The most important thing for guests and Vilnius hotels: location, location and one more time location
[intro] You’d have thought that 3-star Amicus Hotel with its out-of-the-center location would not have a great deal of enthusiastic and regular business travelers as its guests. But it does. The location is en route to Vilnius International Airport and near bypass of Vilnius – an unusual choice for Vilnius hotels – and it relies on the Internet to attract first-time visitors to the city.
Guoda Vaice
Sales Manager
Amicus Hotel
Away from Vilnius hotels city center
Many business travelers might think it a little inconvenient to stay away from the city center. Why did you pick this location?
The hotel originally belonged to a German businessman – it first opened in 2002 – and his standards were, of course, what hotels should be like in Germany. He knew that there was a market for business and leisure travelers on a budget. But the result was that it looked and felt like a budget hotel.
Lithuanians bought it in 2005 and improved it to the high standards you see today.
In 2017, 70 percent of our foreign guests were business people. Business travelers value the peace and quiet of the location – we’re away from any busy roads, with trees around and fields at the back. It’s a lovely area in every season, especially autumn and winter. And we’re a short hop from the airport, shopping centers IKEA, NORDIKA. I would say the way to Lithuanian Exhibition and Congress Centre LITEXPO is the straightest from our hotel.
Businessmen also like the fact that they get the same level of comfort, as they’d find in many Vilnius hotels in the city center, but at a much smaller price. They don’t have to mingle with big tourist groups; everything is on a much smaller, more individual scale.
As well as people flying in from Western Europe, we have many Belarusian businessmen as guests since the hotel is right at the end of the highway from Minsk.
How do business travelers find out you’re here? Do you use the Internet a lot in promoting yourselves?
A lot of guests find out about us on the Internet. In a printed advertisement you often only have room for one picture, but the great thing about a website is that you can show off everything you have in the most attractive way, together with full information about the hotel.
Each of our rooms is different, with different interior décor, and guests can choose which room they prefer on the web.
We also work with 12 worldwide booking systems, such as HRS, Bookings.com, Expedia.com, Hotelbeds.com etc.
Non-electronically, we have several road signs pointing in our direction, so people driving from the airport can spot us.
We don’t have advertising actually at the airport, unfortunately, because the airport management deals with only few Vilnius hotels and doesn’t seem to want any newcomers. So we work with car rental companies at the airport instead.
Lithuanians stay at the hotel too, from other towns and cities visiting Vilnius on business. Plus we have Lithuanians who live abroad who are visiting for a few days.
What would you say are the main demands of business travelers today?
Open-minded few languages speaking staff is one of the most important things, employees who are willing to help even if guests don’t ask. Good quality Wi-fi Internet. Every one guest has a mobile telephone in his or her pocket in a bag tablet or laptop, so Vilnius hotels have to ensure wireless high-speed Wi-Fi Internet.
Thank you for conversation.