Ghanaians! Certainly not the most frantic hotelbookers. Great people with varying needs and objectives. Hotel booking has long been a preserve for the affluent as well as businessmen and women who only book when they need to stay in one.

In present day, with the rise of ecommerce and the internet, online hotel booking has become one of the most important facets of the hospitality industry.

The choice of a hotel by customers all over the world varies. The reasons why some customers book may be far different from country to country. However, some of the reasons may overlap on occasions. Jumia Travel, Africa’s leading online travel website looks at the top 5 factors that influence customers choice of hotel in Ghana.

Price - Who doesn’t want to pay less for more? Everyone wants the cheapest price possible. Even when you walk into a shop or to the market, you find two sellers with the same items but different prices. The moment you realize one item is what you want and cheaper than all others, you go for it. This is exactly what happens in the hotel world. Customers go online and compare prices. Sometimes on the hotel’s website and many other times on online booking portals. The second they find the best rate that suites them, BAM! It’s done. As usual, cheap doesn’t always mean quality therefore although price is a great factor, other parameters are also taken into consideration.

Location - This looks like a universal factor that customers consider when choosing a hotel. However, in Ghana you might want to take it a bit more seriously. Being that sometimes, the directions to hotels and other amenities isn’t accurate, you may want to consider the exact location of the hotel you want to book. If you need a hotel in Accra, make sure you know which specific part of Accra you want to go and book accordingly. Sometimes, some hotels are perceived to be at certain locations but upon booking and arrival there, you may find out that the hotel is a bit far from the actual area you wanted to go. Online booking portals now give you the option of checking out maps so as to get the exact location of the hotel.

Amenities and Services - These days, there is more to a hotel than just bed and breakfast. With moving trends come a change in taste and a desire for better amenities. Many Ghanaians now look at more than just price and location when choosing a hotel. Regardless of whether the purpose of stay is business or tourism, guests have similar needs. Strong Wifi connection, on site restaurant, swimming pool, air conditions etc are just a few basic requirements guests have. To stay in competition, many hotels and guest houses have had to adapt and make these amenities available. There are others that may compromise and accept to stay in a hotel lacking one or two of these amenities. However, the vast majority of Ghanaians these days won’t accept any kind of service or facility. Your hotel needs to come with the best otherwise you will lose out BIG time!

Past Experiences - As the old adage goes, ‘’once bitten, twice shy’’. You will only go back to a hotel that gave you a memorable experience. Yes for the right reasons. When we stay at hotels, it automatically becomes our home away from home. The services and facilities that the hotel offers determines whether we choose that same hotel the next time we need a hotel in that area or not. Bad experiences not only make guests overlook hotels but also causes them to refrain from recommending that particular hotel to family and friends.Some even go the extra mile of ensuring that none of their family or friends patronize that hotel. Sometimes, it’s a combination of all the factors and at other times it’s just one main thing that did or didn’t go right. Ghanaians never forget!!!

Star Ratings - Hotel A is 5 Star,Hotel B is 3 star and Hotel C is a budget hotel. Although many Ghanaians do not fully understand the technicalities and how these star ratings come about, one thing is clear; The higher the star ratings, the better the hotel. In modern day, countries such as the UAE and the USA have up to 7 star hotels with ultramodern facilities and mind-blowing architecture. In Ghana, there are quite a few 4-5 star hotels and many budget to 3 star hotels. Due to the fact that majority of Ghanaians fall within the middle income group, 3 Star hotels are the most booked. Regardless of the Price, distance and other factors, the very literate and affluent in society will always check for the star rating. This gives an indication of the quality of service and facilities available as well as the price range. When you know that this hotel is 5 star, be prepared for a great luxurious experience of pure class and quality. However, be rest assured that you will also have to pay premium for this.

People have different reasons why they choose a hotel. If the factors you consider are not listed here, then you may want to add these to the list you already have. Do a thorough research about the hotel and consider all necessary factors before choosing. A good experience is always as good as your choice of hotel.

Credit : Bennet Otoo, Jumia Travel