What differentiates a hotel? Read AHM - Ace Hospitality Management CEO, Mariano Faz, article in Publituris Hotelaria to discover

Source: Publituris Hotelaria

With more than 700,000 hotels and resorts worldwide, making a hotel stand out feels like an almost impossible mission — but in local markets, it’s essential. Adding to the challenge, a new hotel brand is launched globally every four days, intensifying competition and further saturating the hospitality ecosystem.

In this context, identifying an authentic and relevant value proposition has become the top strategic challenge. Based on the experience of Mariano Faz, CEO of AHM – Ace Hospitality Management, with Mercan’s hotels, these are five key factors that can help any hotel break through the noise and connect with your guests in a meaningful way:

1. The Concept: A Proposal with Soul

Everything starts with a clear vision of what we want to be. The hotel’s concept must be coherent, recognizable, and above all, inspiring. Offering a comfortable bed or a prime location is no longer enough. Today’s guest is looking for a story and a connection to the destination, something that goes beyond four walls and a standard check-in.

Creativity is almost a prerequisite in this industry. However, concept development requires a different skill set from day-to-day hotel operations. The urgency of operations often suffocates creativity and becomes its greatest enemy. The solution? Surround ourselves with professionals capable of transforming ideas into tangible guest experiences.

2. F&B: Crafting Memorable Experiences

For years, many hotels have undervalued food and beverage operations due to concerns over profitability or lack of vision. That was a critical mistake. By doing so, they handed over a key piece of the guest experience to outside players.

Today, F&B is a powerful loyalty driver. A remarkable culinary experience or a bar with its own identity can be the very reason guests return. While the financial contribution of F&B may be lower than room revenue, its impact on guest retention and asset valuation is immense. Still, building a locally relevant and compelling culinary concept takes effort and creativity.

3. Marketing as a Value Driver

In a market where rooms often look the same, marketing becomes the lever that can inspire and differentiate. Communicating with authenticity and connecting to the traveler’s aspirations allows a brand to justify a premium rate.

Strong brands help, but how you evoke emotion and build a unique narrative is just as important. The key lies in storytelling that is both inspiring and genuine.

Unfortunately, in tough times, marketing is often the first budget to be cut. It’s still seen as a cost, not an investment, even though its returns, while hard to measure, are undeniably real.

4. Know Exactly Who You’re Targeting

This is one of the most debated topics: the ability to define your ideal customer clearly.

We often segment by age or generation (Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials…), but those classifications rarely lead to meaningful differentiation. Different generations increasingly share similar expectations and preferences.

That’s why interior design and hotel operations must move beyond generic stereotypes. Here, technology plays a double-edged role: on one hand, it's essential; on the other, it can commoditize hotels through platforms like OTAs.

5. Service and Technology: Balance with Purpose

Service has always been the cornerstone of hospitality, but when everyone offers the same, it loses its differentiation power. The key lies in combining human warmth with the right tech to elevate the guest experience without losing the human touch.

In every industry forum I attend, artificial intelligence is a hot topic. Yet, despite the buzz — much of it still vague — there’s limited understanding of how to apply AI meaningfully and effectively.

Let’s face it: most of the sector lacks deep technical expertise. We are not tech companies. That’s why a true competitive advantage will come from choosing the right tools and tech partners — ones that align with the real needs of your operation. Being able to tell the difference between value-generators and time-wasters will be critical. Those who choose wisely will gain a clear edge.