Reimagining Hotels as Platforms not Products

How Hospitality Has Misrepresented what it means to be "Local"

Over the last few years, we have heard the increased use of words like “community” and “local” in reference to hotel development both domestically and internationally. While it’s likely the almost ubiquitous presence of these words was meant to stress the importance of local talent and the significance of regional hotel development projects, they have become so overused that they have lost a lot of their impact. They have become trite and trivialized from over exposure.

What does it mean to be truly local when building or renovating a large hotel that often relies on outside investments for completion? Can you check the “local” box by merely hanging art created by local artists? Is it enough to hire local interior design and architectural firms to help draft your plans? Or could it involve something much deeper? 

This question is one that I have given a great deal of thought to over the years. I deeply believe in the concept of “going local” and making every project a proud product that reflects the community in which it exists. It was just over six years ago that I was engaged on a project where the drive to localize our efforts influenced every decision we made, including the choice of partners to work alongside us. Yet, despite our well-meaning plan to make every collaborator and partner a “true local,” the process and the final product were not what we had expected. Something was missing. 

For decades, the hotel development community has produced hotels as simply another commodity within the market. They then often proceed to plaster on an emphasis for local and community-centric design aiming to increase their potential appeal to the consumers within that regional market. No doubt each development aims to put in the necessary work to make the hotel attractive to the locals, opening the doors to a grateful clientele. We operationalize the "local" construction process and, voila, a beautiful building designed by a local team, built by a local general contractor, and funded by an outside firm with furniture and interior treatments supplied by international manufacturers mixed with a smattering of locally made products thrown in.

About a year ago, I had an epiphany, while having a conversation about technology platforms. What if we have been catagorizing hotels incorrectly? What if we designed and built hotels as if they were platforms and not products? What if the constructed building was merely a stage for local immersion and local partnerships - a place where locals didn’t just come to meet over coffee but to promote, create and market their own businesses. Beyond the construction of the physical space, the hotel could become a gathering spot for local artisans, businesses, and retailers to cross-pollinate and promote partnerships. As a platform, a hotel could become a home for pop-ups and a venue for local businesses to showcase their wares and talents to paying guests and interested parties from within the community. What if we didn’t focus merely on the amenities offered within our four walls but instead trained our teams to embrace an ethos that connects customers to other local businesses, venues, tourist attractions, and community events. To some this may seem like something they are already accomplishing through antiquated methods of concierges. To others this thought may seem counterintuitive to promote the competition, but is it? The old phrase “a rising tides lifts all ships” is more than a clever maxim; it’s a proven fact. One that could transform an industry in need of a revitalization and a new way of “going local.”  

There are already hotels that have seen the handwriting on the wall and have begun to implement this strategy. 

The Manchester 

Lexington, KY 

Guests who book at The Manchester are supplied with a link of “Experiences” designed to connect them with local tours, wellness and retail appointments, and exciting adventures – all at the click of a button. 

Halcyon; at Cherry Creek

Denver, CO 

When checking into the Halcyon, you are given a fitness passport that provides you with access to several of the local fitness and gym facilities. Should you care to cycle at Soulcycle, your first visit is on the house.

These are just a few examples of how a hotel can be transformed into a platform rather than a single-use product, and the opportunities are truly endless. However, I would urge you to recognize this is more than applied programming. The future of the industry requires that we stop treating our hotel developments as products to be consumed. The consumer is more savvy and selective than ever. They are looking for far more than a place to spend the night. They are looking for an experience that goes beyond the four walls of their room or the footprint of the hotel. To meet their desires, we should view our hotels as places of promotion and connectivity, linking our customers with the local community. This strategy will help build deeper relationships that go far beyond hanging local artwork on the walls and placing locally built furniture in our rooms.

Hospitality is challenging, but through redefining ourselves as a true platform we can simplify the process and significantly enhance its impact by partnering with the local business community and transforming our hotels from places to stay to places to experience all the local community has to offer – together!