HOTELS

Derek Gale

The Power of TripAdvisor
March 31, 2008

After some initial disappointment in finding the Four Seasons Peninsula Papagayo sold out during the time I would be traveling to that particular region of Costa Rica, I used TripAdvisor to help me find an alternative hotel for the first few nights of my recent honeymoon. Doing so led me to the adult-only, 5-room Los Altos de Eros Luxury Inn, Spa & Yoga, the No. 1 most popular out of 28 TripAdvisor hotels near Tamarindo. With glowing user reviews, I figured I’d give the property a shot—and I couldn’t be happier that I did.

From a brief skimming of the reviews and glancing through users’ photos, my wife and I expected nothing less than a beautiful setting, luxury accommodations, and good food, of course. But it was the simple hospitality and friendly service that really won us over.

That said, I was rather surprised to learn that the owners hand-picked the staff from a bank and some other Costa Rican businesses rather than “stealing” them from another resort. One of the owners said he watched and listened to these people as they did their jobs before approaching them to join the Los Altos team.

The method certainly was successful—the inn’s staff could not have been more welcoming, pleasant and hospitable. And the owner says he's had zero turnover. In total, there are 27 employees working at Los Altos, and at any given time, there are a maximum of 10 guests, so the ratio of staff to guests is quite high. With this level of service and the property’s unbeatable setting and simple comforts, it is no surprise that Los Altos is TripAdvisor’s 2008 Travelers’ Choice award winner for best luxury and best service in the world.

But these distinctions and the continuing string of complimentary user reviews are worth more than just new and repeat business for the hotel. After three and a half years, the owners have quietly put the property up for sale, having already achieved basically the best results possible. The hotel’s occupancy level is high and steady, as is the rate. And the recent awards make it an attractive time to sell for an owner who “likes projects,” as he puts it.

So what can other hoteliers take away from this tale? 1) Everyday people use TripAdvisor, so monitor your presence on the site and do everything you can (within ethical behavior) to get a good ranking and good user reviews 2) Talent can be found in unlikely places and trained to understand the hotel industry specifically 3) Observation is a powerful tool when it comes to determining whether a prospective employee might be a good fit 4) A solid staff-to-guest ratio can certainly go a long way toward great service 5) Reaching and maintaining award-winning status can pay great dividends—literally!

Posted by Derek Gale on March 31, 2008 | Comments (0)