Well, if room service is not in order, guests will arrange it themselves. Always handy a hotel guest who is creative with noodles and the kettle. Maybe change your room service after all.

Or not and can your hotel do without it? GuestCompass will find out.

Onze observations

Your hotel is incomplete without room service. Many guests believe that luxury is just part of the deal. But how do you offer that service properly? Well in any case not with a printed menu and orders have to continue calling: # hassle. Easy, fast and preferably also a menu that is “appropriate”: that is what hotel guests want. Think quick meals, nutritious meals for children, glasses of wine instead of just bottles. More and more hotels are therefore digitizing their room service. Guests have a look online at the site or app, choose what they feel like, click and – hop – the order is on its way.

Advantages and disadvantages of room service in a hotel

Advantages and disadvantages of room service in a hotel

Room service can generate (a lot of) extra turnover. Via the ordered drinks and dishes, of course, but also via the positive reviews about it. These contribute to a good hotel reputation and that in turn can lead to new customers. Room service can therefore be rewarding, but it does require good logistics and a tight schedule. That means good staffing, a cleverly composed menu (no elaborate dishes and / or that cool down quickly) and an easy ordering system. For example, arrange the snacks just before arrival. Nowadays it is easy to do online, including via GuestCompass.

Our vision

Many hotels struggle with room service. It is an expensive service: one that requires a lot of time and labor. The large staff shortages in the hotel industry also make it difficult to do it really well. In any case, better than delivery services like Thuisbezorgd with which hotels have to compete. Hotels therefore often prefer to invest in their restaurant and other services.

What trends do we see?

Digital ordering, customized menus, luxury and special products: hotels outside the Netherlands are also adapting their room service. They are taking a different approach. Some hotels take this a step further. For example, Yotel Boston has robot YO2D2 that delivers orders. Fancy a late night snack? YO2D2 will bring it and immediately bring those extra towels, #chill.

Hotel guests and our panel on the question: Will there still be room service in hotels in 2025?

Most of our expert panel expects hotels to continue offering room service in the coming years.

Most of our expert panel expects hotels to continue offering room service in the coming years. Almost 40 percent of those surveyed expect that they will no longer be able to order room service in hotels in the future. Why do hotel guests no longer want room service and what do they want? For hotels it is worth checking this with their guests.

Room service should feel like a treat, a luxury extra. In other words, order something tasty without hassle. That means a digital ordering system, a custom menu, luxury and special products and fast deliveries. Hotels adjust their room service (thoroughly) or leave it for what it is and invest in other services.

* More about our panel

Together with a panel of seven different hotel experts, we explore the hotel amenities of the future. In addition, we asked 482 hotel guests in the Netherlands and Belgium for their opinion about these facilities.