Q&A discusses Courtyard by Marriott’s recent renovations in Cromwell and the Hartford hotel market with general manager Kristen Pikula.
Q: The 145-room Courtyard by Marriott in Cromwell just made a major investment in a facilities upgrade. How much was invested, and when was the last time the property was upgraded? What kind of work was done?
A: Our renovation was a multi-million dollar project that encompassed the entire hotel both inside and out. Our room renovation included new wall vinyl, carpet, beds, artwork, and furniture. We also remodeled all 7,500 square feet of our banquet space with new paint, carpet, wall vinyl, and chairs. Finally, we enhanced our exterior look by resurfacing our parking lot and edifice, painting the entire exterior of the building, and putting in a brick entry way under our porte-cochere.
Q: The improvements included new “Cynergy” designs that offer modern-style rooms with flexible workspaces. What does today’s business traveler need besides a comfortable chair, lots of outlets and free Wi-Fi?
A: Today’s modern business traveler has high expectations and there are many lodging and brand options from which to choose. Certainly free Wi-Fi, ample ports for electronics, a proper desk chair, and comfortable bed are important; however, it is the unique and personal touches that often turn a customer into a loyal client.
For example, at Courtyard Marriott we feature a Go Board in our main lobby, which is a large touch screen tablet that allows guests to immediately get useful information such as the location of their meeting room, updated departure and arrival information at Bradley International Airport, weather, news, and local transportation options.
The business traveler of today also wants access to dining options that are quick and casual, yet fresh and innovative. The Courtyard Bistro meets this demand by offering seasonal and simple cuisine that is freshly prepared and modestly priced. So, while offering the basics is important, it is the services, amenities, and interaction with our associates that keeps our guests coming back.
Q: Speaking of free Wi-Fi, what’s the philosophy in the hotel industry behind Internet access? Some hotels still charge fairly exorbitant rates of $12.95 per day and more while others provide it for free. Why is it seen as a profit center at some properties and a value-added benefit at places like yours?
A: The Courtyard brand is heavily geared towards the modern everyday business traveler who wants free Internet access. It is a value-added benefit at our property because we want to meet the demands of our guests.
Q: Which segment has a bigger impact on your hotel: business or leisure?
A: While independent business travel is the largest percentage of our client base, they often do not travel on weekends. While many suburban hotels appeal mostly to the midweek corporate traveler, there are still seven days in a week. At our hotel, we switch to a more social atmosphere on weekends, attracting wedding guests, sports teams, and social groups, particularly with our extensive banquet space that allows us to accommodate these types of events.
Q: CNN Money reports that hotels in the United States are on track to report their highest level of rooms booked ever so far this year. Is that true for the Central CT hotel market? How is your hotel doing so far in 2014?
A: Certainly there are markets like New York, Nashville, and Orlando that are experiencing explosive revenue growth and an increase in supply; and then there are other markets that are declining year over year.
Hartford is experiencing steady growth and has been performing consistently well the last two years, and that trend is expected to continue. Early 2014 posed some challenges with the extreme winter conditions that affected travel. Fortunately, this changed with the arrival of spring, and we are optimistic that with industry projections and our beautifully renovated hotel that this upward trend will continue.
Q: How is a property like yours marketed? How do you cut through the clutter of sites like Hotels.com and Expedia to get people to book at your hotel? Is price still a prime consideration?
A: Obviously, the Marriott brand alone affords us great exposure. Marketing is a multi-faceted approach, and one needs to remain top of mind with clients on a number of levels. Traditional marketing such as local sales blitzes, advertising, and direct mail are very important.
Embracing technology and social media is also important to engage your audience and maintain contact. It is the blending of both platforms that allows us to communicate with our guests, listen to their needs, and offer specials and promotions.
Post-recession, customers are more price conscious and more educated. Customers now take the time to scan multiple sites before making a purchase and also read customer reviews on sites like TripAdvisor to ensure a quality experience for the price paid. We have been proactive to this by always ensuring the best available rate is on our Marriott webpage and encouraging guests who have a positive experience to visit review sites like TripAdvisor and Yelp to post their comments.n
