This week, Northstar Meetings Group spoke with Indy Adenaw, vice president and global brand leader for Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, about the brand’s redesign. Just days ago, Sheraton unveiled a new logo, a key component in the 82-year old chain's rebranding and transformation, and part of the $500 million investment parent company Marriott International is making as it positions the brand for the future.
We met with Adenaw, who is heading up the redesign, to get a more in-depth perspective on Marriott's vision for Sheraton and what meeting planners can expect when they walk through the doors of the first hotel to debut with the new brand components, the 1,000-room Sheraton Grand Phoenix, which is expected to complete renovations by the first quarter of 2020.
Why was Sheraton singled out for rebranding?
There are very few hotel brands that we can say we have grown up with, and Sheraton is one one those, whether you remember a business meal you had in one or a wedding you attended. We think Sheraton required and deserved its own attention, and I personally feel the responsibility of bringing this brand back to the space where it was great. What we have done is reinvent it in a way that is warm and inviting and harkens back to the brand's roots.
What is at the core of the new design?
Most hotels segment spaces too much. They tell us where to eat, where to work and even how to work. We feel Sheraton should embrace how things come together. We have created new public spaces that emphasize socialization and personalization, like new seating areas in the lobbies where you can make a private call, and shared communal tables. New partially enclosed meeting areas will be available for booking at hourly rates for guests who prefer to work in a less public space.
What technology are you putting in place to support the design?
We are building out a digital app that allows customers, whether they are at a communal table or in a private booth, to ask for service no matter where they are. They can ask to have food delivered, to obtain a charger, etc. What we love about the redesign is that the digital components are infused in the design. We are tweaking the public spaces and bringing the places were you can meet right to the lobby, which lends and adapts itself to the people using it.
What can we expect to find in the guest rooms?
Sheraton is a forever classic brand, and the guest always associates comfort with it. We spent the last year and half fine tuning the guest rooms, and we are very proud of them. You will see that it is more comfortable, with a residential feel, a little more relaxed. A number of Sheraton hotels are already implementing the new rooms. The one thing that won't be a brand standard anymore is the Sheraton Sweet Sleeper bed. It just didn't factor into the new design.
Were conference planners part of your rebranding focus groups?
Our one commitment to Sheraton owners when we began this process of invigorating the brand was that it be done in a collaborative way. We solicited feedback from owners, general managers, and we also asked our meeting clients for feedback. We specifically asked them what they liked and what we could improve upon, and that gave us a tremendous sense of what had to be done.
Will some hotels opt out of the rebranding and leave the brand?
We have tried to be very pragmatic and realistic. We don't want to create a situation where only new-builds can implement the new design. We think the framework of what we are doing can fit into every hotel, whether it's a big convention property or an airport hotel. We have over 63 hotels with more than 500 rooms, and the redesign gives them an opportunity to create a new buzz and inject some new life into their properties.
When will hotels start showcasing the new design?
We are leading the way with Phoenix, which will feature every component of the new public space. Denver is another historic legacy Sheraton steeped in history. It has over 1,200 rooms and will complete renovations by year’s-end. The Toronto Sheraton Centre is another big-box hotel currently renovating, and we have another 150 projects going on in North America. Honestly, we are just working overtime.