Lifestyle hotel collections: United by difference

Signing up independent properties allows hotel groups to extend their reach – and enables travellers to earn points in unusual places. Jenny Southan rounds up the big chains’ new collections In 1975, Holiday Inn’s slogan was: “The best surprise is no surprise.” It was a formula the brand quickly established. The first opened in Memphis in 1952 and, if you go to the Henry Ford Museum in Detroit, you can see a reconstruction of one of its first-ever motel rooms – two double beds with grey eiderdowns, blue curtains, a couple of lamps, a sink, a chair and an old tube TV. At a time when more and more people were doing road trips, there was huge demand for standardised lodgings, and the trend took off. It might seem today that chains are everywhere, but hospitality research group MKG Global reports that out of 19.5 million hotel rooms in the world, only 7.85 million are part of a chain. Even the giants of the industry want to expand. By the end of last year, Marriott International had 715,000 rooms across 4,175 properties; it is aiming for a million rooms (either open or under development) by the end of this year. Intercontinental Hotels Group (of which Holiday Inn is a sub-brand) claims to be the largest of the chains, with more than 4,900 properties globally (724,000 rooms). There are signs of a counter trend, however. As travellers have become more confident, the prospect of staying in a predictable environment is, for some, less appealing than the excitement of checking into a place with quirky design, historic architecture and informal service. Chains still have their place, especially for business people who may need to be able to rely on a certain level of comfort and security to do their job. According to a recent survey of Starwood Preferred Guest members by Communispace, 89 per cent of respondents were interested in staying in independent hotels, particularly for leisure. Almost 70 per cent had stayed at an unbranded hotel. Destinations in which they wanted Starwood to have a greater presence included northern Europe and Scandinavia, Savannah, Charleston, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Tokyo and Hong Kong. David Marr, global brand leader for Tribute Portfolio and Sheraton Hotels and Resorts, says: “Our loyal SPG members told us, ‘You’re not in enough cities, and when I go to a city where you aren’t, I often stay in independent hotels and I like it.’ So our solution is to offer the standards, and allow people to earn and burn their SPG points.” Many international groups are attempting to bridge the gap between the chains and independents by creating brands that offer (to a greater or lesser degree) uniform service and facilities but in properties that display more of a sense of place through distinctive décor or communal coffee shop-style lounges, for example. You get your points, you get your reassurance and you get to call yourself a Millennial. (See “Changing rooms”). There have been collections of independent hotels for some time – Preferred Hotels and Resorts, Leading Hotels of the World, Relais and Châteaux, and so on. Now the chains are attempting to capture a piece of this market, too, by building a portfolio of “curated” independents that measure up to their own in-house audits. In so doing, travellers can enjoy unique experiences, loyalty points, a level of certainty about the quality of their stay, and the possibility of corporate bookings via global distribution systems. The hotels get more exposure and (hopefully) increased bookings, while chains get paid for signing them up. It seems like a win-win for everyone involved. How would you know you were staying in a hotel that was part of a chain? “You might not,” says Julius Robinson, vice-president of Marriott International’s Autograph Collection. “There’s a plaque on the outside and a magazine in the room, which are requirements, and if you are a Marriott Rewards member we will recognise you at reception.” On the other hand, if you stay in a Radisson Red, you can expect standard amenities such as free wifi, a minibar and an app with information on the local area. Best Western’s Vib will always bring you smart TVs, Zen Zones and gaming pods, while IHG’s Even Hotels promises eco-friendly bathing products, free filtered water and in-room training equipment. An apparent contradiction – being loyal to independents – is something that makes sense to younger jetsetters. Travel writer Anna Hart says: “Brands such as Mr and Mrs Smith, Sawdays or Design Hotels that ‘edit’ or compile a portfolio of independent hotels are more likely to earn our loyalty than a specific chain – they are essentially a shortcut to the sort of insider travel knowledge we all aspire to.” Starwood’s Tribute Portfolio launched in April, with chief executive Adam Aron calling it “an exciting solution for hotel owners of distinct properties who wish to maintain their independent spirit, yet benefit from powerful distribution, loyalty and sales platforms”. Marr adds: “We impose operational standards – the quality of the bedding, for instance, has to hit a certain threshold of quality.” According to Robinson, Autograph Collection is aimed at people who are “curious about different social experiences and mixing business with pleasure”. Interestingly, in the five years since it launched, half the properties that have opened are new-builds that wouldn’t have become Marriotts because of their size and location, so are “uniquely designed” for the portfolio – almost taking the concept full circle. MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL: AUTOGRAPH COLLECTION Autograph was one of the forerunners in this market, launching seven “upper upscale” hotels in the US in 2010 from the Kessler Collection. Since then, the portfolio has grown to more than 90 properties mostly in the US, along with 30 in Europe, four in Latin America, two in the Caribbean and one each in Dubai, Japan, Australia, Bali and Canada. The 97-room Gewandhaus Dresden joined in the summer. Crete’s Domes of Elounda, which has 78 suites and 40 villas, signed up in September. Boston’s Envoy hotel opened in the same month; Seoul’s 410-room Plaza joins early next year. Craig Smith, president and managing director of Marriott, Asia-Pacific, says the collection is “fast expanding” in Asia. autograph-hotels.marriott.com STARWOOD: TRIBUTE PORTFOLIO Starwood introduced its tenth hotel brand and second portfolio (following the Luxury Collection), in April. Properties selected are all independent and retain “a firm focus on four-star and upper upscale”. The first to be signed was the Royal Palm South Beach Miami, recently joined by London’s Great Northern hotel. These are to be followed by four new openings. The 166-room Noel Place in Nashville and a 173-room hotel in Savannah, Georgia will launch next year, while 2017 will see the opening of two North Carolina properties: the 150-room Vandre Nouveau in Asheville and a 100-room hotel in Charleston. There will also be hotels in Japan (Hokkaido), Fort Lauderdale and Coral Gables in Florida. The Riviera Palm Springs in California was signed in September. The group expects to have 100 Tribute Portfolio properties by 2020, mainly in Europe and North America. starwoodhotels.com/tributeportfolio CURIO BY HILTON Launched in June last year, this collection of four- and five-star hotels (a mix of revamps, new-builds and historic properties of varying sizes and types) was inaugurated with the new 1,600-room SLS Las Vegas Hotel and Casino. This was followed by the Sam Houston in Texas, the Hotel Alex Johnson in Rapid City, South Dakota, and the Franklin hotel in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. US properties opening next year include the London House Chicago, the Logan Philadelphia, the Porter Portland and the Hotel Sarasota in Florida. There is also the new Anselmo in Buenos Aires, two pre-existing resorts in Jamaica, and the Reichshof Hamburg, which recently had a €30 million restoration. The MOQ is due to open in Doha next year, while 2017 promises the new Statler Dallas and the Hotel Astor in Paris. The Rumeli Han Istanbul arrives in 2018. curiocollection3.hilton.com CARLSON REZIDOR: QUORVUS COLLECTION Last summer, Carlson Rezidor announced the arrival of the Quorvus Collection, “a new generation of expertly curated luxury, five-star hotels that offer a truly distinctive experience”. Properties will be “individual in style, design, heritage, history and architecture”, and reflect the location and culture they are in. The first members are the G&V Royal Mile hotel in Edinburgh, the Symphony Style hotel in Kuwait and the May Fair in London. (Both Edinburgh and Kuwait properties were formerly Missoni Hotels under a partnership with Carlson Rezidor and the Italian fashion house.) Rezidor is aiming to have 20 member hotels by 2020. quorvuscollection.com LOEWS HOTELS AND RESORTS: OE COLLECTION “A curated collection of intimate, original experiences,” OE states it does not adhere to anyone’s definition of “boutique”. Instead, properties simply have to be “unique”. Other than that, the brand gives little away, despite the concept being announced at the beginning of the year. The first property will be Bisha Hotel and Residences in Toronto’s entertainment district, which will have 100 rooms and 300 apartments. According to hotelchatter.com, the collection is attractive to join because owners don’t have to use Loews or OE branding, and management contracts are seven years as opposed to 20 or 25. oecollection.com