straight away. We’re trying to make the trip seamless. We’re not there yet, and we’re still refining the process, but everyone is on the same page,” Hogg added.
The Brook Hotel in Brisbane’s north-west sees a wide variety of guests visiting for leisure and for business. Brett Salter, ALH Hotels’ Head of Accommodation, noted that the location and amenities are drawcards to both guest groups.
“Since opening we have experienced a great mix of mid-week corporate and leisure guests at The Brook. Our strongest night of the week are Saturdays on the back of Brisbane’s calendar of events along with onsite functions or celebrations in the hotel. We do host a great mix of transient leisure travellers across the weekend with our easy access and free parking conveniently on the airport side of Brisbane,” he said.
For venues close to business hubs or with onsite conference facilities, business travellers can make up a significant segment of hotel guests.
“Midweek corporate travel and on-site meetings are driving Wednesdays which is now our second highest demand night of the week. Whether you’re here for business or pleasure, our guests love the convenience of wandering downstairs to enjoy your local pub grub,” Salter said.
Providing value
Pub accommodation often operates within the budget space, which is a particularly attractive category right now amid rising cost-of-living pressures, with a TTF survey indicating that costof-living pressures are affecting the travel plans of over half of Australians.
While the Beach Hotel is not necessarily budget accommodation, the rate is competitive compared to other accommodation options on Stradbroke Island.
“Our accommodation is considered mid-range, and our rates don’t seasonally fluctuate as much as other options on the island. Our rates are more consistent. However, it is common for Airbnbs on the island to skyrocket in price over the six-week Christmas period due to the limited supply of accommodation, sometimes quadrupling in price.
“Many accommodation options are pricing themselves out of the market, making it increasingly difficult to stay on the island due to these significant price fluctuations,” Hogg said.
Pub accommodation also provides the convenience of a “one stop shop”, with food, beverages and accommodation all operating under the same roof. This is also another way to offer value to guests, as the Brook Hotel does by offering meal discounts and a complementary drinks voucher.
“The Brook Hotel provides guests with a dynamic and sociable atmosphere, convenient access to bistro meals, live entertainment, and refreshing drinks. This is ideal for travellers seeking value and convenience,” Salter said.
In remote and regional areas, this is particularly appealing, as many visitors would be visiting the local pub during their stay anyway. Hogg explained that this makes the Beach Hotel a convenient option for its guests.
“We are on prime real estate overlooking Cylinder Beach and Home Beach. Our accommodation is rated three stars, and we are the sole licensed hotel on the island. All the facilities are conveniently located at your doorstep, unlike other accommodation options where you would need to travel to us,” he said.
Local appeal
Pub accommodation can provide a more personal experience for guests, especially if the staff is primarily comprised of locals.
“I think that for remote and regional venues, hiring as many members of the local community as possible is key. We are proudly the biggest employer of locals on the island, and we hope to keep it that way. Locals know the island intimately and they are a hub of information. It means our guests can easily tap into the local knowledge for the best recommendations of places to see and do. All they need to do is ask us,” Hogg said.
The often smaller scale of pub accommodation can be another benefit, as guests receive a more personal experience, suggests Kelly.
“Done right, guests prefer pub accommodation, as they know that they will be treated as a human and not a number. The smaller boutique feeling being in a pub, mixing with locals and travellers alike, is often what guests are looking for.”
*STR Market Data
Accommodation tips
Kelly shared three simple but important things that a quality pub accommodation offers to its guests.
1. Be responsive to guests’ needs, but don’t be overbearing.
“There is nothing worse than being interrupted during dinner by someone asking ‘Is the meal alright?’ Be attentive, but pick the right time.”
2. Ensure cleanliness throughout the venue, not just the accommodation rooms.
“Cleanliness is non-negotiable, right across every aspect of the hotel. Otherwise, you will lose customers to bad reviews.”
3. Provide a secure and safe room with comfortable amenities.
“Guests are more than willing to pay a higher price for a quality room. A clean and airy, well-maintained room is essential, along with a comfortable bed, internet, reverse cycle airconditioning, and all the furniture items you would expect. If you wouldn’t stay in your own rooms, why would anyone else?”
