Hotel Self-Assessment

Introduction

Evaluations have recently been completed on approximately 132 hotel properties across the region.
The objectives of these were to:

• Test the practicality of the OAS “Entry Listing Requirements” standards
• Determine the market readiness of these properties as somewhat representative of the region’s overall market readiness
• Ascribe a preliminary brand and rating based on the OAS developed Brands and Standards system

Principal findings of this evaluations’ exercise may be found at “Principal Findings”

For more information on the full hotel evaluation report please contact:

Ms. Kim Osborne, STEP Project Officer
Tel: (202) 458-6144
Fax: (202) 458- 3190
Email: kosborne@oas.org

Self-Assessment Evaluation

In order to qualify for inclusion in the new, developing CHA/CTO web site, properties must meet or exceed the Entry Listing Requirements of the OAS developed Brands and Standards System.

The following instructions are intended to assist you through the self-assessment evaluation process which when completed should be submitted for “due diligence” by representatives of both organisations as a core requirement for inclusion.

IMPORTANT!

To submit your completed forms: please save completed copies to your computer. Then send all three completed forms attached in a single email to bennett.brown@shaw.ca with the subject reading "Completed Self-Assessment Forms".

You will not be considered for inclusion unless all three forms are completed fully and contact information has been filled out appropriately.

Step 1

Access and complete the “Site Check List” form. This requires you to assess the site suitability and curb appeal of your property from a number of critical marketplace oriented criteria. At the end of each section, you are asked to provide one or more objective conclusions of your findings. Please save a completed copy to your computer before moving to step 2.

Step 2  

Access and complete the “Entry Listing Requirements” form by placing a check mark in all of the boxes where your property provides the facility, amenity and service as described. If you are deficient in any one or more areas, these boxes must remain blank. Please save a completed copy to your computer before proceeding to the last step: completion of the self-assessment form.

Step 3

Access the  “Self-Assessment/Evaluation" form.

• Indicate your “doing business” name in the top, central box. e.g. John’s Guest House


• Indicate what ”brand” or classification is appropriate for your particular mix of facilities, amenities and services. e.g. Your name may include “resort” without actually providing resort amenities. Alternatively, your name may be “…Guest House” but you may not provide either breakfast or dinner (by prior advance arrangement) in which case you are not a guest house. Or, your name may be “…villa” but in fact it may be more appropriate for your facilities to be branded as a “Holiday apartment”. 

• Under the “Site” section, provide your objective assessment of each of the categories using a scoring system of between 1 (worst) and 10 (best) in the “Benchmark Scores, Gross” column.

• Location refers to aspects of your physical setting. How compatible is it with the expectations of visitors you are trying to capture (“position”)? How convenient is it for first-time visitors to find, and during the evening in particular? What about the community in which you are located and things to do in the area?

• Neighbourhood also deals with your physical setting. In your objective view, to what extent is it compatible with meeting your visitor expectations?


• Access/egress. How safe and convenient is it for visitors to get in and out of your property? Do you have a long, downgraded access path/trail, or perhaps a paved or stabilized surface approach driveway?

• Approach visibility. Can a visitor see your property as he or she approaches, and if so from how far? Or is your property’s location almost hidden until the visitors arrives outside? Is there a risk of the visitor actually passing by your property without seeing it at all?

• Signage. There are two parts to this – directional and marketing. Do you provide signs en route to your property designed to make it easy for visitors to find your property? In addition, do you have “marketing” signs: those which bear your graphics, logos, colours and name en route to your property
  and at the property itself? If so, are the graphics, logos, name, type styles, fonts and colours consistent on all your signs and are these in good condition?

• There are two parts under Curb Appeal: exterior and grounds. Objectively assess the aesthetics as you enter your property. Is your first impression of “curb appeal” appealing or does it let you down? Would “first impressions” fully meet the expectations of your first time visitor?

• The Interior Furnishings and Finishes section requires you to score your interior facilities and amenities from the standpoints of ambience (are they appealing), maintenance (are they in good repair), cleanliness (housekeeping), safety (are there hazards to visitor and staff safety such as blocked fire exits, poor or no fire exit signs, emergency directions, propane tanks in proximity….)?

• The last section “Operations and Service” requires you to exercise professional, objective judgment in one or more categories. If you have difficulty completing this section, ask a respected peer, or indeed a respected guest or engage an experienced consultant to assist.

• Ease of making an advance reservation refers to the ease with which a first time visitor can book a room. Do you have a web site? Can a booking be made with instantaneous confirmation through your web site or does this require a subsequent e-mail or fax? Optimum ease may merit a 7.5 score, while a more onerous and time-consuming process might evoke no more than a 5.0 or lower

• Services. Delivery – do you “deliver” as your name implies (resort, guest house, hotel…) and as your visitors may expect from your name? If not, how do you rate the delivery of your facilities, amenities and services as they are actually provided?

• Probability of meeting standards. Based on all of the work you have done in completing the assessment (Site Check List, Entry Listing Requirements and Self-Assessment), how probable is it that your property would be included in the new web site? Clearly, if you have many deficiencies to the Entry Listing Requirements and which you are reluctant, unwilling or unable to correct, the probability would be low (5.0 or lower). Conversely, if after all of the preceding assessments, you feel that your deficiencies are minor, correctable, that you are delivering up to expectations and that your property has good curb appeal, ambience and consistency in
  both product and service, the probability would be high (7.0 and higher). 

• Management “presentation”. Do you the owner, project the level of professionalism, personal presentation and confidence your visitors expect or do you“dress down”, thereby reflecting some inconsistency between your personal appearance and the image you are trying to project? What do you think a visitor’s first impression of meeting you would be? And finally,

• “Mine Host”. To what extent do you the owner and your staff project a genuinely hospitable and considerate attitude to your guests? After all’s said and done, that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it?

• Lastly, save a completed copy to your computer and follow the submission instructions mentioned above.

Note: a score of no less than 65% overall, and 70% in the “Operations and Services” section will be needed for you to proceed to the “due diligence” process.