Bruce Feiler - Where God Was Born, Abraham, Walking The Bible

Why Are Cheap Hotels So Ugly?
Monday, March 5, 2007

And might that be changing. Sitting in a run-down Marriott last week in Louisville, I ran across this article that fashionable design, the kind seen in many upscale hotels, might be going downscale.

TRAVELERS who are tired of paying top dollar for trendy hotel rooms may soon get a break. A new wave of hotel chains, designed with fashionable but price-sensitive travelers in mind, is on the rise.
The hotel companies creating the new chains, which they often refer to as lifestyle hotels, aim to marry the stylish sensibilities of so-called boutique hotels with the low prices normally associated with budget brands. With a focus on modern design, the latest in technology and cool lobbies with social scenes, the hotels cater primarily to young business travelers. But with room prices expected to be $150 or less — well below the going rate at other hotels emphasizing contemporary design — the new chains may be a welcome alternative for vacationers, too.

The idea:

The new concept is to offer more bang for your buck by providing “the features and services of a more upscale hotel at a lower price point,” said Bjorn Hanson, global hospitality leader at PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Each room at Cambria Suites, a new all-suites brand from Choice Hotels International, will offer MP3 plug-ins, a CD and a DVD player, free high-speed wireless Internet and two flat-panel television sets. The first Cambria Suites is scheduled to open in April near the airport in Boise, Idaho, and others will follow later this year in Savannah, Ga.; Green Bay, Wis.; Appleton, Wis.; and at the Akron-Canton airport in Ohio.
NYLO Hotels, a new brand created by a group of veteran hoteliers including Michael Mueller, a former senior vice president of development for Starwood, will offer similar electronic features along with loftlike accommodations with high ceilings, exposed brick, and large windows. Each hotel will have a business center, a 24-hour restaurant and a gym with showers and steam rooms.

And in Savannah, too! Photos from the Cambria website.

Labels: Travel

Posted by B Feiler at 7:01 AM
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1 Comments:

Anne said...: Oh My! Savannah has come a long way. In times past, Savannah was the last to get something trendy. Now, it is a beautiful destination keeping up with the current trends. Wish it had been that way when we were there all the time.; March 5, 2007 6:16:00 AM EST