8 things boomers still expect from hotels that most travelers don’t care about anymore

Every generation has its own idea of what makes a good hotel stay.

Boomers grew up in a world where travel was a luxury, not a lifestyle. Hotels were symbols of class and comfort, and there were certain rituals that went along with that. But fast forward to today, and most travelers (especially younger ones) want something entirely different.

We’ve swapped marble lobbies for minimalism, daily housekeeping for privacy, and long front desk lines for mobile check-ins. It’s not that modern travelers are harder to please; we just value different things.

Here are eight things boomers still expect from hotels that most of us have quietly moved on from.

1) The formal check-in process

There’s something about standing in line at a marble-topped reception desk that feels very… 1980s.

Boomers tend to appreciate the ritual of checking in face-to-face, maybe because it reminds them of a time when personal interaction was part of good service. The small talk, the pen on a chain, the polite exchange of passports, all of it feels familiar.

But for most travelers now, especially millennials and Gen Z, the idea of waiting in line to sign a paper feels unnecessary.

We’ve got digital keys, self-check-in apps, and text-based concierge systems. We can skip the front desk entirely and go straight to the room.

To me, it’s less about cutting corners and more about efficiency. After a long flight, I’d rather not have to make small talk about where I flew in from. A friendly automated message that says “Your room is ready” is plenty.

It’s not that we don’t value human interaction; it’s that we want it when we choose, not when it’s built into a process that could easily be simplified.

2) Daily housekeeping and fresh towels

For boomers, daily housekeeping used to be part of the magic. Beds made, towels folded into little triangles, and that faint smell of industrial-strength lemon cleaner, all of it signaled comfort and care.

But now, travelers are rethinking what “service” really means. Many of us don’t want someone entering our room every day. We care more about privacy and sustainability than perfectly tucked sheets.

Hotels have caught on. Some even offer rewards for skipping housekeeping, like drink vouchers or loyalty points. That’s a small shift, but it says a lot about how values have changed. Clean is still important, but constant cleaning? Not so much.

And then there’s the environmental angle. Many travelers today are conscious of water use and energy waste. Changing sheets and towels daily just doesn’t feel necessary.

I once stayed in a small eco-hotel in Costa Rica where they made a big deal about not washing towels every day, and they explained why. It wasn’t about saving money; it was about saving resources. That approach felt honest, and honestly, I respected it.

3) The printed directory and phone-based room service

Remember those giant leather-bound directories that sat on hotel nightstands? The ones with plastic pages listing every possible service, from ice machines to fax numbers?

Boomers loved those. They symbolized thoroughness and attention to detail. But for most travelers now, those binders are just relics gathering dust.

We Google everything. We scan QR codes. We order room service from an app. The hotel phone, once the center of all guest communication, is now just an alarm clock no one knows how to set.

I once stayed at a hotel that still had laminated menus and a “Dial 9 for operator” sticker. It felt charming for about ten minutes, until I realized I could get better vegan tacos from DoorDash in half the time.

Technology hasn’t made service worse; it’s made it smoother. Instead of waiting 40 minutes for a room service salad, I can track my delivery and know exactly when to put on pants.

4) The fancy lobby experience

Boomers often equate luxury with scale, the chandelier, the pianist, the towering floral arrangement in the lobby. For them, it’s part of the experience.

But these days, many travelers would rather skip the grand entrance entirely. We’re drawn to boutique hotels, cozy Airbnbs, and low-key aesthetics that feel more personal than polished.

A minimalist check-in area with local art and a coffee bar says more to modern guests than an enormous fountain ever could.

I’ve mentioned this before, but travel today is less about showing status and more about creating comfort. The lobby used to be the stage. Now, it’s just the hallway between the front door and the elevator.

That doesn’t mean we don’t want beautiful spaces; we just want them to feel real. Give us warm lighting, thoughtful design, and maybe a few plants over marble floors and velvet ropes any day.

5) The continental breakfast buffet

For decades, the free breakfast was the crown jewel of hotel perks.

Boomers still love the idea of walking downstairs to a spread of scrambled eggs, toast, and “orange juice” that’s 70% concentrate. It’s nostalgic, part of the travel ritual that says, you’re being taken care of.

But the reality is, most travelers now skip it. The food is rarely good, and if you’re vegan, gluten-free, or just prefer decent coffee, you’re probably heading to a local café instead.

I used to eat those tiny cereal boxes as a kid, but now I’d rather explore a city’s plant-based breakfast scene. It’s part of why we travel, to experience something new, not just reheat the same buffet.

Hotels that get this are adapting. I’ve stayed in places that offer locally roasted coffee and vegan pastries from neighborhood bakeries instead of the old steam-table buffet. It’s still breakfast, but it feels alive, not mass-produced.

6) The in-room landline and paper notepad

There’s a certain charm to old hotel stationery. Boomers loved leaving handwritten notes or jotting down the front desk number on a notepad next to the lamp. It was all very Mad Men.

But now? Most people don’t even notice those things. We text, we email, we use WhatsApp. And if we need to call the front desk, we’re doing it from our phones, not that beige relic by the bed.

The landline still sits there, quietly gathering dust, a symbol of hospitality’s refusal to let go of the past.

It’s not that we don’t appreciate thoughtfulness. We just express it differently now. I’d rather have extra outlets, fast Wi-Fi, and maybe a note with the hotel’s Instagram handle than a monogrammed pen.

Besides, most notepads end up in the trash. I’ve seen hotels replace them with digital tablets that control everything from lighting to temperature. That’s the future, not because it’s fancy, but because it’s functional.

7) The “business center”

There was a time when hotels proudly featured business centers, little glass-walled rooms with two PCs, a printer, and a chair that squeaked when you sat down.

For boomers, that setup made sense. Business travel meant PowerPoints, printed itineraries, and USB drives.

But now, most travelers bring their own office in a backpack. We’ve got laptops, portable chargers, and cloud access. The “business center” feels outdated, like a museum exhibit for how we used to work.

I once stayed at a hotel in Tokyo that repurposed its old business center into a reading lounge with free tea and local magazines. It was brilliant. Maybe that’s where hospitality is heading, from “functional” to “meaningful.”

The modern traveler doesn’t need a desktop computer. We need fast Wi-Fi, quiet corners, and outlets that actually work. And maybe a comfortable chair that doesn’t make a sound every time we shift.

8) The emphasis on formality and uniformity

Boomers were taught that professionalism meant pressed uniforms, scripted greetings, and a “yes sir, yes ma’am” attitude. It’s not wrong; it’s just from a different time.

Today’s travelers crave authenticity. We want to feel like we’re being welcomed by humans, not employees reading from a script.

That’s why boutique hotels and eco-lodges are thriving. They feel genuine. The staff wears their own clothes. They recommend local restaurants instead of chain ones. They might even remember your name, not because it’s written on a check-in sheet, but because they actually care.

It’s a shift from service to connection. From performance to presence. And honestly, that’s a change worth celebrating.

When I was in Lisbon last year, I stayed at a small family-run hotel where the owner greeted me barefoot, holding a cup of espresso. He didn’t call me “sir.” He just said, “Hey, you must be tired. Coffee?” And that moment felt more welcoming than any scripted hotel greeting ever could.

The bigger picture

What’s happening here isn’t just about hotels; it’s about values.

Boomers were shaped by a world that equated comfort with structure. The rest of us grew up in one where freedom, flexibility, and choice matter more.

It’s not that one way is better than the other. It’s that our definitions of “good service” have evolved.

Modern travelers care about autonomy, design, and sustainability. We want spaces that reflect real life, not an outdated version of luxury. We care more about being comfortable in our own skin than being impressed by someone else’s idea of what comfort looks like.

The next time you travel, notice what you appreciate most. It probably won’t be the folded towels or the polite call asking if you “need anything else tonight.”

It’ll be the thoughtful touches that make you feel seen, like filtered water, local snacks, and the option to check in without waiting in line.

Because at the end of the day, that’s what modern travel is about: ease, not extravagance.