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March 07, 2018
Every One of RadissonÕs 8 Hotel Brands, Explained
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The rebranding of Carlson Rezidor to Radisson Hotels Group is just one part of a much larger strategy, and a big part of that is how the new Radisson Hotels Group intends to market and promote its portfolio of seven hotel brands. Among other steps, the company renamed the loyalty program from Club Carlson to Radisson Rewards and rebranded Quorvus Collection to Radisson Collection. ÒRepositioningÓ is a word that many in the hospitality industry use whenever they have work to do on a brand, and thatÕs exactly what Radisson is doing with its own brands, especially its namesake one. In January, when Skift spoke to Carlson HotelsÕ president of the Americas, Ken Greene, he told us, ÒWith the core Radisson brand, we have a bit of a tarnished image.Ó To remedy that, Greene said the company intends to remove 10 percent of the brandÕs worst-performing properties and invest in underperforming ones to offer a more consistent guest experience. Now that we have an even better understanding of exactly how Radisson Hotel Group intends to market its namesake Radisson brand, as well as its seven other sister brands, itÕs the perfect time to take a look at each one and give them a bit of the Skift Take treatment, as we did previously for Marriott and Hilton. One other thing thatÕs apparent from this exercise: It looks like thereÕs room for Radisson to add a midscale brand, too. Note: Global footprint numbers come from the Radisson Hotel Group site and brand descriptions are from this press statement. We referred to STRÕs global chain scales, or categories, and RadissonÕs own classifications in categorizing the brands. LUXURY/UPPER UPSCALE Radisson Collection Global Footprint: 14 hotels, with two pending final legal agreement, by the time the brand debuts in June; room numbers are unavailable Radisson Take: ÒWelcome to the Exceptional. Radisson Collection will replace the companyÕs Quorvus Collection brand. Radisson Collection will launch in June 2018 as a premium collection of our exceptional hotels.Ó Skift Take: When this soft brand emerged in 2014, it was marketed as appealing to the younger luxury traveler. And while the brand has grown from three to 14 hotels in four years, it still has a long way to go in terms of cultivating a real brand identity or appeal. What kind of ÒexceptionalÓ are we talking about here? What makes the new Radisson Collection different from any other luxury soft brand collection out there? WeÕll wait to see what Radisson does with it come June. Radisson Blu Global Footprint: 400 hotels; 90,542 rooms Radisson Take: ÒFeel the difference. Radisson Blu will continue to deliver a positive and personalized service in stylish spaces with continued expansion in major cities around the world.Ó Skift Take: By Òdifference,Ó we think theyÕre implying the difference between Radisson Blu and Radisson. Truth be told, Radisson Blu properties Ñ or at least the ones weÕve been to Ñ are very nice. But the majority of them are concentrated in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific regions. And simply because of the name association with Radisson, North American travelers donÕt necessarily have the best impression of the brand. LetÕs hope RadissonÕs version of a ÒSheraton GrandÓ succeeds. UPSCALE Park Plaza Global Footprint: 41 hotels; 8,578 rooms Radisson Take: ÒSmart, engaging service. Park Plaza offers trend-setting designs and captures the energy and style of each individual location. The brand is currently being re-worked to make it more relevant for high-end international travelers.Ó Skift Take: Think of this as RadissonÕs version of IHGÕs Crowne Plaza, or MarriottÕs Renaissance Hotels Ñ a smart brand thatÕs appealing, especially, to business travelers. This is one of RadissonÕs brands that will only ever exist outside of the Americas; you can find it in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, as well as in Asia Pacific. Radisson Red Global Footprint: 19 hotels; 3,539 rooms Radisson Take: ÒEnjoy It! Radisson RED, a playful twist on the conventional hotel experience, has rolled out a new product definition and updated logo with a robust growth plan across EMEA and Americas.Ó Skift Take: RadissonÕs version of MarriottÕs Moxy, albeit less annoying (although the newer Moxy hotels are a lot more sophisticated than the ones Marriott launched the brand with). When Radisson Red debuted in 2014, the company said it hoped to have 60 Radisson Red hotels in existence by 2020. While itÕs somewhat doubtful Radisson will reach that goal in the next two years, it will be interesting to see if Radisson can capitalize on growing guest demand for more design-driven spaces. Radisson Global Footprint: 217 hotels; 39,658 rooms Radisson Take: ÒSimply delightful. Radisson will be introduced in EMEA to serve the upscale segment. The brand will be refreshed in the Americas and Asia Pacific, with changes to its logo and visual identity, product design and guest experiences, that will focus on delivering Scandinavian inspired hospitality.Ó Skift Take: Like Sheraton, this is a brand in need of some major TLC and self-care right now. We hope that pruning the inventory, especially in the Americas, and changing travelersÕ mindsets about the brand with a new identity will help. And going the route of ÒScandinavian inspired hospitalityÓ certainly seems to be a thing these days Ñ just look at what Ace Hotels is doing with its new hygge-influenced Sister City brand. Hygge, for those not in the know, is a term to describe the Danish concept of extreme coziness. UPPER MIDSCALE Park Inn by Radisson Global Footprint: 203 hotels; 37,847 rooms Radisson Take: ÒFeel good. Park Inn by Radisson will continue to expand its footprint around the world and provide stress-free experiences, good food and upbeatenvironments in major cities and near airports.Ó Skift Take: If InterContinental Hotel GroupÕs Crowne Plaza and Marriott/StarwoodÕs Aloft Hotels had a baby, this might be it, although Park Inn wouldnÕt be a baby per se, but more like a middle-aged man. ItÕs certainly got the ÒcolorÓ thing down Ñ using bright pops of fluorescent shades as a dŽcor accent Ñ but thereÕs something about the design thatÕs more Gen X than Gen Z. Country Inn & Suites by Radisson Global Footprint: 538 hotels; 43,260 rooms Radisson Take: ÒI love this country. Country Inn & Suites by Radisson recently announced a new naming convention adding Ôby RadissonÕ to align the brand with the master brand and will stay true to its brand essence of country warmth.Ó Skift Take: ItÕs a whole lotta country, and not very much rock ÔnÕ roll. RadissonÕs answer to HiltonÕs Hampton Inn or MarriottÕs Fairfield inn & Suites and Country Inn & Suites, does have a lovely, welcoming, and inviting design aesthetic, but we wonder if there are too many associations with the word ÒcountryÓ to make ÒI love this countryÓ an effective marketing slogan. For now, the brand only exists in the Americas and Asia Pacific, but itÕs the largest brand in RadissonÕs portfolio by property number. ECONOMY Prizeotel Global Footprint: 10 hotels; 2,285 rooms Radisson Take: ÒAffordable high design. Prizeotel will continue to grow across EMEA to serve the modern economy segment.Ó Skift Take: Ò2 stars that feel like heavenÓ is how Prizeotel describes its amenities on its website and, honestly, as silly as it sounds to say that aloud, itÕs a welcome phrase to world-weary economy travelers seeking smart accommodations that donÕt skimp on the necessities. This brand really does stand out from the others in the Radisson portfolio, not just because itÕs the only economy brand but because it also appears to be so tech-driven (keyless entry, guest service messaging). ItÕs like the epitome of what every select-service hotel aims to be, but one that manages to be thoughtful in how it incorporates designer Karim RashidÕs distinctive flair and eye for detail. Copyright 2018 Skift. All rights reserved. From https://www.skift.com. By Deanna Ting, Skift.
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