Younger and Ethnically Diverse Guests are Aspirational When Choosing Their Most Motivational Hotel Slogans

Two subgroups emerged in our study of inspirational hotel slogans: millennials and those who are ethnically diverse. They each preferred more aspirational slogans than those selected by other generations or Caucasians overall.

So we took a closer look. Here’s the breakdown:

Millennials want to connect with the world

Respondents under the age of 35 chose the following slogans as most motivational:

• A place to connect with the world. A place to stay inspired. – 45% (Conrad)
• Life’s most meaningful journeys. – 42% (The Ritz-Carlton)
• Right where you need it. – 42% (Hilton Garden Inn)
• We put a smile back on your face. – 40% (Holiday Inn Hotels)
• Come in as guests. Leave as family – 39% (Hotel Villa Amarilla)

Three of the five slogans have come up in previously in this report.

Millennials selected two additional slogans, “Life’s most meaningful journeys” and “Come in as guests. Leave as family.”

Here’s a sampling of reasons why respondents chose each of those phrases:

“Life’s most meaningful journeys”

The following are highlights from numerous respondents, many of whom focused on the experience:

• “It brings images of fulfillment to mind of physical, mental and emotional happiness.”
• “Every trip starts as someone's journey. And if a hotel can help make it meaningful, life's good.”
• “Looking for a unique and meaningful travel experience.”
• “Because memories are more important than anything.”
• “It is nice to enjoy a lasting experience.”
• “Because the journey is always in the memories that you share with someone.”
• “Seems quite inviting.”
• “That's what life is about.”

“Come in as guests. Leave as family.”

Study participants who preferred this phrase indicated a strong connection to family and a desire to be treated well while away from home. Here’s how a few of them put it in words:

“It sounds like they are more interested in catering to my individual needs, which are quite different from those of most people,“ one respondent indicated. “… A motel that wants me to think of them as family is more likely to accommodate my peculiarities. It is a very comforting statement.”

“It indicates to me that personnel are hired who actually care about what they are doing and enjoy interacting with people,” wrote another. “I understand that it is an overstatement, but if the employees have an attitude or simply don't care, it can taint an otherwise enjoyable trip.”

• “It seems more genuine than the rest.”
• “To me that means that you will be welcomed and treated like family. [There will be] a warm friendly atmosphere, and I would expect a more personal service than others.”
• “It makes you feel that they care.”
• “Hospitality!”
• “I liked this slogan as it would be nice to stay at a hotel or resort where you felt more like a person and less like a paying guest. [It gives] a feeling of being welcomed and taken care of with more than just courtesy but actual warmth and feeling in your interactions with the staff.”
• “Customer service is very important to me. If your customer service is bad, I won't return. No matter how much I like your hotel.”
• “I like a homey atmosphere.”
• “It shows how they make you welcome and part of their community.”

Multicultural participants prefer perfection

Four out of six slogans which ranked best among those who are ethnically diverse were also identified as motivational by their Caucasian counterparts. However, “Share a grand experience” and “Live like a king” bubbled up to the top more within this subgroup.

Here’s the breakdown:

• When life feels perfect. (Four Seasons)
• Life’s most meaningful journeys. (The Ritz-Carlton)
• Come in as guests. Leave as family. (Hotel Villa Amarilla)
• A place to connect with the world. A place to stay inspired. (Conrad)
• Share a grand experience. (The Grand Hotel)
• Live like a king. (Drawbridge Inn Hotel)

Here’s a sampling of reasons our respondents chose the “one-off” slogans:

Share a grand experience. (The Grand Hotel)

• “It sounds like a fun place to take the family with many things to do.”
• “A vacation should be hopefully a ‘grand experience,’ not a so-so or bad or mediocre one.”
• “It sounds like a great time awaits”
• “I like to feel good about life.”
• “I like to feel like I've gone on the best vacation ever.”
• “You always want a grand experience and feel important and special.”
• “Everyone wants to live a great experience.”
• “Everything is excellent—better than good—it's grand.”

Live like a king. (Drawbridge Inn Hotel)

• “I want to live like a king when I travel.”
• “I want to feel like my needs come first when at a hotel.”
• “We all want to be Kings and Queens.”
• “The King is always served, and when I go away and stay in a hotel, I expect the best service. This makes you feel like you are totally living this way.”
• “Everyone deserves to live like a king.”