New research has revealed that 7 out of 10 hotel guests (75%) are dissatisfied with the quality of coffee in their hotel bedroom, rating it either poor or average.
Of all hotel types, boutique hotels ranked the lowest for coffee service with 40% of respondents saying the quality of their coffee was very poor. On the other hand, guests who choose to stay in B&B’s were the most satisfied with the quality of coffee on offer. They rated the quality of coffee as ‘good’ at both breakfast (41.1%), in the restaurant (44.6%) and the bar (44.0%).
30% might not return
The survey of 1,000 UK consumers by UCC Coffee UK & Ireland, also found that the quality of coffee on offer would influence a leisure travellers’ decision to stay again, with 30% saying they would consider not returning to a hotel which served poor coffee.
Phil Smith, category manager, UCC Coffee UK & Ireland comments: “Hotels are missing out on a huge opportunity to drive revenue and customer satisfaction. The quality of coffee in hotel bedrooms is failing consumer expectations. This is particularly important as a third (30%) of leisure travellers said that poor quality coffee would affect their decision to return to a particular hotel.
“These statistics show that the quality of coffee on offer affects people’s perceptions of the quality of the venue as a whole too. Hotels would benefit from repeat business and profitability if they simply offered better quality, better tasting coffee in bedrooms and other areas of the hotel.”
Savvy consumers
The results also revealed that consumers are becoming as equally savvy about their coffee in hotels as they are on the high street. A third of people (30.3%) who stay in boutique hotels say that having a knowledgeable barista would add to their dining experience. And five out of 10 diners in boutique hotels would consider ordering a coffee rather than a dessert to end a meal.
When it comes to taste, those staying in luxury hotels rated it as the most important factor when ordering a coffee with a meal (83%), compared to just half (56.6%) of those who stay in other types of hotel.
Style of coffee varies with type of hotel
With a range of different styles of coffee on offer, the most popular coffee for travellers varied depending on the type of hotel:
- B&B – cappuccino (32.1%)
- Budget hotel – latte (35.4%)
- Mid-range hotel – latte (29.3%)
- Boutique hotel – cappuccino (39.4%)
- Luxury hotel – latte (29.6%)
The research of 1,000 coffee drinking consumers was commissioned by UCC Coffee UK & and conducted by Allegra Insight in April 2014. UCC Coffee UK & Ireland surveys consumers each quarter to keep its customers up-to-date with the latest market trends and provide insight to add value to their customers’ businesses.
UCC Coffee UK & Ireland
UCC Coffee UK & Ireland’s mission is to create the best possible coffee experience whenever and wherever it’s brewed. Its market-leading total coffee solution aims to help its customers be outstanding in a fiercely competitive market.
It does this by putting the needs of its customers at the heart of its business and by understanding every small but important detail that goes in to brewing a great coffee and delivering an extraordinary coffee experience.
UCC Coffee UK & Ireland is committed to continually redefining its total coffee solution. It prides itself on developing and bringing innovative new products to market, meaning it can work in partnership with its customers to deliver a powerful combination of insight, the finest fresh-roasted beans, roasted here in the UK, and state-of-the-art coffee machines.
Its total coffee solution includes well-known coffee brands including Lyons, THREESIXTY° and Orang Utan Coffee, award-winning own-label coffee concepts and the world’s most innovative machines from Dalla Corte, Nuova Simonelli, Victoria Arduino, Eversys and Thermoplan.
It provides access to unique market research and insight, category management, accredited training, brand concepts and comprehensive service packages to keep coffee profitable and ahead of the curve.