You are the general manager of Waterfront Inn, a hotel property located in a popular beach town. Waterfront Inn has 200 guest rooms, a swimming pool, a fitness center, a lounge and beach access. The property consistently meets 100% guest occupancy from March through early September.
The property that Waterfront Inn sits on has a unique shape. The property is quite narrow, but is very long. Upon entering, the hotel lobby is small, with a front desk that fits only three employees. The guestrooms are located behind the front desk along long hallways. The swimming pool and beach access are located behind the hotel.
Due to the hotel property’s unique shape, the lobby is often crowded during check-in times. Guest check-in time is at 4 p.m. and there is often a line of guests waiting to check-in since they do not all fit in the hotel’s small, narrow lobby. Guest check-out is at noon, which only gives the housekeeping staff four hours to clean vacated guestrooms and have them ready for check-in. Earlier check-in times are not feasible.
At 4 p.m. during peak season, there is a line of guests out the door of Waterfront Inn, waiting for check-in to begin. Guests in line are often are accompanied by family, luggage, coolers, beach chairs and water toys.
While the check-in process does move relatively quickly, the three front desk workers must also process other front-desk transactions such as call routing, inquiries and requests from guest rooms and check cashing.
The owner of the Waterfront Inn is concerned about the overwhelming nature of guest check-in. First-time guests’ first impressions of Waterfront Inn include a long line of people waiting to check-in, a crowded lobby and stressed front desk workers.
The owner wants you to create strategies to alleviate the overwhelming nature of guest check-in during peak season for guests and staff.
