Annika Belser An Exploration of Hedonics and the Experience Economy in the Hospitality Industry
Introduction
The hospitality industry focuses on providing utilitarian services to consumers such as accommodation at a particular price, or in a particular location. However, value may be added to these consumers through hedonic services that enrich their experience. People are motivated to consume utilitarian services when focused on the function of a product or service, whereas they are motivated to consume hedonic services when focused on a product or service’s pleasurable or fun aspects. By providing hedonic services, and participating in the experience economy through the staging of experiences for guests, the hospitality industry may differentiate their offerings from competitors and provide consumers with a more valuable exchange. Value for guests may be created through memorable experiences and a sense of community created by hotels. This paper explores the experience economy in relation to the hospitality industry, specifically exploring The Anvil Hotel, which provides hedonic services for guests in Jackson, Wyoming.
The Experience Economy
Extracting commodities, making goods, delivering services, and staging experiences describes the progression of economic offerings in the marketplace. This progression can be explained through a wake-up call at a hotel. Initially, people extracted commodities from the earth to wake up with such as the sun. To fully extract this commodity, they may have purchased an east facing window during their stay at a hotel. To use goods in the process of waking up, people set alarm clocks to wake up at specific times, then it became a service when hotel staff called guests to wake them up. Hotels are transitioning this service into a staged experience by creating a unique memory for their guests. For example, The MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in
Las Vegas wakes their guests up with the voices of celebrities who have performed there (Gilmore & Pine, 2002).
Consumers’ desire for hedonic consumption and the staging of experiences is increasing, establishing a need for businesses to stage these experiences. Gilmore and Pine define a staged experience as “an experience [that] occurs when a company intentionally uses services as the stage, and goods as props, to engage individual customers in a way that creates a memorable event” (1998). Staged experiences can add value to consumers as long as they connect with consumers on an emotional, physical, intellectual, or spiritual level (Gilmore & Pine, 1998). Pine and Gilmore define four realms of an experience that businesses stage: entertainment,
educational, esthetic, and escapist (1998). Entertainment experiences occur when consumers passively participate in and absorb an experience such as viewing a musical performance. If a consumer is actively participating in and absorbing an experience, there is an educational experience. Escapist experiences occur when consumers actively participate and immerse themselves in an experience. An example of an escapist experience is hiking in Grand Teton National Park since consumers are engaged in their environment through various senses (e.g. sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste). Consumers who are immersed in an experience and passively participate in it, are involved in an esthetic experience—instead of hiking in the national park, a consumer would experience it from the parking lot (Gilmore & Pine, 1998).
The four realms of experience use dimensions of hedonic and utilitarian consumption. Hedonic consumption results from pleasant sensations, whereas utilitarian consumption results from function (Voss et al., 2003). These dimensions motivate consumer purchases and
consumption of goods and services. This implies that they motivate consumer purchases and consumption of experiences as well. Whether a good or service is hedonic or utilitarian also
changes the price consumers are willing to pay—other research suggests that goods and services valued on the hedonic dimension are able to charge a premium price (Voss et al., 2003). This implies that experiences that are hedonic, or utilize sensation, will be valued more by consumers. Since products and services are evaluated on both of these dimensions it may be valuable to include each of them in staged experiences. Even so, staging experiences that are primarily hedonic may maximize the value created for consumers.
An Application to Tourism and Accommodation
The tourist experience is formed by “visiting, seeing, learning, enjoying, and living in a different mode of life” (Oh et al., 2007). Living in this experience may lead to tourists having a deeper connection to the destination they are visiting. There is also a relationship between tourism and accommodation since accommodation acts as an extension of the tourist experience; however, it may not be the motivating factor for travel (McIntosh & Siggs, 2005; Oh et al., 2007). Oh et. al (2007) found the esthetic dimension of the experience economy to be a dominant determinant of experiential outcomes, perhaps because of atmospherics. In marketing,
atmospherics are design elements used to create the desired mood in a space via the five senses. Since atmospherics are sensational, they may enhance a hotel’s ability to create a hedonic experience and manipulate the environment in a new way. Based on previous research regarding hedonic and utilitarian consumption, as well as the experience economy, the following are hypothesized.
H1: Hedonic factors are more important than utilitarian factors for people when choosing accommodation during their travels.
H2: Hedonic services provided by hotels are more valuable for people traveling alone because they provide opportunities for connection.
Study: The Anvil Hotel
Context
The Anvil Hotel is a boutique hotel in Jackson, Wyoming, which provides similar
accommodations to other hotels in the area—they provide a room and aid their guests in any way possible. These goods and services may not be the differentiating factors guests use when
deciding where to stay. However, the unique experiences provided by the Anvil may be differentiating factors because consumers desire more than products and services—they desire experiences since experiences increase their perceived value (Gilmore & Pine, 1998). The Anvil creates experiences through their activities, or hotel programming, differentiating themselves from other hotels and adding value for their guests.
To initiate their experiences, the Anvil creates a ‘pre-experience’ of exploration for their guests through their website and other marketing communications. Tourism is typically
motivated by a “powerful mental or emotional image or ‘pre-experience’ the tourist has for the expected experience at the destination” (Oh et al., 2007). Arriving on their website’s homepage, guests read “On the doorstep of Yellowstone, in the vibrant town of Jackson, The Anvil Hotel celebrates the wonder of place… Our guests hail from far flung places and are united by a common thread: exploration” (The Anvil Hotel, 2020). They also see a photo of a herd of elk grazing snow-covered land. This creates a powerful mental image for prospective guests—an image of them exploring Yellowstone and the town of Jackson. Guests interact with the Anvil’s marketing communications, while creating a ‘pre-experience’ of exploration during their visit to Jackson.
The Anvil then provides unique experiences for their guests, including fine dining at an on-site restaurant, Glorietta, and a mercantile filled with locally sourced or high-quality goods.
They also stage experiences through their hotel programming, or activities. The activities
provided to guests differ depending on the season and projected guest desires. Winter 2019-2020 offerings were the Lobby Cocoa Club, Whiskey and Woodburning, Teton Tastings, Live in the Lobby, Wood Stove S’mores, and Game Night (see appendix item 1 for descriptions of these activities). These activities enable guests to continue their explorations from the day,
experiencing activities specific to the culture of Jackson. For example, the Teton Tastings may include beverages from local breweries, distilleries, and a winery for guests to sample. Their experience will be sensory (e.g. seeing, smelling, and tasting the beverage) and they will be actively participating in it, creating an escapist experience distinctive of Jackson. Another example is Live in the Lobby, where guests listen to a local musician play cover songs. This experience is in the entertainment realm because guests are absorbing their environment and passively participating in it. Each activity at the Anvil stages a different experience for guests to engage with and enhances to their exploration of Jackson.
Atmospherics are also used at the Anvil to enhance guests’ experiences by immersing them in a western culture. The lobby welcomes guests with a cast iron stove, mercantile, and a communal seating area. The cast iron stove creates an old-timey environment, the labeling of “mercantile” evokes imagery of the wild west, and the communal seating creates a space for guests to have a sense of belonging. Guests also see maps and reading materials from the Jackson area (e.g. newspapers and lifestyle magazines). These props in the staged experience may enhance guests’ understanding of the area if they read them. There is also smooth jazz music played in the lobby to create a calm environment for guests. The experience staged in the lobby of the Anvil is an esthetic experience since guests are immersed in their environment and passively participating in it. Overall, the Anvil uses ‘pre-experience’ to put their guests in a
particular state of mind, stages experiences to increase the hedonic factors of their guests’ stay, and uses atmospherics to enhance the hedonic elements of their guests’ consumption.
Methods
Qualitative and quantitative data was collected for this research. The researcher collected qualitative data in the forms of observation and interviews. Observations focused on the
atmospherics of the hotel, and on the activities provided by the hotel. Activities on four different nights (Dec. 20, Dec. 21, Jan. 10, Jan. 11) and for two different activities (Live in the Lobby and Wood Stove S’mores) were conducted. Observation was collected as an through participant observation, meaning the researcher gathered data while participating in activities and disclosing her position as a researcher. Field notes from observations can be found in the appendix as item 2. Interviews were conducted with hotel staff, a musician hired by the hotel for Live in the Lobby, and a guest of the hotel who attended Wood Stove S’mores. Transcriptions of interviews can be found in the appendix as item 3. Quantitative data was collected from a survey distributed to a convenience sample of fifty-four people (Mage = 30.69, SD = 14.58; 63.0% female) in the United States. The convenience sample was collected from people the researcher knew and whose phone number she had. The researcher distributed the survey via text message and asked people to participate in a survey for her Honors capstone project. Participants answered questions regarding travel accommodations, attitudes towards activities at the Anvil, and basic
demographic questions. Results from the survey can be found in the appendix as item 4.
Results
The number of guests observed at different activities was minimal—at times there were no guests attending activities other than the researcher. This may have been due to a lack of awareness about the activities in the lobby. During one observation of Live in the Lobby, guests
were observed asking “is there a live performer tonight?” and “I had no idea this was
happening.” This lack of awareness may be due to poor communication from the Anvil about their activities. Having a sign by the door of the lobby may not be enough communication for guests, and sometimes the lobby attendant does not communicate the events for the evening. The survey conducted in this study found the best way for a hotel to communicate their activities with their guests: 59% of respondents chose check-in (e.g. list of activities are printed out and handed to you while checking-in), 17% of respondents chose email (e.g. list of activities are in a
confirmation email), and 15% of respondents chose in the room (e.g. list of activities are displayed in your room). Printing off the list of activities and distributing it to guests provides them with ideas for how to spend their evenings in Jackson. By increasing communications about activities the Anvil may increase the number of guests attending them. This may enhance guests’ experience since they are immersed in a hedonic service.
The second best way for the Anvil to communicate its activities with guests is through email. By adding the list of activities on the confirmation email, guests can schedule their
explorations during the day around these activities, or at least know they are occurring when they come back from an exploration. The Anvil can also simplify communications on their website, which guests can be led to via the confirmation email. For instance, the activities are listed under the “More” tab on the main toolbar on the Anvil’s website. This location may be difficult for guests to find. In the description of the Anvil, a link can be placed to the activities page— perhaps in the phrase “The Anvil is your hub” (The Anvil Hotel, 2020). The activities page also has other information on it regarding activities occurring throughout Jackson. To find only the Anvil’s activities, or programming, guests must navigate the site map section of the website to find the programming page. Simplifying access to the programming page may increase
communications about the Anvil’s activities and the number of guests attending them, enriching their experience through hedonic consumption.
Another reason why the activities at the Anvil were poorly attended may be due to the ‘pre-experience’ they create for their guests. All of the activities occur in the lobby, which contradicts with the theme of exploration since guests are sitting in a hotel lobby. Survey results found that most people are motivated to travel to explore a new place. They are also motivated to travel to gain new experiences, learn about another culture, and/or visit family and friends. Aligning the Anvil’s activities with these motivations may increase attendance, and provide more valuable experiences for their guests. The Anvil may also want to explore creating
experiences that are worth paying for to fully participate in the experience economy (companies must charge admission for experiences rather than including it in other charges). An example of an activity that may be worth paying for is a food tour of the town. The Anvil has created maps of various restaurants, but to create and provide an experience for guests, they could hire a local guide to take guests to these places and show them around. This may provide guests with a more immersive experience that enables their exploration.
Lastly, guests may not be interested in attending activities at the Anvil because they do not desire hedonics—they only desire utilitarian factors. Results from the survey indicate that location, then price are the most important factors when deciding where to stay while traveling. The first most important factor when deciding where to stay was location with 44% of
respondents choosing it, then price with 35% of respondents choosing it. The second most important factor when deciding where to stay was price with 46% of respondents choosing it, then location with 27% of respondents choosing it. This indicates that people decide on which hotel to stay at with utilitarian factors. Furthermore, when asked which factors have a greater
influence on their decision to stay at a hotel—utilitarian factors (e.g. price, location) or hedonic factors (e.g. ambiance, aesthetic)—74% people chose utilitarian factors. One respondent
elaborated on their choice of utilitarian factors, stating “utilitarian. Everything else is icing on the cake. The bulk of the value comes with having a place to stay for relatively cheap near the things I would like to explore.” A guest at the Anvil shared a similar sentiment: “[the activities are] like an added bonus, but more important is the location and the price, the comfort, the décor.” The reason for people choosing accommodation at the Anvil may have more to do with price, location, and other utilitarian factors. Guests may view the activities and atmospherics that contribute to their experience as “perks” and valuable, but are not willing to stay at the Anvil because of them.
Ultimately, utilitarian factors may pull guests into staying at the Anvil more than hedonic factors. This is important for marketing communications because marketers for the hotel will know which factors to emphasize on promotional material. However, there is an opportunity to enhance guests’ stay by providing them with hedonic elements such as those currently offered: the goods, services, and experiences such as service from the lobby attendants and activities such as Teton Tastings. Enhancing these hedonic factors and creating experiences that are more aligned with guests’ motivations for traveling may maximize the value guests receive from staying at the hotel. These factors enable the hotel to differentiate themselves from other types of accommodation in the area.
Discussion
Findings refute the hypothesis that hedonic factors are more important than utilitarian factors for people when choosing accommodation during their travels. Even though people value hedonics such as activities and atmospherics during their stay in a hotel, they decide which hotel
to stay at using utilitarian factors, specifically location and price. However, these findings may be limited by the data because it was collected predominately from 21-23 year old consumers, who accounted for 52% of the respondents. Younger people may be focused on utilitarian factors such as price because they do not have as much disposable income as older people. Further exploration into the experience economy in relation to the hospitality industry should gather data from a wider age range of respondents—without concentrating in a specific age group.
The hypothesis that hedonic services provided by hotels are more valuable for people traveling alone because they provide opportunities for connection is neither supported nor refuted. Most people did not seek connections while traveling alone at 51% of respondents. Respondents were also less definitive on the likelihood of them attending activities at a hotel while traveling alone. At 32%, the majority of respondents answered “Might or Might Not” the survey question “if your hotel offered similar activities to the ones offered by the Anvil Hotel, would you be more likely to attend them while traveling alone?” Even so, 30% of respondents answered “Probably yes” to the same question. People traveling alone may be apprehensive about connecting with people in hotels. Specifically, they may be apprehensive because it is a social norm not to connect in the setting of hotels. A type of accommodation with the norm of connection with others is hostels. These social norms may cause apprehension among travelers about where they connect while traveling. Future research should explore these different types of accommodation to determine where people who travel alone are most likely to connect with others, and if there are social norms that guide their behavior when connecting with others in these spaces. Key findings from this research are summarized in a table as item 5 of the appendix.
A limitation of this research is that survey data was collected during COVID-19. This time may alter people’s attitudes towards traveling and the hospitality industry since there is increased fear about sanitation and cleanliness. There is also fear about gatherings with groups of people, which occurs during activities in hotels such as the Anvil. Another limitation of this research is its lack of generalizability. This study focused on one hotel in Jackson, Wyoming, which is a tourist destination in the West. Findings in this location may be different from other regions because of the people who travel to Wyoming, and their motivations for travel. This study also lacks generalizability because of its convenience sampling. To generate more insightful findings more locations should be researched, and a probability sampling method should be used.
The findings of this research support the hospitality industry’s use of utilitarian services for consumers. Location and price are the two most important factors that people consider when deciding where to stay. The findings of this research also demonstrate a need for continued exploration into the hospitality industry’s use of hedonic services. People indicated a willingness to attend activities and appreciate atmospherics that are created from hedonic services in the hospitality industry. Continued exploration of these topics will contribute to the hospitality industry’s understanding of their target market. This research demonstrates that both utilitarian and hedonic factors are considerations for consumers. Hedonic services may not be the pull factor for consumers to choose one type of accommodation over another—the pull factor is utilitarian. However, hedonic services have the ability to create memorable experiences for consumers that add value to their lives.
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Appendix
Item 1: Descriptions of Activities (all retrieved from The Anvil Hotel’s website).
Lobby Cocoa Club: After a long day of exploration around the valley, venture back into town and join us in the lobby for happy hour, held daily at 4 pm. Our wintry drink of choice - a spiked hot cocoa - is seasonally and regionally inspired, and expertly crafted in collaboration with Proprietors, LLC.
Whiskey and Woodburning: Learn about locally crafted spirits, their history, connection to Jackson and more. Rotating regional purveyors including: Wyoming Whiskey, Grand Teton Distillery, High West Distillery and more. While you sip whiskey learn the art of pyrography, also known as woodburning. Trace a design, or go freehand, on a cedar coaster. Then burn the image in with a special tool. From 4 to 6 pm on Wednesdays.
Teton Tastings: Our small mountain town is home to half-a-dozen craft breweries, a couple distilleries and a winery - all packed with creativity and big taste. From award winning Melvin Brewing, local favorite Snake River Brewing and new kids on the block our tasting will let you try all that the valley has to offer. From 4 to 6 pm on Thursdays.
Live in the Lobby: We start the weekend right with live music from local artists in the Anvil lobby. Grab a seat and enjoy an intimate acoustic performance with some of the best musicians in Jackson. Artist Brendan Nolan plays weekly. Friday evenings.
Wood Stove S’mores: Listen to the fire crackle and warm your hands at the wood-fired stove located conveniently inside the Anvil Lobby. Enjoy a s’more cookie from Persephone, gently warmed by the radiant heat of the stove. Saturday evenings.
Game Night: Gather around the communal tables in the Anvil Lobby to play one of the dozens of board and card games. Guests can choose from one of the dozen games in the lobby to play among themselves or with other guests. From 4 to 6 pm on Sundays.
Item 2: Observation Field Notes Environmental Design
• Enter through main entrance and see small stove/fire with firewood to the right; goods/gift shop area directly ahead; seating/table areas, which have newspapers/catalogs/magazines to the left
• Coffee station at check-in/front desk (not in rooms to increase guests coming back to the main area/lobby) with local baked goods available from Persephone’s Bakery; fixings are by the fire with maps nearby
• Outdoorsy (birds, pinecones, antlers) and holiday (baby pine shrub, garland lining rails, wreaths)
• Lobby feelings: cozy, quaint, moody (dark and deep colors—burgundy, olive and navy‚ accented with gold), adventurous (map, cabin-esque) welcoming (variety of seating on lower and upper levels)
• Library available for guests to check books out
• Patterned seating areas; looks old, but in a cozy way (i.e. reminds you of your grandma), wooden tables with gold tops, gold accents (door handles, cabinet knobs)
• Mercantile with artisanal goods and luxury items available for sale (games, blankets, bags, jewelry, cologne/perfume, books, and a few items of clothing)
• Plants/flowers (white, green, tree elements, aspen) in lobby area • Cubbies with décor in them; mostly plants and vases
• Levels in the lobby
o Lower: cozy, inclusive, group environment
o Upper: 3 secluded work spaces, stools, type writer (space for creativity) • Reading materials available in the lobby
o “The Drake” for people who fly fish
o “Worth” for people who are interested in financial intelligence o Various guides for the area
• Art on the walls o Map
o Drawing of the Tetons
o Wall hangings that are woven
• Christmas music playing; soft jazz playing in the background • Bathroom labeled as “WC” (Water Closet)
• Two buildings for the entire hotel; cozy quaint rooms with a luxurious feel o Rooms attached to lobby
o Rooms a short walk away at the Old Ranchero • Ranchero sign: “You’re a stranger here, but once” • Glorietta is an Italian restaurant at the Anvil • Cache House is a hostel located below the Anvil
o More luxurious and private than other hostels
▪ Queen beds, blackout curtains, individual “cubbies” or “pods” to sleep in ▪ Private bathrooms to get ready in
Live in the Lobby: Friday, December 20, from 5-7 p.m.
• Set up of music, short mic check, friendly and welcoming performer • Older musician who wears a hat, navy and red pullover
• Musician is in the corner of the lobby by the door, in from of the stove
• Music starts, house music is turned down, ambient playing/strumming (no voice), no one here except for researcher in the bottom lobby area—upper lobby area has at least one other person
• 2 people work in the lobby at the desk
• Guitar case open with $5 bill attached to the lid on the wood pile, another case closed on the ground
• Performer jokes and drinks beer between songs • Music with lyrics begins at 5:16 p.m.
• Man walks through lobby, doesn’t stop for music, but smiles • Musician uses a looping machine and a Marshall amp
• Man joins the musical performance in the lower lobby area; reads the paper
• Man enters lobby and moves through to get a drink and check from the desk (assumed to be an employee of the hotel)
• Two people walk through the lobby for spiked hot chocolate, they rummage through goods in the lobby
• Two people in the upper lobby area hoop, holler, and clap
• Talking in the background occurs throughout the performance—in Spanish and in English • Popular songs are played (e.g. Neil Young’s “Old Man,” Fleetwood Mac’s “Gold Dust
Woman,” and Grover Washington Jr.’s “Just the Two of Us”) • Slow pace throughout the performance, chill, casual
• Woman walks in to pick something up from the front desk • Man walks in to get luggage from the front desk
• Woman walks in to get check, which isn’t available yet
• Two people in the upper lobby area leave after a long day of travel • The musician takes a break at 6:11 p.m. and the house music returns • Woman enters the lobby and asks, “is there a live performer tonight?” • 2nd guitar is brought out by musician
• Couple passes through the lobby
• Live music resumes at 6:23 p.m. and now there is a slide used for the guitar
• Man walks through the lobby with an ice bucket on the search for frozen water, and says “I had no idea this was happening”
• Family walks into upper lobby area
• Musician switches back to 1st guitar he used
• A couple walks through the lobby and sits down to enjoy the music at 6:56; they take a photo of the performer, who introduces himself as Brandon Nolan
• Number of songs played: 18
Wood-Fired S’mores: Saturday, December 21, from 4-6 p.m. • Nobody in lobby except for me and the lobby employees • Man with wood enters lobby, drops off wood and leaves
• Man walks in and gets 2 s’mores and spiked hot chocolates
• Woman walks in and looks at the mercantile, then talks to the person at the lobby desk • Family with 3 kids comes in and sees s’mores, kids become excited when they see s’mores,
family waits patiently for s’mores (speaking two languages—English and Spanish) o Family eats s’mores in the lobby, little girl gets a hot chocolates
• Man wanders around mercantile waiting for hot chocolate, then sees s’mores and asks for one
o Stacks drinks and s’more, then leaves • Trio of women enter lobby
• Man enters lobby to get another room key • Employees enter lobby
• Employee heats up the s’mores for guests
Live in the Lobby: Friday, January 10, from 5-7 p.m. • Same musician from previous observation
• Musician chatting with consumer; they talk about food • Musician cheers to health and 2020
• Couple sits off to the side listening to music • Musician wears red t-shirt, jeans and a beanie
• Instrumental strumming; the couple flips through magazines and chat lightly • Guitar uses a looping machine
• Male consumer takes a photo/videos of musician playing • Couple look at phones while listening to music
• Woman enters and says, “I just want to scoot in here,” then listens to music and moves to the upper lobby area
• Similar songs to the previous observation, but new/different songs are also included • Music is stopped because the amp is scratchy; musician checks all plugs
o Says, “it’s not right…shoot,” then stops using the amp and only plays guitar • Man from couple listens intently
• Small claps and leg pats; musician introduces himself as Brandon
• Group of people come in looking for hot chocolate; start looking at merchandise
• Musician says, “here’s a song about love” and a consumer says, “I hope it’s short,” then the musician plays “Just the Two of Us” by Grover Washington Jr.
• Person leaves the lobby
• Claps all around; group of people in the upper lobby area • People look out the window at a car accident
• Couple walks through the lobby
• People listen to music in the background—listening to it doesn’t seem to be a priority • Person comes in to get their check
• Couple leaves around 5:43 • Person enters the lobby
• Man walks through the lobby with a woman following • Another person comes in to get hot chocolate
• Another man walks into the lobby
Wood-Fired S’mores: Saturday, January 11, from 4-6 p.m. • Woman checks in
• S’mores are untouched by guests, but prepped next to the wood-fired stove • Guests serve themselves when they want a s’more
• Family enters to check in and see the s’mores, then they start making s’mores • Man enters the lobby
Item 3: Interview Transcriptions
Interviewees: Staff at the Anvil
[Interviewer] How long have each of you been working at the Anvil? [Interviewee 1] 9 months.
[Interviewee 2] 3 and a half years.
[Interviewer] What aspects, if any, of the Anvil experience are different from other hotels? [Interviewee 1] I feel like here we are like a family. So, at least at the front desk we are like friends, family. We can trust each other. It’s like those relations.
[Interviewee 2] I feel like she nailed it. Everyone’s just super close here. I haven’t been here in four months and just talked with all of the housekeeping crew that was here. Everyone’s just very close here.
[Interviewer] How do you create a unique experience for the guests at the Anvil Hotel?
[Interviewee 1] I think that every guest is different, so what we try to do is what the guest needs. They have different needs, so if they need something special, and if we can do it, we will. So, that means maybe to give a room on second floor, maybe to order something, maybe to schedule something, or make a reservation at a restaurant to make it easier for the guest. Take care of what they need.
[Interviewee 2] Helping out guests—and all of these people have different wants and needs. Someone will walk in and they probably won’t enjoy some aspects that other guests would enjoy. So, it’s all figuring out what they actually want. People always come in and everyone has a different taste… Most of the people who are going to come in here already know a little bit about us, so they know what to expect and they are already excited before they come in usually. [Interviewer] How do the activities, or programming, make guests feel connected to Jackson? [Interviewee 2] I don’t know any other hotel that says “hey, you want to go ride dogsleds, we’ll figure that out for you and take care of it.” So the special experiences that are kind of exclusive here that a lot of other people don’t get to experience.
[Interviewer] How do the activities, or programming, enhance a guest’s understanding in the culture in Jackson?
[Interviewee 2] I feel like a lot of what happens here—just look at the design and style of
everything—it calls out to like what Jackson is in itself. You have a lot of these unique makers of products and stuff from all over the country, and then some stuff that’s from somewhere like Switzerland that is high-quality. Of course we have music as well—he [points to musician] comes here and plays and people love it.
[Interviewee 1] I mean… I think that when you walk around town, or when you are here, you can feel like the western culture. Because of the building, because of how it’s decorated, that kind of stuff.
Interviewee: Musician Performing at the Anvil
[Interviewer] How does your performance at the Anvil hotel create a unique experience for guests?
[Interviewee] I think people don’t expect when they walk in the door to see some person sitting there playing guitar… I always greet them—unless I’m in the middle of yelling something—I always greet them and I try to talk to them and create a little connection. And I think it’s something unique. I have never been in a hotel that had something like that.
[Interviewer] How does your performance make guests feel connected to Jackson?
[Interviewee] Um I don’t know. I guess maybe in the sense that it if they have a nice time at the hotel, then they split and look back on their time here that they would maybe say “oh that Anvil was really cool… yeah it was really cool that they had that music guy in there.” Last week these folks were here and it was the man’s birthday. And it was a couple’s trip and they were out living their life and having a good time and it was his birthday. They came in and he said “oh! Are you going to play music?” And I said “yeah,” and he went upstairs and got a bottle of wine, came down opened it up. After his wife showered, she came down and I just hung out with them for 45 minutes and played music for them. I’m sure they are going to remember that.
[Interviewer] Right. Then my last question is how does your performance enhance guests’ understanding of Wyoming?
[Interviewee] It probably doesn’t… It probably confuses them more than anything else because they are like why is this guy from the Bronx… um you know… playing Neil Young songs. It’s probably more confusing than anything. [Laughs.]
[Interviewer] And then how long have you been performing here? [Interviewee] Here? Um I think this is my third winter.
[Interviewer] Do you have anything else to add?
[Interviewee] Nope. Just what I’m about to do right now. [Interviewer] [Laughs.] Thank you.
Interviewee: Guest at the Anvil
[Interviewee] A combination of price, location, and design. [Interviewer] What about the design did you like?
[Interviewee] I liked how it was really unpretentious. It felt like there was a very intimate, kind of log cabin feel. And it felt in the spirit of Jackson Hole. Just from looking at pictures and reading some descriptions it looked good.
[Interviewer] What aspects, if any of your experience at the Anvil hotel have been different from your experiences at other hotels?
[Interviewee] What I’m doing now—eating a s’more, which I think is really cool… Having an old iron fireplace, coffee in the morning, which is really great. They make great coffee. I think some of the shopping and some of the décor fits the theme of the hotel, which is really cool. Um Glorietta, the restaurant, literally being right outside of my hotel room door. It’s probably the best restaurant here in Jackson Hole. We went for dinner last night and it was spectacular. I think all of those thing combined.
[Interviewer] Did you participate in any activities during your stay?
[Interviewee] Wood-fired s’mores, yes. Any other activities, no. I didn’t participate in any other activities I don’t think. Just coffee this morning.
[Interviewer] Would these activities influence your decision to stay at the Anvil hotel again? [Interviewee] Somewhat. They’re like an added bonus, but more important is the location and the price, the comfort, the décor. I think those are all of the things that make you feel good here— about staying here. And the activities are kind of like a plus.
[Interviewer] And then how do these activities qualities of the Anvil hotel make you feel connected to Jackson?
[Interviewee] Very much so. This is my first time in Jackson and this feels like something you would just stop into on the side of the road that someone recommended you stay at. It doesn’t seem like it’s difficult to book a room here, it’s not the vibe of a whole resort… It almost reminds me of a bed and breakfast. That’s kind of how I feel about it. That’s why I would stay here again.
[Interviewer] Awesome. Well those are all my questions. [Interviewee] Thank you.
Item 4: Survey Data Demographic Results
37%
63%
What gender do you identify as?
Male Female
74% 2%
13%
11%
What is your race?
76% 2%
20%
2%
In which region of the United States do you live?
Western Southwestern Midwestern Southeastern
2%
32%
2% 57%
7%
What is your highest level of education?
General Hotel Results 19 24 3 3 2 3 0 5 10 15 20 25 30
The Most Important Factor When Deciding Where to Stay
While Traveling
25 15 5 7 1 1 0 5 10 15 20 25 30The Second Most Important Factor When Deciding Where
to Stay While Traveling
49% 51%
When traveling alone, do you seek opportunities to
connect with other people?
Activities in Hotels Results 9 32 4 8 1 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
Via Email At Check-In In the Lobby In the Room Other
If your hotel offered activities, what would be the best
way for them to communicate their activities with you?
10 22 14 8 0 0 5 10 15 20 25
Definitely Yes Probably Yes Might or Might Not
Probably Not Definitely Not
If a hotel offered activities, would you be more likely to
stay there?
16 25 13 0 0 0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Definitely Yes Probably Yes Might or Might Not
Probably Not Definitely Not
If your hotel offered similar activities to the ones offered
by The Anvil Hotel, would you attend at least one of
them?
29 27 33 29 24 14 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 3514 16 17 7 0 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18
Definitely Yes Probably Yes Might or Might Not
Probably Not Definitely Not
If your hotel offered similar activities to the ones offered
by The Anvil Hotel, would you be more likely to attend
them while traveling alone?
25 22 24 26 24 10 0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Which activities would you be interested in attending
while traveling alone?
Willingness to Pay for Activities (in $USD)
Mean Standard Deviation Minimum Maximum
Lobby Cocoa Club 6.26 4.08 0 18.00
Whiskey and Woodburnings 12.41 9.77 0 40.00
Teton Tastings 13.85 8.91 0 40.00
Live in the Lobby 11.00 9.69 0 44.00
Wood Stove S’mores 5.80 5.84 0 30.00
Game Night 4.35 5.53 0 30.00
On average, the activity respondents are willing to pay most for is Teton Tastings followed by Whiskey and Woodburnings, Live in the Lobby, Lobby Cocoa Club, Wood Stove S’mores, and Game Night. These prices demonstrate which activity respondents value most on average. The standard deviation is also important because it demonstrates the variance between
respondents’ willingness to pay. Larger standard deviations may indicate that an activity’s value is more subjective. Smaller standard deviations may indicate that an activity is valued similarly by respondents.
Item 5: Key Findings
Key Finding Implication Solution
Guest attendance at activities was low.
Guests had a lack of awareness of activities.
Communicate activities during check-in with a list.
Communicate activities in confirmation email.
Simplify access to activities on website.
Guest attendance at activities was low.
Guests may have had a ‘pre-experience’ of exploration that did not align with activities.
Create activities that are aligned with people’s motivations for travel.
Guests desire utilitarian services more than hedonic services.
Hedonics are valuable, but are not people’s motivation for staying at a specific hotel.
Provide more utilitarian
services, while providing fewer hedonic services that add value. Guests were not
connecting with others during activities.
Guests may be apprehensive about connecting with people in hotels.
Facillitate connection with guests through the people who run activities.
