Hilton has confirmed that its new lower midscale extended stay brand will be known as LivSmart Studios by Hilton.
Business Traveller reported on the brand last year – at the time it had been assigned the working title ‘Project H3’.
Hilton said that the brand had been “created for the long-stay guest who never stopped travelling, even throughout the pandemic”, adding that it had “received tremendous interest from owners and developers in just six months and currently boasts more than 350 deals in various stages of negotiation”.
LivSmart Studios will target travellers looking for apartment-style accommodation for 20 nights or more, with the first property expected to open in Kokomo, Indiana by late summer this year.
Signature brand standards will include apartment-style suites with “spacious bathrooms, ample storage space, efficient closet design, and movable, multi-purpose furniture that allows guests to utilize the space as a place to work and rest”.
Suites will also feature fully equipped kitchens with full size fridges, dishwasher, microwave and a two-burner stovetop.
Design elements will include “a modern farmhouse-inspired palette with light industrial touches”, with facilities including a fitness centre, outdoor patio with grills and a communal fire pit, and The Hive lobby area which will offer “sight lines from the front desk to fitness, laundry, and a simple retail market”.
The unveiling of the LivSmart name comes as major hotel groups are increasingly focusing on the extended stay market, with Hyatt and Marriott also unveiling new extended stay concepts last year.
Commenting on the news Isaac Lake, brand leader, LivSmart Studios by Hilton, said:
“After much anticipation, we’re thrilled to announce that LivSmart Studios by Hilton is official. With a resilient $300 billion workforce travel market, the extended-stay segment continues to grow.
“It has never been as primed as it is now for this long-stay brand, and we’re thrilled with the initial excitement we’ve received from owners.”
