If there's one thing London has got a lot of, it's hotels. Whether you're looking for a cheap B&B, a mid-range three star or a luxury celebrity hang-out, it's all covered. Therefore, if you decide to enter the market and provide accommodation, you'd do well to try something a bit different. Think Apartments is clearly trying to do that.
I hadn't heard of the company before but during a search for a hotel near London Bridge this week the blurb got me interested. "Our apartments combine cutting-edge modern design with great comfort and technology", it proclaimed. Nice I thought. I was wrong.
On arriving at the apartments at nearly midnight it didn't bode well. An entrance down a dark alley which led to a very white and uninspiring old office building where the apartments reside. After a somewhat prolonged check-in I got to my room. Visually, it was impressive. Trendy units, a very 21st century bathroom with a rectangle-shaped sink and an oven which looked so technological advanced it wouldn't look out of place on the Starship Enterprise.
Unfortunately however, while Think scored A+ for trendiness when it came to practicality and the essentials of a good hotel stay, a D- is its only reward. Among the frustrations were a lack of soap in the bathroom, no spoon to stir my coffee and cupboards without handles which while stylish, annoyingly kept opening with just the lightest of touches.
Think won't be getting repeat business from me. Why? Because they've forgotten the basics.
When running a business, being different to the competition is great. But no matter how out there you are, you mustn't forget the basics. There are some things the customer will expect and packing your hotel room with as much trendy furniture and technology as possible won't make a difference if you don't fulfil those expectations. So if there's one lesson any business owner can learn from my hotel experience, it's that while it's often good to pack your product or service with all sorts of add-ons, make sure you've also covered the basics.
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