Worldwide: Marriott International has announced a programme to work anywhere with Marriott Bonvoy, with three packages catering to different needs.
Marriott Bonvoy’s new Day Pass, Stay Pass and Play Pass were designed as flexible options for guests either seeking a one day stay, an extended overnight stay, or a multi-day work and leisure getaway.
The company conducted research in the US and found that 42 per cent of more than 400 business professionals (both Marriott Bonvoy members and non-members) would consider working from a hotel guest room.
Reasons stated for working at a hotel include:
• Desire to break up day-to-day monotony
• Not having a dedicated workspace environment and feeling claustrophobic in small apartments
• No boundary between work and personal life, especially for families managing remote learning for kids
• Inability to focus and work uninterrupted on important presentations, projects and meetings
• Competing for insufficient wifi
“Working remotely doesn’t necessarily have to mean working from home, where blurred lines between personal and professional lives can create distractions and stress,” said Stephanie Linnartz, group president of consumer operations, technology and emerging businesses at Marriott. “We are inviting guests to work anywhere with Marriott Bonvoy to help them be more productive and achieve a better work/life balance by reimagining our hotel rooms as local remote workspaces for our customers. By providing flexible booking options, our loyalty members and guests have a familiar alternative when choosing where to work.”
When asked what is important to consumers when considering a hotel guest room as workspace, respondents ranked:
• Fast and reliable wifi and technology
• Clean and disinfected places to work
• Ample desk space with a comfortable chair and plenty of nearby electrical outlets
• Modern space with a view and natural light
• Peace and quiet with no distractions
• Access to coffee, bottled water and food
• Access to hotel perks like the gym and pool
Linnartz added: “Our hotels and our internal teams are engaging and listening to our communities daily to understand how we can best meet their needs locally and globally based on the continuously evolving changes to employer, school and local mandates and regulations. We believe this continuous evolution and innovation with our corporate clients and consumers will help drive the future of Marriott’s offerings.”
The Day Pass allows for the hotel room to become an office from six in the morning to six in the early evening. Guests have access to in-room amenities and on-property business facilities, with Marriott Bonvoy members receiving a complimentary welcome gift on arrival.
This package is currently being offered in select hotels in Atlanta, Phoenix, Dallas, New York, Toronto, London, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong, with planned expansion in Europe, Middle East and Latin America.
The Stay Pass combines a Day Pass with an overnight stay. Additional benefits include access to hotel amenities such as the pool or gym, with a free breakfast and complimentary evening cocktails. It is available at nearly 2,000 hotels worldwide.
The Play Pass has been designed with families in mind. Guests can take advantage of a business concierge, supervised kids activities, preferred office/study spaces along with curated experiences for the family.
It is available at participating luxury and resort locations worldwide including properties in Bali, Venice, Hawaii, Florida, California, Arizona, Cancun, Rio de Janeiro, Sharm el-Sheikh (Egypt), Limassol (Cyprus), Koh Samui (Thailand), and Marabella and Tenerife (Spain).
