Between hospitality and comfort, I choose hospitality
Do you know the difference between hospitality and comfort?
Hospitality means welcoming people, seeing them, understanding what they really need.
Comfort is a way of reassuring them, facilitating procedures e.g. using electronic keys, codes, smart locks, Apps saving time for the guest and host.
I believe, however, that such technologies should be used sparingly, and should not completely replace Hospitality (as I understand it); it cannot be reduced to the simple communication of a code!
This unfortunately seems to be the new trend in modern Property. The guest in this way is treated like a number!
It is not a way of hospitality that I like; I don't want it to become a boring, repetitive routine. Don't get me wrong though: I too have equipped myself with key boxes. It's a good way to free me from a chore and give the guest maximum freedom, allowing flexibility (comfort, remember?): if it suits him to arrive at midnight, why not?
But you can be sure that the next morning he will find me ready to answer his questions, over a cup of coffee or an aperitif, in total relaxation, giving him advice on what to do and what to see, giving him information on local history, traditions, places and flavours.
As you can see, it is a completely different approach (which is a bit of my pride): I make sure that I am always there, because I know that even when you are on holiday it is nice to have someone in the flesh to turn to when you need them.
Automatic procedures are convenient, but they risk making everything cold and soulless. Which is the opposite of a holiday, as I see it.
