Experiences seem to be more and more of a significant part of what travel is all about — but for many people, they must be affordable. As the Hampton by Hilton brand has evolved in becoming somewhat more upscale over the years — similar to the overall evolution of the Civic model by Honda Motor Company — a bonafide affordable option located at or near otherwise expensive city centers in the Hilton portfolio is currently missing…
Motto by Hilton Is Newest Affordable Lifestyle Brand — But Will It Succeed?
…and that vacancy may be filled by Motto, which is the newest affordable lifestyle brand recently announced from Hilton. As a guest, it will empower you by giving you the freedom to create your own experiences in the most sought-after cities around the world.
How does a multinational company offer an affordable lodging option in a prime global location? Offer a combination of a small footprint in a micro-hotel with a potentially significant amount of flexibility.
One type of lodging which is popular with students and other people who otherwise cannot afford to travel is the venerable hostel — but they are often not an ideal option for frequent travelers, as rooms and bathrooms are often shared by guests who do not know each other.
Hilton evaluated the emerging lifestyle hostel model globally to understand the opportunity to enhance the shared room concept — but the results of extensive research showed that travelers who stay in hostels do not like rooming with strangers; and will often rather book reservations solely with their friends or family. These guests want more value from their hostel experience — but they are limited by current options in the lodging market in general.
What these particular travelers wanted was a less traditional yet affordable urban lifestyle brand — one which combined comfort and accessibility in a convenient location with travel and lifestyle trends that centered around:
- Prime Locations: Give travelers access and convenience to the best locations — being in the heart of the city and in the most popular neighborhoods, which make a difference. This global brand will be made up of a carefully curated portfolio of hotel properties in the most desirable urban destinations throughout Europe, the Americas, the Middle East and Asia Pacific. Motto by Hilton also has deals in various stages of development in other exciting urban destinations — such as Lima, Dublin, Savannah, San Diego, Boston and the District of Columbia, to name a few.
- Authenticity: What does it mean to be “here”? Locality breeds identity, community, and — ultimately — a sense of place.
- Affordability: Competitive rates which open the doors to cities and locations that travelers did not think they could afford. While Motto by Hilton prices will vary by market, each property will offer competitive rates that will make it a viable option for travelers who typically stay with friends or family or seek out temporary housing options when traveling to urban markets.
- Flexibility: One size does not fit all — choice is paramount, as multi-purpose spaces are growing in popularity because of the unmatched flexibility they afford, which offers tremendous value by empowering travelers to tailor every stay at a Motto by Hilton property to their specific needs.
What Motto by Hilton Properties Will Offer
Motto by Hilton hotels around the world will show off their flexibility through spaces which have been cleverly designed, technology that makes traveling seamless, and a standout sleep experience that makes recharging easier than ever.
- Guest Rooms: With an average footprint of 163 square feet or 14 square meters, the highly efficient rooms will include space-saving features such as wall-beds, lofted beds, segmented shower and toilet stalls, and multi-functional furniture that can be discreetly stowed when not in use.
- Linking Rooms: Eliminating the hassle of coordinating travel for larger groups, Motto by Hilton hotels will have the option for guests to book multiple connecting rooms in advance.
- Split-payments: Motto by Hilton hotels will allow guests to split payments between more than one person at the time of booking, avoiding the sometimes-complicated math exercise during checkout.
- Connected Room: All Motto by Hilton rooms will be outfitted with Hilton’s Connected Room technology, which is the first mobile-centric hotel offering that allows guests to control features in their room — for example, temperature, lighting, television, window coverings, etcetera — from their Hilton Honors mobile software application program.
- Curated Sleep Experience: Motto by Hilton hotels will put an emphasis on a premium sleep experience. Whether it is a premium mattress; a Sleep Kit with eye masks, essential oils or vitamin bars; a white noise app; blackout window shades; or sound absorbing materials throughout the room, Motto by Hilton is sleep-obsessed and prioritizes quality sleep for every traveler.
Earning Hilton Honors Points and Elite Tier Status Benefits
Guests who are members of the Hilton Honors program will be able to earn ten points per dollar at Motto by Hilton properties.
Members of the Hilton Honors team are currently working through the exact elite tier status member benefits which guests will enjoy when staying at a Motto by Hilton property; and they will have more to share closer to the opening of the first property which is currently scheduled to be sometime in the year 2020.
Summary
Although this news was originally announced on Tuesday, October 23, 2018, I wanted to wait until everyone else covered it, as the first Motto hotel property is not scheduled to be open until the year 2020 in the Marylebone section of London — construction on this hotel property of 100 rooms is scheduled to begin in January of 2019 after demolition on the site has been completed — so there was no rush to write this article.
“Hilton prides itself on being a leader in the hospitality industry and evolving with the needs of our guests,” said Christopher J. Nassetta, who is the president and chief executive officer of Hilton. “Innovation is in our DNA, and as we embark on our 100th year as a company, we are innovating more than ever before. With Motto by Hilton, we are bringing to market something the industry has never experienced with its flexible and affordable room product, desirable locations and guest-empowered service.”
I keep reading about how “fresh” and “exciting” this “deconstructed hospitality experience” known as Motto by Hilton will be to its guests. I do not know about you, but I do not look to a lodging experience as being “exciting” — unless I happen to be at a resort destination property which offers a lot to do at a reasonable value…
…but I will say that if the price point is right, I certainly would try out a Motto by Hilton property. I do not need a large room. Sometimes all I need is a comfortable place to sleep for several hours in a convenient location. To me, this — and the potential flexibility — is where Motto by Hilton will succeed, in my opinion, as its purpose as a brand is clear to me…
…unlike that of Tru by Hilton, which — with its small rooms, no desks, eclectic design and poor functionality in general — I am still unable to figure out.
Like the Fit — which is the car model that replaced the Civic at the low end of the product line for Honda — Motto by Hilton should do well for Hilton, as low end does not have to mean Spartan, bare bones and basic.
Source: Hilton.
