Fresh Hotel Athens, a member of Design Hotels
Lifestyle hotels are the next generation of boutique hotels. Driven by the chains, they borrow the best elements of boutiques – small, intimate and modern – and throw in advantages only a chain can offer, like loyalty perks, consistency and economies of scale. As a result, lifestyle hotels are generally more affordable and accessible than boutiques – and soon to be ubiquitous.
Virtually every major hotel group is vying for a piece of the action. Marriott has Edition Hotels, Hyatt has Andaz, and Starwood has Element and Aloft. Meanwhile, Kimpton and Joie de Vivre have been rapidly expanding, proving that the term “boutique chain” doesn’t have to be an oxymoron. Most recently, lifestyle brands have been announced by B Hotels & Resorts and Virgin Hotels.
Given that lifestyle hotels by definition must evolve with the changing tastes of travelers, how does a large chain deliver on that promise? For some insight I checked in with Janis Cannon, Vice President of Global Brand Management for Hotel Indigo, “the world’s first global branded boutique”. Hotel Indigo is part of the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), the world’s largest hotel group by number of rooms. Here’s a condensed version of our Q+A session. READ INTERVIEW >>
