For long, the hotel industry has boasted two classes that offer unique advantages for both owners and guests: Full-service and limited-service hotels.
But, now you can reap the benefits of both thanks to the emergence of select-service hospitality organisations across the globe. As you might expect, this hotel class is a hybrid of limited-service and full-service hotels.
You might have heard about Limited Service Hotels and Full-service hotels. Select Service Hotels encompass everything in between. In this post, we have covered the definition and interesting details about select service hotels.
What Are Select Service Hotels
People look for good service, safety and choice in their hotel rooms; and the select-service segment gives exactly that to customers. You can select a room that exactly suits your needs.
The Hotel industry is expanding with a new fleet of Affordable hotels around the world in the Select service category.
Over the course of two decades or so, the grey area between full-service and limited-service hotel establishments has given rise to this select-service segment.
Initially, the select-service sector encompassed hotels that had no banquet facilities or restaurants but it has evolved ever since to become somewhat unrecognizable.
From its name, you can infer that the hotels that fall under the select-service segment provide fundamental characteristics of limited-service properties alongside a selection of the amenities, facilities, and services typical of full-service hotels.
In essence, it means that these hotels usually offer banquet facilities and restaurants but on a budget scale.
Select Service Hotels still care more for budget-conscious travellers but go the extra mile to outclass the limited service hotels.
For the most part, the select-service category of hotels borrows a leaf more from the limited-service sector than the full-service segment.
An incisive look at the industry itself shows that select-service hotels come in a huge variety, with particular offerings varying from one property to another.
What are the Features of Select-Service Hotels?
The select Service category is probably the biggest segment of the Hotel industry at current times. Even the Largest Hotel Chains are venturing big time into the select-service sector.
While there are a lot of features that make select service hotels attractive for travellers and hoteliers alike, three of them are worth mentioning here.
1. Affordable Comfort
By bringing the two worlds of limited-service and full-service segments together, select-service hotels have been able to keep running costs favourably low by providing services, facilities, and amenities in moderation.
That means they can make their services and hotel room rates quite affordable for the budget traveller looking for decent comfort.
2. Familiar In-room Amenities
Select-service properties aren’t just affordable; they also boast in-room amenities that are close to or match up to the levels in full-service properties.
Since the industry is rife with cut-throat competition, the select-service sector has consistently improved its facilities to offer amenities that rival those found at full-service hotels while maintaining their hotel room rates low.
3. Closing the Service Gap
The phrase “select service” may be somewhat new, but the concept has been around in the hotel industry.
It’s only now that demarcation has become a little clear.
Nonetheless, these hotels providing a few services are closing the service and amenity gap between them and full-service hotels rapidly, and the line between the two has been blurring every year.
Examples of Select-Service Hotels
Traditionally, select service has been associated with quintessential hotels like Hyatt Place, Hilton Garden Inn, and Marriott’s Courtyard, but the segment also includes particular hotels from primarily limited-service chains like Days Inn, Clarion, and Best Western.
The latter is known to feature in-building restaurants and more vibrant in-room amenities.
Big chains like Marriott are investing big in the Select-service segment of the hotel industry. Other global chains are not falling far behind either. Check the below image to know the data for 2015. This has gone higher in 2023.
More and more standalone properties and in-country chains are venturing into the select service segment of the hotel industry.
With the rise in apartment-sharing websites like Airbnb and Homestays, the Select service segment of hotels gives the Hotel industry an area to expand and innovate for the good of travellers.
