American budget hotel chain Red Roof Inn is entering the market with its newest brand, HomeTowne Studios by Red Roof, which is planned to launch in 20 markets worldwide.
The brand's hotels will be designed for long-term, budget-friendly guests. The company will open 30 properties with nearly 4,000 rooms. The brand's first ten hotels are expected to open next year. Red Roof currently has over 500 properties, primarily in the United States, according to Hotel Management.
According to Red Roof Inn President Andrew Alexander, the decision to gain a foothold in a new segment was not an easy one.
"Our current client base has been looking for properties like this for quite some time," he said.
According to data from the analytical company Lodging Econometrics, hotel projects with the possibility of long-term budget stays are currently account for more than a quarter of all hotel projects planned for implementation in the United States.
The HomeTowne brand doesn't yet have a fixed prototype—each market will develop its own "model." Instead, the company is spending $50 million on a major overhaul.
A significant element of the HomeTowne portfolio will be the external corridor, which many hotel chains have long abandoned.
HomeTowne Studios by Red Roof will feature kitchenettes with full-size refrigerators, microwaves, sinks, kitchen tables and chairs.
Meanwhile, the typical apartment-style serving and cooking sets will not be provided in the rooms. Guests will be able to bring their own or purchase their own upon arrival. For example, a dinner set costs $29.95 (plus tax) and includes plates, glasses, and coffee mugs for two, a frying pan and saucepan, a serving spoon, a spatula, and a can opener.
The decision to offer these products for sale rather than include them in the room rate was due to differences in local laws regarding the cleanliness of kitchen utensils, the company's CEO said.
Source: trn-news.ru
