Homewood Suites by Hilton Owners Talk Involvement in Creating Game‑Changing New Prototype
https://stories.hilton.com/releases/homewood-suites-owners-new-prototype-gamechanging
April 2021
Homewood Suites recently unveiled ‘Prototype 10.0’ – a game-changing, all-new prototype that modernizes the brand for the future. Prototype 10.0 yields a reduction in site size from 2.49 acres to 2.36 acres, reduces the building area by more than 3,350 square feet; increases the number of room keys from 121 suites to 131 suites; and enhances food and beverage options to generate additional revenue opportunities.
For guests, Prototype 10.0 has infused innovations and elevated experiences with the hallmark spaces and amenities that travelers value most, including:
King Efficiency Suite: A game-changing new suite type that features many of the attributes of a full suite, including a fully-equipped kitchen, a work space area, soft seating and a separate vanity and bathroom, that can be booked independently or as a connecting suite to accommodate larger groups and families.
Elevated shared spaces: Elevated shared spaces will be reflective of the experience guests have in their own homes, including a reimagined fitness center, an enlarged guest laundry area and the Backyard - a completely redesigned social space with fire pits, outdoor kitchen areas, upscale picnic tables and a recreational area
Guest storage: A newly appointed flex storage area allows guests to enjoy clutter-free living by storing oversized items such as bicycles, golf clubs, skis, strollers and large suitcases outside of their suites
Food and beverage purchase options: The lobby area features a new elevated retail experience including barista-style specialty drinks, meal prep items at the Suite Shop convenience store and a Tap Wall with beer and wine for purchase
As an owner/developer, what key differentiators of Prototype 10.0 are you most excited about?
Chet Patel, Baywood Hotels: The King Efficiency Suite is unique to the Prototype 10.0 design and will be a game changer in the upscale extended-stay space as it provides developers and operators flexibility in markets with higher demand. Another key differentiator is the reduction in overall square footage of the building and footprint, as this will help when considering tighter development sites.
The room mix for the prototype will likely be 30 percent king efficiency, 65 percent studio and 5 percent one-bedroom.”However, those are guardrails,” Colling added. “If, in a market, you need queen-queen studio suites, we will afford the opportunity to do those and we'll work with owners.”
Looking Ahead
The first Prototype 10.0 is expected to open in 2023. The prototype will be available for both new-builds and conversions from other extended-stay brands. Of the 106 Homewoods already in the pipeline, about 34 will begin incorporating 10.0 elements into a traditional 9.2 model for a hybrid look. “We'll catch the rest of them to get just about as close to 10.0 as possible,” he said.
The 511 Homewoods currently open will eventually have to upgrade, Colling added, but the company will help owners make the adjustment. “Two months from now, we will release a renovation guide that will have all the attributes of the new 10.0 and how we would push those into the mature assets that we've now got,” he said. Still, he said, “I would imagine the runway will be fairly long on those that choose not to [upgrade immediately].”