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An idea for a new concept in hotel room design, that was discussed towards the beginning of 2015, has been put into action by IHG and Holiday Inn Express. Four UK Holiday Inn Express properties are the first to have been redesigned and remodelled “entirely on guest insight” with the plan being to have 25% of all European Holiday Inn Express properties redone in the same way within 3 years.
Apparently the new design has been modelled on what guest have told IHG and Holiday Inn Express they want and has been put together by “industry-leading” experts “to meet the changing needs of today’s Smart Travellers”.
I have no idea what a “Smart Traveler” is supposed to be but I always get a little concerned when a PR release talks in advertiser-speak. It’s usually covering up for something less than optimal…but let’s see what IHG and Holiday Inn Express (HIX) have in mind.
We’re told that the new HIX Next Generation guest room has been designed to balance home comforts with “smart design features” that will give guests a room designed to better support their needs.
Special features in the Next Generation rooms include:
- Smart TVs – aimed at allowing guests to stream their own media from a personal device or log in to apps such as Netflix using the hotel’s free Wi-Fi.
- A larger that usual bed (no sizes given) with a padded, noise-reducing headboard (no comment!)
- A “flexible work/rest corner” – this replaces the traditional desk and features “a comfortable, ergonomically designed multi-use chair and table that can be moved around the room”
My first thought was that I’d like to know which guests decided that a good-sized work table was no longer required. The table in the photograph looks big enough for a laptop and mouse but, unless the perspective is playing tricks on me, there doesn’t appear to be room for much else – I don’t like it.
I’ll also be interested to see just how supportive that chair is when you’re working at the desk. It definitely looks comfortable and should be nice for watching some TV but I’ll reserve judgement on how multi-purpose it is until I try one out.
Other little touches include better bedside connectivity (hallelujah!)…..
…and a new Express Cafe and Bar integrated into the lobby. This sounds a lot like what I saw at a recent visit to a Hampton by Hilton property in Liverpool (UK):
The first hotels to feature this new design are:
- Holiday Inn Express London – Ealing
- Holiday Inn Express London – Park Royal
- Holiday Inn Express – Portsmouth North
- Holiday Inn Express – Grimsby (new property)
There’s one last feature which Holiday Inn Express are introducing (and I like this one): Guest will have the ability guests to choose their room from tablets showing the rooms in relation to all the amenities the hotel has to offer – a great idea for anyone who wants to be close to or away from elevators or those who prefer to be close to emergency exits.
Bottom Line
I like the fact that Holiday Inn Express and IHG are trying to freshen up the hotel room concept but I’m going to reserve judgement until I’ve tried one of the Next Generation room s out for myself. I confess to having my doubts about the new desk/chair combination but I like the idea of having smart TVs in the rooms and better bedside connectivity – the lack of the latter being one of the things that annoys me the most in a lot of hotels I visit.
I’ll have to check out the room rates at the four hotels that currently offer the Next Generation room and see if I can persuade Joanna to try it out in conjunction with her IHG Accelerate promotion 🙂
