DEVIL IN THE DETAILS
TRENDING
APPETITE FOR CO-WORKING
CitizenM New York
Bowery Hotel
Hotel properties providing co-working space are seeing opportunities as F & B revenue spikes . “ Offering services and amenities for people to do work or get together builds loyalty , plus it ’ s an opportunity to sell guest and meeting rooms , and to show customers what you offer ,” says Michael Doyle , managing director and executive vice president of CHMWarnick , a hotel asset management firm .
The potential for greater profitability from F & B purchases by co-working space users alone is high , Doyle adds .
“ Well-crafted lobby grab-and-go operations will produce a mid-30 % to mid- 40 % profit margin , while hotel restaurants will produce margins ranging from the mid-single digits to the mid-10 %.”
Fitler Club , a private lifestyle club with office space for rent by member companies , along with a 14-room hotel , opened in June in Philadelphia , and about 20 % of revenue is coming from F & B purchases , including from users of the 34,000-square-foot co-working space , Offsite . “ That ’ s revenue that we never factored in ,” says founder David
Gutstadt , who says one tenant has committed to buy lunch from the eatery every day for its team of 15 people . At CitizenM hotels , the lobbies are the co-working spaces , usually with hot and cold F & B , and they ’ ve given life to the brand , says Ernest Lee , head of development and investments , North America . “ We ’ ve always had very spacious lobbies where people just hang out on communal tables or at the bar , and work on laptops or take meetings , and it has energized the buildings .”
— RAYNA KATZ
DEVIL IN THE DETAILS
Amber Rogers Woody , Choice Hotels International ’ s director of interior design , upscale brands , dabbled in front desk , sales and HR before settling into her trade . Rogers Woody , 36 , whose mother was a GM-turnedregional VP for an upscale brand , discusses trends and priorities as the interior designer responsible for the design strategy for Cambria Hotels and The Ascend Hotel Collection : What she does differently as a designer : I ’ m a devil ’ s advocate … I consider how a guest interacts with ( design ), but also how associates interact with the design . From an owner ’ s perspective , I think , “ What are the costs associated with this ? How do I build it ? How do I ship it ? How do I install it so that it makes sense and is attractive to owners as well ?” To me , smart design is looking at how people actually use and interact with a space , not just how creative it is . Trends she ’ s observing : Guests are looking for an experience and they want to post about it . I don ’ t see social media waning … What will fade is tailoring design around one generation . It ’ s a little too trendy and won ’ t stand the test of time . How priorities are changing for next-generation leaders : We don ’ t want to be bogged down by processes and layers of approval . We ’ re also looking for the guidance of great leaders . We also want some autonomy and trust so that we can make quick , but smart , decisions . Predictions : The integration of technology in hotels will start mimicking what ’ s in the home . It has to be done well and thoroughly tested , or it can be a risk to guest satisfaction . But if you can make the guestroom work the way your smart house works , that ’ s going to be such a differentiator for brands .— ERIN SUND
12 hotelsmag . com October 2019