In recent years, the resorts and casino business has caught the attention of investors, and evidently, there is a significant number of resorts that are being constructed. The development of a resort is a very complicated process due to a large number of specified details that need to be addressed. Investors frequently hire professionals to come up with a portfolio on how to efficiently run a resort. Guest satisfaction is the primary concern of every hotel, and it ensures that the services delivered meet the client’s expectations and demands and that all the departments of the resort run efficiently. Several factors have to be considered when coming up with an ideal resort and casino. First, the size and location of the resort have to be put into consideration. Secondly, the internal operations of the resort have to be defined. Procedures such as food and beverage preparations, leisure orientations, lodging requirements, conventions, and business meetings, as well as the provision of required amenities, have to be strategically outlined (Altinay 2015, p.10).
The Hotel Jerome
Hotel Jerome is a perfect case study that can be used to create a portfolio of a resort. The hotel is located on East Main Street in Aspen, Colorado, in the United States. The resort was established by Jerome B. Wheeler in 1880, who had the aim of developing a hotel that resembled the European resorts in terms of services offered and amenities provided. Hotel Jerome is a significant landmark in Aspen since it is the only resort that has survived through the 20th century to the 21st in the city. Its central location in Aspen allows easy accessibility to the resort and other famous places in Aspen, such as the world-famous boutiques located in the town. The surrounding magnificent Rocky Mountains provide an elegant site, and many people choose the hotel just to enjoy the view. The hotel occupies 1.1 acres of land, holding a three-story brick building. Despite the limited space, the hotel can accommodate 94 spacious guest rooms that are beautifully decorated. The best aspect of the guest rooms at Hotel Jerome is that they balance modern technology and historic charm. Every guest room at the Jerome is fitted with LCD televisions and high-speed internet to enable the guests to enjoy thoroughly the services provided by current technology. Historic charms are used to create impressive room designs and achieve very pleasing room odor. All the amenities for every guestroom are efficiently organized with the aim of achieving 100% room efficiency, and as a result, all 94 rooms are very spacious (Cook 2014, p.24). The rooms are also fitted with lavish bathrooms that are equipped with unique features such as separate walk-in showers and deep soaking tubs.
The hotel also supports three restaurants, namely the J-bar, the Garden Terrace Restaurant, and the Library. All three restaurants have astonished local guests and visitors from other cities all over the world due to the kind of services they offer. The Garden Terrace Restaurant serves guests with unique Alpine Colorado cuisine while the J-bar surprises the guests with Hotel Jerome signature drinks. The library restaurant is globally recognized for its ability to serve super-fast tapa dishes such as Garlicky Shrimp with olive oil. I choose Hotel Jerome since it holds some amenities that allow it to be appreciated as one of the top ten travel destinations in the world. The hotel covers all the required aspects to ensure client satisfaction. The hotel comprises food and beverage outlets through the three restaurants. It also perfects lodging qualifications and various amenity provisions. The size of infrastructural facilities also delivers the required impression and services. The last aspect that made me choose Hotel Jerome as my case study is its ideal location in the middle of Aspen, Colorado (Tenigbade 2011, p.90).
Hotel Jerome’s Market And Appeal To The Market
Hotel Jerome deals with a large variety of guests. The guests come in different perspectives regarding size, cultural requirements, age, gender, and shape, and Hotel Jerome has to classify its possible clients to provide them with the best service according to their needs. After conducting a classification process for its guests, Jerome was able to identify the main groups that visit the hotel. These groups include tourists, families, delegates, business and solo travelers, and walk-in guests. Statistics prove that about 60% of people travel for leisure activities. In the year 2016, the United States received more than seventy-five million guests, and some of these tourists found their way to the Hotel Jerome. The possibility of the tourists choosing Hotel Jerome is high due to its affordable prices and convenient location. Tourists are price-sensitive and tend to appreciate destinations that provide the best hotel experiences. Records show that the hotel mostly receives tourists who visit the country in groups. A report by the AMERICAN HOTEL and Lodging Association (AHLA) shows that almost 40% of the guests in American hotels are business travelers (O’Fallon 2010, p.18). Hotel Jerome’s records also prove that the hotel hosts virtually the same number of business travelers as the one stated by AHLA. Unlike tourists, business travelers come to the hotel as individuals or in small groups. Delegates and conventioneers who attend seminars, conferences, and trade fairs in the United States also add to the list of visitors providing the market for Hotel Jerome. Families seeking to spend a weekend or a holiday in a place away from home are also hosted by Hotel Jerome. Most families travel with their children, and Hotel Jerome receives numerous families since it has installed child-friendly facilities. Walk-in guests are also very common. Travelers wishing to spend some time in Aspen, Colorado, or the neighboring towns prefer to spend their nights at Hotel Jerome. It is not surprising that all statistics show that walk-in guests form the highest percentage of all the guests visiting Hotel Jerome. Government and educational institutions are also part of the potential markets for Hotel Jerome (O’Fallon 2010, p.20).
The hotel uses different strategies to attract the attention of potential guests and influence their decision to consider Hotel Jerome as the best alternative. The hotel primarily depends on three major appeal strategies, namely travel advisories, its reputation, and advertisements. Every country in the world advises its citizens as they leave for another country. Hotel Jerome relies on these travel advisories to recommend it as the most reliable hotel in the United States. Evidently, some of the guests that the hotel has hosted have revealed that their travel advisers recommended Hotel Jerome to them. The hotel also advertises itself both locally and internationally. The hotel created a web page in which it explains all the services it offers. Hotel Jerome also posts pictures of different locations in the hotel, such as the guest rooms, restaurant, and the dishes served at the hotel. Currently, the hotel is posting impressive video clips of some of the events that have been held on its grounds. The hotel also uses the website to explain the process of booking a room and even offers online room booking services. The hotel also depends on its reputation to lure the market. The fact that it has accommodated significant political figures makes most people consider it. Also, the hotel makes sure that it offers its services to meet the guest’s expectations with the aim that the guests will recommend the hotel to their friends or for re-accommodation. The hotel has also installed additional facilities which influence the will of guests to consider it. For example, business travelers choose Hotel Jerome among other resorts due to its fast-speed internet. Travel writes and guides also advertise Hotel Jerome to travelers. For example, an article by Fan recommends Jerome by stating that it’s one of the best places to stay in Aspen (Fan 2013, p.30).
The Stakeholders
The success of Hotel Jerome is directly attributed to the human resources directed towards it. Individuals affected by the operation by the operations of Hotel Jerome can be classified into primary groups of internal stakeholders and external stakeholders. Internal claimants are the people who are directly affected by the hotel’s actions, policies, and objectives. The executive management, the investors, and the employees are perfect examples of direct claimants. Indirect stakeholders are the individuals or institutions who are otherwise affected by the hotel’s operation. For example, supplies and financial regulators such as banks do not depend on the hotel for their survival, but they are still affected by its actions. The family of the late Jerome Wheeler appears at the top of the stakeholder’s list. The family is the investor in the business and bears all risks and losses. All significant financial decisions involving Hotel Jerome are also made by Jerome’s family members. The family is also found at the top of the executive management supervising all the activities of the hotel. The vast number of departments at the hotel requires some individuals, and the hotel pays these individuals for their expertise (Carroll 2014, p74). At the very top, the hotel needs executive management to oversee all the hotel operations and ensure that they run smoothly. Such posts include the chief executive officer and the various managers, such as the sales manager and the financial controller.
Despite the executive, the following stakeholders also played a vital role in the development of Hotel Jerome. Chefs and waiters in the food preparation department also play an essential role. Guests are also among the influence on the success of the hotel. For example, if the resort receives few guests, it will not operate efficiently as it will incur massive losses. Hotel Jerome also accommodates the old and the sick guests, and as a result, the medical practitioners directly affect its daily operations. The security team, cleaners, and all the other workers also have a direct impact on the hotel (Carroll 2014, p.70).
The government and financial bodies are some examples of the indirect stakeholders of Hotel Jerome. The government regulates the licensing of the hotel and monitors its activities to ensure they are legal. The administration of Aspen, therefore, acts as a stakeholder of Hotel Jerome. Financial bodies such as banks also influence financial decisions made by the hotel (Carroll 2014, p72). Apart from the direct and indirect stakeholders, some external factors also affect the hotel. Such factors include wars and political instability. War and political instability significantly reduce the number of foreign tourists and diplomats visiting the United States, which in turn affects the profit achieved by the hotel.
There are many stakeholders participating in achieving the overall success of Hotel Jerome, and it would be difficult to try to list them down. However, the paper covers all the key stakeholders and their impact on the operation of the hotel. In conclusion, despite the stiff competition facing hotels in the United States, Hotel Jerome still stands out one of the most successful hotels in the region. The hotel also continues to implement changes to adapt to the changing expectations of the guests they host.
Bibliography
Altinay, L., Paraskevas, A. ,and Jang, S.S., 2015. Planning research in hospitality and tourism. Routledge.
Carroll, A. and Buchholtz, A., 2014. Business and Society: Ethics, sustainability, and stakeholder management. Nelson Education.
Cook, R.A., Hsu, C.H. and Marqua, J.J., 2014. Tourism: the business of hospitality and travel. Boston, MA: Pearson.
Chen, R.X., Cheung, C. and Law, R., 2012. A review of the literature on culture in hotel management research: what is the future?. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 31(1), pp.52-65.
Dey, B. and Sarma, M.K., 2010. Information source usage among motive-based segments of travelers to newly emerging tourist destinations. Tourism Management, 31(3), pp.341-344.
Fan, A.Y.J. ,and Wynn, B.A., Expedia Inc, 2013. Travel advisory notifications. U.S. Patent Application 13/495,936.
O’Fallon, M.J. ,and Rutherford D.G. eds., 2010. Hotel management and operations. John Wiley & Sons.
Tenigbade, O., 2011. An assessment of lodgers’ value perception of hotel facilities and services. Journal of Sustainable Development, 4(4), p.91.
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