Mystery shoppers can mix business with pleasure by signing up to participate in projects commissioned by hotels around the country. From swanky five-star, resorts to budget-friendly accommodations, hotel properties often use secret shoppers to make undercover visits to evaluate a range of services. In exchange for your candid feedback on your visit, you'll be reimbursed with one or more of the following perks; a cash stipend, a comped room, complementary meals in the hotel restaurant, gratis spa services or other types of remuneration.
Of course, the various benefits of hotel mystery shopping will vary from job to job, client to client, and mystery shop company to mystery shop company. Of course, whatever you earn is based on the successful completion of each project with honestly obtained data and high-quality feedback. Depending on the organization that you sign on with to do mystery shops, various reports, online surveys, and documentation of your stay will be required.
These hotels, motels and resorts are looking for your truthful evaluation of their many products and services and use the data to make the "hotel experience" better for guests in the future. You may be asked to keep track of "hard fact" type questions like how many minutes it took to check in at the front desk to more "objective" questions like your opinion on the hotel's overall image. You'll need to review your project documents before the stay and keep your eyes, ears and watch poised and on-call to gather every last detail.
One of the main areas of interest to hotels looking to improve the guest experience is the mystery shopper's opinion of the ambiance in and around the facility including the lobby, rooms, pool area and other spaces visited by guests. Also important is evaluation of the front desk, from the amount of time it takes staff to greet guests, provide check-in, check-out, and attend to other services such as valet, concierge and more. Housekeeping is another area where hotels want undercover feedback on how well the job is being done. For large hotels that offer many services, mystery shoppers may also be asked to grade the performance at on-site restaurants, bars, spas, gyms, gift shops, office facilities and more.
While hotel mystery shops jobs aren't going to pick up the tab for you to jet around the world, you can have a mini working vacation in your own hometown. After you fulfill the obligations of the job to the best of your ability, including all paperwork and paid surveys, you can enjoy a little R&R without having to put any strain on your pocketbook!
