Global Update
Lobby and business bar rendering for GLo
“ We need to appear more contemporary and relevant to broaden appeal .”
“ Our hotels create the brand ,” adds Jayesh Patel , board chairman for Best Western . “ If our brand is successful , our hotels will do well and will be able to raise rates . We must always act in the best interest of the brand .”
With Best Western offering a zerointerest incentive program to encourage quick adoption for signage that could range from US $ 20,000 to US $ 80,000 , the goal is to have 1,000 properties in the U . S . and Canada with new signage by the end of May and before a summer travel TV ad campaign . “ We have estimated that between what the brand will spend and what our members will spend , it ’ ll be close to US $ 200 million in investment in North America ,” Kong says .
GLo suburban brand Best Western also launched its seventh brand , GLo , a midscale new-construction , suburban brand that aims to offer “ a hip , boutique-style experience for savvy travelers who expect the best in
value , design and comfort .” GLo will target secondary markets in high-population-density areas in North America , competing with the likes of La Quinta , Holiday Inn Express and Hampton .
“ Nobody has an affordable boutique concept in the midscale segment ,” Kong says . “ We believe there is a huge market for a fresh and hip concept for the broad midscale segment . It will have a striking design with plenty of selfie moments .”
Reflected in the brand ’ s name , GLo ’ s architecture and design use LED elements . Designed as four-story , 70-room hotels , public areas will feature contemporary social spaces , efficient design and pops of color . Guestrooms will be about 250 square feet ( 23.2 square meters ) and include multi-functional areas , and center-loaded , modern bathrooms . Expected ADR for the brand is US $ 90 and cost-per-key is projected to be US $ 65,000 .
Digital development The launch of a mobile website is the second phase in a three-phase plan to redesign Best Western ’ s digital platform .
Features of the new mobile website include an enhanced visual design that incorporates more images and rich media , a hotel comparison view , the ability to filter search results based on rate and amenities , a map-based feature that shows nearby attractions , and an integration with the Best Western Rewards program .
In 2016 , Best Western will also unveil a new bestwestern . com . Through a partnership with Google , Best Western plans to leverage Google ’ s search capabilities , Google Business View and Google Business Photos .
Impact changes Best Western is also proposing to reduce the existing 10-mile impact radius area in major urban areas to allow for further critical development in bigger cities .
Ron Pohl , senior VP of brand management and member services , says he ’ d like to grow the company ’ s North American footprint to 2,500 hotels in the next few years . Right now the North American pipeline sits at 214 hotels with 70 % new construction .
www . hotelsmag . com November 2015 HOTELS 13