Nobody can argue that the proliferation of online tools continues to dominate the pace of change in the ever-evolving hotel industry. It just becomes more and more comprehensive the use of search, social media and apps to shop and book hotel stays. Social media is impacting the whole lodging industry, from how a customer shops, what the customer looks at, how they evaluate the hotels, whether they trust it.

Approximately 20% of all travel was booked on mobile devices during 2011; two years ago that number was nearly zero, according to Robert Rauch, president of San Diego-based R.A. Rauch & Associates hotel consulting. Within the next three years, 80% of all bookings will be made via mobile devices

It’s an information-on-demand era. Consumers are utilizing new technology such as mobile/cell phones and tablets, to conduct research and to make accommodation bookings. And even more interesting is when they are undertaking this activity.

Thus, these are very clear trends that will keep shaping the hotel industry. But there is life beyond the technology and some voices are defending the existence of the following 3 trends:

1.- Feel like at home: The assumption is that Guests today, especially road warriors, want rooms that remind them of home. That can be reflected both in the design aesthetic as well as amenities and technology.

2.- Blending between property types: The product offerings in the hotel industry today are extremely segmented. But instead of a hotel offering only one room type, the hotel of the future could feature several different room types under one roof.

3.- Smaller hotels: Today’s discerning traveller is often eschewing the big-box mega complexes of the past for more personal, manageable property footprints. It’s an opportunity to take smaller hotels (of 30 to 50 rooms) and place them in a market with a brand name.

It is not clear if those trends are really trends and if they are applicable to every market. But surely are a good starting point to talk about the hotel of the future. What is your opinion ?