MINNEAPOLIS—Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group’s launch of its lifestyle-select brand, Radisson Red, got a major boost earlier this month when the company unveiled that it had inked deals for the brand’s first four properties.
The new brand—which was first revealed to the industry in February 2014 during the company’s annual conference—will get its start in the Americas with locations in Bogotá and Cali, Colombia; Campinas, Brazil; and downtown Minneapolis.
Javier Rosenberg, COO, Americas, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, touted the brand’s initial properties as well as its potential. “It’s a combination of both conversions and new-builds; a combination of Latin America and North America; and a combination of franchised and management, so it’s really an interesting first few properties that we’re bringing in. We have some very exciting momentum with Radisson Red,” said Rosenberg, who added the company expects to be announcing additional new properties in the near future.
In fact, Carlson Rezidor expects to open 60 Radisson Red locations globally by 2020, and has announced other regions under development, including Brussels, Belgium; Cape Town, South Africa; Glasgow, Scotland; and Shenyang Hunnan, China. Rosenberg pointed out that the brand has garnered strong interest and development momentum in Asia-Pacific as well as Europe.
He maintained there are some of differences between Radisson Red and the company’s upper-upscale Radisson Blu brand, which preceded it and has grown to include nearly 300 worldwide locations, four of which are in major cities in the U.S. “Radisson Red is upscale, lifestyle select. So you’re looking for an urban setting because you want that social traffic and you want that community involvement, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be a gateway city. So, in the U.S., you can certainly see destinations like Nashville or Denver, which may not pop up in the top 10, 15 markets in the U.S.,” he said.
The brand is designed to appeal to tech-savvy guests with an ageless Millennial mindset by offering a non-traditional stay experience, according to the company. The new hotel concept combines work and play and is inspired by design, art, music and fashion. Locally inspired art is incorporated into the overall design. Instead of typical meetings facilities, there is an event studio for meetings and gatherings. Food and beverage outlets at Radisson Red include Ouibar and the 24-hour REDeli, which will feature customized menus to cater to local tastes.
In addition, according to the company, Radisson Red offers developers and property owners a lower per key cost than a traditional upscale hotel through a multi-functional approach and more efficient space planning, which significantly reduce construction and operating costs.
The brand’s initial foray into the U.S., the Radisson Red Minneapolis Downtown, is within walking distance of the new U.S. Bank Stadium currently under construction, which will be home to the Minnesota Vikings. The 164-room, new-build hotel is connected to the Wells Fargo Office Tower and the stadium via the Minneapolis skyway system. It is part of a larger Minneapolis Downtown East mixed-use redevelopment by Ryan Companies. The hotel will be owned and managed by Carlson Rezidor and is scheduled to open in Q4 of 2016.
Rosenberg elaborated on the opportunity. “It’s an exciting area with a new stadium, and it’s obviously a project that we are very involved with both as investors and managers. It’s a project that we want to back because it’s not only in our backyard, but it’s in North America and it’s strategic for us,” he said.
The brand’s other new-build properties include the Radisson Red Cali and Radisson Red Campinas. Radisson Red Cali is a 91-room hotel with views of the Cali River. The hotel is in walking distance of museums and entertainment, including the famous Cali Zoo. In addition to dining options with views of the city and river, the hotel will house a salsa club. A rooftop pool, as well as the majority of guestrooms, will include balconies. The property is scheduled to open by Q1 2016.
Radisson Red Campinas, meanwhile, is 185-room hotel centrally located in the Cambui neighborhood. Cambui offers guests options of several restaurants, bars and stores. The district is located just next to downtown, the oldest part of the city and main shopping area and transport hub, according to the company. The hotel will be managed by Atlantica Hotels International, Carlson Rezidor’s longstanding partner in Brazil.
On the conversion front, the Radisson Red Bogota is a 58-key contemporary hotel in the Virrey Park area and within walking distance to the entertainment district of Parque Calle 93. Large windows and a rooftop pool will offer views of the park and the surrounding mountains. In addition, the hotel’s food and beverage offerings include terrace seating with views of the park and city for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The hotel is scheduled to open in Q1 2016.