CNN
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Hotels aren’t just places to sleep. They’re places to experience.
That’s how the newest generation of travelers are viewing hospitality and – in the face of stiff competition from the likes of Airbnb and HomeAway – big hotel brands are having to adjust to meet the expectations of their discerning new clientele.
To lure young travelers, Marriott has created the hotel brand Moxy, which doesn’t cater to guests, but “fun-hunters,” according to Marriott’s global brand officer Tina Edmundson.
What’s the difference between a guest and a fun-hunter?
“They’re really excited, they’re full of life, they want to discover new things,” says Edmundson.
To cater to this, Moxy offers communal spaces, where guests can take in a Foosball session, or a game of Cards Against Humanity.
Canopy by Hilton
The big hotel chains are diversifying with new offshoot brands aimed at younger travelers. Canopy by Hilton Reykjavik City Centre, the first in Hilton's Canopy line, is set to open in Iceland in July.
Courtesy Hyatt
Hyatt, meanwhile, has created Centric, which now has seven locations, including Montevideo (pictured).
Courtesy Marriott
Moxy is a new hotel brand from Marriott. The company's global brand officer, Tina Edmundson, says their target clientele are "fun-hunters" who "want to discover new things."
Courtesy Ace Hotel
When Ace Hotel opened in 1999, it was one of the first brands to appeal to the "creative class." Ace prides itself on its unique amenities, such as in-room turntables and locally sourced artwork and furniture. There are currently nine locations worldwide.
Courtesy CitizenM
In order to appeal to today's travelers, it's imperative to have high-speed wi-fi, and it better be free. Dutch brand CitizenM offers this, as well as artfully designed room (another important factor for globetrotting millennials) at a low price point.
Courtesy Aloft Hotels
Like many contemporary-minded hotels, the Aloft brand has put a heavy emphasis on its communal spaces. The lobbies (dubbed the re:mix Lounge) are often outfitted with pool tables, board games, LCD screens, and various other features aimed at getting guests mingling. Guests can use their mobile phone both to check in, and in place of a room key.
Courtesy of Hyatt
Andaz is a Hyatt brand, which means guests can earn loyalty points. It's presented like a boutique hotel, however, with a strong emphasis on design. Often, local artists are tapped to give the space an authentic feel (Dutchman Marcel Wanders, for instance, helped outfit the Amsterdam hotel).
Courtesy Carlson Rezidor
Radisson Red, which opened its first hotel in Brussels in 2016, is striving to make its guest rooms feel like mini-studios, eschewing traditional furnishings like desks and one-person armchairs, in favor of more communal offerings -- such as a sofa and four-person table.
Courtesy HTL Hotels
Stockholm-based chain Scandic Hotels has HTL Hotels locations in Stockholm and Oslo. They offer small but comfortable high-tech rooms. Guests can plug their personal devices into the LED TVs and play their own movies and music.
Rooms are laid out differently, with no closet space, and bathrooms that are larger and more luxurious than a standard hotel room.
“The majority of guests that are traveling on business don’t unpack,” she explains.
“They don’t want the cookie-cutter experience. They’re looking for something new; they’re looking for authenticity.”
Hilton, similarly, has created Canopy, a brand of hotels which promises to reflect the neighborhoods in which they’re located.
Gone are the days when uniformity was an essential part of brand building – no two Canopy outposts will be the same.
Hyatt, meanwhile, has created Centric, which now has seven locations.
While the Marriott is targeting “fun hunters,” Hyatt’s desired demographic is what they call “modern explorers.”
Hyatt’s Vice President of brand marketing, Lara Migliassi, says that Centric needs to appeal not just to its guests’ aesthetic sensibilities, but to their frame of mind as well.
“There’s a target mindset. Everyone has a little bit of an explorer in them, and they’re looking for something that really offers the best of each city and experience in an authentic way,” she says.
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