If you’re looking for a unique and eco-friendly stay in Lansing, you needn’t look any farther than the Quality Suites Hotel. The facility offers guests many of the amenities of a five-star luxury hotel at a fraction of the cost. Executives say offering the public what other hotels don’t is the key to success. "The way to win loyalty is by offering value and great customer service," says Michael Rice, general manager of the Quality Suites Hotel. "Always give the guest more than they expect."

The biggest of the amenities you can find at Quality Suites Hotel is in the hotel room itself. Each of the 117 rooms is a suite, which includes two areas about one and a half times the size of a regular hotel room, complete with a sitting area and a bedroom. The rooms also include pull-out sofas to allow even more sleeping area. Each room also includes—not one, but two—televisions. Microwaves and refrigerators are standard. High-speed Internet is free of charge for customers and there are two computer terminals available for business or personal use. Guests are also treated to a full cooked-to-order breakfast during their stay in a café area able to seat 100 at any given time.

The “Manager’s Social Hour” is a welcoming-in, of sorts, offering complimentary cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. But Rice says that’s not all his hotel offers that others don’t. Quality Suites also has a 24-hour convenience store on the premises offering everything from snacks to medicines.
"It eliminates the need for a guest to go out at night or in the cold if they don’t want to," says Rice. "We carry virtually everything they could possibly want." This year, the Quality Suites was certified by the State of Michigan’s Energy Office as a "green" lodging partner and is the winner of the Platinum Award from Choice Hotels International. "That’s a big deal. It means we’re in the top three percent of the 860 hotels in the country."

Rice says like everyone else in the market, he’s been aggressively marketing his product. And like other hotels in the area, has suffered a significant loss of corporate and business travel. "Most hotels in and around Lansing area have been running at about half occupancy. We need to do better than that to stay successful."  The loss in some areas of travel has prompted a new marketing strategy. "We’re going after a different customer mix of religious groups, government, military, sports and associations."

Rice says he’s also working more closely with Internet booking sites. "We work with them to offer discounted packages and hope somebody buys them," Rice says. But are those associations working to generate enough business to make up for the loss of corporate travel?

Rice says it’s moving in the right direction. "I monitor the business trends daily—even hourly—sometimes. Where we see low occupancy times, we offer more discounts." Rice says the weekends of Michigan State University’s Homecoming and the MSU football match-up against the University of Michigan were the best occupancy dates so far. While wedding reception bookings have remained steady, Rice says he’s seen a decline this year in company holiday parties. "We’d hate to see the parties canceled altogether. We’re willing to work with anyone to fit their budget even if it is less than last year."

Despite the tough economy, owners of the Quality Suites Lansing have spared no cost in updating the facility. Renovations of the public areas and guest rooms have already been completed. More work is set for next year. Rice, who worked for the Marriott Hotel before returning to his native Michigan to take the general manager position at Quality Suites, remains optimistic about the future. "I think it’s a good environment in this state for the hotel industry since we’re not directly tied to manufacturing. It may be my roots talking, but I see good things down the road."

Author: Jo Anne Paul-Stanton
Photography: Terri Shaver