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THE MARRIOTT HOTEL IN CHARLOTTE , NORTH CAROLINA , IS COLLECTING GUEST RESPONSES TO ITS BRAND TRANSFORMATION — IN REAL TIME .
By BARBARA BOHN , MANAGING EDITOROR
The Charlotte Marriott City Center looks like a hotel , but it ’ s also a 422-room proving ground . The property in North Carolina ’ s contemporary design aesthetic incorporates technology to test innovations and track guest response in real time . Called M Beta , “ it ’ s an innovation hub
where we have taken all our best thinking and pushed it several steps further ,” says Matthew Carroll , vice president of global brand management at Marriott International . Some of the features being tested include a fitness concept with more than 1,000 on-demand workouts in either an
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individual space or a studio setting ; more “ communal ” F & B spaces , including Coco and the Director , a coffee / co-working space with amphitheater seating and rotating sandwich selections ; flexible meeting spaces ; and guestrooms with flexible seating and walk-in showers .
Feedback is tracked through technology – new features are highlighted to guests with “ like ” buttons that are placed throughout the hotel . Responses are reflected on screens
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in the hotel and on the company ’ s TravelBrilliantly . com website .
It ’ s also tracked through employees . “ We ’ ve spent a huge amount of time educating them about the innovations in the hotel , how to share that with guests and get feedback as well ,” Carroll says . There ’ s no way to track the demographic pushing those approval buttons , and guests aren ’ t pursued for feedback beyond being asked to complete satisfaction surveys .
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A few areas are getting specific focus : the guestrooms , where , among other tweaks , the showers were converted from tubs ; the “ greatroom ” -type public space ; the M Club lounge , considered a more evolved executive lounge ; and a redesigned fitness area , which Carroll says has topped the other spaces in volume of positive response . Other F & B concepts will be replicated in areas where they make sense . “ Coco and the Director could be |
10 hotelsmag . com October 2016 |