5 ways to get your hotel Christmas-ready

The nights are drawing in which can only mean one thing; the festive season is almost upon us and hotels are heading into one of the busiest periods of the year.

By escaping the cooking, hosting, tidying and washing up at home, guests look to hotels as havens of relaxation, allowing them to escape the stresses that Christmas can bring. Of course, this expectation comes with many pressures for the hospitality industry, with professionals striving to provide the best possible service whilst creating a magical experience that guests will remember.

Here, we give our top tips on how to prepare your staff for this busy period, ease some of the pressure by streamlining your services and deliver a wonderful stay for your guests.

1. Speed up your check-in / check-out

With more guests than usual, and most arriving and departing at the same time, front desk operations need to be slick to keep guests happy over Christmas.  Arrival at your hotel should mean instant relaxation for your guests as they begin their Christmas break, and many will want to get to their rooms swiftly, giving them more time to soak up the festivities!

Zonal Hotel Solutions’ convenient online check-in / out uses smartphones to enable guests to register and pay, which is especially important during peak arrival and departure times. This, together with access to digital room keys, frees up more time for staff to spread the festive cheer and provide an excellent service.

Encouraging guests to make the most of these digital functions, will enhance their stay and reduce queues at your front desk. Additionally, you can use our PMS to keep on top of any specific Christmas requests such as gifts, food or drinks in rooms and any special guest requirements, to make ordering and payment processing as quick as possible.

2. Get your marketing in check

Build excitement and anticipation for guests with engaging and attractive emails in the run-up to their stay; a great opportunity to upsell table reservations, special drinks or gift packages for their Christmas or New Year’s trip.

Why not create some extra magic by theming your hotel’s festive offering? Glitz and glam, traditional Christmas, ski chalet chic or winter wonderland for example – and tie it in across marketing emails, collateral, menus and decorations for a targeted and coherent approach.

Use emails to follow up with guests’ post-stay, to gain valuable reviews, whilst offering deals and discounts for 2025 to encourage those all-important repeat bookings.

3. Seasonal staffing

Avoid staff burnout and manage your team’s workload by hiring additional seasonal staff for housekeeping, waiting, bar and front of house, to accommodate guests during the busiest periods.

Create a staff rota well in advance and manage expectations of the quality of work expected from your team throughout December. Remember your staff members may be stretched more than usual and missing out on family gatherings to work, so make them feel appreciated and ensure support is available – a personal thank you can go a long way!

Boost morale with staff perks and discounts, create a fun and friendly working environment and organise a team Christmas party for after the festive rush – a happy team will deliver the best possible customer service.

4. Festive feasting

Food is undoubtedly one of the most highly anticipated things about Christmas, so preparation is key when it comes to delivering the most special meals of the year.

Zonal Hotel Solutions’ PMS easily integrates with Zonal’s technology ecosystem helping front- and back-of-house operations save time and money to maximise profits.

Our kitchen management system helps staff to keep on top of their food inventory and our recipe management tool will ensure that reviews and customer feedback can be used to tweak dishes and make constant improvements to your F&B offering.

Our real-time restaurant availability and table reservations module will further boost F&B revenue, by allowing guests to instantly view and reserve tables, streamlining their experience to make their stay even easier and more relaxing. What’s more, it remembers guests’ dietary requirements and specialist needs for every meal throughout their stay, creating a personalised experience for every person.

5. Offer Gift Vouchers

The festive season is the perfect time to boost bookings and create memorable experiences at your hotel. By offering gift vouchers, it’s a smart way to attract new guest bookings while showcasing your hotel.

Don’t miss your opportunity to turn Christmas shoppers into future guests!

While Christmas packages are a brilliant way to fill rooms and boost profits, guests expect the very best when it comes to the most wonderful time of the year, putting pressure on your hotel’s staff and resources. But with creativity, teamwork and some excellent software, your hotel can deliver on its promises, create magical experiences and keep guests coming back to stay year-on-year.