A top agent has urged luxury hotels to abandon a common practice that he says is ‘alienating clients.’

Samuel Mond, co-founder of Reserve a Hotel, believes that many upscale properties are jeopardising business by offering no alternative to ‘room-only’ rates to the trade. 

“When it’s a £50,000 booking and they don’t want to throw breakfast in, that can be very annoying,” he told TTG Luxury. “They need to use common sense.” 

Mond added that, although the cost of a breakfast supplement is marginal, the gesture could greatly improve the trade-supplier relationship. 

“At the end of the day, it’s just toast and eggs. But it makes a difference,” he said. “It’s my biggest bug bear with luxury hotels.” 

Mond also wishes for luxury hotels to be more transparent about their availability of connecting rooms. 

Adjoining accommodations can be difficult to book due to limited inventory, as well as the complicated nature of assigning rooms and suites. 

As a result, agents often are forced to contact the hotel directly to enquire about availability. 

“This is the bane of my life as a travel advisor,” he said. “‘The term ‘subject to availability’ drives me bonkers!” 

Mond has managed to mostly overcome this hurdle by building relationships with hotel sales teams, but feels more could be done to simplify the process. 

“When you’re at the enquiry stage, they should tell you which rooms can connect, be it a deluxe room with a superior room, or a superior king with a superior twin,” he said. “Then you give them your preferred dates and they can tell you if they’re available.” 

The conventions around welcome amenities also need a refresh, said Mond. The industry veteran believes many in-room freebies go unused because they are unsuitable for the guest or an inconvenience to their travel arrangements. 

“So many times, I have called reception to ask for bubble wrap so I can put the bottle in my suitcase to take home,” he said. 

Mond argues that welcome amenities can also dilute the experience, especially if they’re tacky or low-cost. 

“Sometimes the Champagne in a luxury hotel is the equivalent of ‘Chateau du Lidl’…which takes the niceness away from it!” 

Having long questioned the value of Reserve a Hotel’s own welcome amenities, Mond made the decision six months ago to halt the practice altogether.

Instead, he now donates the leftover budget to Sands, a UK-based charity that supports families affected by the loss of a baby. 

“I get far more pleasure from doing that, than having a bottle of Champagne in someone’s room,” he explained. “And when I tell clients, they always say it’s a brilliant idea.” 

Mond added that the elimination of these complimentary gifts has also given him more time for his clients. “They don’t care if there are chocolates in the suite. What matters is that I’m at their beck and call.”  

Mond believes it’s this strategic allocation of resources that has accelerated his business. Having already made £500,000 in sales this year, Reserve a Hotel is well on track to hit its target of £1 million by the end of January.  

As for how he intends to do it, Mond has a fairly straightforward plan: “Work every hour God sends me!”