Originally Posted by
sdsearch
What you may not realize is that while the Coronavirus effect on health may be mostly behind for most of us, the Coronavirus long-term effect on hotel staffing is not. A lot of people retired or quit during Coronavirus from lots of industries, including hotels.
And thus, some hotel lounges that used to be open for breakfast and dinner before Coronavirus, are only open for breakfast since Coronavirus, and otherwise just have just limited "grab and go" with no buffet (just drinks and other cold stuff). presumably because of staffing shortages of some sort.
Also the pandemic did not start the decline of executive lounges -- it hastened a trend that was already well under way. Just like a number of restaurants around the world that may have limped along for years with the status quo ante that permanently closed amidst the economic realities of the pandemic (i.e. it's a $ thing, not a health thing)
Having said that even Internationally I can't say I've had a EL experience that would warrant even considering that as a factor to choose a hotel much less making it
the factor in my hotel search. Location, location, location, and rate do it for me.
Larry Mundy, a hotel exec wrote one of my favorite pieces (a) decade(s) ago in
"The Hotel Guest WIth Half A Brain" and I think the introductory paragraph hits the nail on the head:
It hurts, but let’s face it. Our hotels are, at best, incidental to a guest’s travel plans. They did not drive to Keokuk or fly to Salt Lake City, just to enjoy the convivial and hospitable joy of staying in room 236, delightful though it may be. They came to attend a niece’s wedding, or pitch an equipment sale to the local rendering plant, or participate in the annual convention of Windshield Wiper Designers of America. Staying in your hotel is a necessary evil, an incidental part of the whole travel experience, something they have to do in order to achieve their real objective.
The executive lounge doesn't drive (much? any?) revenue, has costs and doesn't contribute in a meaningful way (IMO) to the guest experience. From my POV as a breakfast-hater, and a "if I'm going to eat alone I'd rather do it in the privacy of my room or a restaurant I actually enjoy", sure a free Coke or two is nice but... eh? What do they offer that I can't get better somewhere else?