It’s no secret that extended-stay hotels are a driving force in the industry—and the design of these properties can be a key factor in capturing market share and maintaining guest loyalty.
Choice Hotels International franchises four extended-stay brands. Matt McElhare, the company’s extended-stay vice president and extended-stay segment lead said that the company begins with a “simple question” when creating an extended-stay prototype: “What do our guests need to have a comfortable long-term stay and maintain their routine, and how do we deliver that in a way that makes sense for owners?”
Shaping Brand Standards
The design standards, he continued, are shaped by a combination of “guest insights, owner feedback, operational learnings and real-world development conditions.” For example, the company’s new Everhome Suites prototype was developed through what he calls “close collaboration” with developers, operators, general contractors, architects and suppliers. Specifically, the prototype was designed in response to rising construction costs, evolving market conditions and shifting guest expectations.
With four extended-stay brands serving different guest and owner needs, McElhare said the company also carefully considers brand positioning. “The goal is not to make every brand look or operate the same,” he said. “It is to create clear, consistent expectations within each brand while giving owners practical solutions that help them compete in their markets.”
“Brand standards for extended-stay properties tend to have more flexibility built in compared to more traditional hotels,” said David Shove-Brown, co-founder and partner at design firm //3877. “Every demographic and use group is different, and because guests stay longer, these properties need to put their wants and needs at the forefront even more so than other hospitality properties. There’s an existing brand framework, but elements like wallcovers and custom fabrics can be folded into a design to make it feel more conducive to a particular audience or location.”
Long-Term Rooms
Extended-stay guestrooms cannot be created in the same way that a traditional hotel room is, McElhare said. “It requires a different approach to space planning, operations and durability.” The best extended-stay rooms, he added, create “zones” for different needs. “Even in an efficient footprint, guests should feel there is a place to sleep, a place to work, a place to eat and a place to unwind.”
Shove-Brown agreed: “The guestrooms are intended to provide kitchens and extra storage without going over the top in order to make the space as efficient as possible,” he said. “You need to understand what your guests will actually use, like microwaves or burners to cook and the appropriate amount of storage without making the room feel empty.”
Robert P. Smith, CEO and chief satisfaction officer of renovation company The Allied Group, agreed that the guestroom kitchen is “a major component” of the space’s design, but emphasized that storage, work surfaces, lighting and seating are “equally important,” as is overall “flexibility” within the room.
“With an extended-stay guest, every square foot has to work harder,” Smith said. “Guests are bringing more belongings, preparing meals, working, relaxing and sleeping in essentially the same environment.”
Hyatt Hotels Corp. opened the company’s first Hyatt Studios property last year. In developing the room prototype, the leaders invited existing owners, regular guests and housekeepers to tour the model and offer feedback, said Emily Wright, vice president, brand strategy for Hyatt’s Essentials Portfolio. “And then … we literally changed the model room to adapt,” she said, noting the company made changes to accent tables, wardrobes and the flooring in the rooms as they received feedback.
Daniel Hansen, global head of growth & strategy operations at Hyatt Hotels Corp., said that housekeepers offered key insights into the logistics of the guestroom design, including which way doors in the guestroom move and how open the furniture can be to facilitate cleaning. “It's all the functional things that are impediments to them being efficient, and how many rooms they can clean if they can save a couple minutes per room,” he said. “That's a real help in [the quality of their] day. And happy colleagues lead to happy guests—and to happy owners.”
From a construction and renovation standpoint, Smith said that durability and maintainability also are important factors to keep in mind. “Cabinetry, flooring, countertops, hardware, plumbing fixtures and appliances are all seeing more frequent and intensive use than they might in a traditional hotel room. Selecting materials based solely on initial cost can become expensive over the lifecycle of the property.”
This article was originally published in the August/September edition of Hotel Management magazine. Subscribe here.