In recent years, the resorts and casino business has caught the attention of investors, and evidently, there is a significant number of resorts being constructed. The development of a resort is a very complicated process due to the large number of specified details that need to be addressed. Investors frequently hire professionals to develop a portfolio explaining how to efficiently run a resort. Guest satisfaction is the primary concern of every hotel, and it ensures that the services delivered meet clients’ 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 taken 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 suitable case study that can be used to create a portfolio for a resort. The hotel is located on East Main Street in Aspen, Colorado, in the United States. The resort was established in 1880 by Jerome B. Wheeler, who aimed to develop a hotel that resembled European resorts in terms of services offered and amenities provided. Hotel Jerome is a significant landmark in Aspen because it is the only resort in the city that has survived from the 20th century into the 21st. 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 sight, 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 guests to thoroughly enjoy the services provided by current technology. Historic charm is used to create impressive room designs and achieve a very pleasing room odor. All the amenities for every guest room 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 has 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 unique Alpine Colorado cuisine, while the J-Bar offers guests Hotel Jerome’s signature drinks. The Library restaurant is globally recognized for its ability to serve super-fast tapas dishes such as Garlicky Shrimp with olive oil. I chose Hotel Jerome because it has 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 meets lodging requirements and provides various amenities. 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 serves a wide variety of guests. Guests have different characteristics regarding group size, cultural requirements, age, and gender, and Hotel Jerome has to classify its potential 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 Hotel Jerome. The possibility of 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 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 guests hosted by the hotel 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 on 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 guests’ expectations with the aim that the guests will recommend the hotel to their friends or return for another stay. The hotel has also installed additional facilities that influence guests’ willingness to consider it. For example, business travelers choose Hotel Jerome over other resorts due to its high-speed internet. Travel writers 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 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 that are otherwise affected by the hotel’s operation. For example, suppliers 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 stakeholders’ 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 many individuals, and the hotel pays these individuals for their expertise (Carroll 2014, p. 74). At the very top, the hotel needs executive management to oversee all 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.
Besides the executives, the following stakeholders also play 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 those who influence 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 old and sick guests, and as a result, 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, p. 72). 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 all. 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 as 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 it hosts.
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.
https://hoteljerome.aubergeresorts.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/hotel-jerome-an-auberge-resort-aspen
https://www.google.com/search?q=hotel+jerome+restaurant&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwinsaOw1d7ZAhVHaxQKHS1JBq4Q1QII1gEoAQ
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