There is a widening gap between what older and younger travellers expect from hotels today. As Boomers and Gen Z approach travel through very different lenses, long-standing ideas of “good service” are being quietly, and sometimes radically, rewritten.
For decades, hotels refined their craft around a fairly stable idea of what guests wanted. Polished check-in desks. Daily housekeeping. A concierge who could conjure theatre tickets at short notice. But that consensus is breaking down, and nowhere is the shift more visible than between Baby Boomers and Gen Z. As first published by VegOut magazine, here are some of their picks for the biggest changes between these two generations when it comes to hotel stays – with our own editorial spin on it.
For clarity, Boomers typically refers to those born between 1946 and 1964, a generation shaped by post-war prosperity, face-to-face service, and institutional trust. Gen Z, born roughly between 1997 and 2012, are digital natives who grew up with smartphones, social media, climate anxiety, and on-demand everything. Both generations travel in significant numbers, but they value very different things once they arrive.
Those who travel regularly and have done so for the last decade or so have watched this change unfold in real time. Features once seen as essential markers of quality now feel, to younger guests, like friction points. What follows are six hotel “must-haves” that reveal just how differently these two generations experience the same stay.
- THE GRAND CHECK-IN EXPERIENCE
For many Boomers, the hotel stay begins at the front desk. The ritual matters. A marble counter, a warm welcome, perhaps a brief conversation about the city, followed by a room key presented with care. It feels personal and reassuring, a signal that someone competent is in charge.
Gen Z guests often see the same scene as an unnecessary delay. By the time they reach the lobby, they expect to be checked in already. Mobile apps, digital keys, and pre-arrival messaging mean they can head straight to their room without a queue or small talk.
Front desk staff these days will affirm what we’ve all seen: younger guests actively skirting the reception area, phones in hand, earbuds in place. One summed it up neatly: if the app already knows your name, preferences, and arrival time, why wait to confirm it again in person? For a generation used to frictionless digital experiences, standing in line feels like a step backwards, not a welcome.
- DAILY HOUSEKEEPING BY DEFAULT
To many Boomers, daily housekeeping is non-negotiable. Fresh towels, a neatly made bed, replenished toiletries – these are baseline expectations and a clear sign of value for money.
Gen Z travellers tend to view the same practice through a very different lens. Raised amid constant conversations about sustainability and resource use, they are acutely aware of the environmental cost of unnecessary laundering and cleaning. Daily housekeeping feels wasteful rather than indulgent.
There is also a privacy element at play. Despite sharing much of their lives online, younger travellers are often protective of their physical space. The idea of someone entering their room every day can feel intrusive. As a result, many prefer to opt out entirely, requesting cleaning only when needed. Hotels that reward this choice with dining credits or loyalty points are finding the message resonates strongly.
- THE TRADITIONAL BUSINESS CENTRE
Nearly every older hotel still has one: a windowless room with ageing desktop computers, a printer of questionable reliability, and office chairs that have seen better days. Boomers still ask for it, especially when travelling without a laptop.
Gen Z travellers are often baffled by its existence. They carry powerful devices everywhere and are used to working from cafés, airports, and shared spaces. The idea of going to a designated room to use a shared computer feels oddly antiquated.
What they care about instead is infrastructure. Fast, stable WiFi. Plenty of power outlets. Good lighting. Quiet corners suitable for video calls. In this context, the modern “business centre” is not a room at all, but the entire property functioning seamlessly as a flexible workspace.
- FORMAL ROOM SERVICE
Classic room service, complete with silver domes and white tablecloths, still holds appeal for many Boomers. It represents indulgence and a sense of occasion, even if it comes at a premium.
For Gen Z, the same experience often feels slow, overpriced, and oddly disconnected from modern food culture. They are accustomed to delivery apps that offer real-time tracking, broad choice, and minimal interaction. Waiting an hour for lukewarm food, plus service charges, makes little sense when alternatives are a tap away.
Forward-thinking hotels are responding by reimagining in-room dining. QR-code menus, app-based ordering, curated grab-and-go markets, and partnerships with local delivery platforms are replacing the old trolley-and-cloche model. Convenience, not ceremony, is now the luxury.
- THE ALL-KNOWING CONCIERGE
Once the beating heart of any good hotel, the concierge desk remains a comfort to many Boomers. Personal recommendations, insider access, and problem-solving expertise still carry weight.
Gen Z travellers arrive with their own research already done. TikTok, Google Maps, and review platforms have shaped their itineraries long before check-in. They often know which café table to request and which dish to order.
When they do seek assistance, they prefer it on their terms. Messaging apps, social media DMs, or discreet chat functions feel more natural than approaching a desk. They are also more receptive to recommendations that match their aesthetic and values, rather than traditional notions of prestige.
- PREMIUM CABLE TELEVISION
Cable television was once a key differentiator in hotels, and many Boomers still judge a room by its channel selection. News, sports, and recent films mattered.
Gen Z, by contrast, rarely watches scheduled television. They travel with their own content ecosystems and simply want a screen that works with them. Smart TVs, easy casting, and reliable connectivity matter far more than channel line-ups.
Hotels that have cut expensive cable packages in favour of better WiFi and streaming-friendly setups report little pushback from younger guests. In many cases, the change goes unnoticed, which may be the clearest sign of how expectations have shifted.
What emerges from this divide is not remotely a right-or-wrong argument, but a clear signal to the industry. Hospitality is no longer about perfecting a single definition of luxury. It is about flexibility, choice, and understanding who your guest really is. The hotels that succeed will be those that respect tradition without being trapped by it.
