The Salon, which was moderated
by American Express Travel EVP
Claire Bennett, featured a panel
of experts in the industry including
Andrew Benioff, Founder &
Chairman Independent Lodging
Congress; David Bowd, Principal
west elm Hotels; Annbeth Eschbach,
Founder and CEO Exhale; and
Greg Keffer, Principal at Rockwell
Group. Following, a summary of key
takeaways:
TIMING IS EVERYTHING: WHY
NOW?
The panel pointed to the rise of the
shared economy trend in lodging
and the impact of the millennial
generation as key reasons behind
the proliferation of lifestyle
hoteliers. Benioff also pointed to
the demand for authenticity, with
travelers “wanting to connect with
brands that they know.” According
to Benioff, a desire for authentic
experiences amongst travelers is age
agnostic. “[The boom of lifestyle and
independent hotels] is not just for
millennials, but all groups craving
discovery.” Eschbach also cited
a shift in lifestyle trends outside
the hotel space, noting “there is a
mindfulness evolution and hospitality
brands are charging into that.”
CHICKEN OR THE EGG: DOES
DESIGN DEFINE THE BRAND?
Design was noted as a major
force behind a hotel’s personality,
particularly in the lifestyle sector,
throughout the panel discussion.
According to American Express
Travel’s proprietary research, design
remains a key factor for consumers
when selecting lodging, but what
comes first: design or brand?
According to Keffer, it’s the trust in
the brand that is the key component,
“people trust a brand and their
quality of service […]. If you design
only based on the brand it won’t
64 ILHA
be fresh,” says Keffer. “The idea is
to design to a narrative – the city,
culture and programmatic elements.
Everything is fresh because it’s
always relevant to that space and
time.”
HOW DOES LIFESTYLE
TRANSLATE TO SERVICE?
Excellent hotel service is consistently
rated high on consumers’ list
– whether through personal
touch points or technological
advancements. In fact, internal
data from Amex Travel finds that
40% say “Exceptional Customer
Service” is the No. 1 Hotel Must-
Have. Bowd noted the importance
of ambitious, enthusiastic employees
in delivering the brand promise. “We
can train the skill but we can’t train
the attitude.” According to Bowd,
west elm Hotels will even go as far to
rename traditional roles in lodging,
turning a General Manager into the
“Inn Keeper,” further lifting the veil
between the traveler and the hotel
to create a more lasting, intimate
connection. Keffer also believes
that “little gestures can make a big
difference,” citing Nobu’s bath salts,
which are curated daily to enhance
the guest experience.
BEYOND THE BED
A link to the home-city was cited
amongst nearly all panelists in
discussing the differentiators of the
independent lifestyle hotel space.
“A hotel property needs to connect
to the community and should vary
each hotel experience by engaging
local tastemakers,” says Bowd, who
noted west elm Hotel’s pursuit of
interesting hotel locations cities
turning a corner. Benioff, who
recommended potential partnerships
with local walking tours, artspaces
and attractions, says, “it takes effort
for the hotel to [connect with the
community] but it pays off in the
end. Guests want to be comfortable
in the hotel but also want to venture
out to see what’s going on.” Bringing
the local community inside the
hotel is just as important as creating
opportunities to explore beyond the
walls, with Keffer noting the creation
of artist in residence programs
established at his previous designs.
Partnerships are also key according
to Eschbach, but only if they make
sense and elevate the experience –
“it’s important to be philosophically
aligned with our partners, they
have to be a good brand fit,” says
Eschbach.
BLURRED LINES: A SNAPSHOT
OF WHAT’S NEXT
When asked what was next in the
lifestyle space, all panelists kept
coming back to the same word:
convergence. Bowd and Benioff
both cited the merging of personal
and business time and its impact on
the hotel space. “More blurred lines
between business and leisure travel
- more and more people are arriving
on a Saturday for a business meeting
on Monday,” says Bowd. Keffer
also noted a shift in design that
captures this spirit, with the merging
of traditional hotel space with a
residential, home-like sensibility.
“Across the board, it was evident
that design is a major force behind
a hotel’s personality, and, according
to our own research, a key factor for
consumers when selecting lodging,”
says Bennett. “Perhaps one of the
most interesting themes throughout
the night’s discussion is the idea of
convergence, merging residential
style with traditional spaces in hotel
design, with the integration of
personalized, authentic service and
smart, user-friendly technology. It’s
an exciting time to be in the lodging
space and we’re closely connected to
the evolving trends of the industry.”