Marriott has launched a new brand called “Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy”. The company is looking to tap the growing market for longer stays and is trying to seize upon the “growing consumer interest among families and friends seeking more space for stays, propelled by the blending of work and leisure travel, and the desire among younger travelers for wider accommodation options”.
Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy
With its 26 years of experience with Marriott Executive Apartments, its serviced-apartment brand in Asia, Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Latin America, the hospitality company expects it will enhance portfolio growth globally and bring the serviced-apartment concept to Marriott guests in the U.S. and Canada.
Marriott plans to introduce Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy in the upper-upscale and luxury segments, distinguished from Marriott’s existing extended-stay brands, with distinctly designed products that reflect the local neighborhood for independent travelers seeking more space and residential amenities.
Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy will feature a separate living room and bedroom, full kitchen, and in-unit washer and dryer. The brand will differentiate from Marriott’s existing extended-stay brands by not providing certain traditional hotel services such as food and beverage, meeting spaces, and retail.
Travelers planning vacations and long business trips today are seeking more choice in accommodations, and the introduction of Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy responds to those trends while offering developers a premium product backed by our trusted name and distribution platform. With Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy, guests will be able to shop a wider array of accommodation options within the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio, growing their loyalty to the portfolio and its range of brand offerings.
said Stephanie Linnartz, President, Marriott International.
Related: Marriott to acquire Mexico’s City Express brand to fuel growth in mid-scale segment
Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy is anticipated to offer developers the flexibility to build new properties or convert existing properties, with a design approach similar to the company’s successful Autograph Collection and Tribute Portfolio lodging brands, which offer consumers independent, uniquely distinguished hotel experiences.
Guests will be able to book their stay at Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy on Marriott’s reservations system itself and also on the Marriott Bonvoy app.
Among travel consumers and Marriott Bonvoy members, there is a growing desire for premium accommodations that provide home-like amenities as travellers combine work and leisure trips to reconnect with family and friends. According to Phocuswright research, three of the top five reasons for selecting an apartment-style rental are more room or space, access to a full kitchen and laundry, and home-like feel.
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The concept is similar to that of AirBnB
The concept of Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy seems simple: to tap into a new market segment while also not offering traditional hotel like amenities as aforementioned, thus reducing those burdens. The concept is the same as that of an AirBnB.
Marriott currently has four extended (or longer)-stay brands – Residence Inn, Marriott Executive Apartments, TownePlace Suites and element. All these offer long-stay accommodations along with the basic amenities one expects from a hotel. But Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy will not offer those. In a way, this is neat. Guests will feel just like they are staying in their apartment.
What I am thinking is that what the check-in, housekeeping and check-out processes will be like at Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy? Moreover, will housekeeping be offered on a daily basis at these properties or not? Marriott has mentioned nothing specifically about housekeeping so it remains to be seen how will it be like.
Marriott has also not shared which will be the first city to have Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy or which region in the world will be the first that the brand will target to grow. Marriott has also not shared any timeline with regards to how many apartments is the company targeting to be active till a specific month or year or anything like that.
There are so many questions that remain to be answered but one thing is for sure, the concept seems really interesting and if Marriott hits the ball right and is able to grow the brand significantly, then AirBnB has some serious new competition.
Meanwhile, Marriott recently announced that it will open more than 30 new hotels across Africa by the end of 2024.
Featured image by Marriott
What do you think of Marriott’s new brand? Let me know in the comments section below.
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