These days, one can make a career out of literally anything. For one Philippe Kjellgren, traveling is a full-time job. He’s been all around the world, staying in at least 3,000 hotels while at it.
As such, describing him as an expert in hotel services wouldn’t be that far from the truth. He may not be an out and out hotelier, but he’s learned the tools of the trade by being on the road.
The Perfect Hotel
For any of us who’s had to travel over long distances, we all know that finding the perfect hotel to accommodate you is just as important as whatever agenda that has you all the way out there. The place has to essentially be home away from home, and finding a perfect match is easier said than done.
Well, you may get as much information as you may need about the place online, including reviews from those who’ve stayed there previously, but Kjellgren argues that you can never get the actual feel of the place till you’re there.
He goes on to say that there’s that one red flag that should serve as a signal to that hotel not being the haven that you’d thought it to be, and it isn’t the lack of a cocktail to welcome you or the hotel’s lobby not being that appealing to the eye. Instead, it is an impersonal service.
According to the traveler who likes to describe himself as a digital nomad, how they treat you when you’re checking into a hotel tells you all you need to know about the place. As he puts it, there are a number of signs to look out for, but the first one should always be the feeling as if you’re at a bus terminal.
Five-star hotel or not, you should never feel like you’re waiting in line when you arrive at your hotel. Guests should never be kept waiting, and any institution worth its salt understands this. Speaking to Business Insider, Kjellgren insists that online reviews shouldn’t convince you otherwise. If this is the situation you find on the ground, the digital nomad would advise against staying at that hotel.
Another thing is how the members of staff interact with you immediately after your arrival. The hotel may not have you waiting in line, but if the first interaction starts with them asking for your room number instead of your name, then it’s a no-go for our traveler, and it should be for you too.
Beneficiaries
Kjellgren is just from a globe-trotting adventure, one that has taken him a whopping 912 days. That’s almost two and a half years if you do the math, and as it turns out, fellow travelers will be the beneficiaries of Kjellgren’s exploits.
In an app that is already available on Apple store, the man intends to recommend as many as 2,200 hotels spread across all imaginable destinations, with costs ranging from as little as $150 per night to as high as over $3,000. Of course, those making it into his app are ones that have passed his personal vetting.
Naturally, any hotel whose services he felt were impersonal won’t be featured on the app.
