Raines manages the Hotel Florence , a Tapestry Collection by Hilton hotel in Florence , South Carolina
understands it ’ s a different kind of business ,” Bortz says . “ When you don ’ t have a loyalty program , you have to go get that business yourself . It requires different talent — you need leadership with that background who know how to get the business and amplify that unique story .”
Auberge Resorts CEO Craig Reid estimates the company ’ s deal flow has tripled over the last four years , thanks to demand for bespoke luxury experiences . Auberge has partnered with owners who saw great bones in former schools , mansions — even a barn — and downat-the-heels luxury properties that needed some love . He , like others in the luxury space , values structures with character .
“ If you can take over a nice public space that also has a function to it , you immediately have a story to tell . You can start creating a choreography of service around it ,” Reid says .
Comfort , safety and a path to carve out guestrooms are obvious requirements . These days , the need for Instagram-friendly spaces has accelerated dramatically , he adds . Auberge prefers hiring residential designers over commercial hotel designers to achieve the right look .
Hilton has benefited from independents ’ interest in the safety of a brand umbrella over the last several years . New additions globally to the Doubletree brand , in particular , helped it expand to the 50th country last year . Hilton ’ s soft brands , such as Curio and Tapestry , have appealed to independent owners eager for distribution and loyalty members ’ business , says Gary Steffen , global category head for the company ’ s full-service brands . While conversions have always been an important element in Hilton ’ s growth , “ we definitely have had a stronger effort for this ,” he says .
Owners also need to weigh whether being part of a brand family will pay off . “ You have to have the conviction , whether it ’ s a soft or a hard brand , that the incremental cost is going to have an ROI ,” Kennealey notes . “ The answer is not always ‘ yes .’ Some people think it ’ s a magic bullet , but it isn ’ t .”
WHEN ADAPTIVE REUSE MAKES SENSE While some urban locations are seeing hotel rooms converted to
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