Why lifestyle hotels are not just for Millennials
Lifestyle hotels may tick all the boxes for millennial travellers but they’re not the only generation drawn to their mix of contemporary design, nods to local culture and good wifi connections.
In recent years, they've become an increasingly popular choice among travellers across all age groups - by combining the personalised touches and high-quality service of a boutique hotel with the convenience and reliability of big hotel chains - while operating at a premium price point.
As lifestyle brands such as Indigo by the InterContinental Hotels Group, Aloft, Moxy and W under Marriott, as well as Andaz by Hyatt pop up across the globe, they find that Baby Boomers - people in their mid-50s to early 70s - make up a growing number of their guests.
"With so much attention on how the millennial traveller has shaped travel, it's easy to associate the rise of lifestyle hotels in the last two decades with the generation's coming of age and spending power," says Tom Sawayanagi, Senior Managing Director, Head of Japan JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group.
"While there is no hard data just yet, we're hearing a lot from lifestyle hotel operators and brands that they see a trend of older Generation X and Baby Boomers guests staying with them."
Hotels such as W have hosted large-scale events and conferences for major corporations which attract audiences through from Millennials to Baby Boomers. Even niche hotel groups, like Design Hotels, are targeting the Meetings Incentive Conferences and Events (MICE) market with the launch its Co-Lab MICE Edition to showcase how its hotels could create immersive experiences for professionals.
Hilton Group's Canopy brand, which was launched three years ago, does not see age as a defining factor for guests, says Daniel Welk, vice president of Luxury and Lifestyle, Asia Pacific, Hilton.
"Existing lifestyle brands currently focus on either high-end design or low-end modernity with limited services, whereas Canopy by Hilton appeals to any traveller seeking a locally inspired experience, creating an 'accessible lifestyle' that is available to a much broader base than the traditional lifestyle concepts in the region," he says.
