Luxury Hoteliers Magazine 3rd Quarter 2018 | Page 49

SPOTLIGHT Gary Steffen talks about the unique factors that make up a successful Lifestyle Brand, from their extensive research into what their guests were asking for, to a pet-friendly attitude and a devotion to sustainability and design. Each hotel taps into their staff’s local knowledge to give guests the meaningful experience they are looking for in a relaxed and comfortable environment. Learn more from Gary about the creation of this successful brand at the International Luxury Hotel Association’s INSPIRE’18 Summit in13&14 December. Canopy by Hilton Reykjavik YOU PLAYED AN INSTRUMENTAL ROLE IN LAUNCHING THE CANOPY BY HILTON BRAND IN OCTOBER 2014. CAN YOU TELL US WHY THE BRAND WAS DEVELOPED AND THE GUEST YOU WERE TARGETING? Canopy by Hilton Reykjavik City Centre Canopy by Hilton was created to fill a void in the current lifestyle market. We saw an opportunity to not only enter the lifestyle space by developing a new brand, but also to redefine this category by creating a more accessible hospitality brand. The lifestyle hotel space has changed tremendously over the last few years, and our research pointed us to an opportunity to offer travelers something more: an energizing, comfortable stay with more ILHA 49