Renaissance To Be Repositioned As Distinct, Not Trendy

WASHINGTON, D.C— Despite numerous reports that Marriott International plans to revamp the Renaissance chain as a boutique brand, HOTEL BUSINESS® has learned that Renaissance actually intends to maintain its sophisticated reputation, but will tweak its “soul” slightly. Sid Yu, global brand vp/Renaissance, affirmed that the brand is updating its look to be more “individualistic and distinctive,” but that Marriott is in no way “trying to create trendy, super- fashionable hotels that go out of style. We want to create hotels that are sustainable.” Currently the Renaissance brand’s general managers are at a meeting in Chicago learning the ins-and-outs of the brand’s new concepts, which include creating a hotel that reflects its environment, adding more individual attention to guests, and developing restaurants that attract both travelers and locals. “There is a significant customer segment within the full-service tier that is truly seeking a full service hotel with more distinctiveness, and we’re already in the process of executing a strategy [to become that],” said Yu. He noted that the new brand concept will help to reposition the brand and create more distinction between the Renaissance and Marriott full-service chains. “It will position the two brands in a way that will complement each other, so investors can invest in both without fear that they will distract from each other,” he added. The goal of the brand’s redesign is to “offer the body of a full-service hotel with the soul of a boutique,” said Yu, who added that some Renaissance properties will have more of a boutique feel than others. “Renaissance never had the strategy to be a boutique brand, but we can have properties with heavier boutique atmosphere if it is appropriate for the market,” he added. He noted that the brand’s new properties in Miami and New Orleans will be “full-service hotels with a lot of boutique aspirations.” Meanwhile, existing properties in San Francisco and Washington D.C. already appropriately reflect their environment, said Yu, and will not need to be updated. “If you stay at Renaissance Mayflower in D.C., where royalty and politicians stay, you should expect a very different experience than if you stayed at our Hollywood hotel that has the Academy Awards,” he said. Some existing hotels will be undergoing renovations to bring them up to par with the brand’s new standards, and all of Renaissance’s new hotels will be constructed with the brand’s new standards in mind. The Renaissance Charleston, SC, which opened in January, marks the brand’s first new construction hotel to officially reflect its new concept. In addition to creating more distinct hotel designs, the brand plans to re-train its employees to offer guests “Savvy Service,” which includes a set of 20 service tenets that each Renaissance associate is expected to begin demonstrating by January 2002. “The general managers at our [Chicago] meeting this week are being introduced to the new concepts,” said Yu. “The focus is on a new set of service basics that make the guest feel more recognized and special.” Some of the new service basics are as simple as helping to ensure guests have a successful visit, and encouraging sales associates to learn more about their job. The brand also plans to add new “street restaurants” in all of its hotels that veer away from fine dining and instead prepare inventive local cuisine. All of the restaurants will feature bars, but Yu said they are not intended to reflect the trendy bar scene found at many urban boutique hotels. “We’re trying to create a distinctive, inviting, inclusive experience. Not exclusive hotels,” he said. Though Marriott has been openly searching for a boutique concept