In June 2018, InterContinental Hotels Group's Crowne Plaza
brand will make its Plaza Workspace flexible meeting solution a brand standard for
hotels to implement during renovation.
The news comes after Crowne Plaza wrapped a conference with
owners and general managers last week. The conference highlighted new programs
and initiatives that grew out of the hotel company's three-year, $200 million Crowne
Plaza Accelerate program, which launched
in June 2016. The decision to make the meeting spaces a brand standard came
after a pilot that delivered an ROI for property owners within two years,
according to the company.
Plaza Workspace studio
Plaza Workspace includes two flexible meeting space options.
The first is a studio rented by the hour with a table that seats six, sofas and
chairs, a whiteboard, a TV that can project presentations, and ample electrical
outlets. The second option is a "huddle spot" in the lobby with a
flat screen TV for presentations. The brand standard calls for two huddle spots
in every hotel, and these spaces don't require a rental. The rest of the lobby
will feature various individual workspaces.
Plaza Workspace huddle spot
The ROI for owners derives from the studio rental fee and
incremental revenue from food and beverage sales. Each studio and huddle spot
comes with an iPad that enables users to order from a menu. "You don’t
have to interrupt the flow of the meeting. … You don't have to flag down the
server," Crowne Plaza Americas head Meredith Latham told BTN. "You
can actually utilize the tablet, place the order, and it will be delivered
directly where you are." Each renovated Crowne Plaza also will feature a
marketplace with grab-and-go food and beverage.
Other initiatives coming as part of Accelerate include
WorkLife guest rooms with amenities like a sofa workspace and outlets at every
turn; a core dinner and bar menu that will be standard across the Americas
portfolio, complemented by properties' ability to add local chef favorites; new
service training for on-property staff; and a dedicated field team to work with
sales operators to drive performance on the local level.