Skift Take
Forget spas and cocktail bars. Indoor kitchens are the must-have perk at U.S. hotels now. Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, and Wyndham are smart to bet that the long-stay trend will be here for the long term.
Marriott, Hilton, and Hyatt have previewed new extended-stay hotel brands in the past month. The U.S-based hotel groups are wagering that a few factors will power extended-stay hotels for years to come, including U.S. federal infrastructure investment, the resilience of blended travel, and a housing crisis.
Marriott International CEO Anthony Capuano said in an early May earnings call that his company was "a few weeks away from announcing a simple, modern, streamlined new-build, extended-stay product." The new brand, Marriott's 32nd, would target guests "looking for longer stays at a mid-scale price point," he said. In November, Marriott International separately said it would debut an extended stay brand in the U.S. and Canada called Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy in a premium-priced segment.
Hilton Worldwide CEO Chris Nassetta teased the previous week that the operator would debut an extended-stay brand within a few months. "It’s like an apartment efficiency meets hotel," Nassetta said. The premium-economy brand would be all new construction rather than conversions, he said.
Hyatt Hotels unveiled on April 18 a new brand, Hyatt Studios, as its entry into upper-midscale extended stay lodging in North America. The first of these properties are likely to open in 2024.
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts late last year rolled out its 24th brand, Echo Suites Extended Stay by Wyndham. The world'