Stay Plys Hotel

introducing
guest-to-guest recommendation Sharing

Introducing guest-to -guest recommendation loop

Improving guest interactions by implementing a guest-to-guest recommendation loop. In-depth user research revealed a strong preference for advice from peers of the same nationality. The solution transforms the hotel into a dynamic platform that facilitates meaningful connections between past and future guests, creating a cycle of authentic, culturally-relevant recommendations that enhance the overall travel experience.

Overview

Team

Team

Team

Tan Kangpanichkul
Ankush Dogra

Tan Kangpanichkul
Ankush Dogra

Tan Kangpanichkul
Ankush Dogra

Contributions

UX Designer: Led the design of user interactions and flows based on research insights
Prototyper: Created prototypes from low to high fidelity using paper prototypes and Figma
UX Researcher: Conducted user interviews to identify needs and pain points, followed by comprehensive user testing to validate and refine design solutions

Objectives

To enhance hotel guest experiences by creating memorable stays that naturally inspire guests to share their positive experiences through online reviews and personal recommendations, fostering a cycle of organic word-of-mouth marketing and increased guest satisfaction.

Solutions

Develop a comprehensive design system that extends the guest journey beyond their stay, implementing pre-arrival engagement and post-departure follow-up. Create a recommendation ecosystem where guests share experiences, while establishing meaningful digital and physical touchpoints throughout their journey.

Challenges

newly opened hotel

Stay Plus is an independent boutique hotel with 19 rooms, launched in 2023 in Bangkok. It initially attracted Asian guests (especially Chinese) with its unique, spacious rooms, prime location, and modern amenities. While these factors contributed to high occupancy rates in its first year, the hotel faces two significant challenges for long-term success

Business Requirements

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Sustaining Appeal Beyond Novelty

As the hotel ages and newer competitors emerge, Stay Plus must develop innovative services and experiences beyond physical attributes and newness that continue to attract both new and returning guests.

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Enhancing Online Visibility and Engagement

In an increasingly digital marketplace, Stay Plus needs to improve its online presence to attract new guests and maintain competitiveness.

Process

The first step was understanding users by gathering insights from user research, which I believe is important to do early in the process, before ideation or prototyping. This was followed by data synthesis using affinity mapping and thematic analysis. These insights informed the conceptualisation of a solution addressing three key stages of the user journey, developed in consultation with stakeholders. I then designed digital and physical touchpoints, oversaw implementation, and maintained a user-centric approach throughout.

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User research

Synthesis findings

ideation

IdeatioN

prototyping

Prototyping

implement-ation

Implement-ation

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prototyping

implementation

Tools & Method

Competitor Benchmarking

Competitor Benchmark-ing

Interview

Surveys

User journey map

Affinity mapping

Crazy 8's

Wireframing

Print Design

Figjam

Figjam

Microsoft forms

Microsoft forms

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Photoshop

Competitor Benchmarking Analysis

Understanding Success Factors in Bangkok's Boutique Hotels

Before developing solutions for Stay Plus Hotel, it was crucial to understand how other boutique hotels in Bangkok are performing and differentiating themselves. A competitor benchmarking study was conducted to identify successful strategies and potential gaps in the market. By analysing hotels of similar scale and price point, this analysis aimed to understand what drives higher guest satisfaction and how different hotels create distinctive experiences despite offering similar basic amenities. The insights from this analysis helped inform the approach to creating sustainable competitive advantages for Stay Plus that go beyond physical attributes.

Methodology:

  • Selected competitors: 3-star hotels within 3km of Stay Plus

  • Key metrics: Google Maps, Agoda, and Ctrip scores (main OTAs used by Stay Plus guests)

  • Evaluation factors: Digital presence, Physical attributes, Service quality, and Unique features

Key Findings:

Physical Attributes vs. Unique Experience

Most hotels demonstrate competency in basic physical attributes

  • Higher-scoring properties distinguish themselves through unique offerings:

    • Yanh: Provides neighborhood exploration maps at check-in

    • Galileoasis: Hosts ongoing local market

    • Once Again: Offers local food tasting experiences

Brand Identity Impact

  • Hotels with strong brand characteristics and unique selling points consistently score higher

  • Properties lacking distinctive identity tend to score lower, despite good locations or aesthetics

Competitive Advantage

  • Success appears less dependent on traditional factors (location, facilities)

  • Key differentiator: Ability to create memorable experiences through unique features

This analysis reveals that while physical attributes are important, long-term success and higher ratings correlate strongly with distinctive brand identity and unique guest experiences, particularly those that facilitate local cultural engagement.

This analysis reveals that while physical attributes are important, long-term success and higher ratings correlate strongly with distinctive brand identity and unique guest experiences, particularly those that facilitate local cultural engagement.

User Research

getting to know the user

Given that 90% of actual guests are Chinese, with the remainder being Asian, the user research focused primarily on Chinese travelers. I employed a 2-pronged approach:

  1. Broad Insights: Bilingual online survey distributed to hotel guests and via Chinese social platforms (WeChat, Xiaohongshu).

  2. In-Depth Insights: 40-minute interviews covering travel preferences, accommodation choices, and hotel service expectations.

Key Survey Findings:

72%

72%

prefer following their plan with some room for flexibility.

89%

89%

consider pre and post-trip hotel services important.

57%

are sometimes or never aware of hotel services but desire more information.

72%

prefer following their plan with some room for flexibility.

89%

consider pre and post-trip hotel services important.

57%

are sometimes or never aware of hotel services but desire more information.

Key Interview Insights:

Source of Recommendation

Source of Recommend-ation

Strong preference for advice from same-nationality travelers.

Planning and Flexibility

Desire for detailed pre-trip planning balanced with flexibility during the stay.

Safety & Trust

Travelers, especially those from China, prioritize feeling secure in unfamiliar environments.

User Journey Map

Empathise the user

After gathering comprehensive user insights, I created a detailed journey map to track guest experiences from initial search to post-stay reviews. This visualisation helped identify key touchpoints, emotional highs and lows, and opportunities for enhancement throughout the guest journey.

ANALYSIS

Identify Hierarchical Themes

We conducted affinity mapping to synthesise the diverse data gathered from surveys and interviews by grouping them into hierarchical themes.

Key Themes:

Balanced Planning

Detailed pre-trip planning with in-stay support

Minimal Effort

Preference for easily accessible, low-effort services

Cultural Trust

Strong reliance on same-nationality traveler recommendations

Tailored Experiences

Desire for personalised recommendations and services

Balanced Planning

Detailed pre-trip planning with in-stay support

Minimal Effort

Preference for easily accessible, low-effort services

Cultural Trust

Strong reliance on same-nationality traveler recommendations

Tailored Experiences

Desire for personalised recommendations and services

Ideation

Make it Crazy 8's

We initiated our ideation phase with a collaborative brainstorming session to generate early concepts. This discussion helped identify key opportunities based on our research insights.

Next, we employed the Crazy 8's method, a fast-paced sketching exercise designed to push beyond initial ideas and generate a wide variety of solutions to our challenge.

Final Concept & Approach

3 Phrases of Interactions

Through this process, we recognised that the guest experience had 2 important components to address:

  1. Pre-stay, during-stay, and post-stay interactions

  2. The process of sharing and accessing peer recommendations

This approach allowed us to explore diverse solutions rapidly, considering both the digital and physical touchpoints of the guest journey. It helped us move beyond conventional hotel service ideas and consider innovative ways to leverage peer recommendations and enhance the overall guest experience at Stay Plus Hotel.

The Recommendation Loop

Drawing from our research insight that guests highly value recommendations from people of their own nationality, we've designed a system that encourages guests to share their best experiences and recommend them to fellow travelers. This user-centric approach creates a cycle of giving and receiving valuable travel advice:

  1. Pre-trip Absorption: New guests receive curated recommendations from previous visitors of similar backgrounds.

  2. During-stay Experience: Guests enjoy their stay, benefiting from peer recommendations.

  3. Post-trip Contribution: Guests are encouraged to share their favorite experiences and recommendations.

  4. Continuous Cycle: These new recommendations are then shared with future guests, creating an ever-evolving pool of authentic, culturally-relevant advice.

This system passively encourages participation without forcing it. When guests receive valuable recommendations that match their preferences, they're naturally motivated to contribute their own insights.

By facilitating this exchange of experiences, Stay Plus empowers guests to actively shape each other's journeys, fostering a sense of community among visitors. This approach continuously enriches the hotel's recommendation database with authentic, peer-sourced information, enhancing the overall guest experience. It sets Stay Plus apart by offering unique, guest-driven local insights, elevating its service and making stays more memorable. Ultimately, this guest-to-guest recommendation loop not only enhances individual experiences but also contributes significantly to the hotel's long-term success and reputation, encouraging guests to recommend Stay Plus to others in their network.

Final Design

phases 1:
Before the trip

The interaction between guests and the hotel could start even before they arrive; it could begin right after they make their booking. We propose sending guests a greeting message, as if from a friend awaiting to welcome them. This message would also include recommendations from previous guests to help them plan their trip.

limitation the main ots that user use is agoda that have restriction about the provacy of user data so the hotel cannot get user email the only option that hotel can contact is via the ota chat so the approach of yhe chat

Key features include:

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Personalised OTA Messaging

  • simnot , short not too overwhemling for the gust
    Utilise Agoda's platform (used by over 95% of guests) to send a friendly, personalised greeting

  • simnot , short not too overwhemling for the gust

  • include ononly 1 link to hotel websute welcome page

  • Include guest's name and check-in date for a tailored touch

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Hotel Website Integration

  • desogn all the content only 1 page not too overwheming

  • Message includes a link to a dedicated section on the hotel website

  • Website features:
    - Welcoming message
    - Travel tips and tricks for Bangkok
    - Interactive map showcasing recommendations from previous guests

Key Steps of Guest Interaction:

Notification from OTA platform

Notifica-tion from OTA platform

See the message in the platform

Visit hotel welcome page

phases 2:
during the trip

This phase focuses on supporting guests' pre-planned activities rather than recommending new experiences. We propose providing a welcome kit with physical objects that are handy and easy to access, yet link to digital resources.

Welcome Kit

Envelope

Postcard

Map

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Multi-Functional Envelope

The welcome envelope transforms the traditional key card holder into a thoughtfully designed touchpoint. This sleek envelope serves as both a practical key card holder and an interactive guide to hotel services. The front features Stay Plus's signature pattern with a designated key card slot, while the back contains a friendly welcome message and clearly organised QR codes. Each QR code provides quick access to different services - gym booking, meeting room reservation, car rental, and a special link for guests to share their favourite Bangkok spots.

This design seamlessly connects physical and digital experiences, making it easy for guests to access services and contribute their discoveries throughout their stay.

The welcome envelope transforms the traditional key card holder into a thoughtfully designed touchpoint. This sleek envelope serves as both a practical key card holder and an interactive guide to hotel services. The front features Stay Plus's signature pattern with a designated key card slot, while the back contains a friendly welcome message and clearly organised QR codes. Each QR code provides quick access to different services - gym booking, meeting room reservation, car rental, and a special link for guests to share their favourite Bangkok spots.

This design seamlessly connects physical and digital experiences, making it easy for guests to access services and contribute their discoveries throughout their stay.

Prompt to Share Spots

When guests scan the QR code, they're taken to a simple, user-friendly webpage designed for quick and easy sharing. Keeping the process minimal encourages participation - guests only need to input the name of their favourite place, with an optional photo upload. After submitting, an engaging animation shows how their recommendation joins the interactive map they explored before their trip, creating a satisfying connection between their contribution and the guest community.


This streamlined approach minimises user effort while making the sharing experience feel rewarding. By showing immediate impact through animation, guests can see their contribution becoming part of the interactive map they used during their pre-trip planning. This creates a meaningful connection between their own experience and future guests' discoveries, completing the recommendation loop in a simple yet engaging way.

When guests scan the QR code, they're taken to a simple, user-friendly webpage designed for quick and easy sharing. Keeping the process minimal encourages participation - guests only need to input the name of their favourite place, with an optional photo upload. After submitting, an engaging animation shows how their recommendation joins the interactive map they explored before their trip, creating a satisfying connection between their contribution and the guest community.


This streamlined approach minimises user effort while making the sharing experience feel rewarding. By showing immediate impact through animation, guests can see their contribution becoming part of the interactive map they used during their pre-trip planning. This creates a meaningful connection between their own experience and future guests' discoveries, completing the recommendation loop in a simple yet engaging way.

Facilities Page

when guest scan qr cide of esach facilities will go to the faccilits page with short info and the botton to book it also show other facilities to encourage the guest awareness

when guest scan qr cide of esach facilities will go to the faccilits page with short info and the botton to book it also show other facilities to encourage the guest awareness

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Custom postcard

A custom-designed postcard that turns guests into creators of their own Bangkok memories. The front showcases our distinctive hotel logo, while the back offers a generous blank canvas for personal expression. During check-in, guests can make their postcard unique using our collection of stamps provided at the lobby, featuring iconic Bangkok symbols - from tuk-tuks to temples, street food to skyscrapers.

A custom-designed postcard that turns guests into creators of their own Bangkok memories. The front showcases our distinctive hotel logo, while the back offers a generous blank canvas for personal expression. During check-in, guests can make their postcard unique using our collection of stamps provided at the lobby, featuring iconic Bangkok symbols - from tuk-tuks to temples, street food to skyscrapers.

This interactive element encourages creative expression while creating a personalised souvenir of their stay. Not only does it capture unique Bangkok moments, but it also offers a hands-on welcome activity that makes check-in more memorable.

This interactive element encourages creative expression while creating a personalised souvenir of their stay. Not only does it capture unique Bangkok moments, but it also offers a hands-on welcome activity that makes check-in more memorable.

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Physical Map

The thoughtfully designed B4-sized map folds neatly into the welcome envelope, offering a handy guide to Bangkok's must-see attractions. This lightweight companion features a curated selection of city highlights, major landmarks, and points of interest, all presented in an easy-to-read layout with clear directions and walking distances from Stay Plus.


The map's clever folding design means it fits perfectly in a pocket or envelope, ready to accompany guests on their Bangkok adventures.

The thoughtfully designed B4-sized map folds neatly into the welcome envelope, offering a handy guide to Bangkok's must-see attractions. This lightweight companion features a curated selection of city highlights, major landmarks, and points of interest, all presented in an easy-to-read layout with clear directions and walking distances from Stay Plus.


The map's clever folding design means it fits perfectly in a pocket or envelope, ready to accompany guests on their Bangkok adventures.

phases 3:
After the trip

The post-trip phase is crucial for creating lasting impressions and fostering long-term relationships with guests. Our strategy aims to extend the hotel experience well beyond checkout, encouraging social media engagement and creating tangible memories that keep Stay Plus at the forefront of guests' minds.

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Personalised Postcard Mailing

  • Mail the guest-created postcard to their home address

  • Deliver a tangible reminder of their stay, arriving after they've returned home

  • Increase the likelihood of return visits through this thoughtful touch

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Convertible Photo Frame

  • Transform the welcome envelope into a unique photo frame

  • Feature hotel branding and patterns, creating a distinctive backdrop for social media sharing

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AR-Enhanced Polaroid Photo

  • Provide guests with a physical polaroid photo of their stay

  • Incorporate AR technology allowing guests to scan the photo and access a personalised video memory

After the trip, each guest's recommendations will be carefully integrated into the hotel's comprehensive database. These fresh insights will then be curated and presented to future guests as part of their pre-trip recommendations, creating a continuous cycle of authentic, peer-to-peer travel advice.

Implementation

This project focuses on implementing both technological and physical elements of the guest experience system. The implementation begins with developing the digital infrastructure - integrating the recommendation system into the hotel website and setting up all digital touchpoints. Simultaneously, we'll proceed with manufacturing the physical elements of the welcome kit including custom envelopes, stamps, and maps. Staff training forms a crucial part of the implementation, ensuring the team is well-versed in both the digital systems and physical guest interactions.

To ensure continuous improvement, we've developed a comprehensive monitoring plan. This includes pre-implementation guest surveys, usability testing, and setting up a dashboard for tracking key metrics. Regular check-ins through monthly trend analysis, quarterly guest interviews, bi-weekly feedback meetings, and monthly training sessions will help refine the system. A continuous suggestion box will provide ongoing insights for future enhancements.

Key Takeaways

Reflections

This project revealed several key learnings about the realities of design implementation and research challenges:

This project revealed several key learnings about the realities of design implementation and research challenges:

Practical Limitations

The limited access to Chinese online platforms required adapting research methods and leveraging personal connections to gather insights. Similarly, restricted site access highlighted the importance of understanding on-site limitations, from available resources to staff training capabilities. These constraints emphasised the crucial need for deeper stakeholder engagement to create realistic, implementable solutions.

Trust and Security

When handling sensitive content like photos and videos, user trust became paramount. This led to the strategic decision to utilise established platforms like Kodak for photo management, building user confidence through familiar, trusted systems rather than creating new ones.

Research Evolution

The competitor analysis strategy shifted when I discovered that traditional competitors primarily differentiated through physical attributes - factors beyond our scope of improvement. This insight led us to broaden the research to examine case studies of hotels providing exceptional service experiences, focusing on elements we could enhance.

Process Management

The project demonstrated the importance of adaptable project management and communication methods. This flexibility in internal processes proved crucial for maintaining momentum and ensuring effective team collaboration throughout the project lifecycle.

Next Steps

Moving forward, the focus is on establishing a robust monitoring and improvement system. This includes implementing pre-launch guest surveys and usability testing, followed by setting up a comprehensive dashboard for tracking key metrics. The plan encompasses regular check-ins through monthly trend analysis, quarterly guest interviews, and bi-weekly feedback meetings. Staff development will continue through monthly training sessions, while a continuous suggestion system will ensure the solution evolves with guest needs and operational realities.

Contact

Always open to new connections and creative conversations!
Send me a message and let's explore ideas together!

tanstkk@gmail.com

Email Copied

Contact

Always open to new connections and creative conversations!
Send me a message and let's explore ideas together!

tanstkk@gmail.com

Email Copied