INDIANAPOLIS — The words "Marriott" and "consistency" are practically synonymous in the hotel world. But as the demand for lifestyle and boutique hotels grows, the company has found that its consistency has, in some cases, become a liability.
Which is why, the company said this week at its annual general managers meeting, it has incorporated variety into the new look for its Residence Inn brand.
"Years ago [customers] said, 'You need to be consistent from hotel to hotel because we need to know that we trust you,'" said Katie Tyson, vice president of brand management for Residence Inn. "Now they are saying, 'Look, we trust you, but we need some variety or the hotel looks the same from one hotel to the next, and that doesn’t contribute to my enjoyment.'"
The new look for Residence Inn will be adopted by more than 300 hotels over the next five years, Tyson said.
It is not a mandate for hotels, but rather a set of options for properties that are already scheduled for their required six-year renovations. The package gives owners more than 40 options as they update their rooms with new sofas, desks, wall colors, art, bedding, pillows and window coverings.
Tyson said the new look, as well as details such as the placement of the desk and TV, was developed over two years in consultation with guests and general managers.
And while the upgrades will give the rooms a more modern look, Deb Huguely, vice president of interior design for the brand, said Residence Inn was very careful not to get too trendy.
"They’ll get burned out if they don’t like the design," she said of guests, noting that customers who were consulted in the design told the company they might like that sleek, black-and-white room for a two-night stay in New York but not at a property where they will be staying for a long time and working.
The color schemes for the new renovation package for Residence Inn are based on a sunrise-sunset concept. The kitchen will be done in a deep red, while the bedroom wall might be a calming blue.
Perhaps most important is a change in room design that will move the desk away from the entryway and to the window. The desk will also be much larger, to accommodate the increasing number of devices that travelers carry, and will include a long strip of electrical outlets.
"One of the things our guests told us is they really need outlets everywhere," Tyson said.