New Resort Brands for Millennials

As the timeshare and hotel industries continue to expand, resorts are focusing on a younger demographic — Millennials.

Recent studies have shown that the average timeshare buyer is younger and more tech savvy than in the past. Resorts are responding by making an effort to attract this target market.

Marriott is one of the first hospitality groups to focus on the younger generation. Their newest resort, the AC Hotel New Orleans Bourbon was built with the intention of attracting Millennials. The new 220-guest room hotel is the first in a series of 100 resorts Marriott plans to open in the U.S. over the next year. All 100 resorts are planned to open in urban cities that Millennials frequent such as Washington, D.C. and Miami.

AC Hotels originated as a European brand for less traditional travelers. The resorts were designed to be modern, fresh, and fun—the resorts in the U.S. will be no exception.

AC Hotels founder, Antonio Catalan, believes that modern travelers care the most about technology and a comfortable design. This idea can be seen in the layouts of the guest rooms. All units feature a minimalist design with dark hardwood floors. As far as technology, you’ll find USB ports and connectivity plugs located alongside the bed, allowing guests to recharge their mobile devices at night. The flat-screen TVs are also complemented by Bluetooth speakers, so guests to play music from their cell phones or tablets.

In the resort’s lounge, guests can sample tapas and cocktails. If you prefer to grab something on the way up to the room, you can purchase wine, beer, and snacks from a boutique off the lobby. For Millennials traveling on business, the resort has a library with computers and Bluetooth printers. Here, meeting rooms are referred to as “Media Salons” and allow guests to hold presentations by wirelessly connecting their laptop to the salon’s TVs.

 

Over the next couple of years Marriott is also releasing two additional Millennial-themed brands: EDITION, a luxury line, and Moxy, a European budget brand. In a fun twist, Marriott has partnered with IKEA to provide furniture and décor for Moxy to truly incorporate a budget-friendly, yet trendy experience.

 

Experts anticipate that other Hospitality groups will continue to follow Marriott’s lead on this initiative.

A lodging expert at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc, C. Patrick Scholes shares, “As long as the hotel market stays hot, I’d expect to see more of these. Millennials are the next generation of travelers. And every successive generation is looking for something a bit hipper and cooler than the previous generation.”

In fact, other groups have already begun to introduce more similar hotel chains. Earlier this year, Hilton Worldwide introduced their new brand — Canopy. While Canopy is not specifically aimed at Millennials, it is designed for travelers who desire luxury accommodations, but are still looking for adventure and fun.

Canopy has done away with traditional services, including room service, and has opted for more modern amenities for the traveler on the go. For breakfast, guests can request to “Rise and Dine” with a bag of food delivered to their door in the morning, and in the evening travelers can enjoy tastings with locally-sourced food and beverages.

The resort has also modernized the check-in process by allowing guests to check-in with a cell phone or tablet. Mobile devices also serve as a room key, providing secure access to their unit.

Stay tuned to TheTimeshareAuthority.com for more information on Millennial resorts.

Photos: AC Hotels