Homewood Wins, TownePlace Scores In Long Stay
<B> Homewood Wins, TownePlace Scores In Long Stay</B>
By Maria P. Vallejo
Most analysts agreed first-place winner Homewood Suites clearly had the right combination of expansion and new construction projects needed to reach the business traveler. But they took issue with some of the rankings that travel buyers gave to extended stay chains.
For some, the most controversial issue was the exclusion of Extended Stay America from the top five. The sixth ranked hotel chain currently operates 114 properties with an occupancy rate of 70 percent.
"Given all the development with Extended Stay America, it surprised me that TownePlace popped up as highly and as quickly as it did," said Ted Mandigo, president of T.R. Mandigo & Co., Chicago.
The first TownePlace Suite, Marriott's newest extended stay brand, opened in February 1997, making it the newest product in the top five list. Marriott initially invested $25 million to develop the product and now plans to grow the brand through franchise and company-owned ventures.
"TownePlace Suites by Marriott is a new concept and there's not many out there, so I'm suprised," said Scott Brush, president of Miami-based Brush & Co.
First-place winner Homewood Suites won three categories, including helpful and courteous staff, quality/variety of in-room amenities and physical appearance. The chain has concentrated on building brand new hotels, unlike some of its competitors which are converting older properties.
"Homewoods are brands with new properties. Residence Inn has been around for 20 years now," Mandigo said. "You have some older Residence Inns competing with Homewoods, so I can understand the ranking." Residence Inns, sister brand of TownePlace Suites, dropped one position to second place, but received the highest usage rate of people who responded. The 28-year-old brand has more than 250 properties in North America. Last year, it celebrated its 10-year anniversary under Marriott. Third- place Summerfield Suites added four hotels last year, bringing its total to 30 hotels.
Oakwood Corporate Apartments, which was not in last year's survey, finished in fifth place. It was included this year following development in 61 cities and expansion of its sales forces. In the past two years, Oakwood opened facilities in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas and Seattle.
"We expanded nationally and came up on the radar screen," said Howard Ruby, Oakwood's chairman. "We've been able to get our reach out to more corporations and we've changed our marketing efforts to the decision maker at the corporation. It's much more targeted."
Oakwood equipped its Website with links into its top corporate clients' intranet sites. A firewall separates the accounts from outside viewers, and allows travelers and travel managers to fill out reservations or directly communicate with Oakwood corporation during stays at the facilities.