Probably you remember, that in last May, I wrote about that the PGA Catalunya Resort will add a new 5-star hotel, the Hotel Camiral in June following an investment of €33 million. So from now on, we can enjoy the new hotel.
The PGA Catalunya Resort wants to be a world-leading lifestyle destination with a host of experiences that cover gastronomy, wine, art, culture, sport, and leisure, as well as once-in-a-lifetime adventures, enabling guests to discover the riches of the venue and the region.
Created by the critically-acclaimed interior designer Lazaro Rosa-Violán, the luxury hotel features 149 rooms, which combine contemporary design with striking urban-chic interiors to complement the modern, low-density development.
Outdoor pursuits include hiking, cycling, fishing, snorkeling and kite-surfing, taking in the beautiful Catalonian countryside and the Costa Brava coastline.
The hotel adds three new dining options, including the à la carte 1477 restaurant, which serves European cuisine with distinctly Catalan influences, a lounge bistro and a pool-side bar – all specializing in produce from the local area and taking inspiration from the gourmet scene on the award-winning venue’s doorstep.
What do I miss from the new Hotel Camiral of the PGA Catalunya Resort?
I think what the Hotel Camiral is offering to its future guests is not in line with the expectations of the so-called connected customers. It is the minimum that a hotel is providing high-speed Wi-Fi throughout the hotel. Just check out the list of their services. It seems like they either don’t recognize the needs of the so-called connected customers and the Millennials or just forgot to highlight them on their website. Let’s hope the second version is the right answer.
What I am missing are the companion mobile solutions (e.g. Hilton’s Digital Keys; James Hotels’ James Pocket Assistant ) that can make fluent our stay in the hotel. Let’s not forget these interesting facts about our mobile usage:
- 73% of people are always with their mobile (source: Facebook)
- 150-200x/day – we check our mobile (source: Forrester Research)
- 75% of people go online via their mobile (source: Global WebIndex)
Let’s be a little bit more “selfish”!
In addition to the convenience of our customer, we can also use mobile technology to gain more insight into our customers’ behaviour in our hotel and their customer journey. We should not neglect the importance of bespoke mobile messaging that is gaining momentum recently.
Although previously I mentioned context-aware mobile apps (e.g. beacons) as a possible solution for pro-shops, but I think they could be used by hotels as well. This kind of apps could enable hotels to provide bespoke offers based on the customer’s location within the hotel.
Marriott attempted to come up with a context-aware mobile app the FleshPerks (was launched on July 24th, 2014), but it was not so successful. LocalPerks requires you to download a special app and the hotel will beam you offers based on your location within the hotel. I think SPG Moment‘s mobile app is a much better solution.
The bottom line is that either you are a golf club, golf resort or a golf hotel you have to provide personalized services to be competitive. This not an option, but a must-have!