NEW YORK— Manhattan got its first Super 8 Hotel in the 28-year history of the chain with April 11s grand opening of the Super 8 Hotel Times Square at 59 West 46 St. One of five city hotels owned and operated by regional player Apple Core Hotels, the 206-room hotel was reflagged March 16 from a Quality Inn & Suites after undergoing a $2 million total renovation last year. The Cendant Corp. economy brand also got something it had been after ever since Dennis Brown laid the foundation for it in 1972: a bona fide presence in The Big Apple. “After years and years of struggling to get into New York proper, it’s a mixed feeling of victory, elation, accomplishment and happiness just to have penetrated the New York proper market,” said Robert Weller, group president/CEO of Cendant’s hotel division. The brand has distribution across the river at the approach to the Lincoln Tunnel in North Bergen, NJ, as well as Long Island City, with 89-room and 29-room motels, respectively. Weller, who up until last November had served since 1993 as president/CEO of Super 8, reasoned one hindrance had been convincing economy limited-service developers that the concept could work in a major city, coupled with the fact entrée into such high-barrier markets could best be accomplished by them acquiring boutique-type hotels with room counts ranging from 100-200 keys. “There were just not that many available,” said Weller. In contrast, Apple Core Hotels has carved its niche by going after and repositioning tired and/or undervalued properties. “Right now there’s a perception in the city that there’s a need for [economy]/mid-price hotels for business travelers,” said Apple Core COO Vijay Dandapani. “We’re right there in that segment of the market. Travelers who are price and value sensitive are going to find a great deal over here.” Weller stressed the hotel concept for Super 8 would remain a venture solely for major downtown urban locations. “Essentially we are— and we’re not ashamed of it— a roadside-property chain. However, we have such pent-up demand for major cities and such a large guest base that I think we’ll do extremely well in any of the major cities.” The are currently more than 2,000 Super 8 hotels representing 123,000 rooms, with 25 million-30 million guests per year, including its seven-million-member VIP Club, which represent 53% of all reservations processed through the brand’s CRS. Indeed, in considering the reflag, Dandapani had cited leveraging the guest base as one of the key factors in going ahead. By layering on its own standards for rooms, including such amenities as video games, wireless Web TV, dataports, ironing boards, irons, coffee makers and other enhancements, Apple Core also is putting its stamp on the Super 8 Times Square, making it somewhat atypical of the brand. For example, it offers the 46th St. Café on its second floor, where guests may enjoy cocktails and snacks. Housed one flight down from the lobby is an automated business center, 30-person conference room, fitness center and dining room where free continental breakfast is served. Rooms include double-doubles, kings, and there are nine suites, with rates running from $89 to $209, depending on season, with a $120 rack rate (while $48 is the national average rate for the brand, other cities command rates near $70-$90). Could this experience skew guest perception offers overall? “I think the expectation when one comes to a major city is a different guest experience. This will be a wonderful surprise for any guest,” noted Weller. “Normally, in a smaller hotel in New York you don’t expect to get the room as nicely appointed as this, nor this size room.” He expects the traditional Super 8 guest to be “pleasantly surprised, but I don’t think it will take them out of the concept.” Dandapani indicated the property might set some benchmarks in terms of amenities for other city Super 8s, “but beyond that I think the Super 8s out there already provide good val
Robert N. Weller