Competition amongst hotels in the UK is higher than anywhere else in Europe, with nearly half of all hotel construction occurring in the UK1. With the sector more competitive than ever, hotel owners need to be mindful of how they can stand out from the crowd and develop their hotels to meet the rapidly evolving demands of their guests.

Today, it is important that hoteliers consider not just what makes their own hotel unique, in terms of its location, history, and design, but also focus firmly on that guests are looking for in a stay. Personalisation, convenience and sustainability are just three key areas that hotels need to focus on to create that memorable experience that will hopefully keep their guests returning.

Capitalise on culture

More than a quarter of hotels under construction in the UK are based in London, reflecting the attraction of the Capital. In the first quarter of this year, hotel occupancy in London rose by nearly 10% more than hotels outside the Capital compared to the same period last year. Hotels in other major cities, near transportation hubs or near significant tourist attractions benefit from accessibility and interest in the area.

More remote hotels need to demonstrate to tourists why their stay will be worth it. A starting point could be transforming their location from an obstacle to an attraction2. For instance, though Burgh Island sits on the South Devon coast and works with local taxi services to book transport for guests arriving by public transportation, we do have a unique sea tractor to bring guests across from the mainland when the tide rises.

Indeed, located in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Burgh Island’s remoteness is one of its main attractions making it a favoured retreat for famous actors, writers and Hollywood stars. One of the key features of the hotel, where guests love to rest and immerse themselves in nature, is the hotel’s outdoor natural mermaid pool.

Another tactic hotel owners can use is to embrace not try and shun their locality. Cultural tourism is on the rise, with a projected compound annual growth rate of 20.77% between 2022 and 20273. For instance, local produce is healthier, more nutritious, and more sustainable, in particular for local communities, and such cuisines can make hotels distinctive. One initiative is to source the vast majority of its kitchen’s ingredients from within a 30-mile radius, which the Burgh Island Hotel does, while partnerships with local vendors can also help to showcase how a hotel is supporting its local community and environment.

Showcase history and heritage

The history of a hotel can also play a key role in its appeal to guests. Naming rooms after famous visitors and stunning architecture are features that hotels can capitalise on to enhance their reputation. Burgh Island Hotel plays homage to its most notable guest, Agatha Christie, with immersive murder mystery nights as well as its Agatha’s Beach House suite. Other famous guest such as Josephine Baker and Gertrude Lawrence, are a reminder of the Hotel’s art deco roots.

Burgh Island’s unique selling point is its heritage, with its Crittall stained glass windows, restored by leading interior designer Sam Kopsch in 2019, and the Nettlefold Restaurant, home to the Captain’s Cabin taken from the warship HMS Ganges. Guests are also treated to live ‘20s jazz music in the Grand Ballroom and encouraged to dress in true Roaring Twenties fashion.

Rising eco-expectations

In a recent survey, over 80% of global travellers indicated that sustainable tourism is an essential aspect of their holidays4. In fact, nearly three quarters of consumers would be willing to sacrifice convenience for sustainability and would opt for a more expensive holiday if it meant supporting the local community and culture5. Hotels therefore should take account of this when reviewing their sustainability commitments.

At Burgh, we have received planning permission on measures to further improve our sustainability programme, including the adoption of a fabric-first approach, new low-energy earth sheltered accommodation, and the installation of run-around coil heat exchangers.

Improving energy efficiency, such as utilising LED bulbs, which save up to 90% of the energy consumed by conventional light bulbs6, and reducing wastage, as the Burgh Island Hotel does by sending all its waste products to local commercial recycling plants, are two other cost-effective initiatives hotels can do to improve their sustainability.

As hotels look to stand out in an increasingly crowded space, they have a whole range of operational, sustainable and marketing initiatives to consider – but at their heart should be the guest experience around which all other considerations should revolve.

1.  https://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/4117842.html

2.  https://www.knightfrank.com/research/article/2023-05-16-positive-first-quarter-for-the-uk-hotel-market

3.  https://www.technavio.com/report/cultural-tourism-market-industry-analysis

4.  https://www.statista.com/topics/1916/green-tourism/

5.  https://www.expediagroup.com/media/media-details/2022/New-Global-Research-from-Expedia-Group-Spotlights-Growing-Consumer-Interest-in-Sustainable-Tourism/default.aspx


6.  https://www.evergreenenergy.co.uk/led-lights/why-you-should-make-the-switch-to-led/