Dive Brief:
- Choice Hotels International unveiled a new prototype, dubbed “Scenic Dreams,” for its midscale lifestyle brand Sleep Inn today. The prototype features “modern, nature-inspired” guest rooms and common areas as well as expanded wellness offerings, according to Choice.
- The prototype, first announced last spring, was developed in collaboration with developers, owners and operators who asked for “efficiencies in the layout and the operations” of Sleep Inn hotels, Jason Cowan, senior vice president of signature development at Choice, told Hotel Dive.
- Early consumer testing shows that Scenic Dreams could increase guests’ likelihood to stay, Choice told Hotel Dive. The prototype caters to a growing number of travelers prioritizing health and wellness, Cowan said.
Dive Insight:
The Scenic Dreams prototype features the Sleep Inn brand’s signature exterior purple tower and purple lighting accents as well as “refreshed bright and airy interiors,” including murals of natural landscapes, “calming” color schemes and modern wood accents, according to Choice.
The refreshed prototype’s layout and hotel rooms were designed to minimize wasted space and optimize operational processes while keeping the cost to operate low, something particularly poignant as labor costs and supply costs continue to rise, Cowan said.
To achieve greater operational efficiency, Choice has strategically placed back-of-house spaces as well as easily movable furniture, durable surfaces and plenty of USB outlets to streamline housekeeping, Cowan explained.
The prototype’s exact costs to build and operate were undisclosed, but Choice said the product remains “one of the lowest cost hotels to build and operate in midscale.”
Beyond cost-savings, the prototype aims to “deliver noticeable results to [Choice] owners' bottom lines and guest satisfaction scores,” Cowan said in a statement.
In early consumer testing, the Scenic Dreams prototype was found to significantly increase guest satisfaction, Choice told Hotel Dive. For the group of consumers surveyed, 38% had an increased likelihood to stay, the company said.
One reason travelers are drawn to the prototype is its wellness-focused design and amenities, Cowan noted.
“Travelers have started to really prioritize health and wellness,” Cowan said. “They've always been looking for a good night's sleep, but really health and wellness has become a big aspect of traveling, so that's something we leaned into with this prototype.”
Scenic Dreams hotels offer enhanced wellness amenities, including fitness centers, water refill stations and designated outdoor spaces. The prototype will also continue Sleep Inn’s partnership with AllTrails, connecting guests with nearby hiking, biking and running trails.
Roughly 90% of Sleep Inn hotels are located within 90 minutes of a national park, so “you're always near nature when you're at a Sleep,” Cowan said.
Sustainability, another top priority for travelers, is also at the forefront of Scenic Dreams’ design. The prototype features energy-efficient LED lighting, a linen and towel reuse program and low-flow shower heads and faucets. Sleep Inn properties will also offer electric car charging stations for guests at select locations.
