Marriott Goes Long With Executive Residences
<B> Marriott Goes Long With Executive Residences</B>
By Maria Vallejo
<I>Washington</I> - Marriott International late last month announced a four-year expansion plan for Executive Residences, its new overseas extended stay brand for high-end corporate travelers.
The luxury corporate apartments require a minimum 30-night stay, though the average guest is expected to be a first-class traveler who stays about four months.
With only one apartment now running--in Budapest, Hungary--Marriott announced an aggressive goal of 20 Executive Residences properties by 2002. Brand development will hone in on key gateway cities worldwide, said executive vice president for development James Sullivan.
"There was a great new lodging opportunity to sell to the unmet need of multinational global organizations," said Executive Residences brand director Ellen Wright. "We expect to grow as more and more companies look for international opportunities."
The apartments primarily will be located adjacent to existing full-service Marriott hotels, and share their services. That juxtaposition is a welcome feature in international long-term housing, travel buyers said. "My gut feeling is you're not going to get executives who want to go off property," said Donna Abbott, travel manager at Houston-based Landmark Graphics Corp. "But convenience to location of business is very important. I don't want my travelers to travel too far to get to their meeting place."
The juxtaposition to Marriotts also will help assure that Executive Residences develop in strategic business locations, where many overseas Marriotts already exist. Negotiations now are under way for facilities in Dalian, Beijing and Shanghai, China; Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Mumbai, India; Quito, Ecuador; Warsaw, Prague, Mexico City and London.
"We're targeting global executives with a product that has the opportunity to reach customers that Marriott currently doesn't serve," Wright said.
Marriott developed the Executive Residences concept with input from hundreds of Fortune 1,500 international executive travelers from Hong Kong, New Delhi, New York and Prague, along with human resource managers and intermediary travel arrangers from the United States, United Kingdom and Japan. Their feedback--including the recurring themes of security, flexibility of lease terms and proximity to major business districts--were critical to decisions on room size, decor, services and amenities, Wright said. Because of their great concern over safety precautions overseas, for example, Executive Residences provide 24-hour security and concierge services.
To further simplify things, guests receive resident identification cards that allow them to use all services at both the Executive Residence and the adjacent Marriott--including shopping, dry cleaning and dining--and charge them to a single account.
Like other extended stay brands, Executive Residences will strive to create a "home away from home" atmosphere through a "socialization program" that prepares the residents for their stay two weeks prior to arrival. They receive a pre-arrival call from an onsite contact, providing a direct telephone numbers and arrival date confirmation, and allowing guests to pose last-minute questions or requests.
In addition to kitchens, voice mail and double phone lines, apartments are stocked with basic food and come with a complimentary city tour, invitations to monthly receptions and books addressing local customs, restaurants and other activities.