there ’ s very little we ’ ve had to change to accommodate the trend in working from hotels .”
WORK AND PLAY The workcation is growing more popular as the pandemic lingers . The Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point , California , is promoting a two-fer Zoom into Zen Package with overnight accommodations and an extra room as a private office . The price includes high-speed WiFi , in-room printer or scanner , a business concierge and a US $ 100 resort credit that can be applied toward cabana rentals and dining .
The Work from Hyatt package , which starts at US $ 139 a night for stays of a week or longer , provides work space options , housekeeping , high-speed WiFi and discounted or complimentary laundry . Individual hotels offer location-specific perks such as a round of golf or a spa treatment at the Park Hyatt Aviara in San Diego , or complimentary s ’ mores kits at the Hyatt Regency Clearwater in Florida .
“ We remain committed to listening to our guests ,” says Asad Ahmed , Hyatt ’ s SVP of commercial services America , “ and we have learned that we need to go beyond safe and clean , and reimagine the hotel experience with a focus on holistic wellbeing .”
Ahmed says the program grew out of heavy demand this past summer for Hyatt ’ s Destination Residences . The company saw an opening for guests seeking more than a weekend escape . The program is being rolled out beyond the initial 25 properties , he says , and most bookings have come from World of Hyatt members .
Hyatt ’ s program has a seven-day minimum , while Palmaia – The House Of Aia , a new vegan resort on Mexico ’ s Riviera Maya , ups the ante with a monthlong Beachfront Wellness Work-Away . Travelers who book the US $ 7,500 package get ocean-facing suites , child care , daily laundry , onsite tech support and private meditation sessions with a personal growth guide . A month “ was the minimum we needed to be able to offer guests a compelling price point ,” says Alex Ferri , founder and CEO .
The St . Regis Punta Mita in Mexico also has seen strong demand for long-stay bookings , particularly on two- and three-bedroom suites and villas . A Stay Longer and Save package offers guests up to 30 % savings for visits of five nights or more .
Accommodating kids who are learning remotely is another popular hook . Montage Hotels & Resorts
Westin Nashville offers a Zoom Room , a meeting space equipped for video calls that holds up to 15 participants , with no F & B minimum .
created Montage Academy , offered at several resorts , with an all-day monitored study hall , virtual tutors , healthy snacks and lunch , and afternoon elective activities ranging from yoga to hiking , art , cooking , woodshop and conservation . Montage charges US $ 175 for a full day or US $ 725 for a full school week .
BRING THE FAMILY Select Kimpton hotels recently expanded their Work from Hotel packages to provide a kids ’ component . “ With work and school continuing to remain remote for the remainder of the year , we ’ re seeing family vacations increasingly extend into the fall ,” says Kathleen Reindenbach , chief commercial officer .
The hotels named a property-level “ chief virtual learning officer ” to manage the program . Guests normally research and book their own work-fromhotel sessions .
Appealing to untethered workers and families is not likely to go away with the pandemic . Amanda Lesse , director of sales and marketing at Amara Resort and Spa in Sedona , Arizona , has aimed the resort ’ s Work from Here , Learn from Here program at guests within an eight-hour drive of the resort . But the next market she ’ s mining is further afield : Fortune 100 and 500 companies that have encouraged employees to work remotely long-term . “ We ’ re looking at a lot of technology companies that are not going back to their offices ,” she says .
SOME KIMPTON HOTELS EXPANDED THEIR WORK FROM HOTEL PACKAGES TO PROVIDE A KIDS ’ COMPONENT AND NAMED A PROPERTY- LEVEL “ CHIEF VIRTUAL LEARNING OFFICER ” TO MANAGE THE PROGRAM .
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