Hilton Worldwide has lined up 11 letters of intent to build hotels under the Canopy by Hilton new upper upscale lifestyle brand. This announcement follows the launch of Curio Collection by Hilton a few months ago for independent boutique hotels.
The announcement of the new hotel brand happened at Hilton’s Global Partnership Conference this week in Orlando, Florida.
“Built on extensive market research, our highly anticipated Canopy by Hilton brand delivers a fresh approach to hospitality and the guest experience,” Nassetta said said Christopher J. Nassetta, president and CEO of Hilton Worldwide. “We saw an opportunity to not only enter the lifestyle space by developing a new brand, but also to redefine this category by creating a more accessible lifestyle brand. We identified the need to take the emphasis off of capital-intensive design and deliver exactly what the target consumer desires: an energizing, comfortable stay with more included value.”
Hilton Worldwide Press Release – October 15, 2014
Say Hello to Canopy by Hilton
One of the first hotels will be Portland, Oregon.
Another lifestyle brand keeps the hotel industry moving forward with new ideas for guest experiences. Personally, I think W Hotels and Aloft are the only two hotel industry original brands to hit the market in the past 15 years. W Hotels brought originality, unique design and playfulness to a luxury hotel setting and Aloft made social playfulness affordable with a cookie-cutter room design. Every other new hotel brand seems to try and emulate the success of Starwood Hotels original brands. Luxury Collection already had the boutique, independent hotel in mind as a lifestyle brand that has been copied by Marriott Autograph Collection and Curio Collection by Hilton.
Where the new Canopy by Hilton hotels will open
- Canopy Portland | Pearl District
- Canopy London | Neighborhood to be announced
- Canopy Miami | Brickell
- Canopy Washington, D.C. | Bethesda North
- Canopy San Diego | Gaslamp Quarter
- Canopy Nashville | Downtown
- Canopy Savannah | Historic District
- Canopy Indianapolis | City Centre
- Canopy Charlotte | Uptown
- Canopy Oklahoma City | Bricktown
- Canopy Ithaca | The Commons
What is unique about Canopy by Hilton?
Through Hilton Worldwide’s extensive research and analysis, Canopy by Hilton’s proposition and concept has been refined and validated at every step with both guests and owners alike. Beyond simply creating a positive stay, four essential elements define what it means to be a Canopy hotel:
- Great neighborhoods. Canopy by Hilton is the streetlamp of the neighborhood. We are all about being local, through design, food and beverage, art, and local know-how. No two Canopy hotels will be the same, and we know that’s what our guests want.
- Comfort and design. We take a people first approach to design. The energy from our great neighborhoods flows through our open, welcoming lobby space. This energy gives way to warm, inviting, and comfortable just-right rooms.
- More included value. We know our guests demand a more inclusive approach and surprising extras. So basic Wi-Fi and an artisanal breakfast are included, along with a local welcome gift and an evening tasting of local beer, wine, or spirits*.
- Our “positively yours” culture. With a “positively yours” service culture, hotel “Enthusiasts” will deliver a one-stop approach to front-of-house service.
Four elements define Canopy Hotels:
1. Unique properties. The claim is no two Canopy Hotels will be the same with an emphasis on local. I think every hotel is local and some reflect that local character. Sounds good. My recent stay at The Thief Oslo, Choice Hotels Ascend Collection offered this same type of local character in a luxury hotel owned by the Norwegian billionaire head of Nordic Choice Hotels.
2. Comfort and Design. The press release is simply marketing speak. Sounds like zen and the art of hotel design.
3. More Included Value = free Wi-Fi and artisanal breakfast. Locally sourced foods coming to a Canopy near you? Evening tasting hour and local welcome gifts. Sounds to me like there will be an additional price tag to the room rate for all these “included values”. I am thinking Embassy Suites amenities with a unique design and smaller rooms and lots of signs to tell you about the local character of the stuff in the hotel surrounding you. I have seen that in other hotels, like The Nines, Starwood Luxury Collection in Portland, Oregon.
4. Our “positively yours” culture. Of course my hotel stay is all about me, the guest. Isn’t that common to most hotels?
“The demands and preferences of today’s travelers continue to evolve, and Canopy by Hilton creates something new for consumers in the lifestyle space,” said Jim Holthouser, executive vice president, global brands, Hilton Worldwide. “Canopy by Hilton will deliver more choice and control for guests than ever before, from a mobile straight-to-room arrival to surprising extras throughout each stay.”
Hotels as a lifestyle space. What does that mean?
So I can check into my hotel room without having to interact with anybody at the hotel?
Sounds great for an anti-social person in a social setting.
I love new hotels and urban renewal. Hotels are an anchor for urban revitalization and development. Many of the Canopy by Hilton letters of intent are urban projects.
Canopy by Hilton is a new brand for the hotel travel game by a major player in the global hotel industry. Time will tell if this new lifestyle hotel brand is a game-changer or just another hotel brand to remember when searching for good hotel loyalty value from Hilton HHonors.
*****
Ric Garrido of Monterey, California is writer and owner of Loyalty Traveler.
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