Beyond the Buffet: Why Scandinavian & Finnish Hotels Are Rethinking the Package Deal

Mountain Snowmobile Safari & Northern Lights

For decades, the hotel playbook in the Nordic region has been clear: create the perfect fixed package. The "Winter Wonderland Getaway," the "Midsummer Spa Escape," the "Two-Night City Break with Breakfast." These bundles are familiar, comfortable, and easy to manage. They’ve served our industry well, providing predictable value for guests and streamlined operations for us.

But a shift is underway. A new generation of travellers, coupled with changing market dynamics, is challenging the one-size-fits-all model. Today’s guests, especially those booking trips to the unique landscapes and cities of Scandinavia and Finland, crave personalisation, flexibility, and authenticity. They want to build their own journey, not just buy a pre-made one.

For small to midsize hotels – our unique boutique properties, seaside havens, and design-led city hotels – this presents both a critical challenge and a golden opportunity. The question is no longer just what we offer, but how we offer it.

The Traditional Power of the Fixed Package

Let’s acknowledge its strengths:

• Operational Simplicity: Forecasting is easier. You know what inventory (rooms, dinner covers, spa slots) is committed.

• Marketing Clarity: A fixed package is a single, compelling product to advertise. It tells a clear story.

• Perceived Value: A bundle often feels like a better deal, encouraging a higher spend than room-only.

• Upsell Efficiency: It’s a complete offer from the start, potentially increasing revenue per booking.

The Rising Demand for "Pick & Choose" (A La Carte)

This is where the modern traveller's heart beats. The à la carte or modular approach means offering a core room product (like our coveted "Silent Fjord View Room" or "Design District Studio") and then letting guests add the experiences that matter to them.

Why is this resonating now?

1. The Control-Factor: After recent years, travellers deeply value control over their itinerary and budget. They may want your famous sauna access but prefer to explore local restaurants rather than the hotel dinner.

2. Experience over Everything: The trend is moving from "all-inclusive" to "select-inclusive." A guest might skip breakfast to join your private morning kayak tour (an add-on) or forgo a welcome drink for a pre-booked foraging experience with a local guide.

3. Digital Native Expectations: Booking platforms and OTAs are increasingly geared towards customization. Guests are used to building their own travel, from flight seats to rental car extras.

4. Showcasing Local Partnerships: This is our secret weapon as smaller hotels. A "pick & choose" menu allows you to integrate local partners directly into your offer: a cheese tasting at a nearby farm, a vintage bicycle rental, a ticket to a private art gallery viewing. This strengthens your community ties and makes your offer truly unique.

Finding Your Balance: A Nordic Hybrid Model

For most small to midsize hotels in Scandinavia and Finland, the winning strategy isn't an either/or choice. It’s a smart, hybrid model.

Think of it as your hospitality "Nordic Triangle":

1. The Curated Core Package: Keep your 2-3 most popular, signature packages. These are your hero products, perfect for key seasons and gift occasions. Example: "The Full Arctic Night Experience" – includes room, a guided Northern Lights hunt, and a 3-course Nordic tasting menu.

2. The Dynamic "Build-Your-Own" Menu: This is your value-added playground. Develop a clear menu of add-ons that showcase your strengths and locality.

   • Wellness: Sauna reservation, private yoga session, forest bathing guide.

   • Food & Drink: Breakfast basket, craft beer tasting, "Fika" with a local pastry chef.

   • Adventure: Electric snowmobile tour, archipelago boat trip, hiking gear rental.

   • Culture & Learning: Wooden church tour, Sami culture introduction, sustainable design walk.

3. The Smart Room-Only Rate: Always have this option for the purely independent traveller. The key is to present your add-on menu prominently during their booking journey and at check-in.

Practical Steps for Implementation

1. Audit Your Assets: List everything you own and every local partner you work with. These are your potential add-ons.

2. Tech Check: Can your booking engine and PMS handle itemised add-ons smoothly? Many modern, cloud-based systems designed for smaller hotels now excel at this.

3. Train Your Team: Your staff must understand and be excited about the add-ons. They are your best salespeople for the foraging tour or the private sauna booking.

4. Market the Flexibility: Use your website and social media to tell this new story. "Stay your way." "Craft your perfect Helsinki escape." Feature guest stories that mix and matched different elements.

5. Test, Learn, Adapt: Start with a few add-ons and one flexible package. See what sells, ask for guest feedback, and refine your menu.

The Bottom Line for Nordic Hotels

Moving towards a more flexible offering isn't about discounting your value. It's about increasing perceived value and capturing more detailed guest preference data. It allows you to compete not just on price, but on personal relevance and unique experience.

By offering choice, you are not complicating your offer - you are respecting your guest's individuality and empowering them to connect with your destination in their own way. And in a region known for its focus on quality, design, and personal freedom, that is perhaps the most Nordic hospitality principle of all.

Ready to unbundle? Your guests already are.