Hotel & Motel Management - November 5, 2007 - (Page 85)

www.HotelMotel.com/digital_edition HotelMotel.com | H&MM November 5, 2007 News 85 Sierra brand moves forward with new name, high expectations By Jeff Higley EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Wichita, Kan.-Launching a new brand isn’t the only project on LodgeWorks’ plate. The company is renaming its extended-stay project to Hotel Sierra from Sierra Suites and repositioning it as a lifestyle brand. Tony Isaac, LodgeWorks’ president, said the impact of the Internet is one of the main reasons behind the moves. “As a small brand, one of the things we found out is that if someone is looking online and they’re not being guided, Sierra is not a known name,” he said. “We were getting lumped in at a lower quality than we should have been.” He said the consumers’ mindset will be that of higher expectations and a higher level of service with the Hotel Sierra name. “We have to do more than just change the name,” he said. Before lifestyle hotels became a recognized niche, Sierra Suites brand was among the leaders when it launched a separate enclosed business center and an oversized exercise center, Isaac said. Cheryl Doll, v.p. of marketing and distribution, said the brand will continue to have a kitchen in each room. “We’ve always served a hybrid audience—the long-term guest and short-term guest who loves the lifestyle,” Doll said. “The conclusion we came to is that extended-stay guests make up a lot of roomnights, but they are less than 15 percent of who walks in the door,” Isaac said. “We’re sending a message to the general public that this is more of a hotel.” The brand is changing its foodand-beverage offering to include a cook-to-order omelet station and a Starbucks coffee presentation in each guestroom. Each property will have between 2,000 and 3,000 square feet of meeting space. All seven of the company’s Sierra Suites properties will be converted. The ﬁrst Hotel Sierra opened in early October near Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C. Another property is opening in Bellevue, Wash., in January, and new properties are scheduled to join the Hotel Sier- ra system during 2008—one in Richmond, Va. and one in Redmond, Wash. Isaac said the development process will stay as is. “We’re not in the franchising business; they’ll all be owned and operated by us.” The brand also owns and/or operates other branded hotels, including nine Summerﬁeld Suites by Hyatt properties. It has some Hyatt Place properties and an aloft hotel in its pipeline. It opened a Hilton Garden Inn in Albany, N.Y., mid-October. jhigley@questex.com CIRCLE NO. 104 LODGEWORKS A newly constructed Hotel Sierra in Richmond, Va., is scheduled to open in 2008. http://www.HotelMotel.com/digital_edition http://HotelMotel.com http://www.ambath.com http://www.ambath.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Hotel & Motel Management - November 5, 2007

Hotel & Motel Management - November 5, 2007 Contents M&A Pace Slowing After Early Boom LodgeWorks Jumps Into Upscale Game Accor Reorganizes Leadership, Structure Perspective At Your Risk Travel Trends Sales Clinic On Finance Family Business Matters Cornell Insights Franchise Law Training Trends Satisfaction Trends Management Trends Events Guest Column Trends & Stats GM Survey Historic Property Conversions Offer Appeal for All Extended-Stay Brands Survey Green is the Word at IH/M&R Show Transactions Restaurant POS Handhelds Keep Managers Alerted Rising Costs Confront Midwest Builders Business Travelers: Breakfast Still an Important Perk IH/M&RS Product Preview Vacation Ownership Projects to Grow in U.S., Abroad Awards Training Programs Jump to Front Lines Refrigeration: Before You Break It, Fix It Lighting Enhances Property People Supplier News Best Western Aims High with Atria Vantage Makes Global Plans Sierra Moves Forward with New Name, High Expectations Maintenance Doctor Social Marketing Makes Way into Hotel Industry People Ad/Editorial Index Marketplace Classifieds Checking Out

Hotel & Motel Management - November 5, 2007

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.