HotelsMag March 2020 | Page 20

TRENDING

HILTON SETS A TEMPO
A rendering of a king Tempo room with the “ get-ready zone ”
Travelers seeking to maintain a healthy work-life balance without breaking the bank represent the sweet spot for Hilton ’ s latest brand launch .
Tempo by Hilton was designed to reflect “ the style of life of today ’ s modern achievers ,” who travel 10 to 15 times a year , says Phil Cordell , Hilton senior vice president and global head of new brand development .
“ A lot of travelers say they have a
tempo that ’ s interrupted when they travel . They ’ re trying to balance everything that life offers and they don ’ t want to throw out their life when they travel ,” Cordell explains .
In configuring Tempo , Hilton polled more than 10,000 consumers , solicited input from owners and investors and tapped Arianna Huffington ’ s Thrive Global behavior change platform and culinary firm Blau + Associates . Signature
room elements include a “ sleep environment ” and a “ get ready zone ” that includes an oversized bathroom and space for work or grooming . Guests will have access to Thrive Global materials to guide them through healthy evening and morning rituals .
F & B options include a complimentary selfserve coffee and tea station , a fast-casual café with breakfast options , and a bar that serves cocktails , mocktails and small
plates in the evening . A nod to sustainability includes food-waste programs , responsible seafood sourcing , hydration stations and full-size bath amenity dispensers .
The first Tempo by Hilton is expected to open in 18 to 24 months , with 30 projects already in the works and about the same number committed , all in the U . S ., franchised and new-build .
Room counts will typically range from 140 to 150 , with
development costs averaging US $ 180,000 to US $ 300,000 a key , excluding land , typically in “ suburban urban ” locations .
Cordell says careful engineering has resulted in “ a cool hotel with an efficient operating model ” designed to run with 30 to 35 full-time employees . Hilton is shooting for more than 500 locations within eight to 10 years , eventually outside the U . S ., he adds .— MEGAN ROWE

ESG ’ S GROWING IMPACT

ESG , or environmental social governance , is the new buzzword in asset fund management — and given that many hotel properties are part of bigger asset funds , it will affect many hotel operators , writes HOTELS blogger Xenia zu Hohenlohe , co-founder of hospitality adviser Considerate Group . Hohenlohe , who cites Schroeders ’ Bank outlook for 2020 on sustainability to point to the three main reasons driving these types of investments , discusses why this should matter to hoteliers : Rising regulatory pressure : Part of the EU sustainability finance package , instigated by the new “ Green Deal ,” is to ensure that environmental , social and governance ( ESG ) risks and opportunities are embedded in investment decision-making structures . What gets measured gets managed , so as hoteliers , you should have sustainability data available : This typically includes energy and resource consumption , and data on waste and the supply chain .
Corporate disclosure : Accounting and auditing for ESG is not yet standardized internationally , although the EU has agreed to a labeling system for sustainable finance . The U . S . Securities and Exchange Commission began scrutinizing funds ’ ESG policies in 2019 but appears reluctant to embrace standardization . The SEC has allowed a shareholder proposal this year that calls for Sustainability Accounting Standards Board disclosure . Besides having data available , hotels need to be prepared to start going out to tender for CSR reporting on all their activities . Growing public concern : The growth of green bonds will continue its upward trend , with Moody ’ s predicting the market this year at US $ 250 billion . Many of these investors are hotel guests and potential clients , so they will be looking to stay at sustainably run properties .
Besides increasing regulatory pressure as well as corporate disclosure becoming too important to ignore , the opportunities are massive . If your company already is complying with many of the standards , the competitive advantage will be yours to reap .
18 hotelsmag . com March 2020