Hang out with your friends in your living room, or have a beer and join a card game in a communal hub: Some of the newest urban hotels are being designed with floorplans that focus on group travel, gathering and socializing. The intimate public spaces provide a place for groups to congregate and guests to mingle, and the guest rooms can be configured to accommodate those traveling together.
“In the traditional lobby, people walk past each other,” says California investor Philip Bates, who last year launched Bode, a hotel brand that caters to groups traveling together such as alumni reunions, bachelor parties and company work teams.
Bode opened its first locations in Tennessee: Nashville in November and Chattanooga earlier this year. That state was targeted because it is centrally located and attracts groups for work, concerts, sporting events and other occasions, Bates says. Next up are Southern California locations in Palm Springs, Indian Wells and Orange County.
In catering to groups, Bode offers floor plans with two to five bedrooms and common living areas and kitchens, aimed at families, friends and work teams. Independent travelers can opt for a traditional accommodation – the hotels will be built with about 110 rooms, Bates says.
In Nashville, groups congregate in the communal “Hub” for a cocktails and snacks. “Guests aren’t shy,” Bates says. “People are open; they feel like they’re part of something.”
Hilton is taking a similar approach to communal space with the launch of its Motto brand, announced in late 2018. Hilton envisions properties in dense city neighborhoods where guests don’t mind smaller rooms for the tradeoff of being near top restaurants and attractions, says Motto head Tripp McLaughlin.
Like Bode, key elements include a bar and café, work tables and seating. Owners will add their own bells and whistles such as a rooftop bar or basement restaurant, he says.
No hotels are open yet, but the first ones are under development, including a 100-key property in Marylebone, London, with U.K. developer Dominvs Group. Motto is eyeing several dozen markets in North and South America, Europe and the Middle East, and expects to open five to 10 a year for a total of more than 200. Like Bode, two to five rooms, of about 163 square feet each, can be linked to accommodate groups (kitchens aren’t part of the mix).
The communal “Commons” will be the unifying element, McLaughlin says, “to create the feel of a neighborhood.”