Boring Hilton Wants to “Change Your Perspective”
July 6th, 2007 Posted in Making a difference, Travel industry“Travel is more than just A to B. Travel should change your perspective.”
This profound quote above would be all well and good except I got it from…a Hilton Hotels TV commercial. The idea that a Hilton is going to change your perspective on anything is so laughable that my mouth was open enough for a fly to buzz in there when I saw the ad scroll by.
Lest you think I’m just being the oh-so-superior backpacker, let me say that I have stayed in over 40 Hiltons in a dozen countries. In many of those cases, I’ve been walking around with a notebook and a camera documenting their ups and downs for a magazine or travel agent guide. In most of those cases, if someone had knocked me over the head with a heavy object and I woke up in the room two hours later, I wouldn’t have known what country I was in, much less which part of that country. I probably would have thought I was in the U.S., but with no idea whether it was Charleston or Chicago or Cheyenne.
Empty slogans piss me off, and they probably piss off most people interested enough in travel to be watching the Travel Channel, which is where I saw this.
If you’re going to talk about changing perspectives, then don’t put the same bedspreads in every hotel around the world. Buy local art from local artisans for every room, not the same generic artwork you’re hanging on the drywall in Houston. Commission chairs made by local craftsmen. Get dressers that are made by a guy one town over, not crappy laminate junk you ship in from China by the container load. Don’t put French milled soap in the bathrooms of a hotel located in South America. There’s no excuse for any of that anymore: you can get quality materials for a good price almost anywhere. Besides, even luxury travelers are tired of destroying the planet just because they can, and because it fattens your margins. Take some of that ad budget and put it into sustainable tourism practices. Your guests might actually spread the word…
You’ve got to walk the walk, not just come up with a catchy ad slogan.
[photo of a boring Hilton hotel room in any country in Asia by mbonness]
3 Responses to “Boring Hilton Wants to “Change Your Perspective””
By Marie on Jul 8, 2007
I’ve been in a lot of Hiltons… and it must be said that when it comes to outrageous luxury chains, the Sheratons overwhelmingly kick their butts.
But one thing that annoys me about luxury chains: Why do they charge for wi-fi? It’s free at mid-range and low-end places. Silly.
By tim on Jul 8, 2007
I agree–charging for wi-fi is one of the dumbest industry moves ever. I can’t count how many entrepreneurs and business travelers I’ve met who refuse to book a room at a hotel that charges them a daily fee just to log on. At this point, wi-fi is up there with hot water and a door that locks. It should be a standard part of the room. Here are ones getting it right:
http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2007/4/29/175723/520/hotels/Best_WiFi_Hotels_2007
By marta on Jul 10, 2007
Hello, I am reading your blog from Spain,… and do you know the national hotel chain PARADORES,?
Most of them are situated in castles, fortrees… look at http://www.parador.es
Sorry for my english and congratulations for your blog